Car of the Year Awards 2026: Best sports car for value
The Mazda MX-5 may dwell in a different part of the socio-economic sports car spectrum from the Porsche 911, but they have at least one thing in common: they were conceived with driving pleasure in mind.
In fact, some drivers might find the small, lightweight MX-5’s purity of purpose – and its far lower asking price – even more appealing than the approach of its pricier brethren.
The rush served up by the MX-5 doesn’t hit like a sledgehammer; it builds organically. The more effort you put into driving it, the more you get out of it. And that’s part of the reason why our favourite version is the cheapest, 1.5-litre model.
It has a mere 130bhp and softer suspension than the 181bhp 2.0-litre model, but in some ways that heightens your sense of involvement. Unlike the 911, the MX-5 has you jealously guarding your momentum in corners. You have to keep the engine ‘on the boil’ to cover ground quickly, just like you did in sports cars of old.
Of course, the MX-5 isn’t as fast, practical or classy inside as the 911, and lanky drivers will find its two-seat cockpit cramped, but it’s still a sweet little sports car for buyers on a tighter budget.
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