In-depth Reviews

Mazda MX-5 owner reviews

Name: Mazda MX-5 roadster
Brand: Mazda

"The MX-5 combines usability, driving fun and dependability to make it one of the most engaging convertibles on the road"

by Carbuyer team

31 Jul 2020

Carbuyer Rating

4.2 out of 5

Owners Rating

5.0 out of 5

Buy used for less at Buyacar

100%of people would recommend this car to a friend.

Owner Rating

10reviews

Common Problems

Other (1 cases)

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.5 SE-L NAV

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

The MX-5 is superb to drive, it looks terrific and it makes me feel special.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Not owned long enough to tell.

Performance

5 out of 5

Plenty of torque, eager to rev, impressive!

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Much more fuel efficient than it should be!

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

ND 2.0 Sport Nav

Year of registration

2018

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

I bought this as a weekend toy as it's nimble, light and fun. I've been an owner of the previous generation MX-5 for the past 9 years and the new one still captures the spirit of that car. It's not as powerful compared to my BMW 330e company car, but it's way more engaging to drive.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.5 SE-L Nav Icon Edition

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

An absolute joy to drive, loves to be revved and perfectly suited to UK roads. It doesn't cost silly money to insure, tax only £130 and have easily got 60 mpg when cruising along A roads. You really feel special driving along with the roof down, obviously not too numerous on the roads at present so get plenty of attention from other road users or when parked. The red detailing and meteor grey paintwork really suit this car perfectly as well. Good Points - Eye catching looks, gearbox (brilliant!), Coming out of corners and roundabouts, rear wheel drive, NOT a hot hatch, less than half the price of a Porsche Boxster. Niggles - Changing CDs a pain (yes, I know I haven't joined the 21st Century), indicator lights do not always turn off automatically (you feel a right wally when it's pointed out by other drivers).

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.5 Artic

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

This is my third MX-5 (Mk2, Mk3 and now Mk4). Amazing fun to drive, best as a second car for use on fine days. Makes you smile and feel happy - few modern cars do that IMHO. 1.5 is a great free reving engine and the whole chassis/steering/handling is a joy. The view from the driver's seat is of two beautiful sweeping front wings that look amazing. Cup holders are fine after you get use to them and the glovebox is between the seats rather than in the dash (so what it still works!). A car designed for British back roads.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Bit soon to say but looks and feels better built than previous MX5 and they were both reliable.

Performance

5 out of 5

Need to drive it to get best out of it but 1.5 revs sweetly and gearbox box is so quick and precise it makes keeping it on cam easy - enjoy it without fear of losing your licence.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Getting great real world MPG. 0% finance and low purchase price makes this the most affordable true sports car.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.5 icon limited edition

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

High tech motoring fun at a low tech price so much fun to drive and it's a real purist drivers car . Everyone knows they are not the fastest roadster on the street but for driving experience the most common drivers car comparison is with the Boxster which is double the price . The power plant is super simple, no turbo, chain driven double OHC , a bomb proof steel crank shaft and gear box that is second to none. The ride is incredible for such a light car and enough bells a whistles to satisfy most drivers. My best fuel consumption on a run so far was an amazing 51mpg . Personally I wish they had not bothered with a CD player and made the glove box bigger as most people no longer use CDs but either flash drives or mobile links. Over all this is a fantastic drive and with aluminium used extensively throughout the body the older issues of rust on ageing mx's should be much less prevalent .

Reliability

5 out of 5

Hard to say but perfect so far

Performance

5 out of 5

Handling is first class which is really what this car is all about top speed is enough and it accelerates smartly if you buzzer the engine but it's no pocket rocket that's for sure

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Incredible cheap sports car motoring

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.0 Sport Nav

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

More than 20,000

Owned

3 - 5 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

47.6

Review

Brilliant car for fuel economy on the A12 and then opening up on the back roads. It’s light on its tyres and brake pads and has been essentially maintenance free (other than oil, tyres and pads) for 70,000 miles

Reliability

5 out of 5

Mechanically a very reliable car, had one warranty issue with the roof rubbing in the roll hoops and liner sagging around the rear window. This was replaced with a new part which was an updated part number from the original. Only other slight issue is drivers arm rest is worn out in 2 years

Performance

4 out of 5

Performance is decent, has a reasonable turn in but due to its lightweight nature and the condition of British roads it can get unsettled rather easily in bends. Grip levels are okay but occasional quick getaways from junctions require a deftness of foot to avoid wheel spinning across the carriageway as the DAF symbol bears down on you.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Very cheap! 400 miles for around £40. Never needed to top up oil between services and only changed the brake pads after 50K. Rotating the tyres to manage wear I’ve average about 30k miles per set on Bridgestone S001.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.5 SEL Nav

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

3 - 5 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

It's my first convertible and it's a great car! I drive locally in Lincolnshire (perhaps explains the mpg and only put premium fuel in) plus a commute to Birmingham once a week. If you're over 6 feet, you may not fit and until recently lack of steering wheel flexibility can be a pain (cured with updated late 2018) models.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.0 Spor Nav

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

I own a 1991 NA and I've had a series of high spec company cars with the last being a 330e. I wanted something similar to the NA but more useable every day. Therefore the BMW was swapped for a 2017 ND 2.0 Sport Nav. For the first time in many years I go out for a drive for the sake of it. The car feels special. It's small, nimble and sufficiently powerful and torqey to create a very satisfying experience. It makes me smile and it makes driving feel far more fun than anything I've had with twice the power. Its simply brilliant and I'd recommend it wholeheartedly.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.0 GT Sport Nav+

Year of registration

2018

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

It's hands down, the best car I've owned in 30+ years of motoring. It's not the most practical of course, and not the most luxurious but it makes me and my passengers smile from ear to ear whenever I drive it. My version the GT, has lots of modern electronic kit, like lane departure, blind spot alerts and automatic braking that makes driving a bit safer and easier. The interior has comfortable heated seats and a great heater, useful for those top down drives. I also really like the infotainment system, especially Apple Carplay which is a fantastic system I hadn't used before. It means I can use Google Waze or Google Maps displayed on the infotainment screen, rather than the built in Mazda Sat Nav, which is ok-ish. However this car, in my opinion at least, is all about the peppy engine, its amazing manual gearbox and fantastic handling. The 2.0 engine makes 181bhp which is more than enough for for brisk motoring and with the top down, which I always try and do as long as it's not actually raining or snowing, 50mph feels more like 80mph anyway. The handling is sublime and you really feel involved in the process with great feedback through the steering wheel. Bumps in the road are not the jarring experience I feared and the car makes me feel like a better driver than I actually am. The negatives are that there's not loads of luggage or cabin storage and the exhaust could do with being a little louder but I'm being picky here. In summary, if you've not tried the latest MX-5, have a test drive and I defy you not to smile throughout.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.5 Sport Nav

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I bought the MX5 as a fun second car for my wife and I, but love it so much I run it as my main car for the daily commute. I took the advice of the motoring press and went for the 1.5. It's smooth and high revving, raspy enough to sound good without being uncomfortable on the motorway. The handling is superb yet supple, handling poor roads with ease. I'm over six foot and only just fit in, but still it is comfortable for long journeys. I've had it for nearly and year and find more to love about it every day as I learn to get a little bit more out of the performance.

Reliability

5 out of 5

No problems at all

Performance

5 out of 5

Expectations were low coming from a 270hp saloon, but find the little 1.5 exceeds expectations and is hugely fun to drive

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Cheaper to run than expected