waited impatiently for this moment . He did long ago. Anxiously he awaited the power get behind the wheel of the new Mazda MX-5 , start it and see that they had been able to do at Mazda with this fourth generation of Miata . What was not expected was surprised therefore marvel at his behavior, his ways. Mazda has given life to this ND, sportier 4 more fun Miata. A bit more spicy, a little more “distortion” in the melody of his escape, in its wildest forms design, low driving position, graceful position, sausage … the new Mazda MX-5, either of 131 horses or the 160 horses has fallen in love, why? Buckle up, it’s time to see first hand this next generation of the small size, convertible myth is the Mazda MX-5.
you feel more athletic, more muscular and bold at first glance:
Mazda has made Barcelona the stage for their latest releases. Our luggage, two suitcases cabin comes just in the trunk.
Barcelona. As is the norm in the Japanese company in recent months the appointment with the new Mazda MX-5 had to Barcelona as a backdrop. At the foot of Barcelona airport ahead. Red, restrained dimensions and aggressive stance , equipped with the engine of 131 horses . We take the keys, open the boot and fit our cabin two bags . Enter fair, very fair, but end up going after playing with the position and zarandearlas a little.
I first saw this new Miata in the past Paris Salon , in 2014, at this time. It must be that the studied room lights did not sit as well as the Catalan capita sky, here, now, in the street, I find it much nicer .
looks small, is small and is under . The language KODO has been adapted as a marked lateral veins, but the Miata sports a slightly independent course and for example the optical are not strung with grill as it does in the rest of the Mazda range.
The nose is bent grille that evokes, from updated ways previous generations, suggesting its path muscle on their wheel arches, as also hinted at a subsequent fins views from the mirrors fired very strongly.
In its defense the leadership rests with the fall of the aforementioned wheel arches and a small optical , you are perfectly matching with the front, nice, sporty look. On one side, below the large bumpers, dual exhaust, it appears discreet, unpretentious and without seeking any attention … at least until we put it up and started to climb beyond 6,000 rpm what sound! But not anticipate events.
The interior envelops you in a really good driving position
With a height of 1.80 meters I go well in the new Miata, but its interior is not exactly great.
The first kilometers by highway unfold, but then took leave of the firm wide and various lanes is to enter into the territory of the idyllic roads. I think in any location to quickly find the first pictures. Tops down, my partner, and wields the first virtues, I speak of his address, the response of the engine and 1.5 … can not be more eager to be the one to drive it.
Some pictures hasty attempt to comply with the time on the road trip route. Take this opportunity to make a quick analysis of an interior that feels restrained, enveloping you and yes, it small , just for those larger. My partner and I measure 1.80 and fit to perfection, height, width.
around me and saved some adjustment of the final part, the part that gets under the dashboard, the central bridge we found a good sense of quality. Good finishes and details in a simple set, which, without fanfare convinces pleasantly .
On the dashboard screen with the familiar new multimedia system brand managed from a driver already known also located in the central bridge. A roulette accompanied by the necessary buttons to move through menus reminiscent of those employed by Audi, by BMW .
Just below the screen we find the controls of a cooling which uses a round vents and controls good finish.
No no glove use. Here the slide space is divided into a cavity located between the two seats and a small hole, perfect for keys, for mobile, at the end of the center tunnel.
The instrumentation is pretty , with the tachometer in the middle followed by a left and right digital display speedometer. I like. Sports, well finished and with the right touch of modernity given by the multifunction display white digits.
The seats are comfortable not have large “ears”, with large reinforcements, but met in sporty driving the incentive to be blameless in the day.
Noteworthy is also the appendices body color extending over the top of the door trims. This finish, this touch of color in the interior, has been sought, tell us from the firm, for cram the driver a greater sense of connection to the car .
The great pillar of the Miata: dynamic
131 hp version has 150 Nm of torque, 160 horsepower is 200 Nm.
A meal by the sea, serves to exchange first impressions. There can be no more praise on the table. Ask who you ask, only good words. My impatience acrecenta, a few meters from the table where I give a good account and dessert waiting for me. We will continue to drive a 1.5 131 horses , tomorrow there will be time to test the performance based alternative, the 160 hp 2.0 …
Under to the cockpit. As I mentioned it is low, but this will adoleceremos more time to leave. Perfect, a good roadster should be a driving well to the ground and with legs straight. Regulo the height of the steering wheel (not adjustable in height) and adjust a mirror in which they see, huge, the rear wheel arches. About me a simple manual focused shooter, shooting of the hood and a hood that accompanied to the back comfortably, my mind being fixed after a final push is disengaged.
I press the button. Finally. A faint metallic sound reaches my ears from the rear , accelerated smoothly without still gear up any more alive to appreciate the tone of your exhaust system. Before me a mechanical gesture that makes me smile …
four years living with a Mazda MX-5 1990
Version 1.5 has a weight of 975 kg.
Before having feelings, before talking about its dynamics, of the pleasant impressions which has left me there to put in context my affinity for the Mazda MX-5 … is that am the happy owner of a 1990 unit , with 115 hp and 1.6 with a long history that goes through the union of a imported Eunos Roadster in Japan could not at the time approve a national donor base and served as a beige interior of restyle suffered the first generation at the end of his life, leading to a wheel Frankenstein I’ve already traveled 60,000 km.
During the launch of the new Mazda MX-5, in the press conference itself, we speak of this new Miata has a lot to do with the first . At first glance, on paper, its lightness, its restrained dimensions, its driving position, its design … have much to do.
The first Miata lacks a chassis a little soft , but its weight restrained fits perfectly with the 115 hp 1.6 leaving that initial step with a good direction and exceptional touch the gearbox . During the four years that I have lived with my Mazda MX-5 1990 I have been adding various reinforcements to the chassis, silent blocks stiffer, dampers and firmer springs … to overcome these initial problems chassis, perhaps even going too far beyond you need, making it too radical …
What where I’m getting at? I want to go so far in which a few kilometers after I get off the new Mazda MX-5 and I run into new Mazda MX-5 shown really satisfactory as far as sportsmanship is concerned , with a chassis that, well suited to the daily needs, offers a good configuration when to seek more playful side of driving is all about.
This new generation Mazda MX-5 transmits me a sporty feel superior what I’ve found in any of the other three generations. A more satisfactory feeling actually more defined. roadster remains the perfect day for himself but is now even more sophisticated and that extra sportiness is evident in much of the details: in its chassis, its sound and its propeller on everything but also its direction and its transmission.
preserves perfectly that philosophy as dual that well it meets as soon who want a convertible with the Walking as the “burning” of cars, but now, to seek the tickling us put a smile even greater.
But back to where we were at that first press of the start button, these first kilometers …
Flirting with perfection
The first kilometers are developed by their natural habitat, on a side street. From the first moment I feel perfectly integrated. I feel that my position is not that lying and my MX-5 Na, but communion with the driving position is really good feel that everything is centered around yours, but also feel everything It is a bit narrow and copilot have really close.
I ascend fast laps on the 1.5 of 131 horses. Then, from the early stages, I run into a sweet melody metal . It is not exaggerated, inflated purrs not go, but is natural and sporty, pure and constant .
With this soundtrack, something sharp, we face curves that soon leave us with with a pleasant steering feel , with good toughness and good information. Direct and that astonishing simplicity that characterizes this car for so many years.
The shifter vibrates under your hand. The connection with the transmission is complete directly. Any gearbox results in a quick operation with a high level of hardness, short lever with us in a round process. This aspect is the one that reminds me of my MX-5, the first generation, with the proviso that the road has been liquefied some original roughness to offer a modern vision of that original most satisfactory change. To top the pedals are in a really good position.
I was in love. I’ve only been driving it a few kilometers and I can not help outline my happy my partner. He is looking really good which OH WAIT, when you consider its price, which will be discussed later, it seems that flirts with perfection.
The cornering out with great agility. The car feels really light and although suspensions seem to suffer a moron something soft is solved by a gratifying wealth of sensations. Yes, I would like with a harder suspension, but at no time can cross this suspension as inadequate for a fun ride. From out more body roll is appreciated but from his cockpit, driving or as a passenger, perceived neutrality. On his braking no hits some in the kilometers we find signs of fatigue and we felt it was fair, but if something happened in the first generation.
The engine of 131 horses is more than enough. It’s fun, progressive and lively up way around to near the 8,000 rpm, without them, feels fast and fun. It feels. Being a Miata we can not talk about performance. We must talk about feelings and in that sense from the 1.5 we already have a really good now well set, what if we jump to 160 horsepower?
Surprisingly the set of steering, suspension, however, the same perceived sound … even attitude propeller 2 liter, also atmospheric, much resembles, leaving, of course, with rhythms, with higher performance.
Rather than feeling or in readiness of our brand step difference docile ease with which it is able to move the rear axle is that this version where the 1.5 of 131 horses shows descolocable shy and hardly 160 horses and autoblocante ask us at every turn sideways to go, allowing us to easily control the movement and drawing an even bigger smile on our face.
begins to sparkle. A fast moving arm allows us to put the hood on a few seconds. The isolation is very good .
A quick reflection to finish …
The last kilometers are painted on the browser for our misfortune and on the table of food can be no more praise for the car. Normal.
to the original philosophy, that character Miata, Mazda has given an extra touch, small, sufuciente, good sportsmanship that is noticeable even in his image. is graceful, light, fun and quickly hooked . It is easy to imagine and want it in our garage, it’s easy to see us driving wheel after a side road on any given Sunday … and our rational side fully supports the decision also invites us to dream about it because that philosophy, in that attitude Miata fits perfectly the daily car use as long as their condition so permits tandem.
I find it nice, I like the configuration of the interior, despite not being a prodigy in habitability and above all I am in love with this dynamic.
Let’s talk about the price …
Toca leave of the new Mazda MX-5, touch left behind Barcelona. From the plane I type the first words of this test and transcribe a price list to make it even more tempting to the new Miata.
The range of the Mazda MX-5 2015. for Spain is composed as follows:
Mazda MX-5 1.5 Style 131 hp – 25,000 euros
Mazda MX-5 1.5 Browser Style 131 hp – 25,400 euros
Mazda MX-5 1.5 131 hp Style + – 26,600 euros
Mazda MX-5 1.5 131 cv + Style Browser – 27,000 euros
Mazda MX-5 1.5 Luxury 131 hp – 27,800 euros
Mazda MX-5 2.0 160 hp Style + – 27,800 euros
Mazda MX-5 2.0 160 cv + Style Browser – 28,200 euros
Mazda MX-5 2.0 Luxury 160 hp – 29,000 euros
Mazda MX-5 2.0 Sport 160 hp Luxury Pack – 30,600 euros
Prices are without promotions . The Mazda MX-5 has a promotional campaign for 2,000 euros to which we add 613 euros discount when purchasing fund with financial brand.
Mazda expects to sell 250 units of the new Mazda MX-5 per year in Spain. 40% of them will be the 160 hp 2.0
to equipment each of the finishes include the following:
Style
lights full LED , hill start assistant, air conditioning, trip computer, black cloth upholstery with red stitching, leather steering wheel and knobs, multimedia system on the dashboard screen, bluetooth, 6 speakers, 2 shots USB boot button, power windows, spoiler, electric mirrors and alloy wheels in 16 inch.
Style +
On the Style alert system is added lane change, automatic climate control, leather upholstery, heated seats, rain sensors and lights, digital radio, photochromic interior rear-view mirrors in black piano and tires 16-inch Gun Metallic finish.
In the case of the 160 hp the slip differential is added, the torsion bar and 17-inch wheels.
Luxury
Navigator, Bose sound system, lighting control long-range, intelligent parking sensors and keyless entry.
2.0 In the case of the sistes i-i-ELOOP Stop and sports suspension and addition to the elements already seen in the Style + is added.
Pack Sport
Add the finishing Luxury directional lighting system, blind spot monitoring, traffic alert and rear Recaro seats.
Gallery Test Mazda MX-5:
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