Mazda MX-5

The interior of the Mazda MX-5 RF looks simple and minimalist. While it lacks the boldness of a sportscar’s cabin, it looks classy and timeless to the eyes. There are a few round-themed elements in the cabin, including AC vents and climate control knobs. The Nappa leather upholstery offered as standard further uplifts the richness of the cabin, which carries a sporty-feeling all-black theme with contrasting red touches on the centre console and door panels. 

The round-themed multi-functional steering wheel of the Mazda MX-5 has contrast silver accents for the spokes. Behind the steering wheel, the instrument console has traditional round-themed dials with chrome surrounds, which look elegant but a bit dated too. The centre console of the dashboard is dominated by a free-standing touchscreen infotainment system at the top. With Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, this screen also supports a 9-speaker BOSE audio system. There are sleek AC vents below the infotainment system in the middle of the dashboard, with three rounded dials for the climate control placed in the lower centre console.

The Mazda MX-5 rakes in attention due to its two-door coupe design, which makes it look sporty. Its compact dimensions also make it look unique, but they rob it of some of its road presence. 

At the front, the Mazda MX-5 has a sleek and curvy-looking bonnet that flows towards the minimalist fascia. The wing-shaped headlamp clusters with projector bulbs placed on the lower sides of the bonnet make the MX-5 look wide. The front bumper here has a massive grille in the middle and tiny wedge-shaped air vents on the corners.

The side profile of the Mazda MX-5 has a two-door look and low-slung stance with lower ground clearance, which have given this coupe an identity of its own. The fenders have smooth curves flowing over them, further making the coupe look beautiful. The side profile of the MX-5 RF is complete with large round-themed door-mounted rearview mirrors and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The Mazda MX-5 RF's rear profile has a minimalist and simple look. The boot lid has round-themed LED tail lamps placed on its sides. These tail lamps are attached with horizontally laid triangular lamp extensions to their outer edges. 

The suspension combination of a double wishbone setup at the front and multi-link at the rear is offered as standard in the Mazda MX-5. In addition, the manual versions of the Mazda MX-5 also get Bilstein dampers for the double wishbone setup at the front and a limited-slip differential, which further enhance the overall driving experience of this two-door car. 

Both versions of the Mazda MX-5 have a 2.0-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine under their hood. Available with two choices of transmission – a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic, this engine churns out a maximum power output of 184 PS and a peak torque output of 205 Nm.

Besides having essentials like front and side airbags, ABS with EBD, dynamic stability control, reverse parking sensors and reverse camera, the Mazda MX-5 also gets an i-Activesense suite of ADAS features, including front and rear smart brake support with forward obstruction warning, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, rear cross brake support, driver attention alert and lane departure warning.

The Mazda MX-5 might not be a sports car for purists due to its slightly toned-down road presence, compact dimensions, and limited performance for a two-door coupe. However, this mild sports car from Mazda does rake in attention due to its exclusivity. Its affordable pricing makes it a worthy option for those who desire this exclusivity.