Category: Roadsters 
Price Range: £15,000 to £19,695
Entertaining drive regardless of driver ability, style, "wind-in-the-hair" ability, no true rival, folding hard-top roof now available.
Limited standard kit, soft-edged suspension.
Mazda returns with a thoroughly modern interpretation of the classic sportscar, and with nothing else to compare it to, you really can't go wrong.
With the decline of the MG TF and the passing of the MR2, the MX-5 is in an enviable position where it has no direct rival - the likes of the Z4 and Boxster are some way off the scale in price terms. This will keep demand high, so used bargains will be few and far between. It's expected to hold onto 42% of its value after three years.
It's reasonably well priced, although specification levels get better as you move up the range. A limited-run of 300 special editions with extra kit and unique paint and alloys was available to pre-order and fully sold out before the car officially launched on November 1 2005 - but look out for them on the used market.
Fuel consumption is good, considering its sporty nature, with 34.5-38.7mpg returned on the combined cycle, depending on engine and transmission choice. CO2 emissions are relatively low at 174g/km for the 1.8-litre, rising to 193g/km for the 2.0-litre 6-speed Sport - meaning it should prove popular as a company car.
Insurance groupings are low, at groups 11E to 13E.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Mazda MX-5
wrote on 12 09 2007
wrote on 27 02 2007