Mazda MX-5 Roadster (ND) 2015, this is a perfect toy, a car full of joy, freedom, control.
First time, Cabala review a car, referenced to a Taiwan car review organization: buycartv.com , I will separate the review into 4 main parts: Exterior, Space, Interior, Driving and several detailed points under them.
1.Exterior ★★★★☆
As the successor of the former 3rd generation MX-5 Roadster NC, this new one has a more offensive face, a more streamline body side, and a simplified tail. However the trail part is just not my style, because of the odd design of the back lights which has combined both the shapes of round and triangle. Also, the front lights are a little bit too low to shine, which makes the night driving became a little lack of confidence. The low gravity point overall body style makes the driving position extremely close to the tarmac, but the around view sight from a driver position is unexpectedly poor. Not because it is a convertible so that the rear view has no block, oppositely the low driving position and the big tail let the view sight just perfect when we just talk about the font side, a reverse or a accurate U turn need a lot of experience.
2.Space ★☆☆☆☆
Only the word ‘POOR’ can describe the space performance of the MX-5 Roadster. Of course no one expected her at this part, however no glove box on the copilot side, no drawer for coins or cards. Even the driver’s feet space can not say a comfortable, my lag touched to the driving wheel several times during the aggressive driving.
Don’t forget that MX-5 Roadster has a trunk in the back. But the opening door size is horribly bad, the button of the trunk is nothing near flat, the depth is also limited by the roof. Almost everything of the trunk are bad news, it is designed only for a suitcase or some casual shopping, don’t expect anything more.
3. Interior ★★★☆☆
I can understand that Mazda wanted to minus the weight of the new MX-5 Roadster as more as possible. As a result, everywhere has been simplified and are almost made by plastic. I agree with is principle, as a driver, a MX-5 Roadster driver, nothing extra luxury is needed. However the impression of her interior still stands nowhere near enjoy, but just enough to use. The sun shutter, as a example, uses a light plastic, is ultra small sized, comes with slim mirror inside. Not one single time, I would like to use the sun shutter.
The seat of MX-5 Roadster is exciting! The wrapped feeling of my whole back is unforgettable. On the mountain way, U turn at 40 KM/h, the seat wrap me perfectly nice! My body did not roll at all, full of confidence when corning.
Then talk about the roof. It just makes the open convertible car into a coupe, partly. The outlook of the roof is not perfectly, with some wrinkles on both sides, it looks not effect the performance of water proof but just uncool. Behind of the roof is a shin glass for near view, not a big one surely but far enough for near safely check. The noise proof perform of the roof is no good, the wind noise comes from back tail of the car just annoying. Also the roof let the poor around view sight even poorer.
4. Driving ★★★★★
This is a driver’s car. The feeling of turning, shifting, braking, only perfect! The navigation screen is easy to see even under the sunlight, but the control dial obstructs the action of shifting. So I will choose the navigation version of MX-5 Roadster of course. The electronic assistant driving wheel is lack of connecting with the front wheel, I turned the car like playing a video game but no grid feedback from the front wheel. The chassis is strong and well under control, the suspension transfer a ton of information from the road which touched by the nice wheels to my body. I can just feel the limit of the tires anytime. The throttle response surprised me hardly, nearly no lag between the step of the pedal and the engine RPM rising. The brake also do a nice job, the linear setting fits the manual shifting well, no complain at all. The sound of the engine is great, stay the RPM at 3000, a sweet wave passes though. And by listening to the RPM of 4000-6000, a desired shift point can be easily found. By the way the engine brake is strong and accurate, enjoy to use as often as possible.
I know, there is a long list of bad of MX-5 Roadster, even the little 1.5 liter engine seems a kind for powerless. There is no perfect car in the world but only a perfect car for you. MX-5 Roadster has a compact body dimension, a perfect driving controlling, but no space for luggage even not enjoyable for copilot. It is a pure car which was designed for only for the driver himself, as this point, it deserves my Five Star review score.