The magic of the 2024 Mazda MX-5: An affordable convertible

The 2024 Mazda MX-5 is a small and sexy two-seater convertible that stands out from the crowd

The 2024 Mazda MX-5 carries on the tradition of small, imported, affordable two-seater convertibles – including lots of sunshine, mussed-up hair, plenty of stares from strangers, and endless smiles.

Officially the MX-5, most people still refer to it by its previous name, the Miata.

So what’s the magic surrounding the Miata/MX-5? Simply put, there’s nothing else quite like it. Cars this small – it sits on a 2,309 mm (90.9 in) wheelbase and is just 3,914 mm (154.1 in) long – are usually more practical and less colourful vehicles, like the Mitsubishi Mirage or Hyundai Venue.

The MX-5 is low, petite and sexy – and attracts lots of attention with the top down. In a world of mainly black, grey, white and tan SUVs, a small, red two-seater with no roof stands out.

The 2024 Mazda MX-5 is perfect for open air motoring. The 2024 Mazda MX-5  is well equipped with an 8.8-inch infotainment screen, and it’s comfortable. With the push of a button, the roof folds into a storage compartment behind the seats and in front of the trunk.

There was a time in the 1960s and ’70s when consumers had a wide range of affordable two-seater sports cars to choose from, many of which were priced similarly to more practical and common vehicles. Some popular options included the Fiat 850 Spider, MG Midget, MGB, Triumph Spitfire, and Triumph TR-6. In addition to these more affordable models, many higher-priced two-seaters were available from luxury brands like Jaguar, Mercedes, and Porsche.

But with shifting consumer demands – largely to SUVs – as well as various other safety and economic reasons, affordable two-seater convertibles have just about disappeared.

The most notable exception is the Miata MX-5. For me, it brings back very fond memories of a well-worn 1967 MG Midget that I owned years ago.

But thanks to technology, the MX-5 brings back those memories while being a much safer, more comfortable and practical form of transportation.

Mazda introduced the Miata in 1989. It had a striking resemblance to the 1962 to 1975 Lotus Elan.

The Miata attracted young people and was also popular with older people who owned – or wished they had owned – a sports car when they were younger.

The Miata was a hit in the marketplace and received plenty of praise in the automotive press. For decades, the Miata has been collecting awards from a variety of automotive publications. More than a million of these cars have been produced, making it the best-selling two-seater sportscar of all time.

I recently test-drove a 2024 MX-5 RF, which comes with a retractable hardtop. With the press of a button, the roof folds into a storage compartment behind the seats and in front of the trunk.

With the roof down, driver, passenger and passersby can barely contain their smiles. This car brings back all the joys of classic two-seater convertibles, but with a modern twist: it’s safer. Equipped with features like airbags, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and forward-collision warning, it offers peace of mind along with the fun.

Putting the hardtop up transforms the MX-5 from open-air motoring to a small, snug, dry, quiet and less-likely-to-be-broken-into coupe. That vastly enhances the versatility of the MX-5, greatly extending the typical season for so-called rag tops in Canada.

The dashboard controls – like other Mazdas – are very intuitive.

The sound system includes six speakers, which is quite a feat for a car with very little room inside. For example, the storage compartment in the console was not large enough to hold my iPhone 14 Plus. The trunk has a capacity of 126 litres (4.48 cubic feet) – big enough to hold a pair of carry-on suitcases and a couple of other small bags.

The small size makes it a joy to navigate on tight city streets, and it’s easy to fit into any parking spot. On the other hand, the fun wears off for a cross-country trek of 12-hour days behind the wheel, and you might prefer something larger.

The 2.0-litre inline 4-cylinder SKYACTIV engine produces 181 hp @ 7,000 rpm, and the six-speed standard transmission adds to the fun of driving, although an automatic is available.

Fuel economy with the standard is rated at 9.0 litres/100 km in the city and 7.0 L/100 km on the highway.

The test vehicle had a base MSRP of $45,000, and options and accessories were $4,100, including the Soul Red Chrystal Metallic paint job, which brought the total price to $49,100. The soft-top version of the 2024 Mazda MX-5 starts at $34,900.

Other two-seater convertibles on the market – like offerings from Audi, BMW, Corvette, Jaguar, Lexus, Mercedes Benz and Porsche – are lots more money, in many cases about double that of the admission fee Mazda charges for top-down motoring. That makes the MX-5 lots of fun at a great price.

Dale Johnson is an award-winning author, broadcaster and journalist who has worked in TV, radio, print and online. While the manufacturer provided Dale with a vehicle to test drive, the content of this review was not reviewed or accepted by the manufacturer.

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