I’ve had the NC for several years now. My dream car. Has not disappointed. Makes me smile every time. I’ve just ordered the 24 ND3 I’ll have to wait 5 months give or take but I least I have an awesome car to drive in the meantime.
Loved this review, Tom. Devoured heaps of MX5 reviews before I got my RF GT in July this year. Am absly loving it. Coming from a GolfR, the tech is awfully dated, space is non-existent and practicality takes a beating. But the phrase that has been oft repeated million times over re the MX5 that 'it puts a smile on your face each time you drive it' is so very true. I test drove the RS several times before i decided against it - it was significantly stiffer IMO and for my use case (i.e. track day will probbly be once a year), the RS was a compromise from the daily driver comfort standpoint, which i was not willing to make. The new Nissan Z looks absly delightful and is certainly on my watchlist, but can't match the MX5 for the heady concoction with the 'just right' ingredients of low weight, 50-50 wt distribution, the brilliant manual transmission and RWD. Whilst i'm a bit of a car wh0re, i'm certainly a fan for life for the MX5.
Love these cars. The design isn’t exactly new, but it’s still a real head turner! Saw one in the Mazda red yesterday and it looked as exciting as the day the ND shape came out. People hating on the performance figures are barking up the wrong tree in my opinion. Plenty fast enough for our nanny state road rules, and small and light enough to feel plenty fast enough to make you grin every time 👍🏻😀
Thanks Tom. I've had the ND 1.5GT for 5 years now. I like that it doesn't have the driver assist aides. I purchased the 1.5 for the zingy motor AND more comfortable ride on 16" rims than the 17's on the two litre variant (so no RS!). Very tractable engine for commuting. My son absolutely loves driving it.
Hi Tom thank for another great review. I have been an MX5 fan and owner for some years and still have an NC2. Recently I bought a new RS Roadster exactly the same as the one you’ve featured. It is amazing how different these two vehicles are in ride and handling the new ND is brilliant the smile stays on your face from the moment you start take off from the curb until finish the drive. This latest incarnation in the MX5 is probably the best in the ND range to date. The dampers have been stiffened which now a means that you will feel the bumps a little more than in the standard GT, but the handling and responsiveness is so much better. The look of the car with the new BBS wheels and the Brembo brakes and Bilstein shocks are definitely worth the extra cost and the wireless Apple CarPlay on all the 2021 MX5 models means you can now leave your phone in your pocket. However I would definitely suggest that if looking to buy one test drive both the standard GT and the RS before making a decision to see which suits your taste.
Thanks for video, as i have just ordered the same car (ND3) in soul red. Sounds like springs and sway bars need an improvement, given the car's body roll. Real shame you cannot order in Australia the GT RS with Recaro seats.
Nice review, but your driving would put me to sleep. It was like watching slow motion shots. You need to rev it and flog it a bit mate. That makes them happy. ;)
Have owned a Soul Red 2.0 GT since 2016 and absolutely love it. It will be hard parting away from this car when I pick up something practical. The consumables and maintenance on this car is light on. Other than the fixed price servicing and a few cosmetic repairs (early model issues, under warranty) I've only spent on an after market exhaust and new Pilot Sport 4 tyres. The front brakes will see me through my 7th service.
Nice video. Just want to point out that it's Brembos on the front only. Rear brakes are standard Mazda brakes that are painted red. Pity that for the high price you don't get a full Brembo package. I'm also curious about the slow driving footage, I know you might want us to get a good look at the car, but it looks like it's crawling around the corner in second gear.
A solution to this issue is to upgrade the exhaust - for safety, of course - in that though they still might not see you, at least they'll hear you! Of course, in driving this car, you quickly learn to drive more defensively in any event.
Let's do a comparison with the Toyota GR86 when it comes out! Also can Chasing Cars do a comparison between the Ford Fiesta ST and the Hyundai i20N? These are my favourite cars for under $40K!
47000 dollars.................! I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They didn't put the Recaro's in this unique to Australia high performance model?? No lumbar?? No Turbo, Mazdaspeed version. I know where there is a 2.5l Turbo 4 that'd slot right in... How much did you say it was again Tom?
The GT-RS seems to be the same as the Club with BBS Package sold in the US, without Recaros. For my taste, I'd rather have the 7500 RPM, 181 HP engine than the smaller 1.5 liter. The 2.0 liter has plenty of power for this car, but a little more can make a fun car a scary fun car!
Yes looked like it, and do you have to wear a mask driving in Victoria on a lonely country road, by yourself? And the speed seemed like it's on sedation. Apart from that, I have a NB, 2001 model I've owned since new. Once you get an MX5, you just can't let it go. It is FUN.
Naturally handles better thanks to RWD poise and lack of steering corruption. Would it keep up? Maybe not quite in a straight line, but definitely in the corners
This review contradicts what many other reviews including those that have tracked the MX5 say - body roll is still there with the Bilsteins because it is intentional choice from the engineers and the ND2 2.0 7500rpm redline and internals address the issues of the ND1 2.0. If you’re going to review a dedicated sports car why not drive it like one and test the limits to see what changes there are?
Nice review Tom. Finally, a convertible’s review. Many more would be nice. It’s a shame you fail to point out that that the seats, steering wheel and dash are straight out of a $24,000 Mazda2. The instruments are their own, but the MZD connect is still the clunky inferior version that I still can’t get to play nice in my 2019 CX-5. It’s a shame Mazda don’t think more of their customer base and as you pointed out, are finding the public voting with their feet. Lloyd
In a CX-5 and Maxda2 you are almost always just thinking about the moving traffic-jam commute you are stuck in so fancy boredom-relief aids are a real plus and MUST be latest tech. Meanwhile the boredom relief aids in the MX-5 have nothing to do with electronic entertainment systems. Just use the stick-shift and steering wheel for maximum entertainment!
Mazda warranty has a specific exclusion for street racing. Since they specifically say street racing and not just "racing", I think you'll be fine on a track. I've known a couple guys who busted their transmission on the track and Mazda covered it under warranty, granted I don't think they actually told the dealership they were racing when it busted.
I think this car has become a bit overrated considering how expensive it is. The steering wheel needs to be heated with a smaller diameter and a faster rack. The Recaros should be much easier to get and no one will notice the 2 lbs added weight from a proper seat height adjustment.
Great review as always but I feel I need to point out Section 8 Point 8.1 of Mazda’s Warranty for this car before you buy it. 8. What is not covered by this warranty? 8.1 Damage or corrosion due to misuse, accidents or alterations Misuse of the Mazda Vehicle, including driving over curbs, over-loading, racing. (Proper usage is described in the Owner’s Manual.) Use of the Mazda Vehicle in competition racing or related purposes. Accidents, including collision, fire, theft and riot. Where the Mazda Vehicle has been declared by an insurance company as a “total loss” (ie: ‘written off’). Alterations including modification and tampering. Repairs performed or replacement parts installed by any person other than an Authorised Mazda Dealer. A replacement part or accessory not conforming to Mazda’s specification. Might be worth getting clarification from Mazda before you take their track ready car on, well a track.
We will see if we can get some additional clarity, but nothing about the ordinary meaning of those words rules out non-competitive track use. “Related purposes” isn’t strong enough to be read as “non-competitive”.
@@chasingcars I was just pointing out that it might be worth getting clarification first. Why couldn’t they do something similar to Hyundai in regards to track use.
Yeah, though I very strongly doubt Mazda will issue a clarification. It’s ultimately a matter of contract law, and that in turn is a matter of the meaning of the words themselves. In this case, non-competitive track use is not mentioned anywhere, and in my personal opinion alone, “non-competitive track use” is not a “related purpose” of “competition racing”. Just avoid curbs, seemingly. Or stopwatches.
Mazda need to sack their designer. Can’t remember the last time I saw a car have a big ass antenna sticking out the back like that. Mazda needs a new lease on life, they have been left behind and are going the way of Toyota in being boring, plain and unattractive cars
@@chasingcars yes and it takes less than 5mins to fit the stubby antenna. If that’s all that’s wrong, then the designer did a pretty good job. If a Ferrari came out looking like that when I was growing up, they would have praised it for its styling. The ND has been out for around 6 years - most people still think it looks pretty good. But style is a subjective thing. I’m sure some people thought the Ssangyong Stavic was sufficiently good looking, for them to plonk down their money and want to take one home… 😆
I’ve had the NC for several years now. My dream car. Has not disappointed. Makes me smile every time. I’ve just ordered the 24 ND3 I’ll have to wait 5 months give or take but I least I have an awesome car to drive in the meantime.
Owning a two seater sports car shows you've made good life choices.
Depends how old you are when you're driving around with it. Could mean a bad choice 😂
Haha. I've owned 3 sports cars and all been coupes
@@Tomoyo0827 at least you can fit 4 guys
@@Tomoyo0827 Funny you say that. My girlfriend does take me to the beach in hers.
@@Tomoyo0827 :)
Loved this review, Tom. Devoured heaps of MX5 reviews before I got my RF GT in July this year. Am absly loving it. Coming from a GolfR, the tech is awfully dated, space is non-existent and practicality takes a beating. But the phrase that has been oft repeated million times over re the MX5 that 'it puts a smile on your face each time you drive it' is so very true. I test drove the RS several times before i decided against it - it was significantly stiffer IMO and for my use case (i.e. track day will probbly be once a year), the RS was a compromise from the daily driver comfort standpoint, which i was not willing to make. The new Nissan Z looks absly delightful and is certainly on my watchlist, but can't match the MX5 for the heady concoction with the 'just right' ingredients of low weight, 50-50 wt distribution, the brilliant manual transmission and RWD. Whilst i'm a bit of a car wh0re, i'm certainly a fan for life for the MX5.
Love these cars. The design isn’t exactly new, but it’s still a real head turner! Saw one in the Mazda red yesterday and it looked as exciting as the day the ND shape came out.
People hating on the performance figures are barking up the wrong tree in my opinion. Plenty fast enough for our nanny state road rules, and small and light enough to feel plenty fast enough to make you grin every time 👍🏻😀
Thanks Tom. I've had the ND 1.5GT for 5 years now. I like that it doesn't have the driver assist aides. I purchased the 1.5 for the zingy motor AND more comfortable ride on 16" rims than the 17's on the two litre variant (so no RS!). Very tractable engine for commuting. My son absolutely loves driving it.
one of the few mx5 drivers who look like they would be an mx5 driver
Ah, the famous Pyrmont circuit. Great review as always. Love the new transition slides.
Lockdown…thankfully over on Monday. Thanks for the feedback.
Hi Tom thank for another great review. I have been an MX5 fan and owner for some years and still have an NC2.
Recently I bought a new RS Roadster exactly the same as the one you’ve featured. It is amazing how different these two vehicles are in ride and handling the new ND is brilliant the smile stays on your face from the moment you start take off from the curb until finish the drive. This latest incarnation in the MX5 is probably the best in the ND range to date. The dampers have been stiffened which now a means that you will feel the bumps a little more than in the standard GT, but the handling and responsiveness is so much better. The look of the car with the new BBS wheels and the Brembo brakes and Bilstein shocks are definitely worth the extra cost and the wireless Apple CarPlay on all the 2021 MX5 models means you can now leave your phone in your pocket.
However I would definitely suggest that if looking to buy one test drive both the standard GT and the RS before making a decision to see which suits your taste.
Good review. I will purchase the 1.5. It's pure and these days for me, that purity and engagement is more important than my former lust for speed.
Thanks for video, as i have just ordered the same car (ND3) in soul red. Sounds like springs and sway bars need an improvement, given the car's body roll. Real shame you cannot order in Australia the GT RS with Recaro seats.
Nice review, but your driving would put me to sleep. It was like watching slow motion shots. You need to rev it and flog it a bit mate. That makes them happy. ;)
Good review mate.
Great review, Tom! Have you guys considered the CX-3 vs Mazda 2 comparison video? Hope you're all doing well through lockdown!
Have owned a Soul Red 2.0 GT since 2016 and absolutely love it. It will be hard parting away from this car when I pick up something practical. The consumables and maintenance on this car is light on. Other than the fixed price servicing and a few cosmetic repairs (early model issues, under warranty) I've only spent on an after market exhaust and new Pilot Sport 4 tyres. The front brakes will see me through my 7th service.
Super professional review.
GREAT review Tom.
10/10.
Thanks Terry!
That is about the slowest I've ever seen a Mx-5 go around a corner.
They kept on showing that slow clip with the masked driver over and over again.
That was a tedious watch . Stop talking for a few minutes and drive it properly.
Nice video. Just want to point out that it's Brembos on the front only. Rear brakes are standard Mazda brakes that are painted red. Pity that for the high price you don't get a full Brembo package.
I'm also curious about the slow driving footage, I know you might want us to get a good look at the car, but it looks like it's crawling around the corner in second gear.
it's crawling because it's an mx5
The absolute worst thing about this car is the fear that a careless 4WD driver is going to not see you and would likely run over you…
A solution to this issue is to upgrade the exhaust - for safety, of course - in that though they still might not see you, at least they'll hear you! Of course, in driving this car, you quickly learn to drive more defensively in any event.
You still have more protection that the motorcyclist in the next lane! 😳😳 you both need to ride defensively! … and the rest of us too!
That truck tried that on me. My breaks are so good, I stopped on a dime right in front of the truck.
Let's do a comparison with the Toyota GR86 when it comes out!
Also can Chasing Cars do a comparison between the Ford Fiesta ST and the Hyundai i20N?
These are my favourite cars for under $40K!
They should put the 2.5l turbo engine into this thing.
2 litre with a supercharger.
@@larjkok1184 totally better than turbo , instant power , no lag .
@@alanthomson1227 What about a 6.5litre v12? If you are going to misunderstand the purpose of an MX-5 you might as well go full hog!!
@@davidwilliamson6532 totally agree , I’ve had new MX5 2L sel-nav for four year and just love it .
205NM of torque gives such a light vehicle plenty of grunt. I'd love one but practicality rules it out .Good review Tom.
47000 dollars.................!
I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They didn't put the Recaro's in this unique to Australia high performance model?? No lumbar??
No Turbo, Mazdaspeed version. I know where there is a 2.5l Turbo 4 that'd slot right in...
How much did you say it was again Tom?
The GT-RS seems to be the same as the Club with BBS Package sold in the US, without Recaros. For my taste, I'd rather have the 7500 RPM, 181 HP engine than the smaller 1.5 liter. The 2.0 liter has plenty of power for this car, but a little more can make a fun car a scary fun car!
whats the feeling top down? seems like 2nd hand for a 5 year old one at 30k seems better
Great review as always Tom. One question though, were you driving with the hand brake on? All the in car shots it looks like it’s on
Yes looked like it, and do you have to wear a mask driving in Victoria on a lonely country road, by yourself? And the speed seemed like it's on sedation.
Apart from that, I have a NB, 2001 model I've owned since new. Once you get an MX5, you just can't let it go. It is FUN.
i just bought black roadster gt rs and its coming on december hahaha its like a preview of my car
ENJOY !
Hi Tom, totally random but where can I buy that jacket?
5:39 sales chart declining for na...is this guy for real a good nick mx5 90 can cost up to 30 k
Fun car buying used. New.. i30 N money well spent imo
How do you find it pace wise and handling to the Focus ST and I30N both in manual from watching a 0-100 video the Mazda isn’t far behind the I30N
Naturally handles better thanks to RWD poise and lack of steering corruption. Would it keep up? Maybe not quite in a straight line, but definitely in the corners
@@chasingcars cheers for the response man appreciate and keep up the great content.
Super cool!
Is this Australian dollars? Momentarily I forgot that Aussies apart from not having their own language, they also don't have their own currency.
That size car suits you Tom.
I’ll take that as a compliment, I think…
Did you just say it runs out at top end? It pulls all the way to redline there is no drop off
I said it feels a bit flat at the top-end, which it does. The 1.5 pulls harder at high RPM. The 2.0 continues to shine best in the mid-range.
I like these small cars but Im 195cm/6'5, idk how I would look like in that lol. Maybe toyotagr86 would be a better choice
You’d want to try out the headroom first! If you can make it work, the MX-5 is a lot of fun
I'm 6'2" and don't quite fit with the roof up. Still doesn't stop me taking my girlfriends MX for a blat as it's a great fun thing.
If you don't fit in an ND, try an NC. I'm 6'2 and fit comfortably in my NC Roadster (hard top)
Why is the guy wearing a mask alone in the car ? lool
Took Mazda a few years to get the power output on par or better than it's Italian styled sister - the Abarth 124 Spider!
The turbo 1.4 is a dog of an engine. The 2 litre is quicker in the 0-100km/h sprint.
Even the ND1 was quicker than the 124, still appreciate the rareness of the Fiat.
What’s taking the roof off and on like?
Two seconds, click, plop.
Not really taking it off, more putting it up and down.
This review contradicts what many other reviews including those that have tracked the MX5 say - body roll is still there with the Bilsteins because it is intentional choice from the engineers and the ND2 2.0 7500rpm redline and internals address the issues of the ND1 2.0.
If you’re going to review a dedicated sports car why not drive it like one and test the limits to see what changes there are?
OK, so 1.5 for more zingyness, but what about the body roll, Tom?
Embrace the roll!
@@chasingcars or fit some Eibach springs (they were a dealer option in the UK), which match perfectly with the OEM Tokico dampers.
NE is the Fiat 124… so the next would NF or something completely different.
Nice review Tom. Finally, a convertible’s review. Many more would be nice. It’s a shame you fail to point out that that the seats, steering wheel and dash are straight out of a $24,000 Mazda2. The instruments are their own, but the MZD connect is still the clunky inferior version that I still can’t get to play nice in my 2019 CX-5. It’s a shame Mazda don’t think more of their customer base and as you pointed out, are finding the public voting with their feet. Lloyd
In a CX-5 and Maxda2 you are almost always just thinking about the moving traffic-jam commute you are stuck in so fancy boredom-relief aids are a real plus and MUST be latest tech.
Meanwhile the boredom relief aids in the MX-5 have nothing to do with electronic entertainment systems. Just use the stick-shift and steering wheel for maximum entertainment!
Wearing a mask in the car by yourself in the middle of nowhere????????????? hahahahaha
Silly Aussie.
Does the factory warranty cover this car for track use?
Mazda warranty has a specific exclusion for street racing. Since they specifically say street racing and not just "racing", I think you'll be fine on a track. I've known a couple guys who busted their transmission on the track and Mazda covered it under warranty, granted I don't think they actually told the dealership they were racing when it busted.
Midlife Crisis = BOSS car.
I hope my midlife crisis looks this good
the guy driving alone with a mask on .. 😆🤡times
NE might be electric, cuz you know the trend and the name itself. There has to be some advertising.
good car
I think this car has become a bit overrated considering how expensive it is. The steering wheel needs to be heated with a smaller diameter and a faster rack. The Recaros should be much easier to get and no one will notice the 2 lbs added weight from a proper seat height adjustment.
nice points can one get after market smaller steering wheel?
If only it was a bit bigger.. like take someone with an extra 15 kgs 😂 perhaps the next version will be a bit bigger 😃
Would take the Toyota 86 over this everyday
but you cant drop the top
Rock hard ride, torque hole you could drive a double decker bus through, no thanks.
Who the fuck can't drive a manual?
The gt 86 steering is way too fast and very dangerous. Thats why the gr86 doesnt have it
Dual zone climate control in a car let alone a smallish mx5 is just marketing bs.
Great review as always but I feel I need to point out Section 8 Point 8.1 of Mazda’s Warranty for this car before you buy it.
8. What is not covered by this warranty?
8.1 Damage or corrosion due to misuse, accidents or alterations
Misuse of the Mazda Vehicle, including driving over curbs, over-loading, racing. (Proper usage is described in the Owner’s Manual.)
Use of the Mazda Vehicle in competition racing or related purposes.
Accidents, including collision, fire, theft and riot.
Where the Mazda Vehicle has been declared by an insurance company as a “total loss” (ie: ‘written off’).
Alterations including modification and tampering.
Repairs performed or replacement parts installed by any person other than an Authorised Mazda Dealer.
A replacement part or accessory not conforming to Mazda’s specification.
Might be worth getting clarification from Mazda before you take their track ready car on, well a track.
Competition racing and track use don’t have the same meaning, it must be said.
@@chasingcars true, but it’s a bit to open ended and vague for my liking.
“Driving over curbs” for example.
We will see if we can get some additional clarity, but nothing about the ordinary meaning of those words rules out non-competitive track use. “Related purposes” isn’t strong enough to be read as “non-competitive”.
@@chasingcars I was just pointing out that it might be worth getting clarification first. Why couldn’t they do something similar to Hyundai in regards to track use.
Yeah, though I very strongly doubt Mazda will issue a clarification. It’s ultimately a matter of contract law, and that in turn is a matter of the meaning of the words themselves. In this case, non-competitive track use is not mentioned anywhere, and in my personal opinion alone, “non-competitive track use” is not a “related purpose” of “competition racing”. Just avoid curbs, seemingly. Or stopwatches.
Wtf is that hand brake. It looks out of place. It looks like a present from SexyLand
It's actually a great hand rest as you cruise down the highways.
Its dated now
Give use some heat man smoke it up 0-100 min brake test come on I nearly fell asleep
First
🥈
Mazda need to sack their designer. Can’t remember the last time I saw a car have a big ass antenna sticking out the back like that. Mazda needs a new lease on life, they have been left behind and are going the way of Toyota in being boring, plain and unattractive cars
I’m afraid I don’t see what is boring, plain or unattractive about this design. There is an accessory short antenna if it matters that much
@@chasingcars yes and it takes less than 5mins to fit the stubby antenna. If that’s all that’s wrong, then the designer did a pretty good job.
If a Ferrari came out looking like that when I was growing up, they would have praised it for its styling. The ND has been out for around 6 years - most people still think it looks pretty good.
But style is a subjective thing. I’m sure some people thought the Ssangyong Stavic was sufficiently good looking, for them to plonk down their money and want to take one home… 😆
unattractive cars? first time i read it
@@miguelcrisol3273 same.