Say hello to…
…the Mazda MX-5, which has just had a mid-life update, is the UK’s most popular convertible and with the ZEV Mandate killing off many ICE vehicles, now could be your last chance to run a petrol-powered two-seater sports car.
The MX-5 is available with a choice of two engines, a 132hp 1.5 and a 184hp 2.0-litre. The car can also be ordered either with a soft top roof or a folding hard top which uses the RF name.
The 2024 Mazda MX-5 is available in three trim levels.
- Prime Line
- Executive Line
- Homura
Standard equipment on the Prime Line includes 16-inch alloys, climate control, cruise control, 8.8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and cloth trim.
Executive Line adds 17-inch alloys, leather upholstery, keyless entry, sports suspension, blind spot monitoring, reversing camera and upgraded stereo.
Homura, which is only available with the 2.0-litre engine, adds sports seats and body styling kit.
Is The Mazda MX-5 Suitable For My Fleet
Convertibles tend to be a cash-for-car option for business drivers, partly because any sensible company car policy will stipulate four seats as a minimum, but also a fixed roof because not everyone suits a two-seat drop-top and if the car need to be handed to a new employee there may be complaints.
On the up-side, the MX-5 has rock-solid residual values and in a world where even an ordinary electric family SUV can costs £40,000-£50,000, the MX-5’s list price is just £23,075-£30,250.
Leasing A Mazda MX-5
Intelligent Car Leasing is offering the Mazda MX-5 2.0 Homura roadster for £487 a month on a 3+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year. Maintenance is forecast at £37 a month, according to Gensen Reports.
Driving A Mazda MX-5
Fun is what the MX-5 is all about. What’s impressive is that it doesn’t need to be driven hard or quickly to access that fun factor.
The fun starts with a low driving position and the cheeky rev the engine gives when you press the starter button.
Out on the road, the light and direct steering is superb for driver involvement. The steering precision and feedback means you can place the car exactly where you want on the road, something that, at this level, is missing from more mundane cars.
The ride is, as you’d hope and expect, on the sporty side, but it’s not overly firm or stiff. There’s enough compliance for everyday comfort and the seats grip and support the driver well which further helps.
One of the improvements for the latest MX-5 has been the addition of a new rear differential that helps put power down cleanly and is utterly predictable at the limit. And on a cold wet road the limit can be found quite easily. Go beyond this point and the traction and anti-skid control step in to help out, again in a predictable way that just helps the fun-factor.
Also helping the driver enjoyment, Mazda has given the mandatory speed warning chime a physical cancellation button. This has to be the best and simplest system offered by any manufacturer; just a single press each time you start the car and it silences the beeps. Similarly impressive is the is the fact the lane-keeping system is almost never intrusive. Top points to Mazda on both counts.
Despite limited space in the MX-5’s cabin, taller adults fit just fine, although they may need to remove the detachable cupholders for added elbow space.
The MX-5 isn’t perfect though. While the convertible now has Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto), the touchscreen becomes just a screen while on the move, meaning selections have to be made via a rotary controller while driving. An odd move, because it takes far longer and is more distracting to use this selector than to simply tap the screen.
Overall, however, this is tiny point and one you do get used to. This leaves you with a brilliant, fun and well-priced convertible.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The Mazda MX-5
Top rated fun and not just because it’s a soft top, but also a brilliant driving experience.
Mazda MX-5
- Model: MX-5 Homura 2.0
- Power: 184hp
- Torque: 205Nm
- Max speed: 136mph
- 0-62mph: 6.5seconds
- Official mpg: 41.5mpg
- Test mpg: 37.2mpg
- CO2 emissions: 153g/km
- BIK tax band 2024/25: 35%
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