• This is a very compact car
• Limited storage space could prove frustrating
• Decent safety standards

How much space is there?

With only two seats, no glovebox or door pockets, and a boot that’s 20 litres smaller than the previous generation, practicality isn’t one of the Mazda MX-5’s key selling points. It goes without saying that hot hatchbacks such as the Ford Fiesta ST are orders of magnitude more practical, as is the bigger BMW Z4 convertible.

If it wasn’t for the high transmission tunnel, you might even feel rather too close to your passenger. Certainly, a careless grasp for the gear lever will have you rubbing your knuckles against their knee. Legroom is surprisingly generous, but our taller testers found headroom is an issue with the roof up – as getting in can be. The MX-5 sits very close to the ground and the doors are quite small, so getting in can feel like posting yourself through a letter box. With the roof open, though, you just drop into the seats.

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Boot space and storage

The MX-5’s boot capacity is a tiny 130 litres. But we found it’s a surprisingly usable space because of its shape and access. A couple of carry-on suitcases slot straight in, and you can shove in a lot of soft bags, shoes and coats – if you pack the boot carefully, rather than chuck stuff in as you might with a bigger car. It’s all part of the charm of living with an MX-5.

The only large storage cubby inside the car is a locker on the bulkhead between the seats. In our experience, it’s not the easiest of places to access while on the move, but surprisingly spacious. There’s also a small space under the central arm rest and a compact cubbyhole beneath the aircon controls.

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There are two cupholders just ahead of the storage locker. The passenger’s can be moved further forward towards the footwell, right beside the gear lever (pictured in our image gallery).

The roof is a work of genius. The lightweight fabric structure can be lowered and raised in seconds with genuine one-handed ease from the comfort of the driver’s seat. It also makes no difference to the boot space whether it’s up or down.

Is it easy to park?

The MX-5 is very small. Visibility out of the front is good as you look down the length of the bonnet, but some might struggle when the roof is up as the interior feels dark and cramped, and rear visibility is severely restricted. Drop the roof and the view all-round is unimpeded. Rear parking sensors are fitted to many models to assist, some also have a rear-view camera. So it should prove easy to park and manoeuvre.

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Safety

• Four stars from Euro NCAP
• Impressive rating for a lightweight convertible
• Contemporary safety tech on board 

Car safety body Euro NCAP gave the Mazda MX-5 a four-star rating when it was assessed in 2015. That’s a really strong performance for a lightweight convertible, indeed at the time it was the safest roadster NCAP had seen.

Standards have changed in the years since, so the MX-5’s rating can’t be directly compared with those of more recent cars. But it’ll still look after you should the worst happen. What driver assistance features are fitted depends on the age of the MX-5 you’re looking at, and its trim level. Features currently fitted as standard include:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Driver attention monitor
• Lane departure warning
• Lane keeping assist
• Traffic sign recognition
• Isofix child seat mounts on the passenger seat

The top-spec model also has blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and adaptive LED headlights.

WATCH: Mazda MX-5 Euro NCAP crash test video