By Jim Powell
2019 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring RF- Convertible Hard-Top Still at the Top
Just a year ago, I climbed off my motorcycle following several close calls on Southern California freeways in which my life was spared by 12-inches and excellent brakes. An oblivious woman on her cellphone crossed 5 lanes of traffic and headed straight at me traveling 80 miles-per-hour. Catching a peripheral glance of her car, I was able to grab both brakes of my Honda CXT-1300 motorcycle and avoided becoming yet another statistic for the NTHSA.
With the bike sold, $8,000 in my pocket, and a desire to not give up my passion for driving the backroads of America, I began the search for an affordable and fun sports car with an open-air experience and better protection from distracted drivers with some airbags. This kind of thinking has led driving enthusiasts to the Mazda MX-5 (Miata) for 30 years. The Mazda 30th Anniversary MX-5 was just revealed in “Racing Orange” and makes a statement about the million+ Miata roadsters sold worldwide since 1990. Originally revealed in 1989 as a concept racing car, all four generations have demonstrated this automobile’s special appeal.
Even though many scoffed at this small Japanese 2-seat roadster with a 116 horsepower engine and manual top, Mazda Motor of America sold every one of the early Miata’s and had waiting lists. Even with a curb weight of just 2,100 pounds and excellent handling, hardcore convertible owners sneered at this Asian roadster, touting it as a college girl’s driver. Many are eating their words now and seeking used Miata MX-5’s for club racing and weekend drivers three decades later.
My test 2019 Mazda MX-5 RF came to live with me for a winter week of driving. The rain and cold wind was no match for the multi-piece hard-top which seals the mini-cabin up for winter driving. Other than needing to be a bit of a contortionist to get into and out this 2-seater, the newest MX-5 RF is a nice place to be in all kinds of weather. With the power top folded down behind the cabin, the B-pillar remains behind the passenger’s heads and creates a “targa” top configuration and leaves the roof assembly up for extra safety. The newest MX-5 RF looks like a 7:8 scale model of other targa-style roadsters, but with ingenious engineering so the rear window retracts with the roof panel. Unique!
Wind noise has been eliminated due to triple seals around the windows and thicker glass. However, even with insulated roof panels, the road noise was still loud enough to make Bluetooth phone conversations a challenge. The Bose 9 speaker system and speakers in the headrests help overcome this level of sound, especially when the phone call voices come from behind one’s head directly into the ears. Clever!
The car fits like a leather glove with comfortable leather seats and just enough hip and legroom. For someone my size (6’3”), another couple of inches of headroom would be great. In the RF, this is only accomplished with the roof in the stored mode- which can happen in just 13 seconds. Even so, the interior is still cramped for wider people and it is still hard to reach the rear storage between the occupants when sitting down. The glove box is still non-existent due to that multi-stage airbag the passenger would be counting on in an accident.
The RF power hard-top adds some weight to this MX-5, which lost significant weight in the 2016 remodel in a cooperative arrangement FCA- creating the Fiat 124 Spider. This 2019 MX-5 RF weighs in at just under 2,500 lbs. and feels heavier in the corners, compared to the soft-top convertible model. Even so, I would choice the RF if driving this car year-round and not just as a four-wheel motorcycle on sunny days.
Mazda has added some nice standard amenities for 2019 like a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and rear-view camera. With the rear roof section remaining in place, the driver’s blind-spot is unusually large so a backup camera does help for those of us who are not actually contortionists. Forward visibility is rather good for a smaller windshield and the adaptive headlight system (Grand Touring) is a nice addition.
Unlike most hard-top convertibles, the roof panels store between the cabin and trunk, leaving some storage space. We could manage 1.5 carry-on suitcases and a backpack or 6-7 bags of groceries. The soft-top version comes with a 4.6-liter trunk compared to the 4.43-liter trunk in the RF. With all the advanced safety features and extra weight, Mazda still is able to fit a lot of car into a very small package.
Our Grand Touring model included the new Smart City Brake™ system which automatically brakes for traffic and pedestrians in emergency situations. This camera/radar system also recognizes traffic signs and displays the sign on the digital readout in the instrument binnacle. This could be helpful at night if visibility is limited but it briefly drew my eyes off the road every time I approached an intersection, which does not add to safer driving. Where your eyes focus is where your vehicle goes- these are lessons learned after riding a motorcycle for 45 years.
The original 1.6 liter engine has been upgraded every generation. 2019 brings a 2.0-liter SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder engine which generates 181 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 151 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. Redline is now increased up to 7,400 rpm and I found this engine loves to run from 3,500-6,800 where drivers can have the most fun. When driving in the city under normal conditions, the manual 6-speed and this engine perform well in traffic and can keep the driver from growing fatigued with a light clutch pedal and a very precise shifter. There is enough power now to stay in 3rd gear when traversing city streets.
As for mileage ratings, our manual has an EPA estimate of 26 city/34 highway/29 combined and I saw these mpg numbers after only a few hundred miles. The 6-speed automatic adds 1 mpg on the highway but still has an overall combined mileage of 29. Economic driving habits will produce well over 30 mpg, even though this car was designed for spirited driving. Remember, it is more fun to drive a slower car fast than it is to drive a faster car slowly.
Speaking of which, I was able to run our MX-5 RF on one of the greatest mountain roads in America- namely Hwy 2 through the San Gabriel Mountains. Not being the Club Trim model with Bilstein™ shocks and additional strut bracing, this car had a slight roll in the corners. When entering the corners at lower speeds and accelerating through the turns, I was able to keep this roadster balanced. The turn-in is quick, and the steering is fairly responsive, although it does not give the instant feedback of the 1st Generation Miata.
The RF Grand Touring is not set up for racing a circuit. It does handle the highways with control, soaking up uneven pavement at higher speeds. This MX-5 stayed planted when passing semi-trucks and when buffeting high wind gusts. These are the conditions most drivers will experience in their MX-5. Thus, it is truly more fun to drive in places like Southern California.
The MX-5 (Miata) continues to define what a modern roadster can be. Mazda continues to improve upon their original concept of the affordable roadster racer, track or no track. This car is not a motorcycle. However, if you like sitting inches off the ground, zipping through the gears, and experiencing a car where every speed feels fast, the 2019-2020 Mazda MX-5 is still a serious consideration.