The Mazda MX-5 RF GT is the perfect convertible for those rainy and snowy B.C. winters.
Morgan鈥檚 lost it, you say. No, the RF stands for 鈥楻etractable Fastback鈥� and when the top is neatly stashed between the back of your head and the trunk, it offers a near roadster-like driving experience.
Of course, there's still a soft-top variation of this fourth-generation MX-5 for a little under $10,000 less for those who live way south of our border, but, truth be told, the hard-top version is probably a better choice for most of the changeable seasons we experience here. I own a real soft top roadster and the cloth top doesn鈥檛 get retracted too often and for long, even in the summer.
The MX-5 RF GT looks good, especially to somebody of my vintage and heritage as a transplanted Brit raised on the enjoyment of driving MG Midgets and the like. Lots of fun often interrupted by breakdowns but memories are always golden.
Yes, the fun-to-drive clich茅 certainly applies to this successor to what was once known as the Miata, before car manufacturers became obsessed with renaming models with just numbers and letters. The 2.0-litre, four-banger with fast-change six-speed manual transmission, sends 181 horsepower to the rear wheels. No drag racing possibilities with this machine but it is perky enough when you want to pass those lane hogs who won鈥檛 move over.
Nostalgic for my time in an MG, I wheeled it along some of the back road twisties you can find north of the Fraser. They come close enough to be able to emulate the fun to be enjoyed on the back lanes of rural Britain. It handled well and smoothed out the fast turns with a barely susceptible body roll so it didn鈥檛 mimic the lurch of an MG in that sense!
That latter quality is made possible by the grandly named Kinematic Posture Control (KPC), a software-based suspension performance technology that manages different systems to help provide precision in high-g cornering. While the rear suspension helps keep the vehicle planted when braking, KPC then applies a very slight brake to the inner rear wheel during high-G cornering.
The road up Cypress Mountain put the power to the test and fourth gear was the most comfortable the steepest of inclines.
It鈥檚 a two-seater so don鈥檛 expect luxury sedan comfort but both seats offer good support. The slight back discomfort after four hours at the wheel may have been more to do with my ancient status rather than the seat. Not a lot of stowage space in the interior and the trunk is for weekend travellers only 鈥� share a case!
Even with the top down, the wind noise was minimal but then that鈥檚 clearly the benefit of roof configuration which offers more of a T-roof experience rather than that typical of a full convertible. Because it鈥檚 a hard top, the heavy downpour hitting the roof later in the afternoon didn鈥檛 drown out the classic anthems playing within!
Ah yes, music. The 8.8-inch centre screen is an improvement on the last featured but its operation takes a bit of getting used to and it鈥檚 not of the touch control variety. In Apple CarPlay mode that app is touch control until you roar past 5 klicks. I kid you not. The sound system is adequate but not surprisingly the small cabin doesn鈥檛 allow for a concert hall experience. Not a game changer.
The fuel economy is not bad for a sporty car. 9.0/7.0/8.1 L/100 (city/hwy/combined). This top-of-the line auto comes in at $48,800, before freight/tax charges. The base soft top starts at $35,100 and the base hard top $42,100.
keithrmorgan@hotmail.com
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