... riding fast and low to the ground!is how I can describe this little roadster that I had the pleasure of driving a few months ago. Our friends from Mazda Phils. have something good going for them with the MX5, and they willingly loaned it to me for a week, perhaps just to prove the point that you don't have to be a European brand to come out with an adequately balanced, low-riding road monster that handles like a dream with the looks to boot!
Excuse me if I sound simply enamored by this little piece of machinery. And why shouldn't I be? What used to be called a Miata was reintroduced early this year as the MX5, seamlessly tuning in to the whims of roadster-hungry car freaks who by now have gotten used to the usual Bavarian variety, to the point of exhaustion. The Miata was once the yardstick by which all inexpensive roasters were measured, and the MX5 manages to uphold that image, perhaps even lifting it up a notch.
A few days behind the wheel of this 2.0-liter baby can spoil you. Maximizing its power to weight ratio easily, the MX5 is perfect for snaking around slow-moving traffic, and once you hit the open highway, you can hit 6th gear without batting an eyelash! Moving up the different gears isn't that difficult, as each one shift into its designated slot precisely.The novelty of having a top-down roadster is the idea that you can pop the roof back on whenever you need it. This time, Mazda put in an automated contraption to bring the roof up or down. Just press a button and hold it till the buzzer sounds, signaling that the roof is in place, after which you clip it on from the inside, right between the sun visors. To fold it, unlatch the roof, then press and hold the button till the roof disappears. It actually folds neatly between the back seat and the trunk lid, in a way that one can best describe as "Transformers-like."
Inside this roadster, its all leather and vinyl. Neatly arranged instrument panel, with most everything you need within easy reach. Funny but I didn't notice the presence, or lack of, a cup holder. I guess when you're driving a car like this, you wouldn't want to be holding on to anything else!
Yep, the MX5 is a great car to have, that is if you have other cars in your garage. This isn't for your daily family drive, hey, its only a two-seater! This won't also be advisable as your daily drive to the office due to its high fuel consumption. Maybe you can take it for a spin on weekends, on long drives up to Tagaytay or even Baguio, with one passenger beside you. Its a two-liter two-seater costing two million pesos!
