Roadster gets retuned steering, slippy diff, more lenient DSC mode, interior updates
ILLYA VERPRAET
TESTED 28.3.24, EAST SUSSEX ON SALE NOW
t’s a war zone out there. Ford Fiesta ST, Hyundai i20 N, every Renaultsport model – all already KIA. Alpine A110, Toyota GR86 and combustion Porsche 718 – still soldiering on but soon to be taken out by various safety rules. Meanwhile, Mazda is cruising through the field of fallen affordable performance cars, whistling and with the top down. That’s how it seems, at least, because it has just given the MX-5 roadster its biggest update since 2018, and there’s no end of sale planned just yet.
The ND-generation MX-5 is now nine years old and feels as timeless as ever, yet Mazda has still seen fit to introduce a few tasty tweaks.
I can take or leave the visual updates to the front and rear lights and the bi-colour wheels on the middle trim, but much more interesting are the chassis tweaks. Mazda has reduced the friction of the steering rack for “more fluid and natural response”. Further, the 2.0-litre version gets a new limited-slip differential. Mazda calls it ‘asymmetric’ because it acts differently under deceleration from under acceleration. There’s also a halfway-house Track mode for the dynamic stability control.
Inside, a larger (8.8in) screen sits on the dashboard running Mazda’s latest infotainment software, which works slightly better than the old system (still with a rotary control cursor) but looks classier and more modern. There’s a pair of USB-C ports now and the gauge cluster has been given a very minor refresh too. Comfortingly, it retains analogue dials.
Homura trim also gains Recaro seats, which offer more lateral and thigh support and softer padding.
So, what of those chassis upgrades? Mazda says the Track DSC was designed with first-time track drivers in mind, but I reckon it’s now the go-to mode for road driving. It just lets you enjoy some rear-drive attitude without fear that you’re completely on your own. Once it senses you’ve got a bit too much angle on for comfort, instead of putting a stop to the fun, it just throttles back a little to let you maintain a nice, gentle slide. It’s not entirely dissimilar to a BMW M3 with its variable traction control in one of the safer modes. It’s excellent and, if you want, you can still turn it all off.
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