To stay sane and prevent my brain from turning into porridge the endless days of coronavirus blocking, I would wonder which combination of car and road to choose when the fog is lifted and freedom is restored.
As every time an oil tanker is asked what his favorite car is, he hoped to be so defeated in the selection that he would be offering nothing. Or maybe very many other possible selections each time. Could it be a Ferrari on the French Riviera? No. Too obvious and, if we talk about New Ferrari, too many horses lying under the hood to be appreciated on a whim.
The same can be said of almost all fashionable supercars and hypercars. The strength race he saw passing the outings from 500 to over 1000 in the blink of an eye resulted in winners. Instead, a growing collection of obese exotics is contesting Instagram fame and YouTube fame.
None of this, thank you very much. At least not today. For my dream after the lockdown, I looked for something much smaller, easier and more attractive. A car that is fun to drive on a quiet country road without moving your foolish driver by car, but that can be used comfortably every day. Reader, I looked for a Mazda MX-5.
I know I know. This is not a piece of fantasy-driven unobtainium. But on the dark days when you walk through the department stores once a week in search of groceries and disinfectant, an absolute driving experience, with the classic two-seater sports car configuration and rear-wheel drive, is what you wanted.
Fortunately, once the British press workshops reopened, a masked guy left a newly disinfected MX-5 2.0 Sport Tech. Finished in Soul Red metallic with black leather, I already knew that all I was looking for was my first genuine trip in months. I also tried the Renault Zoe and Polestar 2 after the blockade, but my week with the MX-5 would come with the first chance to drive just to laugh. To laugh and for many miles.
Fast forward a few days and wake up in my local West Yorkshire. With the sun shining, the roof down and the roads quiet, the small MX-5 reminds of its driving force that when it comes to sports cars like this, less is Array.
With just over 100 kg to push, the 2.0-liter engine in the most sensitive diversity sends the board at a hundred km/h (62 mph) in 6.5 seconds, a laugh but not wild, and the most sensitive speed is 136 mph. But the MX-5 is not a number hunter. Instead, he puts a smile on his face as he is so accessible, so simple at perfectly legal speeds and in the area of convenience of his driver.
It’s a car that rarely forgives unexpectedly. It’s more of the driver’s side; he knows you need to have fun, but you don’t need to jump by car.
Although a 1.5-litre edition is also available, the 2.0 looks like a more complete set, thanks to the larger engine with Bilstein surprise shock absorbers, a force front leg and a limited slip differential.
Both engines have been updated for the 2019 style year, with the strength of 2.0 moving from 158 hp to 181 hp much more respectable, while the rev limiter has risen from 6800 rpm to 7500, giving the car more vigor and a high-end value. each and every gear change.
And what a replacement equipment it is. The MX5 have shone here and the latter are no exception. It’s a short shot that requires more effort than expected, yet greater tact is precisely what a sports car like this deserves to be. Unfortunately, the rather numb guide can’t match, and although the thin edge of the wheel is a great replacement for the absurdly thick tires with which today’s marks are obsessed, I also prefer a smaller diameter wheel and more comments.
But I actually master the straws here; The MX-5 laughs a lot when you want it. Even crawling through urban traffic, on a sunny day with the roof down, you can’t help but smile yet, realizing that that car still exists, and with normal updates, you’re obviously adored by your manufacturers.
The MX-5 is a car you can use every day because it’s comfortable, quiet and economical in the city, then fun, attractive and superbly balanced when you need to have fun.
These Bilstein 2.0 models carry calm and stability on your favorite roads, but with the minimal cost of driving too much in company in the city. That said, it’s no worse than a hot hatch, and even after travelling 350 miles a day on highways, A roads and all over London, I didn’t feel uncomfortable.
I’d even go for Mazda’s optional gearbox springs, because those 17-inch wheels, however beautiful, seem a little lost in the arches.
This little reproach aside, it’s a great thing, isn’t it? Launched in 2015, this existing four-generation MX-5 still features a new logo, and a global departure from the third-generation podgy it has replaced. Well adapted without being too aggressive, I think it’s a real spectator inside and out.
The cab is well equipped and offers a perfect driving position, a little tight for larger drivers. The build quality is perfect and none of the tactile problems are reasonable or compromised through a low-budget manufacturer. The touchscreen is just beginning to show its age, with a diminishing solution and less responsiveness than 2020 buyers can expect. But Bose’s audio formula is the most sensible notch, with speakers judiciously installed on the headrests when you’re on the phone with the ceiling down.
Due to the compact cabin, the characteristics of the garage are limited. There are no glove boxes or pockets on the doors, so a phone, keychain and small wallet are placed more or less under the center armrest, and there is a small garage bin between the shoulders of the occupants. The trunk can hold a medium-sized single bag and an optional luggage rack can be installed in the most sensitive part of the trunk for suitable road trips. The roof is manually folded up and down, which takes about 3 seconds and can be done without leaving, the best to get up or down in traffic.
You may realize that I didn’t compare the MX-5 to your rivals, and that’s because there’s rarely one. Fiat soon gave us the Abarth 124 Spider, which wore an MX-5 in other clothes, and that’s it.
Priced at $23,800 ($26,580 in the United States) at just over £29,000 for the car tested here, there’s nothing in the new car market for the MX-5; you have to stretch your budget significantly to get into a BMW Z4 or Audi TT Roadster, or there’s the Toyota GT86 if you don’t need a convertible.
But none of this matters, because the one you want is still the MX-5. It is a daily sports car, as comfortable as it is exciting. It seems much more expensive than it is and, despite the limited garage space, if you don’t want back seats, it can be your only car.
Now in its thirtieth year, the MX-5 2020 remains in its own elegance.
I’m an automotive and generation journalist who has written for Wired UK and the BBC, and I’m passionate about anything on 4 wheels.