Mazda’s MX-5 RF – a targa coupe for (almost) all seasons

2017 Mazda MX-5 RF. Photos by author.

For those with a passion for driving, a preference for corners over quarter-miles, and a limited budget, Mazda’s MX-5 Miata has represented a solid and logical option since its 1989 introduction. While the automaker has teased MX-5 coupe designs over the years, none has made it to market (in America, anyway) – until now. When the 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF (for Retractable Fastback) from the press fleet was dropped off at Hemmings world headquarters, your humble author, who’s owned two previous MX-5s, was among the first to grab for the keys.

The MX-5 RF is the Japanese automaker’s attempt to build a sports car that blends open-air motoring with coupe styling and (almost) all-weather versatility. Replacing the previous generation’s Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) model in the lineup, the RF uses a similar mechanism to convert the coupe to a targa in good weather, stowing the roof panel in a space behind the car’s two seats. Like the PRHT, the RF loses no trunk space after performing its disappearing-top trick.

Based upon Mazda’s latest MX-5 convertible (which shares a platform, but not a drivetrain, with the Fiat 124 Spyder), the RF is a small car. At 154.1 inches in length, it’s nearly three-inches shorter than the model it replaces, though width grows from 68 inches to 68.3 inches and height remains unchanged at 49 inches. It’s light, too: Even in heavier RF form, the new MX-5 tips the scales at roughly 2,500 pounds, compared to as much as 2,619 pounds for the outgoing model. Perhaps better yet, the 113 pounds added by the power top mechanism alters the balance of the car slightly, making it that much closer to the ideal 50-50 front to rear weight distribution.

Like all current ND-series MX-5s, the RF comes powered by Mazda’s 2.0-liter SkyActiv four-cylinder engine, a 16-valve, double overhead camshaft design that uses variable valve timing to improve performance while reducing emissions. Output is 155 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque, and transmission choices are a six-speed manual (as in our press fleet loaner) or a six-speed automatic with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. Power goes to the rear wheels – as it should in a car with sporting intentions – and the contemporary safety features include traction control, stability control, and anti-lock brakes with braking assist and electronic brakeforce distribution.

The RF provided came in Grand Touring trim, which adds luxury touches like heated leather trimmed seats, heated side mirrors, automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers, navigation, adaptive lighting and high-beam control. There’s also a less-expensive Club version that comes with cloth seats and fewer amenities, and when ordered with a manual transmission adds features like Bilstein dampers and a limited-slip differential. Club editions with row-your-own gears can also be equipped with a Brembo brake and BBS wheel package for maximum performance on-track, though this is likely overkill (and at $3,400, expensive overkill) for street driving.

And driving is what the Miata has always been about. Even yours truly was once of the mindset that such a small, light, and under-powered car couldn’t possibly be entertaining, but driving one quickly taught me what all the hype was about. Learn to drive a Miata well, and the lessons are directly applicable to higher-horsepower cars, like a Corvette or a Viper. Make a mistake behind the wheel of a Maita, and the platform is benign enough to slap your wrist; make a similar mistake behind the wheel of a heavier and more powerful car and that slap on the wrist can very easily turn into a punch in the face, perhaps with brass knuckles.

I’ve always been a defender of the MX-5 for this very reason, but if I’m honest, the ND is something of a disappointment. Styling-wise (an entirely subjective metric), it’s a big improvement over the last generation, and despite being slightly down on horsepower (155hp versus the previous model’s 167hp), will likely turn quicker lap times than the previous generation. Its manual transmission is no less superb, and its ready-to-dance balance hasn’t changed, but the ND just seems to be missing… something.

For starters, the 2.0-liter SkyActiv engine isn’t quite as raucous as the 2.0-liter MZR used in the last MX-5. The new car is lighter, and the SkyActiv engine makes more torque (148 pound-feet versus 140 pound-feet), but somehow it doesn’t feel quite as quick or as willing to rev. And then there’s the ND’s biggest flaw, at least from a driver’s perspective: A seven-inch infotainment screen dominates the dashboard on all but base-trim Sport models, and it’s nearly impossible to shift with enthusiasm without bumping the system’s control knob. Doing so changes the screen mode, and any distraction during spirited driving can be a very bad thing. Given the limited cockpit space there probably isn’t another place to put the control knob, but why does a model that previously promoted “Jinba Ittai,” Japanese for “horse and rider as one,” even need such gadgetry?

So, where does that leave us with the new MX-5 RF? Styling wise, it’s an absolute hit, and the boldest departure yet from the MX-5’s tried and true format, even if the flying buttress C-pillars do detract from rearward visibility. Function wise, it provides just a bit more all-weather capability for those wishing to drive a sports car up until – and perhaps after – the snow flies, and for those without garage parking, the solid top provides just a bit more peace of mind. Those buying the car with an automatic transmission likely won’t find the control knob to be poorly positioned, since any spirited driving will likely involve the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, but automatic-transmission Miatas aren’t generally sold to driving enthusiasts.

First and foremost, the Miata has always been about feeling connected to the car, and I just don’t get that sense from the latest generation. Now, it seems to be more about keeping up with the Joneses, gadgetry-wise, completely overlooking the fact that in the affordable sporting convertible category, the MX-5 doesn’t really have competition. While those seeking a cute compact will likely be drawn to the new MX-5 and MX-5 RF, I suspect those who truly enjoy the thrill of a properly apexed corner will be shopping for a good deal on a used NC Club edition instead.