Mazda Mx 5 Rf Specs
Mazda Mx 5 Rf Specs – In a world of large, heavy SUVs, overactive driver assistance systems and increasing electrification, the Mazda MX-5 is a breath of fresh air.
Mind you, it has plenty of safety equipment, but otherwise it’s pretty close to an old-school sports car without going beyond a Caterham or a Morgan.
Mazda Mx 5 Rf Specs
The RF takes the classic MX-5 formula and adds a power-retractable targa roof. For a car that’s always been about hair-raising thrills, the RF adds extra comfort but takes away the 360-degree visibility you get in a convertible.
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You’ll pay a $4,310 penalty for the power sunroof. The base MX-5 RF is priced from $42,770 on-the-road and $47,108 drive-away, depending on NSW postcodes.
The automatic transmission costs another $2,000, and while most paint colors are free, there are three metallic finishes — Zircon Sand, Soul Red Crystal and Machine Gray — that cost an additional $595.
Despite being hardtop coupes, the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 are the MX-5’s most direct competitors. The base manual GR86 is priced at $43,240 before on-roads, and the base manual BRZ is priced at $40,290 before on-roads.
The MX-5’s interior feels appropriate for a vehicle in classic sports car form, but in this age of smartphones and better connectivity, it’s left behind.
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Cabin storage is terrible, and this is most noticeable when you just want to plug in your phone and use smartphone mirroring.
There’s also no place to store your phone safely – it sticks out of a groove at the bottom of the center console, blocking the gear lever and sliding out easily.
The cup holders are also located behind you so you can run cables through the cabin. I just asked my passenger to hold the phone for me.
There’s a storage bin on the center console, but you’d be lucky to fit a wallet in it, and the lockable storage space behind the seats is small and difficult to reach. There’s a small alcove in the center console on the passenger side, but we can’t imagine what you’d put in it.
Mazda Mx 5 Price & Specs
You have to connect your phone to use Android Auto (only Apple CarPlay is wireless), and while the old MZD-Connect system has more touch capabilities than the new Mazda Connect system in Class 3 cars, it’s not enough.
You can only use touch functionality while parked, and while we like the rotary controls, the MX-5’s placement is awkward and annoying when used with smartphone mirroring. Sometimes it’s easier to touch the screen to control something than to use a rotary controller, even in sports cars with driver-focused manual controls.
The MZD-Connect system was also delayed. Turn the car off with Android Auto turned on, then turn it back on without your phone connected, and you’ll have to go through a lengthy loading screen. While we’re complaining, the graphics are also pretty old.
The MX-5’s cabin performance is good enough, though. Most of the gears feel good, and the analog dials are clean and easy to read.
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The dashboard is made entirely of hard plastic, but stitching details and body-color binding and leather door trim enhance the ambience. Everything is solid and well built too.
The seats are great too. The MX-5 is surprisingly comfortable and supportive, and despite its low position, it’s easy to put on and take off.
Some other minor gripes: There’s no grab handle for the passenger, and the sound system is mediocre at best—you have to buy the GT to get the upgraded nine-speaker Bose sound system.
Open the trunk and you’ll find a relatively deep but small storage space with a capacity of just 127 liters. You can put a travel bag in here, but don’t even think about putting a suitcase in here.
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By 2022, all MX-5 models come with the base 1.5-litre engine, supplemented by the previously optional naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 135 kW at 7,000 rpm and torque at 4,000 rpm to 205 Nm
That’s a far cry from the 174kW/250Nm outputs of the latest BRZ and GR86, even though they weigh more than 100kg more.
The MX-5 engine comes with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. All models come with rear-wheel drive.
I’ve been seeing fuel consumption in the low sevens, and over the course of a week – which included a lot of motorway driving but also some spirited mountain jaunts – I recorded a combined fuel consumption of 7.2L/100km . Official consumption is 6.9L/100km.
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The RF roof really brings down the performance of the classic MX-5 convertible. The props behind you block your view, making you feel even more restricted.
For what? The cabin is still noisy at highway speeds and you can still hear wind noise around the mirrors, so it’s not like the picture of silence is on the hardtop.
The standard MX-5 Roadster’s roof may require manual control, but it’s fairly easy to raise or lower. The RF roof only requires the push of a button, but can only be used at speeds up to 10 km/h. At least it only takes 13 seconds.
Don’t make the mistake we did and try to drive fast at a red light – you’ll be going 10km/h with a siren screaming at you like you’re in a plane that’s been hit by enemy fire Same in fighter jets.
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It’s a good thing the MX-5 has blind-spot tracking as standard, because with blind spots you can lose the truck.
There are two schools of thought on the MX-5: those who think all you need is a relatively low-power naturally aspirated engine for fun, and those who demand more power.
The chassis does feel like it can handle more power, but I’d lean more towards the first camp chassis. You can enjoy squeezing the atmo engine and climbing gears.
The MX-5 isn’t what we’d call “fast” — we’d say it has “enough” power, like a GR86 or BRZ.
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If you push it, you can still induce good, controlled oversteer, and the weight distribution is excellent. It’s light, balanced and compact, just like the MX-5.
The manual shifts well and feels nice and tight. The clutch pedal also has good weight.
I still worry about people buying an automatic MX-5, which is the car equivalent of wearing sneakers to the beach. If your knees are bent, you can pass. Otherwise just buy the manual!
The steering is well balanced and communicative, the road feel is good, and the wheels are a good size. The pedals are slightly offset and intrude into the rider’s legroom a bit, but you get there quickly and comfortably.
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Suspension tuning doesn’t mask what’s going on underneath the car, either. That’s not a criticism, as the MX-5 never feels harsh. But the car is small, sits low, and the suspension is firm, so you can really feel the terrain of the road.
Generally it is more convenient in cities. Even when traveling on tram tracks and changing road surfaces, the MX-5 was remarkably compliant. You don’t feel big bumps and bumps in this car.
The RF roof is very light: it weighs only 27 kg more than the corresponding soft-roof model.
While we don’t think the MX-5 needs more power (or a turbo) to deliver excitement, the naturally aspirated engine could use some work in the sound department.
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It revs up to 7,500 rpm, but is noisy. It sounds basically the same as the Mazda3, so it doesn’t sound particularly sporty or sonorous.
Mid-range GT models add goodies like leather upholstery, heated front seats, automatic high-beam headlights, keyless entry and a nine-speaker Bose sound system, while the flagship GT RS comes with Bilstein dampers and Brembo four-piston front brakes .
Based on testing conducted in 2016, the Mazda MX-5 received a five-star ANCAP safety rating. It scored 35.20 points out of 37 compared to the old standard.
Even eight years after the launch of the current-generation ND, the MX-5 remains as captivating as ever.
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Infotainment and cabin storage are weak points, but not outright disqualifying. Even if the MX-5 was half as good, what other small rear-wheel-drive convertible would you buy at this price point? Spoiler alert: none.
For our money, though, we’d stick with the standard roadster. The RF’s thick pillars not only impede visibility, but really detract from the MX-5’s classic roadster style.
William Stopford is an automotive journalist based in Brisbane, Australia. William graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a degree in Business/Journalism. He loves traveling, lived briefly in the United States, and is particularly interested in the American automotive industry. If you’re reading this, you’re likely already familiar with the MX-5’s heritage. But for the unfamiliar, let’s start with a brief history. The MX-5 entered production in 1989 after its debut at the Chicago Auto Show. title
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