Gearing Up For Summer With the 2023 Mazda MX-5
May 20 2023,
The 2023 Mazda MX-5 continues to be the guiding light for enthusiastic drivers looking for a rear-wheel-drive, convertible sports car at an affordable price. Throughout the nearly three decades it’s been in production it continues to deliver the goods and improving with every iteration. Needless to say, it’s no different for this latest example. There are plenty of reasons to be interested in an MX-5 as we head into sun-soaked summer road trip season, but here’s just a teaser of what to expect.
Two Body Styles: The MX-5 and the MX-5 RF
While it’s often remembered as a soft top, the MX-5 has long had a hard top option for those wanting just a little more shelter from the elements. With the 2023 MX-5 RF model, you get all that and even more. RF stands for “retractable fastback” and it comes in two trims starting at $40,900: GS-P and GT. With the power folding hardtop in place, the latest version of the MX-5 looks unlike any other MX-5 seen previous and is sure to catch attention wherever it goes. That uniqueness doesn’t end when the top gets dropped, either, because doing so leaves a unique Targa look.
Of course for many, a roadster like this should have a soft top (it starts at $33,900 and is available in GS, GS-P and GT trims) as it saves weight and reflects the famous classics from which Mazda has drawn so much inspiration for the MX-5. If that sounds like you, then the MX-5 soft top roadster is the perfect choice. The manual top can still be pulled on without ever having to leave the driver’s seat, a novelty that never gets old.
Responsive Chassis Tuning
No matter which MX-5 model you choose, you can rest assured that it benefits from years spent honing the roadster’s tuning to return an athletic drive, but one that’s comfortable as well. The perfectly-weighted steering wheel leads the way to a responsive front-end that often feels like it knows what the driver wants even before they do and the RWD platform means the rear-end is always in perfect lockstep with the front.
For even more performance, you can opt for the GS-P trim on either MX-5 model for Bilstein shock absorbers and a limited-slip differential plus strut tower bar if you select the manual transmission. An additional sport package adds special 17” BBS wheels, Recaro sports seats and Brembo front brakes.
Involving Powertrain
Power for both MX-5 models comes courtesy of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine good for 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, sent to the wheels via either a short-throw six-speed manual transmission or a quick-shifting six-speed automatic with paddle-activated manual mode. A fun drive is a mere flex of the right foot away; we guarantee it.
The 2023 Mazda MX-5 is your path to summer fun; you’ll feel it as soon as you pay us a visit for a test drive!
