Mazda MX-5 PRHT

Four-Season Roadster Still True to Core Values

Keep it simple stupid, otherwise known as KISS, is a trait I admire in a sports car. The single-minded purpose of a true sports

Now that's a good looking sports car. (Photo: Budd Stanley, Canadian Auto Press)

car should be driving enjoyment. Today, automakers are keen to upgrade their cars, making them bigger, faster and more technically sophisticated than their competitors. Mazda, on the other hand, has kept true to its vision of "doing more with less", a philosophy most evident with its truly great, lightweight sports car, the MX-5.

While others have added two or more cylinders, more leather and a myriad of electronic eccentricities, the new MX-5 has only 200 additional cubic centimeters of displacement to make it faster, and rather than adding a smorgasbord of three-letter acronyms abbreviating unpronounceable electronic driving aids, has simply engineered everything that was there to work better.

So

It's all about keeping the weight down while offering a four-season sports car. (Photo: Budd Stanley, Canadian Auto Press)

you could say that I was more than amazed to see the simple little MX-5 get a new electric add-on that at first seemed like heresy to the car's core philosophy. A retractable hardtop roof!? Not only is it a hardtop, but it also folds into the same pocket that the soft top fits into. OK, pretty impressive. Even more impressive is that the entire package only weighs 36 kilos (79 pounds) more than the soft top, keeping to the featherweight characteristics of the car intact.

The Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) package is available on all MX-5 models at a cost of $2,195, and also includes subtle chrome accents on the grille, headlamps and door handles. Built from composites, the hardtop not only keeps weight to a minimum but provides an interior

Only 12 seconds to lower the top? Outrageous! (Photo: Budd Stanley, Canadian Auto Press)

comfort level equaling that of a sports coupe, as wind and road noise are reduced to subconscious background noises. Operation is simple thanks to a single latch, same as the soft top except that the single latch is where the physical exertion ends in the PRHT. With the simple push of a button the rear tonneau cover raises, the roof folds in two and then flips behind the seats before the rear cover lowers. The whole operation is over in only 12 seconds!

Everything retractable hardtop convertible, from a Cadillac XLR to a Pontiac G6 sacrifices up to 90 percent of the trunk space in order to house a folding roof. However, the engineers at Mazda have magically found a way to fold a two piece hardtop behind the seats without diminishing the modest

The added stiffness helps maintain the MX-5's rigidity, but as important also improves its weight distribution. (Photo: Budd Stanley, Canadian Auto Press)

150 litre trunk's storage area. All this while being a vastly smaller car then the aforementioned beasts.

The engineers must have found that the new hardtop package weakened the chassis, as extra strengthening has been used around the rear bulkhead. While minimal, the car handles every bit as good as the soft top. The added bulk in the back has done more than just strengthen though, as it helps create a near perfect weight distribution 52/48. While having a slightly duller feel of the road than that of the earlier generation Miata, the new MX-5 still retains the fun to drive attributes that made its predecessor so popular to begin with.


The beauty of the MX-5 is its useful exhilaration. With a high-powered sports car like an M-Roadster or Porsche, revving past 4th gear

You hardly have to break any speed limits to have fun in the MX-5. (Photo: Budd Stanley, Canadian Auto Press)

turns into a gamble with the authorities. Such capabilities only make them a pleasure to drive on a track, were as the MX-5 is geared towards low-speed, high-performance fun. I tossed the car around, blitzed through the gearbox and had a great time blasting down a number of good roads while still staying legal, or close enough not to lose my license.

The extremely close-ratio 6-speed gearbox and finely tuned suspension make the car perform brilliantly under 120 km/h, ideally were you want to have fun on public roads. However, once I began to push past this mark 6th gear started to run out of steam and the suspension geometry didn't allow for

Nothing particularly fancy, just a finely tuned independent suspension. (Photo: Budd Stanley, Canadian Auto Press)

stable high-speed cornering. Soft anti-roll bars are the main culprit here, although when the car is pushed to its limits they give the car a predictable feel in the curves, acting as early warning devices when lateral traction is about to go wayward.

Now that we're on the subject of oversteer, you might not realize that the world's best selling roadster isn't only popular amongst back road wannabe F1 pilots and budget oriented sun worshippers, but rather the Miata has long been a favourite with competitive auto crossers and road racers. Tight twisty circuits are the Miata's domain, as most weekend warriors will attest; very few challengers can compete. The good news is that with only a few simple modifications MX-fivery will continue on to be a thorn in the side of much larger, more powerful racers.

After a complete overhaul last year the exterior is more or less unchanged moving into 2007 model, with few modifications made even for the new hardtop version, except for the front of the rear deck being 40 mm (1.6 inches) higher to accommodate the roof. With the older generations often referred to as chick cars, Mazda has toughened up the new model's edges a bit, injecting some much needed testosterone

It even looks better than the regular soft top version. (Photo: Budd Stanley, Canadian Auto Press)

into the renamed Miata, a label Mazda is likely trying to ignore for that very reason (at least in Canada... it still tags the Miata moniker onto MX-5 in the U.S.). But the popularity of the car is so great that well over a year after the redesign and name change; everyone still calls the new one a Miata, no doubt much to the chagrin of Mazda Canada. The result of the changes means that now those who aren't in touch with their feminine side can enjoy a good sports car without the embarrassment of being seen in a chick car.


Other than a nicely finished roof, the interior of the new '07 hardtop is also unchanged from last year, which is a good thing as it's quite stylish and much easier to get in and out of than the older

Mazda has really improved the interior to premium levels. (Photo: Budd Stanley, Canadian Auto Press)

generations. What's more, the new MX-5 is much more acceptable to drivers in the 6-foot-plus range, and head space, while tight, is sufficient even when the new hardtop is in place.

The new MX-5 is also more convenient than the old car. For instance, a plethora of cupholders isn't normally associated with sports cars, which makes the four offered in the Mazda rather shocking. Yes, a car that only seats two people has two hidden cupholders in the centre console and one on each door panel. And why shouldn't you have a warm cup of your favourite drive-through brew steaming at your right hand plus a cool bottle of spring water available at your left?

Really, I liked everything about the interior other than the seats. I'd like to see

The centre stack is really nicely done, but the seats aren't as supportive as I would have liked. (Photo: Budd Stanley, Canadian Auto Press)

better side bolstering in a sports car, and comfort during longer drives became a problem.

The car I tested was a GT model, which comes equipped with leather seats, a 7-speaker Bose audio system, a/c, and the oh-so cool Smart Keyless Entry System. This is a credit card sized key fob that the car actually senses, and then unlocks the doors and allows the car to be started without the hassle of a clicking remote button or turning a key. Because keys really are a nuisance, aren't they? These features, the PRHT system and the addition of Mazda's Performance Package brought the price up to $37,850. Incidentally, the Performance Package, which adds a Limited Slip Differential, Dynamic Stability Control and Bilstein dampers is an option on the GT and standard on the GS. For old school Miata purists I suggest a GS model, where you get all of the performance stuff without the extra cost and additional weight of luxury items.

In the end the new top has done nothing to diminish the cars minimalist core values, yet has managed to make the MX-5 more attractive to soft core roadster lovers too. It's still one of the most entertaining cars to drive, period; a trait burned into my soul after driving a first generation Miata. Most importantly, the MX-5 continues to hold its own against more sophisticated sports cars, in terms of performance and value.

Specifications (MX-5 GT PRHT):

• Price Range (MX-5 GT PRHT MSRP): $36,390 - $37,850
• Body Type: 2-door roadster
• Layout: front engine, RWD
• Engine: 166-hp, 140 lb-ft of torque, 2.0L, 16-valve DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 6-spd manual (opt. 6-spd auto w/Paddle Shifters)
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 3,990 / 1,720 / 1,255 / 2,330 mm (157.1 / 67.7 / 49.4 / 91.7 in)
• Curb Weight: 1,183 kg (2,608 lbs)
• Tires: 205/45R17
• Cargo Volume (trunk): 150 L (5.3 cu-ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 9.7 / 7.2 L/100 km
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/80,000 comprehensive - 60/100,000 powertrain
• Competitors: Audi TT Coupe& Roadster, BMW Z4 3.0i, Lotus Elise / Exige S, Mini Cooper S / S Convertible, Mercedes-Benz SLK 280, Pontiac Solstice, Porsche Cayman / Boxster, Saturn Sky
• Website: www.mazda.ca