Item: Used Mazda MX-5 2015-present
Rating: 5
Author: Steve Huntingford

The MX-5 has few immediate rivals that fulfil the same niche.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/convertible/sports/review/n17156">Mini Convertible</a> is similarly cheap to run and benefits from a wider range of engines. It&nbsp;also has a pathetically narrow boot opening,&nbsp;but at least you can fold the rear seats down to load longer items. It is front-wheel drive, meaning you don’t get the balanced&nbsp;handling of the MX-5, but it is still a fun drive. You will have to pay a bit more for it, but the Mini does have a superior interior to make up for that.

For sporting thrills for similar money, 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 interior. Earlier cars came with a fantastic six-cylinder engine, which is certainly a step up from the engines in the MX-5.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mazda/mx-5?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used MX-5,</a> or any of the other sports&nbsp;cars and convertibles mentioned here, head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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<h3>Under shield bracket</h3>

Some examples built between 26 May and 6 July 2015 could have an issue with a metal bracket used to keep the under shield in place failing. A dealer will be able to check if your car is affected by this and arrange to have a replacement bracket installed free of charge.

<h3>Automatic gearbox</h3>

If your MX-5 has an automatic gearbox and was built between 5 October 2016 and 22 November 2018, it might&nbsp;downshift into a lower gear when you didn't ask it to. A technician at your local Mazda dealer will need to update the software for the gearbox if it&nbsp;is affected by this recall to prevent this from happening.&nbsp;

<h3>Stop/start (i-ELOOP)</h3>

In issue with the start/stop (called i-ELOOP) of vehicles manufactured between 15 May 2015 and 13 April 2017 could lead to the system overheating and in extreme circumstances, catch fire. Ask a Mazda dealer to check whether or not your car is affected; if it is,&nbsp;it'll need to have the software updated&nbsp;by a technician and the whole system inspected&nbsp;because certain parts may need to be replaced.

In our latest <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-coupes-convertibles-and-sports-cars/n23413">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, the MX-5 placed eighth&nbsp;out of 15&nbsp;cars in the coupés, convertibles and sports car class. The model&nbsp;has a respectable reliability rating of 95.1%. As a brand, Mazda ranked eighth out of 32&nbsp;manufacturers featured – an impressive result.&nbsp;

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Sports

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 is a fantastic two-seat convertible that's great to drive and doesn’t cost the Earth to buy or run

Used Mazda MX-5 2015-present

<h3>MPG</h3>

Since even the more powerful 2.0-litre petrol has a combined&nbsp;fuel economy of 40.9mpg, fuel costs are very reasonable, although&nbsp;that figure drops to 39.2mpg if you&nbsp;go for the automatic gearbox.&nbsp;The 1.5-litre unit is&nbsp;even more economical&nbsp;at 47.1mpg.

<h3>CO2 emissions</h3>

Not all the engine options for&nbsp;the MX-5&nbsp;were available before the 1 April 2017 tax change, so we’re only concentrating on the ones that were here.&nbsp;

The one that produces the most CO2 is the&nbsp;2.0-litre auto at 167g/km, while the manual is a little bit cleaner at 161g/km. Neither can match the smaller 1.5 at 139g/km.

<h3>Road tax (VED)</h3>

Road tax for pre-April 2017 cars will be based on the amount of CO2 produced (see above paragraph). For cars registered after&nbsp;April 2017, a flat rate of £165 per year applies&nbsp;to all petrol and diesel vehicles.&nbsp;

<h3>Servicing</h3>

Servicing isn't quite as cheap as it is for mainstream rivals, but 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 on price.

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The Mazda MX-5 is a fantastic two-seat convertible that's great to drive and doesn’t cost the Earth to buy or run

Prices for a&nbsp;Mazda&nbsp;MX-5 start at around £12,000, which is a good price considering the popularity of the car. Spend between £12,000 and £14,000 on a 2016 car, £14,000 to £16,000 on a 2017 or 2018 car.&nbsp;If you want the more powerful 181bhp 2.0-litre available from mid-2018 onwards, expect to pay&nbsp;around £17,000 to £19,000. Spend around £20,000 on 2020 cars.

For a 2021 or 2022 car, have between £20,000 and £28,000 to spend. Keep up to date with used prices use our free valuation tool to make sure you are getting the best deal.

Check the value of a used Mazda MX-5 with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/valuations/">What Car? Valuations</a>

Find a used Mazda MX-5 for sale <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mazda/mx-5?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">here</a>

<h3>Engine</h3>

The engine choice is quite simple:&nbsp;there are only two to choose from. If you spend most of your time in town, or you need something with cheaper insurance costs, then the 1.5-litre petrol is a fine choice. It’s freer-revving and has more charisma than the larger-engined car and it’ll cost you less to buy and to run, too. The 2.0-litre offers more performance and is also a great car, but for most people, we suspect the 1.5 will be the better bet.&nbsp;

All MX-5s are reasonably well equipped, but we'd seek out a Sport Nav car (Sport on later versions) that'll give you a healthy dollop of extra kit for not a great deal more money on the used forecourts.&nbsp;

<h3>Specification</h3>

All MX-5s are reasonably well equipped, but we'd seek out a Sport Nav car (Sport on later versions) that'll give you a healthy dollop of extra kit for not a great deal more money on the used forecourts.

Our favourite&nbsp;Mazda&nbsp;MX-5&nbsp;1.5 Sport 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.

The&nbsp;Mazda&nbsp;MX-5 was praised when it came out for having a leak-free roof – something that sports cars haven't always been able to boast about over the years. If you test drive an MX-5 and want to check the roof for leaks, head to an automatic car wash and put the car through a cycle.

Being small, it should be easy to park. But, because the driver sits quite low,&nbsp; low bollards or walls can be overlooked, and rear parking sensors aren’t standard unless you get the Sport Nav. Check the bumpers for scrapes because it can be costly to put paint damage right.

Fun. That would be the best way to describe the Mazda MX-5. It exists as an enthusiast’s car, but an enthusiast’s car with concessions to the real world, where fuel prices are high, parking spaces are tight and road space is limited. None of these challenges hold&nbsp;the MX-5 back; it’s an entertaining <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-sports-cars-2022/n24412">sports car</a> for all situations and with used prices for early ones&nbsp;similar to those of a base-spec new small car, it makes for a great secondhand buy too.

A 1.5-litre&nbsp;engine opens the range, with a modest 129bhp, but even this is enough for acceleration that feels enjoyably&nbsp;brisk.&nbsp;There is also a 2.0-litre engine with 158bhp, and this&nbsp;was upgraded to produce 181bhp from mid-2018 onwards,&nbsp;helping&nbsp;the MX-5 to feel&nbsp;slightly swifter than the heavier <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/gt86/coupe/used-review/n929">Toyota GT86</a>. If&nbsp;you want a bit more performance, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/z4/sports/used-review/n788">BMW Z4</a>&nbsp;– especially earlier cars with a six-cylinder engine – is a strong alternative.

There are countless special editions&nbsp;of the MX-5, but we're focusing on the main models here. The entry-level SE has 16in alloys, LED headlights, air-con, a basic audio system with an Aux connection, and a single detachable cup holder. Move up to SE L Nav and you'll get a 2nd cupholder for your passenger (or a thirsty driver) along with heated seats, cruise and climate control, plus&nbsp;a 7.0in infotainment screen that has a DAB radio and Bluetooth for your phone. If you&nbsp;go for a 2.0-litre engine, a limited-slip rear differential that helps with traction when&nbsp;cornering is included,&nbsp;along with larger 17in alloys.

Sport Nav gets you firmer sports suspension with Bilstein dampers, auto lights and wipers, leather seats, Bose premium audio, rear parking sensors and lane-departure warning. A safety pack was an option on this trim level; it&nbsp;included&nbsp;Blindspot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert. Alternatively, go for the GT Sport Nav+, which included that pack and also gave you keyless entry and a reversing camera.

Weight – or a lack of it – is key to the MX-5 being as good as it is to drive. You see, being relatively light, the car doesn’t need stiff dampers, springs and anti-roll bars to control body movement in corners. This means you can have a nimble car – especially important on winding country B-roads – without compromising its ride quality. It might be a little firmer&nbsp;than the original MX-5, but this latest generation is still very supple, especially on the smallest 16in alloy wheels available with the 1.5-litre engine.

Inside the MX-5, you get two snug seats, a stubby gearlever (there’s an auto, too, if you want it) and a hood that can be neatly folded away in a single arm movement. It’s not the most spacious two-seat convertible, though, and some owners have criticised the lack of storage space. With only a small cubby in the centre console and a shallow tray in front of the gearlever, you can understand their point.

The good news is that boot space is unaffected by the roof being up or down. Bad news is that, while you can fit a couple of overnight bags in there, the opening is rather narrow. How narrow? Well, a set of golf clubs will not fit.&nbsp;If you need more practicality, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/convertible/sports/review/n17156">Mini Convertible</a>, with two extra seats, might be worth considering.

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mazda/mx-5?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used MX-5,</a> or any of the other sports&nbsp;cars and convertibles mentioned here, head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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Used Mazda MX-5 2015-present review

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Find out how much the Mazda MX-5 2015 - present costs to run, covering expected MPG, servicing costs and insurance costs.

Prices for a Mazda MX-5 start at around £12,000, which is a good price considering the popularity of the car. Spend between £12,000 and £14,000 on a 2016 car, £14,000 to £16,000 on a 2017 or 2018 car. If you want the more powerful 181bhp 2.0-litre available from mid-2018 onwards, expect to pay around £17,000 to £19,000. Spend around £20,000 on 2020 cars.,For a 2021 or 2022 car, have between £20,000 and £28,000 to spend. Keep up to date with used prices use our free valuation tool to make sure you are getting the best deal.,Check the value of a used Mazda MX-5 with What Car? ValuationsFind a used Mazda MX-5 for sale here,MPGSince even the more powerful 2.0-litre petrol has a combined fuel economy of 40.9mpg, fuel costs are very reasonable, although that figure drops to 39.2mpg if you go for the automatic gearbox. The 1.5-litre unit is even more economical at 47.1mpg.CO2 emissionsNot all the engine options for the MX-5 were available before the 1 April 2017 tax change, so we’re only concentrating on the ones that were here. ,The one that produces the most CO2 is the 2.0-litre auto at 167g/km, while the manual is a little bit cleaner at 161g/km. Neither can match the smaller 1.5 at 139g/km.,Road tax (VED)Road tax for pre-April 2017 cars will be based on the amount of CO2 produced (see above paragraph). For cars registered after April 2017, a flat rate of £165 per year applies to all petrol and diesel vehicles. ServicingServicing isn't quite as cheap as it is for mainstream rivals, but 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 on price.Page 2 of 5

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Used Mazda MX-5 2015-present review

Mazda MX-5 1.5 SKYACTIV-G Sport Nav Euro 6 2dr

Mazda MX-5 2.0 SKYACTIV-G Sport Nav Euro 6 2dr

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