Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupé review
by David Morgan (19 September 2006)
Mazda has a knack for producing great cars. Earlier this year there was more proof of the company's magic touch when it turned out the best low-cost two-seat sports car I've ever driven - the new MX-5. Now they've gone one better and put a lid on it.
If there was a downside to MX-5 ownership it was the thin standard soft-top hood that was all that stood between you and a downpour. Not any more. Renowned for clever technical solutions and impeccable build quality, the Japanese engineers have created a dinky little composite plastic folding roof and turned the Roadster into the Roadster Coupé.
Release a single securing catch and it takes just 12 seconds for the near-silent quartet of electric motors to turn the two-seater from a solid-topped coupé to an iconic open toped roadster - but the really clever part is that the MX-5 loses no boot space to the folding mechanism or its roof panels, which stow neatly behind the seats. It retains the same 150-litre boot capacity with the roof down as the soft-top model - hardly hangar-dimensioned, but generous for such a small car.
In climatically-challenged Europe the new model makes a lot of sense. It's snug and cosy enough to keep out the worst of winter weather and cuts road and wind rush noise which the fabric-topped version cannot hope to defeat.
The Coupé stands taller than the soft-top by 10mm. It's not much but it alters the car's profile just enough to make it look heavier and more solid. Weight gains are minimal at just 36.5kg over the Roadster, and although the interior feels claustrophobic with the roof in place it's well worth the £1200 premium Mazda is asking for the car. Compare that to the £1600 bill you’d get if you wanted a hardtop for your existing MX-5 Roadster and it adds up to a great deal.
Mazda has boosted the specification for the Coupé which comes in six models, all of which get climate control air conditioning as standard and i-Pod connectivity. The latter feature makes this the first Mazda to get built-in plug-and-play i-Pod connections as standard. Other models will follow.
There's standard climate control air-conditioning and a generous Option Pack on all versions. Two-litre models also get dynamic stability control, traction control and a limited-slip differential as part of the deal.
Prices start from £18,210 for the 1.8i model. For me it's the most sensible and satisfying engine - the 125bhp is perfectly suited to the car and delivers balanced performance. The 158bhp two-litre model is certainly beefier but it makes the MX-5's traction control work overtime as struggles to tame power levels that are fairly high for such a lightweight rear-drive two-seater.
Two-litre models start from £19,210 and a five-speed gearbox with the range-leading 2.0i Sport BOSE heading the family at £21,265 complete with six-speed manual transmission and a premium audio system from the automotive industry's leading in-car entertainment supplier. Metallic paint costs an extra £325 on all models.
The 1.8i Roadster Coupé should be good for an average 40mpg driven gently, but it's hard not to get involved in some spirited driving, and that will mean economy dropping to around 30mpg. The 2.0i is only a little thirstier but cruises without fuss at speeds where the 1.8i has to work harder.
Mazda has tweaked the Roadster Coupé's suspension marginally to carry the extra weight of the powered roof, but you’d be hard pressed to notice any difference over the soft-top. It's a chuckable delight with hydraulic power steering which blesses the car with real poise.
Driving the Roadster Coupé on demanding Tirolean mountain roads at its European launch in Austria proved the extra weight of the new roof has no impact on handling. It's still perfect. This is classic sports car driving. The car gobbled torturous climbs and plunging hairpins. Extra torque from the two-litre proved its worth the higher I climbed, but the slick transmission on each engine option is so good there is little to choose between the 1.8 or its bigger sister.
Rear visibility with the roof in place is surprisingly good and, while the car's low build means getting in and out is a bit of a struggle, the cabin is impressively dimensioned with good width and elbow room. Storage is minimal but seating is brilliant with excellent support and a reasonable range of adjustment for all but the tallest occupants.
Deputy programme manager for the MX-5, European-based Nobuhiro Yamamoto, is delighted with his new baby, but he had a surprise for me. Mazda has a paddle-shift DSG-type automatic transmission which is available on the new car in the US. "For now we have no plans to introduce this to the UK market," he said, "but the option is there if we see a demand."
An automatic MX-5? What's the point?
The new Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupé is expected in UK showrooms late this year. But if you want one you had better be quick - order books are filling up fast and you could find yourself joining a very long queue for this desirable electric-roofed icon.
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