In the basement of Mazda’s design centre in Irvine, Calif., is a lovely-looking yellow coupe.
Dubbed the M Coupe, it is a styling exercise done to see if the Miata would work as a hardtop, in the same way you could get an MGB as both a convertible and the GT coupe.
They never built it. In fact, Mazda never made its roadster into a fixed-roof coupe, apart from a couple of Japan-only specials (which, it has to be said, were not particularly attractive). Why? Well, the economics of producing and marketing a niche version of a small volume apparently didn’t make sense.
However, with the previous-generation MX-5, Mazda noticed something funny with their sales figures. Their clever power-folding hardtop accounted for roughly half of all MX-5 sales. People liked having the option of a hard roof, whether for security or reduced noise.
Thus, when the new model came out, everyone expected another power-folding hardtop. What we were not expecting was for Mazda to create a gorgeous fastback coupe that turns into a targa. And yet the brilliance of the current car is in its lightness – does adding metal up top ruin the recipe?
Design
First of all, let me pick my jaw up off the pavement. While design is of course subjective from person to person, I really liked the fierce little scowl of the ND-chassis MX-5 when it debuted, and thought the car generally looked better than machines costing far more.
The MX-5 RF, as this new hardtop version is called, looks even better. It’s like the difference between the Jaguar F-Type convertible and coupe. One’s in a summery dress, the other’s all dolled up for the evening. Just when you didn’t think things could get any prettier, they do.
My tester for the week rode on the optional 17-inch BBS wheels, which give the RF a bit of attitude, but the stock wheels are just fine. With LED headlights and tail lights standard, there’s not much fiddling to be done with the exterior, so either trim works.
If I have a beef with this car visually, it’s with the limited colour palette. The gorgeous Soul Red is the only exception to the obvious choices of white or black and two greys. Come on Mazda. I expect this sort of 50 shades of grey from an Audi sedan, not a sports car. Where’s the blue? Where’s the British Racing Green?
Environment
Compared to the roadster version, the RF’s cabin is a little tighter. As the MX-5 wasn’t that big to begin with, taller drivers might find it a bit of a squeeze, and it’s also a bit more claustrophobic. The view when shoulder checking is of the rear pillar, as opposed to that wonderful openness you get with the roadster.
Further, let’s talk about practicality, or the lack thereof. Like its soft-top cousin, the RF lacks a glovebox (you get a small cubby between the seatbacks), and has a pair of very silly cupholders. It looks like they built the cabin without considering where cupholders should go, and then just tacked them on afterwards. You know who else is like that? Porsche.
If you’re buying this car to drive it, the annoyance is minimal. Also minimal: the 127 litre trunk space. The RF doesn’t give up much to the roadster here, but you’ll need to pack light for a couple’s weekend away.
In addition to those BBS rims, the Sport Package on my tester also included a set of Recaro seats. These are wonderful, comfortable and grippy – but the stock seats are pretty wonderful too. Fact is, the RF is pretty great the way it is. Season to taste.
Performance
Adding 55 kilograms of weight to a car that embodies a pared-down approach to driving seems counter-intuitive. However, that’s not much more than a ballerina riding shotgun, so I wouldn’t complain about it too much.
Better yet, in terms of ride and handling, the RF gives up almost nothing to the roadster. It’s analogous to a five horsepower drop – you won’t even notice. Mazda’s also retuned the suspension for a little more compliance, but again, the RF feels just as sharp as the soft-top car. Both, it has to be said, roll around a bit, more so than you expect from a sports car. However, this is just suspension travel, not sloppiness, and it allows you to better judge your mid-corner weight transfer.
The RF gets the same 155 h.p. 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine as the roadster variant, and it retains the same 148 foot-pounds of torque. When these figures first came out, there was a lot of complaining from people who were used to horsepower levels climbing every year on everything from 911s to Camrys.
Let me just say this: if you can’t get an MX-5 to move along at thrilling speeds then you’re either stuck in traffic or could use a little more time learning how to preserve momentum in the corners. Yes, the power isn’t earth-shattering, but the MX-5 makes the most of it, and is plenty quick enough to get you in trouble with a tutting police officer (but not too much trouble).
This isn’t a case of the old “more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow” adage. The RF is genuinely quick and eager, but it’s also very well-balanced. It’s almost a relief to find that adding weight up top hasn’t blunted it at all, and everything from the steering to the perfectly weighted shifter adds up to create a symphonic performance.
And then there’s the best part. With the roof up, the RF is quieter than the roadster, and could easily function as a daily driver. With the roof down, it’s even more turbulent than the roadster, but that just adds to the open air fun. You’ve got the best of both worlds.
Features
Starting at $38,800, and optioned up to $45,195, the MX-5 isn’t exactly cheap. Looking at something from BMW or Mercedes might be an option. However, the RF comes pretty well equipped from stock, and optioning up the German marques gets very pricey, fast.
Official fuel economy figures are 8.9 (litres/100 kilometres) in the city and 7.1 on the highway, and premium fuel is required. This is much better economy than the previous generation car, and real-world figures were spot on.
Green light
Zippy fun; looks stylish; economical speed.
Stop sign
Cramped cockpit; limited luggage space; needs more colour choices.
The checkered flag
The best of both the coupe and convertible worlds.
Competition
BMW 230i ($37,000): Want a sporty little coupe? Why not put a BMW in your driveway? The 230i gets some improvements to its handling in this refreshed generation, and has a stout little 248 h.p. turbocharged four-cylinder, perfect for dispatching slow-moving RVs. And it’s more practical.
The only thing is: the 230i is a sporty car, not a sports car. If you need more (tech, space, comfort, power), the BMW is the way to go. But if you understand that less can actually be more, give the RF a try.
