Mazda MX-5: This classic, lightweight sports car has been bringing smiles to faces for more than three decades, and the latest version hasn't lost its charm.
It's easy to forget how much the Mazda MX-5 has changed over the years. Although the basic ingredients remain the same since 1989, Mazda engineers continue to perfect their recipe like chefs pursuing perfection. And it's tastier than ever.
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Taking the turns with this lightweight car, you can feel the love that permeates every element of the driving experience.
The gearbox, using the smoothest gear shift at any time, turn the steering wheel precisely and feel the small car accelerate towards the axis of a turn in a way that larger cars simply cannot match.
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The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 arrived in 2015 as a streamlined machine priced from $31,990, powered by the Mazda2's 1.5-liter heart. Today, it's a 2.0-liter that starts at $41,520 and goes up to over $60,000 with shipping for the automatic model with a Bose, plus leather seats and a retractable hard -top.
This corresponds to an increase from 2310 to 3220 US dollars compared to last year's model.
Changes include new LED lights front and rear, a larger 8.8″ infotainment screen with USB-C ports , and new “connected services” that let you remotely check the car’s location and lock its doors with an app.
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Can call an ambulance after an accident or notify the owners if the car has been driven outside the specified hours or locations – exposing their children if they take it for a ride.
The driving instruments appear slightly different (but there is still no digital speed) and there are subtle changes in the “17‑spoke” wheels.
The driving enthusiasts will be more interested in a retuned limited differential with reduced locking effect when entering a turn that makes the car more predictable when approaching a corner. Also, a sharper throttle is intended to provide more precise responses to how you use the throttle pedal, especially when you release the throttle to adjust your line in large turns.
Having already benefited from a larger powertrain, revised exhaust, larger valves and new fuel injectors in 2018, the 2.0 litre engine of the MX-5 has a new air intake for 2024 that enhances the intake noise without however causing more power than the 135 kW and 205 Nm reported by last year's model.
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The car was tested on the Eastern Track at The Bend Motorsport Park, a technical layout that combines 22 turns in less than four kilometers of track.
It is said that it allows more margin of movement when you reach the limit of its thin tires, encouraging drivers to enjoy the peculiar slip on the track knowing that there is still a safe net to prevent you from losing control.
Anyone can appreciate the lightness and the cool nature of the MX-5.
It also rewards sensitivity and a refined feel from experienced drivers who can extract the most from its exceptionally balanced chassis.
Buying and driving an MX-5 requires some egoism and self-awareness from the customers.
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You don’t choose it to impress fellow passengers, who are confined to a not‑so‑spacious or comfortable space with minimal legroom and storage. Surely you don’t buy the MX‑5 expecting it to be a practical everyday car, to impress friends with fresh technologies or onlookers with its exhaust.
You should not buy the MX-5 to be the fastest on the straight, or to watch “Cars & Coffee” on a trip no one has seen before.
You buy it because you enjoy the art of driving and because that is more important to you than impressing your neighbors, your colleagues, or strangers on social media.
Even though the MX-5 evolves every year, this part hasn't changed at all.
Source: news.com
