I drive a Mazda MX-5 for the first time
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ธ.ค. 2016
- I love cars and I have been lucky enough to drive a hell of a lot... but there are some embarrassing omissions in my automotive history. Today I right at least one of those wrongs...
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who ever needs a lane departure system as a needed feature should be evaluated for sanity and weather they are fit to continue driving.
mcspooney *whether*, and anything that stops morons changing lans and hitting me is fine by me
Jabber 1974 , lanes, touché.
ok luddite
We all think we’re invincible until it’s too late. You must admit that occasionally something happens on the road which you don’t expect
@@lemonpaper could not agree more but drifting out of your lane is plain and simply not paying enough attention to the task at hand imo.
I own an S1 Elise. and had a MK2.5 MX5 beforehand. Both excellent cars in their own right. It's easy to attach a label to any car (MX5 - Hairdresser, Audi - Driven by cocks etc), but I honestly don't care what others think of me, because I'm the one enjoying the car :)
Couldn't agree more with the conclusion. The MX5 is a great all-rounder. Good performance, reliable, cheap to maintain and fun. The Elise is more a special weekend toy, which while you can use it every day, can dull the experience a bit.
Philip Dalton yeah I’ve had an S1 for 20 years and I’m considering turning it back into a daily driver having had race seats, r spec rubber, a K20a and firm suspension in it... a fella I know is a bee’s dick away from get AC working on his. So the choice is spend on the S1 or buy a cheap Mx5 which I’ve driven and enjoyed before. Soft, cruisey and comfortable. They are no Elise. But then the Elise is no comfy cruiser. Hard to be comfortable and razor sharp on track at the same time.
you are very well spoken and I adore your sweater. Subscribed WITH NOTIFICATIONS ON!
waclosh , adore?
I own a MX5 NC 2.0 it's the best car I have ever owned. It was cheap as chips to buy, it's fast enough to have a lot of fun in the country side and it is faultlessly reliable. Remarkably it doesn't have a spec of rust either at almost 15 years old.
I might be biased because I work at Mazda and I appreciate your review. I do like the screen high up on the dash,because it's right in your line of sight with the road.
Agree with you on this, it's a weird trend to mount them this way.
I’m fine with the position of the screen but not fine with it never moving (or never having Waze). You really should be able to click-fold it down, at least to keep it out of the sun and control the heat in warm weather.
yes its probably in the correct position compared to a porsche etc which are all quite low, although they also have a repeat sat nav screen in the normal cluster. However, there could be a bit more work done on the design in order for it to work well in that higher position..... they and mercedes and aston martin, just look wrong as they stand..
Drove the Elise back in 2004 and the MX5 of the day. Ended up with the MX5 as it was my daily driver and the ingress / egress of the Elise was not tenable, never mind the lacking dealer network here in Canada and of course comparable reliability stats. Still would love an Elise - now -, as a 4th vehicle after my truck and motorbikes, but I drove the MX5 yr round including in Ottawa winters (2nd coldest capital in the world after Moscow) for 12 yrs and loved it. Your review is very fair to both vehicles pros and cons.
Consider doing a comparison video to the new updated 2019 ND MX-5, the 2.0 recieved a bump up in power from 154 to 181, 5 more nm of torque, an 800rpm higher redline at 7500rpm with torque coming in even earlier in the powerband
That sounds like a fun car
JayEmm on Cars We only have the 2.0 here in the states, but I, too, am curious, as I’ve heard that the 1.5, though a bit slower, is arguably “better balanced” and a bit more fun.
Once again a nice comprehensive review mate. It's nice to see that your channel has been growing rather quickly lately.
I’ve got a 2007 MX-5, I love the car and it’s a great all round driving machine 👍🏼
Congrats 😉
Don‘t have one yet, but i‘m really thinking about getting a 2020 with softtop
@@balalunga1 can’t go wrong with the soft top, beautiful and simplistic with zero mechanical issues. Only sucks if you have to replace the cloth though but that’s only a 13 year thing
Another great review, I like your presentation and you know what you're talking about. I'd never considered a roadster like this but now I am.
Thanks!
great video, a lot of info, not much filler, soothing voice i think im a new sub!
Lovely review, thank you
EXCELLENCE here Mazda ! VERY VERY GOOD JOB !!!!!! YOU NAILED PERFECT !!!
i had a guy say to me he "wouldn't call an mx5 a sports car " whilst driving a Holden commodore 3.8v6 automatic ute. I don't think he'd ever owned a manual car.....................
Ive always heard it described as "the poor mans sports car" which i think is true and not necessarily a bad thing. Its a lot of car for the money, especially a new one, when you consider what other cars are in its class which are even remotely close to the price, which is almost none
Yeah but Aussie bogans race v8 taxis. And now Holden is dead so his next ute will be built overseas! I borrowed a mate’s Maloo ute and it was heavy and thirsty. It’s no sports car. He now has an amarok, as well as an Elise.... and an Aston.each does a different job.
Fantastic video james. I've owned both. Albeit mk1 mazda instead. Glad to see your channel growing and merry Xmas, the best for 2017
Your sweater is quiet refined as well! :) Excellent review. Elise just makes you feel alive.
morrissey8485 , quite, certainly not quiet!
Love the sweater and the channel!
And it's ABSOLUTELY reliable. New figures (2020) put Mazda ABOVE Toyota. It has enough room for the weekly shopping run. And there are so many parts available if you want to modify it. My NC has a modern 2-DIN naviceiver with DAB+, CD, SD-Card replay and even shorter-throw 6-speed gear lever. Coilovers coming. Great review! All the best, Rob
The smaller 1.5 actually is the nicer, more rev happy option. And it even doesn't feel that much slower. Agree with your conclusion.
I tried both the 1.5 and the 2.0L and found the 1.5 a little anaemic. The 2.0 also sounds a LOT better imo. So we ended up buying the 2.0.
Being in the UK, you're in small- sports- car heaven. That may color your enthusiasm
Great channel. Great reviews.
Thanks!
what a great review, thanks man very helpful.
That Mazda 3 in the background
Excellent video! I love my MX-5. Hey if you ever get the chance, would love to see you review a Caterham 7.
Sadly this shows what Lotus need to do- sell in volume! To put Lotus on the affordable sports car map again they need a new Elan to target MX5 customers, it has to be cheap, reliable and good to drive. If Lotus could do that they might just survive.If they stick to their current range of face-lifted Elise/Evora models, they are going to fold. In this age of eco mentalism Lotus toying around with an SUV is bloody stupid. They don't have the money and it'll be crap. Lotus makes lightweight exciting cars. It just so happens that lightweight is where its all going in terms of sustainability, Lotus needs to stick to what it knows but sell more of it for less.
And they need an electric variant. The original Tesla Roadster set the world on fire and all it was, was someone else's EV components stuffed into an Elise. Lotus could turn some heads by taking the advancements that have been made since then and packing them into an Evora.
Lotuses are all hand built though, so volumes are always going to be limited. I suspect they also limit them on purpose so they can get away with not complying with certain EU regulations, which don't apply to "low volume" production cars. They are a small operation, so they don't need to pump out loads of cars. Much like Caterham and Atom.
The SUV is likely going to be another hand built car and very expensive. They won't be white goods like German SUVs are.
I have both an Elise S3 and a NB Miata and I agree with your view. The NB simply can't touch the Elise for driving enjoyment, and I believe the same applies to the ND based on your review. However, the Miata is simply the less stressful car when doing real car things rather than blasting down back roads or going on track. And it's still pretty damn fun!
i own mx5 nb i will go with turbo goal is about 200whp i saw lotus elise s3 i liked a car a lot but cost too much for me but in your opinion mx5 nb 200whp 950kg is it a closer battle betwen these two cars but the goal is wich is more fun to drive in your opinion sry for my english i am doing my best :)
Old Elises are actually cheaper to own though. Since they don't depreciate. Pay 13-15k now and it will likely be worth MORE in a few years.
I'm an 2016 MX-5 owner, and I like your sweater!
Fantastic review; subscribed!
Such a beautiful car !
The lotus élan was more of a natural comparison because the elise appears to be more of a track car thats legal. The mx5 is the worlds biggest selling car of its ilk because it does a multitude of jobs. Everyone from hairdressers to hardened track day petrol heads love them. Mazda broke through the niche appeal and gave some of the magic of the élan to joe public. Thats great business and wonderful for real world driving. Thanks for a thorough and professional review.
Good review. Try to review the RF if you get the chance, a nice looking car and maybe the extra weight in the rear when the roof is down may help the balance of the car.
Excellent video
I wouldn't want more power, I can easily spin the rear wheels on dry roads so more power would be downright tricky to drive, especially in the wet. The only thing I think they got wrong in this version (I own one btw) is the suspension. It rolls into corners in a way that feels very uncomfortable on opposite camber corners. I want to swap out some components to lessen this in the future.
You hit the nail right on the head James, What do you go for after owning an Elise!
Excellent video! Refreshing change from other TH-camrs. Good camera work and speaking. Only thing that jumped out at me was the color profile: the Soul Red looks like washed-out pink.
Yes, the color rendition in the video was very poor.
I fixed it for later videos
I'd love to see your review on a 2019 model.....
Agree! Own an Elise, and anything I really drive aside from it can't match the nimbleness or involvement. That being said, I've recommended the mx5 personally to people who aren't as "petrolheady" but still want a nice canyon carver
Or maybe they are as petrolheady but don't have Elise money. Used Mx5's are cheap!
Agreed James.
Love that sweater
Good review. I wish the Miata reviewers would all start by telling the size they are to help us with perspective.
Great review. I love your channel. The sweater is as I think you say, proper. I'd love to see the S2000 on your channel.
its a notch above the mx5, just does everything better. just done hit vtech at mid corner!
I have an S2000 and love it. MX-5 would be my second choice. A bit of a different animal. though they're often compared. It doesn't have the power or the chassis but I envy its lightness. In addition to not hitting vtec mid-corner, also don't lift either!
The only thing the nd has for it is it has power throughout. However the s2k drives like a civic under 6k. But if you add bbr turbo and some suspension i can see it surpassing the s2k.
Just reading the comments here and how nobody considers the GT86 and BRZ is beyond me. I tried one and fell in love. It's only 0.3 off an S2000 in the real world. It's 0-62 is stupid because you change from second to third at 7250 which is bang on 60. Highly underrated cars that walk over Fiesta ST's at autocoss events.
Great review, I enjoy your videos. I would love to see your thoughts on a Mazda Rx-8, especially the handling characteristics.
I have driven and reviewed one of those
@@JayEmmOnCars Thanks, I just found it! :)
A really nice review and thanks from Montreal (yes, in Canada, not...illinois). Wondering how this would do for daily duty in bad weather with winter tires; would like more impressions on the RF model and noise levels, eg can you make a phone call and hear things. In the end I'll probably go GTI for a number of reasons but I want to be talked into this. I totally appreciate your common sense review here and agree about that damn infotainment screen.
James Martin It's being promoted heavily at the Mtl Auto Salon this weekend, so I believe it's imminent here. Even my friends who hate the MX-5 think the RF good looking...I just wish it had a teeny bit more glove-box type of utility - long drives in N America and all that.
James Martin PS. subscribed. Great Volvo video too.
Another great clip matey. If you need me for anything let me know.
I test drove an MX5 and a Mk3 MR2 years ago and, I have to say, far preferred the MR2, so much so I bought one.
I love to see you reviewing Abarth 124 spider 🕷
mx5 was the true successor to the lotus elan, the elan m100 was a very good car, perhaps better than the mx5, but it was simply to expensive and cost lotus a lot to develop due to its front wheeled design. Would be great to see a comparison between an mx5 series 1 and an m100 elan.
Compared to the Elise, the MX-5 is a bit wallowy, a bit soft? Well, not much, but a set of adjustable sport shocks (lowering springs optional) will take care of that fast!
Apparently the RF has a different suspension geometry which is less wildly leaning in corners. If you get the chance, I’d be curious for your take on that vs the previous NC generation hard top. I’m leaning hard toward the NC because I do long-distance road tripping.
now maybe try an mx5 that has been modified for track, it should get closer to the elise I suppose
the thing is the elise comes track ready while the mx5 is like on default street mode and you need a few simple mods to prepare it like dampers, coils, suspension setup, rims and tires. at least in case of an NB or NC.
i know this video is old but you really have to drive the car hard to understand why it's fun lol. kinda the same situation with just japanese sports cars where it's tame and comfortable driving slow, but a thrill when going all out on a curvy road.
an updated review would be much appreciated.
Great sweater :)
Thankyou!
the steering in the miata is electric assisted but it has been engineered to give a lot of feedback. The elise is old school steering. Ofcourse it has better steering feeling but other than the elise only mclarens are the only ones that dont do electric.
Edison Caterham and Westfield also don't use power steering.
Have to say I disagree on the steering. I found it almost completely devoid of any feel. That and the silly boat-like lean were the reasons I sold mine. Gearshift was excellent though.
Love what you say but don’t be too hard on Turbo engines. They are thermodynamically much more efficient. However, because they give enhanced boost further down the Rev range, one tends to exploit it, particularly with performance cars... and accelerating kills economy. Whilst Mazda has done a great job at keeping weight down, other cars are doing so too and have done now for a decade..... and in clever ways, despite all the kit we demand now.
I wish those people in the showroom would shut up !
Great video James, lot's of info
Great review. Let me preface this by saying I'm in the US. I daily a 2017 Focus RS (which I love) but am considering adding . Something small, light, and RWD. Always wanted an Elise but here I the States it's not that easy. I can find barely used 2016-2017 MX-5's for $17-22K. Decent used Elise's are $30-35K+. Pretty much a 2005 model. My biggest concern is service, parts, maintenance. Nearest Elise mechanic is 1.5 hours away. Looking at the Lotus (US) forums it seems these cars have a solid drivetrain but other parts can break easily and costly and difficult to find. I can do some basic work, but major work means considerable cost and complexity.
I plan on driving both back to back, but I'm leaning towards a used MX5 and then spending a few grand to add suspension upgrades, a tune, exhaust, etc.
Thoughts?
Forgot that Lotus is gonna need more special parts than a Miata, probably.
The community for the Miata is massive, as well as the aftermarket . I suck at working on cars, but I've done so many repairs, so easily. I was driving through some backroads and turned a corner too hard. Luckily, my miata was very planted and didn't slip out or anything. Made me really happy with my car choice. I think the Miata would be right choice!
Toyota services my lotus evora. I have not owned an Elise although I know they use a Toyota engine. I guess if I ever have any serious trouble I'd have to look beyond Toyota
Interesting video, I'm actually thinking about this two cars...always wanted an Elise in any form, but can't really afford it right now, especially because I would prefer an S3 S/ 220 Sport, so rather then getting an older S1/S2 I'm considering to get firstly a Mazda ND 2.0 to start having fun without being worried too much about reliability, THEN go for a supercharged Elise later...does it make sense?
I know that S2 have usually weak gearboxes, specially 2nd and 3rd gear, plus you need alu radiator, toe links etc...From the S3 seems like build quality has improved, and the gearbox it's a different unit, and it's chargecooled. I think an S3 should be more reliable, shame I'll have to wait for the prices to go down a bit...Would be my only car, but has to be said that i don't really "need" a car to go from A to B, so can be a daily toy...If I would go with the Mazda for sure I'll put Ohlins R/T as the first mod :P
you should try NA miata
Why is the steering wheel on the wrong side? Must have reversed image on video...
all hail the christmas jumper!
lol, the elise is obviously a better car, however, where I live, a 20year old elise is almost twice the price of a new miata. Also, I expect parts to be much more expensive and harder to find. Still an interesting comparison obviously
Elise won't lose it's value when you come to sell it though, so really you're spending more but not losing as much in the long run.
In the UK at least, the Elise isn't more expensive to run than a normal car. It's a basic Toyota 4cyl engine at the end of the day (you can use Celica parts). The oil is cheap, filters are cheap, etc. The wheels are only 16 and 17" so tyres aren't expensive. It won't rust either so even 20 year old Elises still look new underneath.
The 2-litre soft-top Mazda sells at €31500, whilst the cheapest Elise at €55000 in Italy. Lol.
Well, unless you can't fit the seats, the 6 gear and the softop system of the Miata into an Elise S1, the perfect car don't exist...
You're gonna wanna chat with Oli from The Inbetweakers! He has an mx5 :)
i want to get the new ND, add a bbr turbo, suspension, roll bar and hopefully get it close to my s2 exige sc.
Could you please post your height and weight with car vids? You're a big guy, and it is probably a common question (about fit)
Can't hear it!
Just out of intreast how tall are you please? Seem to fit fine.
Honda type R ?
Miata vs brz/Frs
4 yrs later you have become a bit of a fan of the mx5
They’re both lovely cars in their own way.
But whist the MX-5 in its present incarnation has never looked better, I can’t say that about the Elise, which has really been messed-about with over the years. Imho the original Julian Thompson version is by far the best-looking.
The engineer Richard Rackham should also be mentioned, and given full credit. He had a far greater influence on the stunning performance of the original Elise through his unique extruded-aluminium chassis. Julian Thompson was only the stylist.
He's correct, i own a 2006 elise.
What about the build quality. UK compare to Japan. I go for the Mx5.
Who dafuk reviews a MX-5 (Miata) and doesn't talk about the gear-box? Biggest omission over the best part of the car.
I recall it being pretty good but I think not as good as the early ones are supposed to be
you know what will be a killer engine swap for this car in 10-15 years? The Mazda Skyactiv 2.5l 4cylinder. 200 hp, heaps of torque, the same ecu, the same size... someone needs to start working on a kit.
BBR's already gotten 200+ hp from the 2 liter. They also have a turbo kit that from the extremely pixelated dyno chart I saw I'm guessing is at around ~250hp.
Nah, just get a proper mx5 ( NA or NB) and do a rocketeer conversion, 3l jag V6 240bhp out of the box with room for plenty more.
@@Jabber-ig3iw goodjob you just knackered the 50/50 weight balance by dumping an extra 187kg over the front wheels.
Jason Muir meh I’ll suffer that for an extra 100+ NA horsepower.
@@Jabber-ig3iw miss the point of the car....
if you want power by an M140I
I wrk for mazda in sales.. the Elise wins in so many ways
+ Paxton supercharger
Don't forget suspension tuning - the Miata's is terrible. I absolutely hate how the Miata rolls and pitches through corners. This is not "being one with horse and rider"!
Miata ND Club has good suspensions in my opinion. I know this because I own it.
Ok but it's very soft and accentuates body roll rather than limits it. A number of auto journalists have commented on this.
It's also the only car I've driven (I owned a Lotus Elise, Porsche Boxster, Mercedes SLK, S2000, among others), that causes me headaches from motion sickness... due to the body roll.
That's a shame. In America we get the Club trim which is the only trim that comes with the aerodynamic and tuned suspension upgrade. Those auto journalists you're talking about reviewed the Grand Touring model when they should've reviewed the Club model. It makes a big difference in suspension. I mean it's still softer than a BRZ but it's still good.
Fluterra I can tell you from experience that the body roll on the ND Miata isn't as bad as you think. I touge on the mountain road occasionally here in Los Angeles. I can attack corners aggressively regardless of body roll. Drive it through a few corners and you'll start to adapt. Trust me.
"being one with horse and rider"? On the contrary, I've heard reviewers say the body roll contributes to making the rider more at one with the horse.
why won't u say that the interior is made for midgets ? :( ... I am 6'2 and drive a NB-fl ... I fit like a glove ... in this ND - no chance .... and BTW , U didn't fit in it ok as well :)) ... they really made the interior too small
well yeah .. comparing to the elise .. it's more room in it but still ... I got very dissed when sat in it for the first time ... 6'2 people and above will have a nightmare tryin' to drive one for more then 50 miles :D
Gosh, what can I say? I'm sorry about your height problem but, let's face it, sometimes life's not fair. Who knows… maybe in your next life you'll be of average height. So yeah, you're too tall to be an astronaut, comfortably fit on a regular bed, and not get your knees crushed when you fly. And you can't enjoy an MX-5. Hey, it's not the end of the world.
The Elise is the better car, but its nowhere near as reliable as the Mazda, and reliability is everything
Modify a Toyota MR-2 Spyder and you can have the best of both worlds . . .
Well it IS a nice car but the price is simply just not welcoming.
Opps,mistake.It is reasonable.The range as Z4 here in my country.Hmm....attractive
haha 8:23 maybe 8:20 and you'll definitely see it
Mk2 is more fun
Don't think you smiled once in the MX. Enough said. S2 owner.
Modern exige OK, but those 2005 used lotuses are waste of money. If mx5 lacks some horsepower then elise is a total disaster. Way too weak for a car that should match real supercars and big tourers.
The Elise is in a totally different league. The MX-5 is a very soft sports car made for normies. The Elise is also made from aluminium so even a 2005 one will look pristine underneath. After only a few years on an MX-5 you're battling rust (I was on mine), they are known for it.
this car is for small Asian streets and alleys and small Asian drivers.....not meant for fat foreign Macdonals eaters....
No, it’s not just for “small Asian drivers”; it’s for humans of average size. If you suffer from excessive height, width or weight, you ain’t gonna fit. This car was not designed for proudly obese Americans. It’s for humans of normal size.
S2000 roof was proven to be the quickest for over a decade. Electric btw. Oh and it had the highest hp per liter for over a decade.... RIP Honda go back to your roots, high revving rwd!! Lol mx5 is a shit show to the s2k, ten years later!
okay okayokay and still the mx5 destroyed the s2000, Honda gave up, threw in the towel and said we can compete.
The S2000 was over twice the price of an MX-5 when it was new.
Jake C You're an idiot. The S2000 was a Porsche Boxster 986 competitor - why do you expect the MX-5 to have the same level of performance as those two cars for much less money? Use your brain
five minutes in and this bore still hasn't driven the car.
Still a car for the receptionist at the hairdressers.
amcluesent any given weekend, there are probably more of these racing than any other car.
Until you drive one...then ALL your perceptions go out the window. GUARANTEED! You still think that because of your own bias...not because of the car. It's an amazing machine and now LOOKS the part!
We tested the Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4 and the Mazda. The Mazda beat the other two for driving enjoyment by a mile.
never understood that gay thing. i want my girlfriend to look girly, why shouldnt my car look girly too?
Jesus. Grow a pair, get some balls and stop being such a sissy worrying about how you think you'll be judged. Nobody's watching and NOBODY cares.