Fifth Gear: Mazda MX5 Roadster Coupe 

I have a 2014 MX5. I drive it top down to 25 F. It gets to cold after that. Drove it thru the Badlands of South Dakota one summer day. It was 88 F on the outside and 98 F once I was in the park. I had the top down and the AC set for the floor. This developed a 'cold bath' of air to ride in. Cold comfort in the middle of a furnace. Also it was the first year the American freeway system increased the speed limit to 80 mph. Imagine 24 hours screaming along at 80 mph across the great American prairie. No coffee required.

As an owner I can tell anyone who'll listen ; these 2 versions of the same model were designed by a team who were determined that the driver should be able to maximise the enjoyment of the roof down, you do not need to wait for a summers day. The heater is unobtrusive and substantial enough to weld your shoes, you do not need the heated seat option. The MX5 is a dedicated stand-alone platform i.e it is not an afterthought 'chopped off' saloon derivative i.e. a BMW 3 series, Vauxhall Astra, Golf etc.. so the cockpit is designed from the outset to cocoon the driver with it's deep sides and cleverly sculpted windscreen .Keep your speed above 20 mph and there's plenty of protection from the worst of mother nature. I'm not hardcore but my 'record' for a cold bright morning is minus 4 degrees but the only reason I haven't dropped the top on a colder day is the protesting cracking and groaning noise the roof makes with ice/frost on it?! For the money, there's nothing to touch it.

Should have tested noise levels at 70mph, I bet there will be a much bigger difference.

Didn't mention the security of the hard top as against the exposure to the knife wielding thief with a soft top. I've had both types and prefer the electric hard top especially using it at a set of traffic lights - just cool.

I've owned both types. It is hardtop all the way for me.

Loving B Tech Jeremy Clarkson

Had a 2008 MX5 PRHT (same as the on here) since June 2020 and it's an awesome thing. Best of both worlds at the push of a button even up to 50kph (smart top module fitted) Top down whenever it's not raining even at 2 deg centigrade the heater is more than good enough to keep you toasty. And when it's raining it's just like any hard top car. Even at motorway speeds it perfectly fine talking to a passenger, listening to radio etc without effort. Looking forward to many more road trips, restrictions allowing this year.

Best video! Thank you

My mx5 mechanics in Brisbane have a completely stock, auto one of these as a loaner when my soft top nc is getting seen. I was pretty hard core about the "right one" to get but my eyes were opened. The roof is great and the auto is fine. If the hard roof and auto would make you consider an mx5, omg just do it. It's a practical car that is vastly nicer to drive than average. And there is so much love for these things. Every wonky or failed part is an opportunity to upgrade.

Just saying but decibels being a logarithmic scale 2dB is actually quite good, 3dB would be 2x quieter

Trust my word here, The rag top is just as cosy And In my opinion. Looks better, Just as a Roadster should look ! In winter I put an hot water bottle up my jumper on a bitter cold day Before the car warms up lovely and cosy . Heated seats on and the heater blowing hot air within 2 miles. Or after a 2 minute tick over,

Bought one of these for the first time yesterday and the little extra noise through the soft top kept me thinking if i had shut the door properly. It seems to rain almost everyday since I bought it, so I throw a water proof hood cover for extra dryness.

That was a humorous and enjoyable video. Ouch when you got blasted by the firehouse. I’ll stick with the softop. Am sure it would be good to have the hard top every so often but I mostly love the total simplicity of the Miata. Softop keeps that mentality.

30 in 3rd harldly seems useful as a test of quite. 60 in 6th would make more sense to me. My wife drives one the hard tops and I'm thoroughly impressed with it.

Hardtop ruins the lines a bit, if you have a garage i would take the soft top. The softtop also opens and closes quicker and at "any speed".

I changed my mind about these folding rooves after having one as a loaner. I still prefer the soft top but that folding hard top was really good I thought. The one I had was an auto which was also better than I expected. In some climates, and if the MX5 was my only car, I'd have a serious look at the hard top. I am not as keen on the RF model of the new ones, but I haven't driven one.

I have a2014 PRHT and I had a 2003 rag top. I belive both pipe in engine noise (sound) to enhance the driving experience. But at higher speed above 50 or 60 MPH it seem the hardtop is quieter besides the obvious rag top wind noise, it might be that the wind and speed push back or leave the sound behind the mx5 with the hard top. As soon as you go below 50 or 45 ish mph you hear the difference.

No switchblade test?

How much boot space do you loose with the roof down?

30 in 3rd harldly seems useful as a test of quite. 60 in 6th would make more sense to me.

Having just bought one, imagine my surprise to find it staring in a fifth gear episode! Quality

how about a hail test ??

Hurts his hand from knocking on the plastic roof.

I own an MX5 of 2006 build - roadster coupe and I luuuuuuuve this car. But… about 2 years ago the power hardtop made a horrible clunk as the deck opened and everything stopped. I managed to force it to close and it hasn’t worked since. Mazda want a ridiculous amount of money to fix it so I now have a beautiful coupe but I really miss the roadster. My car was bought new and has only 120k on the clock so I’m a bit miffed.

I own a 2011 MX5 in Pennsylvania. Can you tell me what regulation requires the amber side lamp in the front fenders (Europe)? Is it connected to the headlights or the turnsignals? US MX5's do not have them... Thanks, Brian

Convertible hardtop isnt for quiter, but more likely for safety and weater protection

It’s perfect if you live somewhere where criminals don’t cut your top open all that time. I had a ‘99 and a had to put 5 tops on it due to criminals in the 10 years I owned it. . Now I have a hardtop nc. No problems with breaking yet.

Funny because I live in “the American Riviera” as it’s called here. Kind of silly but true and there’s not a ton of convertibles. My first car was a Mustang GT convertible, all new and loaded. Problem is after the fun wears off a few months in you pretty much never use them. I would though, love to have an older Jeep or Bronco and remove the top, doors, windshield for beach days.

Nice

Had a mk1 in the day and boy you didn’t want to go over 60 on the motorway in winter, was an absolute endurance. Electric roof is best of both worlds regarding everyday living.

Smashing car

Put a bit of water on this Man & he turns into a woolly mammoth.

Which ts easier to break in

Apparently if you park your car on the roadside, insurance premiums are higher for the soft top too.

That was a fun review.

The first shot I thought it was a young James May..

In Sydney Australia, it can get above 40 deg celcius so I welcome the AC the hardtop comes with. I wouldn't like to sit in traffic while my top melts around me or looking like a lobster with the roof down on the hottest beach days. It gets down to 0 at nigh sot the roof keeps the car warm inside. Anything in between is roof down weather. What more could you want?

Isn’t this guy Jay Emm

I am a hard-top guy. Works like a dream. (NC 16)

Any difference in luggage?.

I have a 2007 hardtop at the moment and despite 200000kms on the clock it is every bit as reliable as a Rolex. I've had a soft top version before, and I think the hardtop just edges it, in terms of quietness (it is MUCH quieter at freeway speeds) and lack of exposure to sun/vandal damage. They are both amazing, and neither will disappoint.

Does it reduce boot size?

Think the softop looks a lot better on my opinion. Hard top looks sort of boring...spoils the line. Can see is practical

wooookieeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Driving in Reading? Your forgiven.

4:36 Twenty minutes of sun? My, aren't *_you_* the wishful thinker 🤙

The hard top just doesn't look as good

Crazy English with that horrible gray weather in London hahahahahaa they buy more convertibles 🤣💪🏼

A brilliant example of stating the bleeding obvious.

hard top looks 10x better 😅

I have a 2012 retractable.l I will never buy another rag top MX5

All they did was drive back and forth on a shitty unused road, what the bloody fuck?

rest principal flesh cotton lost coach opera improvement house usual lonely blue.

Guys your videos are being filmed by a potato right?!

Had to stop watching when he said the hard top was metal.

Well thar's 5 mins of my life I'll never get back........

Jeremy Clarkson with a beard. Just not cool and not as funny as the original.

meh, worst MX5. NA FTW!