The third-generation of Mazda’s successful MX-5 two-seater has been given a price. The entry-level 1.8-litre model will cost £15,600 for the 1.8i - £600 more than the current entry-level 1.6 - rising to £18,900 for the range-topping 2.0-litre Sport. The new models will be available in the UK from November, although pre-orders will be taken on the official Mazda website from the start of August.
The original MX-5, launched in 1989, and its revised second-generation version have been one of the biggest success stories of recent years, shifting over 700,000 units worldwide to date. Having devised such a winning combination, it is no surprise that the exterior design of the new MX-5 has not strayed too far from the previous models. Flared wheel arches accommodate 17in alloys on Sport models, giving a more muscular appearance, but it’s still unmistakeably an MX-5. The car has also grown larger to provide more cabin space and to allow Mazda to include side airbags for the first time.
Despite these increased dimensions, the new model is just 10kg heavier than its previous incarnation, and it gets a power boost with the old 1.6- and 1.8-litre engines replaced with 124bhp 1.8-litre and 158bhp 2.0-litre units, the latter mated to a new six-speed gearboxes.
Standard specification on the base 1.8i includes 16in steel wheels, ABS, CD player, electric front windows and remote central door locking, with additional extras on higher models including 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels, traction control with dynamic stability control, six-CD autochanger, heated leather seats and climate control.
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