By Jonathan Crouch
Introduction
BY JONATHAN CROUCH
The concept of a lightweight, affordable roadster seems as relevant today as it's ever been, Mazda's fourth generation MX-5, first launched in 2015, was a perfect example of what could be achieved with clear objectives, single-minded purpose and a bit of engineering passion. Though the size of this market segment has shrunk in recent times, this model proved good enough to reawaken the interest of enthusiasts and prize them away from hot hatches and performance coupes into a purer form of sportscar motoring. In the used market, if you can stretch the budget, it's worth trying for a version produced from Model Year 2023 onwards, which was the point where this car gained Mazda's clever 'Kinematic Posture Control' system. It's the 2023-2024-era versions of this MK ND-series model that we look at here.
History
There's nothing quite like a Mazda MX-5. Few cars on sale today can rival its legacy which stretches back to cover more than a quarter of a century of pure roadster motoring. So what of this, the fourth generation ND-series version?
In both soft top roadster form and in metal-folding-roof 'RF' guise, it's a car that Mazda claims you'll be able to really connect with. And it's a car the brand continually evolved, following this MK4 model's original 2015 launch. 2018 saw an engineering upgrade to the bigger of the two engines on offer, the 2.0-litre Skyactiv-G unit, which got a power hike from 160 to 184hp. Then in 2023, the brand introduced a kind of torque vectoring system, christened 'Kinematic Posture Control', aimed at stabilising the car through corners and reducing body roll.
It's that improved 2023 Model Year car we look at here, which sustained this ND-series design until more far-reaching updates arrived in 2024. Here, we'll look at 2023 to 2024-era MX-5 models for the used car buyer.
What You Get
Shorter, lower and wider than its MK3 predecessor, this ND-series MK4 design was the most compact MX-5 ever made. For us, it was also the best-looking example of the breed so far, with perfectly balanced proportions and beautiful detailing that conveys motion, even at a standstill. The emotive shape has more aggression in 'ND'-series form - and a greater sense of energy too - but you'd always recognise it as an MX-5, the design still true to the classic roadster principles of a long bonnet, a rear-set cabin and a short tail. An alternative RF body style with a folding metal roof was also available.
Behind the wheel, the challenge was to keep the MX-5's traditional ergonomic simplicity but match it to modern levels of quality, equipment, refinement and comfort. Does it all work? Broadly yes, though folk over-familiar with the offerings of Colonel Sanders will find that the compact dimensions take a bit of getting used to as they adjust to the close proximity of the centre console, the door trim and the sides of the narrow footwell. Mazda claimed there was more kneeroom with this MK4 model - plus there's a bit of extra headroom when the roof's up too - but despite that, larger folk might still like to consider their own dietary plans and all will find the pedal box particularly tight, so much so that, rather annoyingly, it doesn't provide anywhere for your clutch foot to rest on longer journeys.
This irritation apart though, there's not much to criticise here, provided you can fit in in the first place. You quickly get the whole Mazda 'Jinba Ittai' 'driver-and-car-as-one' thing - the way the driving position has been created to make you feel a part of this MX-5. We also like the flourishes of aluminium used on the air vents and door handles - and the way that the exterior body colour flows elegantly over the door on plusher models like this one.
Move out back and on the face of things, trunk capacity looks to have been a casualty of Mazda's move to down-size this car, having fallen by 20-litres to just 130-litres in this MK4 model. The Japanese designers though, beg to differ, claiming that to compensate, this area has been redesigned for greater usability.
What to Look For
Not too much goes wrong. We've heard of gearbox issues, with problems in gear selection from 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 3rd, so check this out on your test drive. Steer clear of cars that have been used on track days because they exhibit this problem far more frequently. Hub carrier bush failure has been an issue for some ND-series model owners, something expensive to put right as a complete new hub is required. We've heard that engine mounts can fail on harder-driven cars and a few faulty throttle body modules have been reported.
Bear in mind that the oil recommended by Mazda - OW-20 Supra Skyactiv - is very expensive. We've also heard of rear view mirrors and the roof liner above the rear window coming loose. In a few cases, window switches have failed too. And there have been reports of leaking air con seals and loose door sills. If you're looking at the folding metal roof RF model, obviously check the workings of the retractable panels. Other than that, it's the usual things: insist on a fully stamped-up service history. And check the alloys for parking scuffs.
Replacement Parts
(approx based on a 2023 Mazda MX-5 2.0Roadster - ex VAT) An air filter costs in the £80 bracket and an oil filter costs in the £5 bracket. Front brake pads sit in the £28-£40 bracket for a set. Rears sit in the £17-£36 bracket. A pair of front brake discs is around £76-£112; a pair of rears are around £64-£87. Wiper blades sit in the £6-£15 bracket.
On the Road
So what's it like to drive? Well, MX-5 motoring has never been all about ultimate power - and in this form, it still isn't. The two SKYACTIVE-G petrol engines on offer - a 131PS 1.5-litre unit and the upgraded 184PS 2.0-litre powerplant - seem to offer modest performance stats on paper. On the road though, a real roadster experience awaits, this MK4 model feeling sharp and eager through the turns thanks to a dietary development programme which from the outset with this ND design saw over 100kgs trimmed from the kerb weight. The feelsome electric power steering system plays its part too, offering great feedback between rubber and road and ensuring that you're encouraged to make the very most from performance on offer that sees the 2.0-litre model make 62mph from rest in 6.5s en route to 136mph.
Buyers choosing the manual version of the 2.0-litre variant get a few extra dynamic aids - sports suspension, stiffer Bilstein dampers and a limited slip differential for extra traction. And for the 2023 Model Year, all MX-5s gained Mazda's clever 'Kinematic Posture Control' system, a set-up designed to increase stability during cornering without impacting the purity of this car's handling and driver engagement. The 'KPC' set-up applies a very small amount of brake force to the inner/unloaded rear wheel during cornering, the resulting brake force pulling the body down and suppressing body roll to provide more reassuring cornering so subtly that the MX-5's engaging handling remains unpolluted. You don't really need any of these handling aids though, to have fun in this car. Indeed, when it comes to suspension, the suppler set-up of the 1.5 and automatic models could be said to be arguably preferable. The wonderfully incisive short-shift SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission is another key contributor to the whole experience - which is just as well as you'll be shunting the stubby lever around the 'box rather a lot to get the most out of those revvy little engines.
Overall
As ever, light kerb weight is probably the most notable thing abut this MK4 MX-5 model but there are plenty of others, distinctive looks matched with comfort, technology and frugal efficiency. After this ND-series design's launch, the 'Kinetic Posture Control' handling system and the upgrades made to the 2.0-litre engine further enhanced the MX-5 experience, so it's worth stretching to a Model Year 2023 or 2024 car if you can. The result is a sportscar that, more than ever, will appeal to those who take a tactile pleasure from the sheer joy of driving.
Not everyone gets the MX-5 experience of course. It certainly won't appeal to those prioritising power. Or people needing the practicality of a hot hatch or a sports coupe. At the other extreme, a specialist sports car maker like Caterham or Ariel could offer you a more intense experience, though one that for the most part would be largely irrelevant for public road use. That's where this Mazda excels. You don't need a test track, a racing driver's touch or a lottery winner's wallet with this car. Just a back-to-basics love of driving. The way it ought to be.
