Mazda MX-5 ND Grand Touring

Mazda MX-5 ND Grand Touring

The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5, internally designated ND, is the car that proved a deeply unfashionable idea: that the path to driving joy runs not through ever-increasing power and technology, but through disciplined weight reduction and chassis purity. When Mazda unveiled the ND in 2014, the automotive world was in an arms race of horsepower and electronic sophistication. The ND MX-5 responded by shedding over 100 kilograms from its predecessor and delivering a driving experience that made nonsense of the notion that sports cars need 300 horsepower to be exciting.

At launch, the ND was available with a 1.5-liter Skyactiv-G engine producing 131 horsepower (global markets) or a 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G producing 155 horsepower (later upgraded to 181 hp for 2019 and beyond). These are not big numbers. They are not meant to be. The ND's philosophy is that moderate power in an extraordinarily light car — just 1,058 kilograms in its lightest configuration — creates a more engaging driving experience than brute force ever could. And the philosophy works: the ND MX-5 has been universally acclaimed as one of the finest driver's cars available at any price.

The chassis is a masterpiece of engineering discipline. Mazda's SKYACTIV platform combines high-strength steel with aluminum components in a body shell that is both lighter and stiffer than the NC generation it replaced. The front suspension uses double wishbones — a sophisticated layout that maintains optimal tire contact patch through cornering — while the rear uses a multi-link design. Both ends feature carefully tuned geometry that prioritizes driver feedback over outright grip, meaning the MX-5 communicates precisely what the tires are doing through the steering wheel and seat.

The 6-speed manual transmission is one of the finest gearboxes in production. The shift throw is short and precise, the gates are clearly defined, and the mechanical engagement of slotting each gear home provides a tactile satisfaction that no paddle-shift system can replicate. Mazda deliberately kept the ratios close to maintain engine speed in the power band, and the rev-happy Skyactiv engine rewards downshifts with an eager, if not dramatic, surge of acceleration.

The design, penned under Mazda's Kodo (Soul of Motion) philosophy, is the most visually striking MX-5 since the original. The long hood, short rear deck, and cab-rearward proportions are classic sports car, while the sharp character lines and squinting headlights give it a personality that is unmistakably modern. The soft-top mechanism is brilliantly simple — a single-hand operation that takes less than two seconds — while the RF (Retractable Fastback) variant offers a power-folding targa roof for those who prefer a coupe look.

Inside, the ND is minimal but not spartan. The driving position is low and snug, the steering wheel is perfectly sized, and the instruments are clear and purposeful. There is no touchscreen domination of the dashboard — infotainment functions are handled by a rotary controller that allows the driver to keep eyes on the road. The overall impression is of a car designed around the act of driving rather than consuming media.

What makes the ND MX-5 special is not any single specification but the way everything works together. The light weight means the modest engine feels adequate rather than anemic. The communicative chassis means every corner is an engagement. The manual gearbox means every gear change is a conscious, satisfying act. The open roof means every drive includes the sky. No individual component is extraordinary, but the sum is greater than its parts in a way that is almost impossibly rare in modern automobiles.

The MX-5's significance extends beyond its own driving experience. Since the original NA debuted in 1989, the MX-5 has single-handedly kept the affordable roadster segment alive. Every generation has faced skepticism about whether the concept still makes sense, and every generation has answered with a car so engaging that it silences doubt. The ND, by returning to the original's ethos of lightweight simplicity after the heavier NC generation, may be the purest expression of that philosophy since the NA itself.