MX-5 RF: Mazda's jolly two-seater

published 27 January 2017

The new Mazda MX-5 RF goes right to the heart of the dilemma of what Bertie Wooster used to call "the jolly old two-seater", says Andrew English in The Daily Telegraph. Such sports cars are expensive to build because car manufacturers can't share much in the way of parts with other models, and they sell to a small customer base with "the loyalty and attention span of a Labrador in a larder". Mazda is therefore sharing the basic platform of its MX-5 two-seater with Fiat's 124 Spider.

This "Retractable Fastback", or RF, model, however, is a bit different from your usual two-seater. It has a hardtop with a removable roof panel. In other words, it's neither a completely sealed hard-top, nor a true wind-in-the-hair convertible, and is designed to appeal to people who want the latter but worry about the practicalities, given the British weather. This is a compromise, but the result is a "pretty" looking sports car, says English. It's "sprightly" too, thanks to its innovative engine. The car is far from perfect but it is "hard to resist".

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However, to really justify the RF's sizeable £2,000 premium over the soft-top, you'd expect more refinement and lower wind noise. The car is markedly quieter and more comfortable with the roof up though, says James Taylor in Car magazine, and there's no penalty to pay in terms of boot space. The RF may be "idiosyncratic and slightly oddly dressed", but if you "like the cut of the RF's jib", and only plan to open the roof occasionally, it has "real appeal".

Stuart graduated from the University of Leeds with an honours degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, and from Bath Spa University College with a postgraduate diploma in creative writing.

He started his career in journalism working on newspapers and magazines for the medical profession before joining MoneyWeek shortly after its first issue appeared in November 2000. He has worked for the magazine ever since, and is now the comment editor.

He has long had an interest in political economy and philosophy and writes occasional think pieces on this theme for the magazine, as well as a weekly round up of the best blogs in finance.

His work has appeared in The Lancet and The Idler and in numerous other small-press and online publications.