Mazda MX-5 RF review
At a glance
| Price new | £29,915 - £37,035 |
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| Used prices | £7,859 - £25,415 |
| Road tax cost | £190 - £305 |
| Insurance group | 24 - 33 |
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| Fuel economy | 37.2 - 45.6 mpg |
| Range | 386 - 455 miles |
| Miles per pound | 5.5 - 6.7 |
| Number of doors | 2 |
| View full specs for a specific version | |
Available fuel types
Petrol
Pros & cons
- Fun to drive
- Generous standard equipment
- Quieter with roof up than soft-top version
- Firm ride
- Pricier than soft-top
- Cramped interior
Mazda MX-5 RF rivals
Overview
Suppose you want the sun-lit, top-down experience of a convertible two-seater sports car, but the slick style of a coupe also appeals. If this quandary speaks to you, then you need a Mazda MX-5 RF.
Retractable Fastback by name, the RF model ditches the MX-5’s conventional soft-top headwear for a steel/aluminium folding hard-top roof instead. At the push of a button, the car can transform itself from a quasi-coupe into a targa-like open-top sports roadster. All very enticing stuff.
Hard-top convertible sports cars are a pretty specific niche, so the MX-5 RF’s rivals are varied. Directly applicable hard-top convertible opponents include the Ferrari 296 GTS, McLaren 750s and the Chevrolet Corvette Convertible. Now of course, the MX-5 RF pales in comparison to these performance brutes on power, speed and price. As for whether they offer a better driving experience is a debate for another time, but let’s look at some of the MX-5’s closer market rivals.
A few of them have fallen by the wayside in recent years, as we’ve waved farewell to the Audi TT Roadster and the Toyota GR86 is on the way out, but still some very well-rounded competition remains in the BMW Z4. Plus, as ever, the appeal of the regular, soft-top MX-5 from Mazda’s own stable endures.
Like the regular MX-5, two four-cylinder petrol engines are on offer: a 1.5- and a 2.0-litre, with 132hp and 184hp respectively. The 1.5 is manual only, while the 2.0-litre can be specced with an automatic transmission. The soft-top isn’t available with an auto, so if you’re searching for a brand-new MX-5 automatic then the 2.0-litre RF model is your only choice.
The MX-5 RF is available with three trim levels: Prime-Line, Exclusive-Line and Homura. All models come with heated seats, cruise control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.
Click through the next few pages to read everything you need to know about the Mazda MX-5 RF, including its practicality, comfort, how much it costs to run, what it’s like to drive and whether we recommend buying one.
