Item: Used Mazda MX-5 RF 2016-present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The MX-5 has few traditional rivals, whether as a Convertible or as an RF. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/z4/sports/used-review/n788">BMW Z4</a> is a two-seater with a more refined folding metal roof and a more luxuriously appointed dashboard. Earlier cars came with a fantastic six-cylinder engine, which is certainly a step up from the engines in the MX-5.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/124-spider/sports/review/?aq=Fiat%20%20124%20Spider&amp;amp;type=review&amp;amp;src=SearchDropdown&amp;amp;oq=fiat%252012">Fiat 124 Spider</a> has excellent handling, with a punchier engine than the similar MX-5’s and a more characterful interior. It is quite rare still so used prices may well be high.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Coupe

Mazda can be summed up in a single word: bold. Not only do its cars generally look like nothing else on the market, but it’s also invested heavily in innovative engine technology.

So, while many car makers have moved to smaller turbocharged engines, Mazda instead offers larger motors that are still efficient. For example, the entry-level petrol option in the Mazda 3 is a 2.0-litre unit –&nbsp;far larger than what you’ll find in most rivals – but it remains very clean.

Highlights of Mazda’s line-up include the MX-5 sports car, which has won our Convertible of the Year Award multiple times, and the CX-5 large SUV, which was named as our inaugural best car for dog owners.

MAZDA

MX-5

The Mazda MX-5 RF is as much fun to drive as its Convertible sibling, but the step up in refinement isn’t enough to justify paying extra for it on the forecourts

Used Mazda MX-5 RF 2016-present

Since even the more powerful 2.0-litre petrol has a combined average fuel economy of 40.9mpg, fuel costs are very reasonable. The 1.5-litre unit has an even better combined average of 46.3mpg.

Road tax for pre-April 2017 cars is £135 for the 1.5 or £190 for the 2.0. In April 2017, the tax system was altered to be a flat rate of £140, applied to all vehicles registered after this date.

Servicing costs are not quite as cheap as mainstream rivals, but they won’t be the worst out there. And if you do find a cheaper like-for-like service at an independent garage, Mazda will aim to match it.

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The Mazda MX-5 RF is as much fun to drive as its Convertible sibling, but the step up in refinement isn’t enough to justify paying extra for it on the forecourts


Around £23,000 is the lowest price for a 2016 MX-5 RF with an average mileage for the year and a full history, bought from an independent or franchised dealer. Later models stretch from that figure up to around £28,000, which is the price at which you should be able to find a nearly new top-spec car from a franchised dealer.

The extra oomph of the 2.0-litre engine, combined with its standard limited-slip differential, makes it the one we’d seek out. We’d try and combine this with SE-L Nav trim, which has all the goodies you could reasonably want on a car of this type.

Our favourite Mazda MX-5 RF: 2.0 SE-L Nav

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Ride comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed at the altar of handling sharpness</li> <li>Plenty of power from a melodic engine</li> <li>Handling that doesn’t come at the expense of a back-breaking ride​​​​​</li> <li> Practicality is not essential but nice to have </li></ul>

Driving fun is right at the top of any sports car buyer's priority list, and every one of our award candidates has backroad entertainment coded into its DNA.

The Mazda MX-5 embodies sports-car spirit without wearing an exotic price tag, and has deservedly gained a strong following over the years. Much newer to the scene is the mid-engined Alpine A110. It may carry a name from the past, but this potent, mid-engined sports car was designed with the very latest lightweight thinking.&nbsp;

Rounding off our shortlist, though, is a name that'll be familiar to even those to whom sports cars hold little interest. The Porsche 911 was born an icon in 1964, and the latest generation bridges the gap between sports car and supercar. Yet, somehow, it manages to preserve a distinctly civilised character.

Sports

Check the bodywork and alloy wheels carefully for any damage, and make sure the electric hard-top folds as it should.

Mazda has earned a reputation for reliability in the past, but that halo seems to be slipping. The brand has fallen into a mid-table position of 16th out of 32 car brands surveyed.

The MX-5 came bottom in the coupé and convertibles class, with owners citing issues with the bodywork, non-engine electrics and interior trim.

If you would like to see the full reliability list for coupés and convertibles, head to the What Car? <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17798">reliability survey</a> for more information.

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Few cars reach iconic status but the mega-successful <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mazda/mx-5/sports/used-review/n855">Mazda MX-5</a> is definitely one of them. Over four generations this charming soft-top has won the hearts of all who’ve either owned or driven one, with an unbeatable combination of fresh-air driving fun and pocket-friendly affordability.

The third generation version introduced a folding hard-top roof into the equation, and it quickly went on to become the bigger seller. When this fourth generation model appeared, smaller, lighter and more nimble than the car it replaced, it was this RF, or Retractable Fastback, version that came to do the hard-top honours, with a three-part roof that folds away in seconds at the touch of a button but leaves the fastback-style rear section in place.

It weighs more than the standard convertible version, and new it costs more too. On the positive side, the car is more refined, with extra sound deadening added just for good measure, and the delightful handling balance of the original car is retained.

Just like the Convertible model, the Mazda MX-5 RF comes with two petrol engines: a 1.5-litre with 129bhp and a 2.0-litre with 158bhp. Being a relatively light car even the 1.5-litre version feels brisk, if not exactly outright fast, and revving its engine to the high 7000rpm limiter to access its pace is all part of the fun. The 2.0-litre also needs to be revved, but in doing so you instantly get pressed back harder in your seat by its extra grunt.

The entry-level trim in the RF is SE-L Nav, and in it you get goodies such as climate and cruise control, LED daytime running lights and 16in alloy wheels. A comprehensive infotainment package includes a six-speaker stereo, sat-nav, Bluetooth and a DAB radio, all operated through a 7.0in colour screen. Sport Nav versions throw in extras such as heated leather seats, rear parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers, and an upgraded stereo. The 2.0-litre models add 17in alloy wheels to both trims.

As you would imagine, it steers and handles really well, too, having the same nimbleness and ability to change direction quickly as the Convertible. Sport models receive a stiffer suspension that keeps roll under much tighter control and also makes the MX-5 feel keener to turn in to a corner. On all 2.0-litre models you get better traction out of corners, too, thanks to a standard limited slip differential.

Refinement at low speeds seems impressive enough, but when you get to higher speeds wind noise is very pronounced, and dropping the roof down seems to make that noise much worse. It rides well, though, especially for a small sports car, soaking up speed bumps and road imperfections with aplomb.

Space inside is best described as cosy, with a driving position that is a little compromised for taller drivers. There’s not a lot of oddment space in there either, although the boot is the same size as the Convertible’s, and the same whether the roof is up or down.

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Used Mazda MX-5 RF 2016-present review

Advice for buyers

What should I look for in a used Mazda MX-5 coupe?