Mazda MX-5 review

The Mazda MX-5 is a small car and feels like one on the inside. The driver sits in rather close proximity to the passenger and can touch their door without stretching. Taller drivers might feel that leg room is tight, too, and that the roof is a bit close to the top of their head when it's in place. If you’re over six feet tall, we’d definitely recommend you try before you buy.

Storage space is at even more of a premium. There are no door bins – the only place to stow your paraphernalia is in the shallow central armrest cubby or in the small tray at the base of the dash that’s conveniently sized for a phone. You do get two moveable cupholders that can each take a large coffee. If you are quite big, we’d recommend looking at the Audi TT Roadster, which offers far more space.

The MX-5 is a two-seater and has no usable rear passenger space at all. You don't get a bag hook, so you’ll struggle even to squeeze a jumper into the narrow gap between the rear wall and the seatbacks. There is a glovebox-sized cubby behind the seats for items such as de-icer and a windscreen scraper.

The front passenger seat has a lever to control the backrest angle and slide it forward and backwards, but you don’t get height or lumbar adjustment on any trim level. Likewise, electrically adjustable seats of the kind that more expensive convertibles offer aren’t available on the no-frills Mazda MX-5.

The boot is unaffected by the roof’s position, so you can drive with the top down and still have a reasonable amount of luggage space. The top-loading, oval-shaped opening has a fairly narrow aperture so loading chunky items might be a pain, but it's big enough to take a couple of carry-on suitcases.

Your golf clubs will need to go inside the car – taking the place of your passenger. If you need a bit more luggage space, the Audi TT Roadster’s boot is more than twice the size of the MX-5's.