Mazda MX-5 - long-term review

Let's talk specification. The MX-5 you see in these photos is a top of the range Homura spec car. That’s the best of the best as far as Mazdas go. What it actually means in real terms is all the kit you can ever imagine needing. Which includes useful things like a reversing camera, a premium Bose sound system, blind spot monitoring, Recaro seats, DSC with track mode, smart keyless entry, parking sensors, an asymmetrical LSD, and sports suspension featuring Bilstein dampers.

I am a very unlikely candidate for a track day, so like many MX-5 owners, I will not experience the diff working hard. However, if you are a track day kind of person, Mazda’s engineers have worked night and day to eliminate a common issue with LSDs – that is, using the same differential characteristics for both acceleration and deceleration. The asymmetric LSD with its new cam mechanism allows for different inputs when braking or accelerating, which increases feel and stability… and while it won’t make you go faster, it will allow you to feel exactly what the car is doing in, around and out of corners.

Back to the spec. It also includes some less desirable things such as a lane keep assist system (not something I find useful, in fact it’s plain annoying and disruptive when I’m driving) traffic sign recognition (which beeps at me the whole time it thinks I’m breaking the speed limit, but it just has the wrong speed in its brain) and a driver alert system (which isn’t as alert as it might have you think). But these are small niggles when the rest of the car is so delightful.

On the road, the Homura spec MX-5 costs £34,800. The only additional extra on this car is the super glossy, wonderfully red Soul Red Crystal paint (cost £810), which is obviously worth it as the majority of positive comments the Mazda has had so far have been regarding its attractive cherry red paint. And there is the added bonus that the paint isn’t just for the exterior... no, you get body colour coordinated interior upper door trim, so even when you’re inside the MX-5 you can delight in the universally adored red paint.

So, with the splendid paint, the overall cost of the Mazda comes in at £35,610. Which seems quite reasonable. Though for most people it will only ever be a second car... a car to use when you want to head off for a drive, purely to enjoy yourself. And you probably couldn’t even use it for a week away... because we all know that the boot is very compact. It won’t accommodate more than a couple of squidgy bags and can’t fit a decent supermarket shop... pls there’s no useful storage in the cabin. But these are accepted compromises because going to the supermarket is never going to be the primary job of an MX-5. This is a car for living in the moment, for feeling the wind in your hair and living life to the full.