Mazda MX-5 RF

The Mazda MX-5 RF doesn’t look as space-age or futuristic as the modern-day sports cars on sale positioned much above it in terms of price. However, there is a sense of sophistication in the way everything is laid out inside the cabin, with the cabin getting three different leather upholstery options to choose from – black leather, tan leather, and red Nappa leather.

There is a strong influence of rounded design theme everywhere in the cabin, ranging from the centre boss of the multifunctional steering wheel, three rounded pods for the instrument console, big rounded AC vents in the centre console and corners of the dashboard and rounded buttons for the automatic climate control system. The free mounted tablet-like touchscreen infotainment system goes with current design trends and adds to the novelty inside the cabin. The premium BOSE audio system with nine speakers too sounds terrific.

The Mazda MX-5 RF is surely one attention magnet for the way it has been styled. Despite its compact stance, it has got the big and premium car appeal, thanks to the right use of curves and most importantly that retractable roof above.

The front of the Mazda MX-5 RF gets a beautifully sculpted bonnet, which ends up in a wide looking grille with horizontal slats, which has been positioned at the bottom of the front bumper. The bird’s eye-shaped front headlamps placed above the corner edges of the grille look sleek and house projector bulbs and daytime running LEDs. Besides the front grille, there are functional air vents which add some aggression to the front look.

From the sides, the Mazda MX-5 RF impresses with its curvaceous stance, which is very evident from the smooth curves flowing from the front bonnet to the side doors and from the side doors to the boot at the back. The low slung stance with low ground clearance and large alloy wheels with rounded wheel arches only add to the visual drama of the MX-5 RF.

The rear profile of the Mazda MX-5 RF is slightly questionable but still manages to give unique look to the sports car. The B-pillars at the back look very wide and tuck in the rear windscreen. The well-sculpted boot lid has a rather clean design and comes with nail shaped LED tail lamp assemblies, with curved styled reflectors at the bottom.

The compact dimensions and a taut setup for the suspension setup do make the Mazda MX-5 RF a great car to hone your driving skills. The steering too feels nice and precise and good to hold. However, the driving position and ergonomics of the MX-5 RF are a bit questionable for those with tall heights.

The Mazda MX-5 RF houses a rather compact 2.0-litre inline-four naturally aspirated petrol engine under its hood, which makes 184 PS of maximum power output and 205 Nm of peak torque output. One does get two transmission options to choose from for this engine – a 6-speed manual as well as a 6-speed torque converter.

The Mazda MX-5 RF gets a host of modern safety amenities incorporated in it, the list of which includes front and side airbags, dynamic stability control, blind-spot monitoring system, lane departure warning, advanced smart city brake support, driver attention alert, cruise control and rear parking sensors with camera.

The Mazda MX-5 RF is one viable option for all those who want the open-top driving experience, but without the intimidating power delivery and astronomical price point of a supercar. The compact dimensions, compact engine, and taut driving dynamics do make the Mazda MX-5 RF a hoot to drive, only complemented with premium interiors.