Initial impression…
Sweet! Let’s play with the roof!
One week later…
Ok first of all, the newest-generation Maxda MX-5 is great. So much fun to drive! You can read our earlier review on the Club-Edition for the how-&-why… or you can read pretty much any other review by any magazine ever.
Funny thing is: After I drove the new Fiat 124 Spider, I left convinced that it was the better car, with it’s turbocharged 1.4 engine. Now that I’m back in the Mazda… I’m not so sure.
Point is: Both cars are great, and the one you like better is probably going to be the one you drove last.
But for Mazda, this targa, electronic roof MX-5 RF Model, is the same great MX-5… with a different top. I think we can all agree it’s pretty ‘neat’. And whether or not the RF model is the one for you, is up to opinion & taste.
One on hand, the MX-5 RF looks striking with it’s color-matched roof & unique silhouette. It looks cool! It’s an icon with a little twist & rarity. A little more attention-getting. And it’s got the convenience of an electronic top. It encapsulates you, as it simultaneously gives you that roadster open-air driving experience. Meaning, you don’t stick out like a lego man in a lego car.
On the other hand… is doesn’t get much more convenient than the MX-5’s mechanical soft-top. You can throw the soft-top down on the fly, at 25mph, in about 3 seconds. It’s hard to beat. So why complicate it with electronics? Also, the RF model is roughly 100lbs heavier. Normally not a big deal, but the MX-5 has a lightweight soul, and it’s simplicity/purity is what attracts a lot of it’s fanbase.
The Mazda RF is fun to play with. It might strike up a little more conversation at the gas pump. Bottle or can: it’s your choice. And the goodness inside is the same either way.
