Should You Buy a Mazda MX5? (Test Drive & Review MK2) 

"Make sure you put your caps lock on", essential advice for keyboard warriors everywhere.

Great video. I owned a red 2010 MX 5 Roadster for nine years of exhilarating fun and trouble-free driving. Never a problem, never a rattle, never a regret for buying it. A brilliant car!

I owned a Mk2 from new, and then a Mk3 I bought new in 2007 and still have. The Mk3 is by far the better car (mine has the electric hard top which is superb) in that it has the same good things as the Mk2 (I think it actually handles better - mine has the Mazda Eibach lowered springs) but is far more refined. I'm nearly 72 and a big lad so getting in and out isn't as easy at it was, but it's worth it for the driving experience! I'm seriously considering upgrading to a Mk4 which at my age and build is daft - but hey, you only live once!

I've had this car as my daily for 4 years now. It's a lovely balance of cheap, reliable and fun. That said, the real fun (here in the UK) is during the summer.

This video sums the mk1/2 mx5s up perfectly. 12 years ago when I was 22, I looked at fiestas, polos etc and stumbled across the mx5 as a potential car; I couldn't believe how affordable they were. So good to drive with a rifle loading-esque gearbox and pinpoint steering. Mine never let me down in 2 years either, cracking cars.

As a 64 year old using my Mk.3.5 on a daily basis I don’t have any difficulties getting in or out. Once you learn the knack it’s easy peasy. 👍🏼

Another absolutely spot on review - outstanding!

Have owned 2 mk2's in the past, one of each engine variant and the 1.8 is the better option. Best 2 seater sports car in category without doubt, absolutely loved driving them, would definitely buy again. They are just so planted and albeit only about 8.5 seconds 0 to 60 (1.8) they still feel so quick. Large active owners club and classic insurance type policies available. There is a reason why they are the best selling 2 seater sports car and still in production today! Another great video!

My first ever car, it’s been a breeze to own and zero problems in over 2 years 👌🏻 genuinely love the car and it’s always fun to drive

Wife bought the ND 3 years ago its one hell of a roadster. Fun at all speeds . We all know its not fast. The biggest critics are those who don't own one yet they are all experts on why its no good. A million plus others say differently

Your work gets better with every vid you produce, I even like when you went back in time for a second. 6.07

My buddy had an old MX5 beater car, that he used as a daily driver, for years. Tough little car, that despite its age and condition, was surprisingly still tight and responsive.

I had a Mk3 and absolutely loved it, my favourite car to date. I could be tempted to buy another one. Anyone taking the piss out of an MX-5 hasn’t driven one.

Great video...as always! I had a 2000 Mk2 model for about 5 years. I drove it the length and breadth of Ireland. An amazing little car, always felt you were doing 70mph+ even when you were only doing 35/40! Drove with the top down as often as possible, even on cold cloudy days(great heater!). I miss my MX5, thank you from the trip down memory lane. Keep up the great work......

Made me laugh out loud! Great review of a great little car. It's no accident that MX5s are often used at tracks to teach the basics of car control: accessible, balanced and signposts what's going on for the driver. 👍

"Make sure you put caplocks on." :D This statement killed it! Love your sense of humor.

I drove one a few years ago and enjoyed it. That's the first Miata/MX-5 model with a rear window that had a defroster and didn't turn hazy and brittle. More refined than the original but not as heavy as the following generation. I always enjoy your videos. Keep em coming.

Weighs about as much as Kate Moss after a crash diet… Absolutely brilliant 😆

I Had a eunos roadster in mariner blue fabulous car. Doubled my money on it.

I have a lovely 20th Anniversary MK 3 which has done a genuine 25,000 miles from new, fantastic car, cheap insurance and road tax, yes I only bring it out on nice sunny days, one thing I love is you can take the hood up and down in ten seconds, I have previously had two Morgans and you have to faff about for five minutes doing this. Choose wisely, take your time and you could probably run it for five years and get most of your money back when you sell. Great channel btw, really enjoyed the Bentley feature.

At the time of the launch I had an1992 323. I went to a cheese and wine evening when it was launched at my local Mazda garage. (When having wine was not considered drink and driving) It was great and nobody had seen a sports car that did not fall apart. Got the chance to drive one of the very fist in the country. I never owned one but have very fond memories. A great classic now!

Thanks for this video. As I get closer to retirement (although a few years to go yet) my thoughts have been about getting a small sports car where on a summers day I can just drop the roof and head off over the border into Wales. The MX5 was my 1st thought, now it's my only thought. Roll on retirement :-)

Had a Eunos 18 yrs ago with the flick up headlights, was a great little car with lots of character, A binding brake calliper was the only trouble I had with the car in two yrs , thanks Shane uk 🇬🇧

I reviewed one of these on my channel back in November and had an absolute blast! Absolutely huge fun, I couldn't agree with you more about your experience with MX-5s.

I didnt think the words "tight budget" and "sports car" could go hand in hand, but point made and very nicely too

I had a MK1. Loved the pop up headlights 👍🏼💪🏼😎😍

I run my 1997 Mark 1 as a Sunday car. Love it and it’s just passed it’s MOT this Monday!! So I’m looking forward to summer driving around the Peak District especially the Snake Pass 😀

Love all. Mx5 generations, what a bargain the mk2 currently is.

Wife had the pop-up lights Eunos model in BRG in Japan at the end of the 90s. Brilliant fun driving the mountains roads in Japan. You simply can't have a better driving car IMO.

79 of 400, owned it 12 years and drive it everyday. Best car I've owned, never tire of it!

£325 for road tax on a little car like that is ridiculous.

My dad bought one of these in a bit of a midlife crisis moments, had it resprayed and drove it for a week and hated it. At 6ft 5 he was too tall to get comfortable. I bought it off him and absolutely love it, you can rag the absolute proverbial out of it everywhere having huge grin inducing fun and your still never doing illegal speeds. Only thing i wish it had was the 1.8 and an LSD but thats part of the fun of the mx5 there are so many options for modifying them.

I have always worried about hidden rust on these but really think i need too have a go in one now!

Ours is 17 years old next month, a Mk 2.5NB 1.6 has spent 1 winter garaged in its entire life from new. Its still on the original exhaust. Body wise the rear arch lowers have been replaced ( check those drain channels) otherwise, only replaced consumables. Brakes Tyres ect in 69k miles. The original battery lasted 12 years. Road tax is £300, but before you say it expensive to run, balance the ongoing costs - insurance is £120 fully comp, tyres are also below average cost, 4 corners around £200, servicing is dirt cheap and an easy DIY job. Economy - never bothered calculating. its good to drive when the road isnt straight, and tolerable on a long run, I completed a 360 mile round trip this week, with the roof dow, provided you're above 40, Mph, you dont get wet. Cracking companion, and ours is here for keeps. The Village of Tideswell was recogniosable here and a lovely place - You'll see our Silver '5' parked outside the Red Lion in Litton over the summer.

Just bought my first MX-5:) NB I love it ,got it on valentines day ahaha

"Getting in and out", for those of us the wrong side of 55 thats the biggest issue . Really fancied one as a retirement present to myself, now I'm 5ft10in and just a bit cuddly . Absolutley no way I could get out of one without ruining my dignity or visiting a chiropracter afterwards ! I do agree that the Mk2 is the nicest looking. Jasper Conran also had a bit of input into the 1st generation LR Discovery, think it was his idea about the handbag thingy between the front seats.

Hi and greetings from Germany, I really enjoy your channel. Cars from the noughties offer so much value for your money. Three years ago I bought an MX-5 NB and it is the first car I kind of fell in love with. I very much prefer the looks of its more muscular German competitors, but the driving experience is just something else. When your driving on the countryside and hit 6000 RPM, it feels like sitting in a hoovercraft. Well grounded to the street, but it does produce quite some adrenalin. Also, it is the only convertible where you really are in the open air. Most everywhere else, you still feel very surrounded by the car. Finally, it is dirt cheap to drive and maintain. This year I considered trading it for an A4 B7 convertible, but my six year old daugther vetoed because she just loves her „baby“ car.

Thanks for the memories. When I lived in the UK I had a mark 1 eunos. I don't miss petrol prices or road tax though. I have a '01 mark 2.5 vvt now here in ontario canada, running costs are certainly cheaper. £42/month full coverage insurance, the equivalent tax disc: £69 a year, £138 for two years. When I went to view it; it was my 3rd mx5 hadn't been in one since the UK 8 years prior. My dad came with me who was 68 at the time. His first car was a 56 MGA when living in brum. We both jumped in and out like old pros.. Guess the roadster muscle memory kicked in for both of us. I find getting in fine, exiting is never quite as graceful tho. I agree with rust prevention. I bought mine just over two year ago, rust free.Tho I drive it through canadian winters (my daily driver) I immediately started annual oil film sprays where they drill half dozen holes in key locations such as the doors and rocker panels. Works great if you start the process early enough and can find a rust free example. Which can be tricky these days. I enjoyed your review, cheers!

i sold mine last year. what a great car it was! in country where i live it's actually an understatement - a new classic. as they gotten old problems appear: soft top will need replacement, rubber seals in folding mechanism deteriorate, interior will show age, rust (sills!) and in my example emissions. but everything can be fixed, support regarding parts is great. the positive thing about driving it (besides the BEST gear shifts): you always feel like you are going faster than you actually are. It is also great car for learning how to drive, the RWD will teach you to respect the speed when going into corners or slippery surface. (yes, i span few times). I recommend it, but don't buy the cheapest, trashiest example (thou it will probably run and drive nice) unless you see it as a project. check the rust, thoroughly: sills, wheel arches, front mud guards (inspect car in good lighting conditions). 2.5 is apparently much better than straight MK 2. oh and faulty camshaft position sensor - fix is easy once you have right diagnosis (car won't start when hot). if soft top was recently replaced that is huge advantage (you can buy completely new soft top but installing is pain in the a$$), if car comes with hardtop - even better (super useful in winter time and rainy season).

IVE PUT MY CAPS LOCK ON TO AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE NB IS THE BEST ONE.

Love my little mx5. Most fun I've ever had in a car. Fast enough for what it was intended for and surprisingly practical. Cheap to modify too, if that's your game.

I love these roadsters even though I haven’t even sat in one let alone driven one. For me the MX5 is just a little too small for me but I love them all the same

Love this video.....another car for my collection whenever I manage to build an aircraft hangar in my garden ..some day. I am currently building my first garage so I can play with my Jags and Range Rover.... Matt your videos are fantastic, honest down to earth practical advice e. I have been looking at your videos during my hols here in Spain. For me better than recent episodes of Top Gear. Well done Matt. Wishing you every success

Lovely to drive, terrific gearbox, good roof but ... everyone has got one and the fact that they make a Jasper Conran edition tells you all you need to know.

So weird how you’ve just uploaded this... I just put a video out on this very car!! Awesome

The MX-5 is really a car for people who enjoy driving. I was engineered in the 1950s and it passed 26 cars through my careless hands before I bought a 2007 160 HP hard top 6 years ago. The only thing I regret about that purchase is that it should have happened much earlier. It is my every day car, I drive it in the sun, rain, snow and cold everywhere (Sweden). It has worked perfectly, never received a note in the authority's annual inspection. It's great to have a car that is a pleasure to drive every time. Getting in and out of the car ... it was a bit challenging at first but soon I realized that the car made me more mobile. It is simply a rejuvenation machine! Admittedly, it makes me to a great extent disregard certain rules in traffic to a greater extent than before ... but I can live with that.

Bob on review (again!). I have a mk2 and agree it’s the one to have. I got mine for £500 with 36k miles and for further £500 have done suspension, wheels, induction and brakes. What else would be as much fun for the money? Agree, only as a second car makes sense. Tax isn’t that much on mine! Perfect companion for my 528i F10. Great job!

I had a Mk 2 for 10 years and during that time I had to replace a side light bulb ! There’s me thinking they were ultra reliable. As much as I loved it, I bought a couple of Mk1’s .The first was a Dakar, but the one I really wanted was a Sunburst Yellow California which I shall keep until my dying day.

Couldn't agree more, the MK2 Mx5 is my favourite little sport car, no other car can rival it in terms of cheap and reliable motoring fun. And wow £325 a year tax is ridiculous, I tax a facelift 04 plate W220 320cdi and another facelift E53 55 plate X5 3.0D sport for the same amount of money! My new favourite car reviewer, Matt Watson you should start worrying lol.

I've been watching you for quite a long time now and really enjoy the vids thanks for keep filming them 👍🙏

Found this video the day after I bought myself a mk3 2.0 Sport, so glad it said only good things about them. 😊

in 2014 my younger daughter bought a 2011 MX-5 with the 2 litre engine and the retracting hard to as a daily driver and she is still using it. The only significant failure was the alternator bearings. It is a bog-reliable bit of square-nut engineering. It's "interesting" in snow and ice! I hope the purchase was inspired by the Caterham she grew up with and, although it is twice the weight of the Cat and not so nimble even I would prefer it for winter driving. As for the British sports cars breaking down I have had no problems with the Cat but do have a head-gasket set in stock in case I need it 8-)=

No road tax in France hehehehehehehehehe. Another great video HPA , full of classic 'lines'. Thoroughly enjoyable. Off to Ebay now ................................

Yes Matt I like the MX 5 sports car. I would definitely consider having a sports car like this .Its got that old school touch about it Kevin from rainy ☔ Radcliffe

Good video and I agree with everything said, however the rust issue was a bit understated I bought one and my local mechanic said that despite it having 10 months MOT, he says it shouldn't be on the road because of the rot and rust, and would cost £1k+ of welding to make right. Rust-free examples are extremely rare and expensive. Still, get a good one with minimal-to-no rust and it's impossible not to love it

One of the best car reviewers I've come across on RU-vid !!!!

Well I now have a blazing yellow Mk2 on the fleet. And it’s great. For all the reasons you say Matt!

I have a mk 3 (I'm tall and it's slightly larger). Great fun to drive and even on a chilly winter or spring day with the roof down, it just is not cold inside. Great car.

Just bought a 1999 with 64000 on the clock...stacks of bills..rust free...new soft roof...love the car.should have bought one years ago

A Boxster could be an alternative if the budget can stretch. Both are driver focused fun

I daily'd a S2 Lotus Elise for 2 years and it was great. I also bought a MK3 MX5 one snowy February and sold it 3 weeks later (for a profit) - but what a great car MK3 is my favourite.

Nice video. Well produced.

Nice of you to stop for the Austin Seven. Another lovely review. Thank you very much.

There are some negatives which all should be aware of with soft tops. When it rains, and top is obviously up, the rain water is directed from the back of the top where it joins the car body to the INSIDE of the car to a couple of drainage tubes at the back of the seats. These drains frequently get clogged up and you get water ingress to the car, usually the floor carpets, front and rear of seats. Additionally, the plastic cowling under the front windshield is held in place by two white coloured flimsy plastic clips with a cheap rubber washer underneath that disintegrates very quickly. These clips let in water and it can make it’s way down to the glove box and sometimes gets into the electrics, fuses etc. Also, leaves, sycamore seeds and other debris can enter the aforementioned cowling vents and drop down into the front wings were water can collect and over time, rot the bottom of the wings and sills. Also to keep the doors and sills free from rust caused by debris, push up a small diameter bit of stiff wire or a thin screwdriver through the existing bottom drainage holes and waggle the wire or screwdriver about to make sure the drains are clear. Drainage tube fixes: - buy a flexible trombone cleaner from Amazon and push it down the tube and pull out from beneath the car. Do not pull it back up or you will cause the rubber debris flap at the bottom of the tubes to move position and let in ground noise. Cowling fixes: - on a warm day, carefully remove small black plastic covers covering white plastic clips, remove screws and carefully prise up slightly the corners of the cowling and spread silicone around the white plastic clips. After setting, screw back in place and replace small plastic covers. However, a couple of times a year, completely remove the cowling and clean out any debris that might have gotten in through the vent slots. Good luck.

I own / run a 2011 MX-5 Mk 3 Automatic with automatic hard roof. I love it. No rust, not a single problem since purchase (apart from me bending a wheel against a curb and flattening a battery by leaving the lights on and a door open all night). Problems: Windows mist up badly during the winter (lack of roof insulation), roof might creak a little during summer if closed during hot days, 6 speed gearbox, 2.0 litre engine not as lively as manuals (but I love the comfort), boot space is small but the roof cavity takes a chunk of that space so it's to be expected. Also, getting in and out takes a bit of practice and my left knee rubs against the handbrake sometimes. In short, not as practical as a small hatch, but far more fun and very reliable. She looks nicer than the jelly moulds too. I love it to bits and haven't the heart to sell.

Since 9 months I own a MK2,5 with only 130k kilometres from Germany. It is the base model so not even electric mirrors. But it is a wonderful machine. You can drive 50 km/h in the 5th gear and still pull away. I also own a MK1 but for cruising I prefer the second generation.

As someone who owns a 2003 NB in the same Brilliant Black color, I am in agreement with the points made in this video with respect to the driving experience and the ownership experience. As a fair-weather plaything, it's really hard to find a fault with the MX-5.

Once again an ideal car and what more could you want in summer than driving through The Peak District , wind in your hair and enjoying a bit of foot down.

If getting in and out a is bit of a challenge , you ought to try it at my age , ( 85 with knee arthritis ) ; but worth it when you get in . The only car for me , I don't do many miles these days, but even on short journeys it's fun , which is more than you can say for most cars these days !

Mk2 Mx-5s rust FAR FAR more than the Mk1s. You have to be very much aware of the front chassis legs on a mk2 as they are double skinned and rust through on otherwise pristine looking cars. The mk1s were much more solid by comparison, only their age counts against them. (sorry for caps ;) )

Great Review, put my car into my local garage and the owners on MX5 crazy, and they have a loner car which is an MX5, I had the car for 5 days and oh boy it was brilliant didn't want to give it back, feel in love with it. Great fun to drive and feels like your driving a much faster car. 10 out of 10

I own a 2000 NB 1600 5 gear manual model, with only 33,000km on the clock in rust-free original condition (ie no mods) including original aluminium 14inch wheels. It has air bags, air conditioning (which I never need because open top ...), and great all round disk brakes. It stops very well. It starts first time every time and otherwise runs without problem. The steering is fantastic; I simply love the steering. The second gear changing up is a bit notchy in cold weather but OK in the summer and never notchy changing down; the notchiness of second is a well-known NA and NB phenomenon apparently. I drive it around uncrowded bendy country roads in mountainous central Japan, and have never used the fifth gear ! British style driving of course .... and fortunately the Japanese drive on the left just like the British. I think an 1800 engine would be faster and more exciting, but the roads here are quite narrow and bendy so acceleration is second to "bendiness". There is little choice for tyres, but original style tyres (Bridgestone SF325) are available for it at a price (about £120 each) though I read that SF325s are crap in the wet. However I mostly (

Need to buy one, only ever hear good things about them.

I like your reviews mate. You are knowledgeable and honest plus the cars you review are affordable. Keep up the great work!

On my 2nd. Had a 1990mk1 v spec eunos and now I have a 2000 MK2 sport. Love it 🤘🏻 Great vid

Great video, upbeat, informative and an honest appraisal of an affordable daily drive convertible.

I have a 2003 facelift nb and love it. It’s really not fast but I don’t care, it’s all about the driving pleasure, my daily is an Audi S5 V8 which is much much faster but on a sunny day I always get the mx5 out for a B road blast, it’s just so much fun. Wider wheels, lowered and a good exhaust makes all the difference as does a good 4 wheel alignment.

I have one myself, and I love her so much!! Great in pulling up, great in the curves and roundabouts. And hard to get in and out??? Its a sportscar, its for sportsmen!!

Well spoken to the point no rubbish review. LIKED IT

My wife's MX5 is now 18 yrs old, had it from new and we haven't replaced a single light bulb 💡 in it yet, unbelievable Jeff. Broke down once in it's life only because she ran out of fuel 😏

Bet you do have corduroys really 🤪 enjoyable as always & good review, cheers. I reckon you love doing these videos 👍

I've been driving since the early 80's and owned some iconic cars (RX3, mk2 RS2000, 240Z, Colt Lancer turbo, TA22 Celica GT twin cam, Alfa GTV6, Holbay Hunter, Avenger GT, Mk1 Downton Cooper S, to name but a few) and without doubt, the MX5 is the best car I have ever owned. I bought a mk1 1.6 Eunos 7 years ago, and currently run it alongside a 230bhp Caterham CSR and Skyline GTR32 and it is simply way better than both of them. The trick is, not to over-modify them as most nippers do. Stick to good quality standard shocks, replace the bushes when necessary with stock bushes and ad chassis bracing from the later cars along with a Skid Nation butterfly brace - best single mod I did.

I love all MX5’s. Totally agree with you its one of the finest sports cars on the road, and Ive owned BMW, mercedes, audi etc.

NB is my favorite, too. I like popup lights, too. The thing is, the front and especially the back, look much better than the NA. NB for the win.

Good short review. Straight to the point. Kind of the mx5 of RU-vid reviews really. Nice one

If your after a Sports Car, and can compromise on a vehicle that is impractical for most of us, the MX5 is a brilliant car.

This was a good vid. But anyone who says they are cheap hasn't started modding their Mx5. I've already surpassed what I got my car for.

I have had my 1999 Mk2 1.6 for 2 years, passed MOT this week without any faults, but the NB rusts even worse than the NA. The previous owner did both rear sills and the rust famous side members, but now the front sill on the passenger side, the driver's door and the boot lid are rotting. Technically, this is an incredibly solid and reliable car, but rust will eventually make the MX-5 rare. On that point, I wish they hadn't modelled it on British sports cars.

Great videos with a brilliant dry sense of humour….is it possible to show those quaint villages that you drive through?

You are correct about the R word, especially the sills. Great, honest review. Mick

I had a Smart roadster they are really great fun too. I suspect that Mx5 is better quality and more reliable. It is about the same size. I used the Smart as a daily runner not really practical but you get used to it. On long journeys racing through Snowdonia in the summer with the roof off it was quite a magical experience. I will have one of these at some point. With the new model particularly I do think a masculine colour is essential 🙂

Fantastic car owned one in Sydney for 5 years far better than my old 1979 mgb

Always looking forward to see your new car reviews. Thank you. 👍

I've recently bought my 1st MX 5. 1998 1.8l nb only 61k on the clock and I absolutely love it. Even if I am 6'3". Great vid.

Great little cars. I love my 98 mk2, and since it's an import it's rust free (and I've had it comprehensively undersealed) plus it's got an LSD and the 6 speed box, which I actually prefer over the 5

You are so right the mk2 mx5 is better to me than the mk1 sort of because it is the underdog.

Great review! You should do a video on the BMW e90

I think that's the best shape. I had the uprated 18is in guards red so it had a 7.6 0 to 60 and sounded a bit better. Had supercharged this and that's and turbos but this is the only car that's ever left a genuine smile on my face

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT COMES TO DEFINING WHAT IS A SPORTS CAR......sorry couldn’t resist, love the videos 😀👍🏻

Great vid thanks for sharing. You drive all the cars and your honesty is appreciated. One thing you touch on is hinting at how the MX5 drives compared to TTs etc, it would be good if you could expand your that with say a cut-paste walk round,drive and costs of several similar cars, as I don’t believe I’ve seen any vids like that.