Hello Mzansi. Today were in one of the world’s favourite sports car of all time, the @mazda_sa MX-5. This no fuss two seater rear wheel drive cutie is powered by a 2.0 118kW/200Nm engine and has sold in excess of 1,000,000 units since it came to production in 1989. The Mazda MX-5 RF is priced from R538,200. @salaontop #mazdamx5rf #mx5 #mx5rf #mazda #sportscar #city #japanese #japanesecar #sky #carphotography #photography #grew #colour #johannesburg #durban #capetown 📸 @dumisa_khulekani

A post shared by The Car People (@khulekani_on_wheels) on Apr 4, 2018 at 10:34pm PDT

By Sala Masindane

A roadster is a convertible or hard top two seater car with an emphasis on sporty performance and character. Some of the most memorable roadsters of our time include the Mazda MX-5, Toyota 86, BMW Z4 and Honda S2000. The Mazda MX-5 stands out as the best-seller in the range. Now in its fourth generation, the secret to the Mazda MX-5 may be that it still offers better driving engagement although some may have left behind in terms of power output.

The interior design of the MX-5 RF is quite simple. It features a 7-inch touchscreen display infotainment system with Bluetooth functionality and navigation. The rotary dial controller in the centre may take some time getting accustomed to but works like a charm in controlling the infotainment. There’s no glove box but luckily for you, there is a lockable storage compartment situated between the two seats, this is also where the CD loader is located. The manually adjusted leather seats are comfortable but the cabin space is minimal for drivers and passengers who are 1.7 metres or taller. The boot space can accommodate two mid-sized bags, an expected surprise for a vehicle the size of the MX-5 RF.

The MX- RF is powered by a naturally aspirated 2-litre engine with 118kW of power and 200Nm of torque. It may not be the fastest in a sprint from 0 to 100kph with a claimed sprint time of 8.6 seconds but being so light in weight, acceleration is surprisingly brisk.

It’s Friday! Live and let live. We thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the iconic @mazda_sa MX-5 RF. We were pleasantly surprised by the modern technology Mazda has been able to throw in there. We also enjoyed the Bose sound system with 9 speakers including two speakers that are neatly built into headrest. The MX-5 RF is also practical with its small 130 litre boot that is built to be deep so it can swallow a few bags for a weekend getaway. @salaontop #mazda #mazdamx5 #mx5 #rf #mazdamx5rf #sportscar #japanesecar #japan #japanese #icon #worldsgreatest 📸 @benjaminthecreative

A post shared by The Car People (@khulekani_on_wheels) on Apr 13, 2018 at 12:45am PDT

The MX-5 generally excels in terms of handling and driving engagement. We put this to test by driving across Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, where we were challenged by the Amajuba District twists. At no point, did it feel as if the car was in the control and not me. This probably due to the low driving position and the responsive steering-wheel. With the hard-top down the wind does get a bit too much at high speeds and the other notable disturbance is the blind spot or lack thereof. The nature of the roadster is the cause of that. Daily, the MX-5 RF is not the greatest to live with, especially for the larger framed drivers and considering its low driving position some places are not easily accessible. With that being said, the MX-5 is a car for the enthusiast and it is not the world’s highest selling roadster by mistake. Another benefit is the decent fuel consumption, we managed a fuel consumption of 7.3litre/100km during the week we had the car on test with us. This is not far off from the claimed 6.7litre/100km.

The Mazda MX-5 RF is priced from R538 200 and is sold with a 3-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, and a 3-year/unlimited kilometre service plan.