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Matt Brogan23 Feb 2016
REVIEW

Mazda MX-5 2016 Review

As our long-term test begins, we join Mazda MX-5 club members from all over Australia at their National Meeting in Tasmania

Mazda MX-5
Long-Term Test (Introduction)

Long-Term Tests
motoring.com.au aims to make your choice of vehicle easier. Our Editorial section does this via our mix of news, international and local launch reviews as well as our seven-day tests. From time to time we also take the opportunity to spend more time in a vehicle. These longer-term tests can be as short as a couple of weeks, but more recently we’ve settled on a three-month period as indicative of ‘normal’ ownership.

Long-term tests give our staff writers and contributors a chance to get to know a car as an owner would. While the car is with us, we pay for fuel, pay for the servicing and generally use and live with the car as a new owner would.

We believe long-term tests give car buyers an added insight into the vehicle on test, but also the qualities behind the brand and nameplate. The extended period also allows us to touch base with the dealer networks in question.

It comes as no surprise that manufacturers tend to have a love-hate relationship with long-term tests. Three months is plenty long enough to fall out of love with the latest and greatest, and start to nitpick — just like real owners do.

Mazda MX-5 – Nat Meet
Particular cars strike a chord with the dynamically inclined; I mean I'm pretty sure you'd never find a group of Toyota Kluger enthusiasts gathering in Australia's finest driving state to chase corners for a week.

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Switch the vehicle for an MX-5, however, and the idea of a bunch of people with little more in common than their choice of automobile electing to enjoy each other's company for seven days is a natural fit. In fact I'm pretty sure there's a PhD in that for somebody...

As a case in point, we joined the MX-5 Club of Victoria and Tasmania for a week 'inside' the biennial Nat Meet.

The event, which is open to MX-5 club members nationally, was this year held in the driver's nirvana that is the Apple Isle. As is the case with all MX-5 National Meetings, the week-long event encompasses touring and track events, as well as a show and shine plus numerous social gatherings.

For us, that meant readying 'our' long-term tester for a week away. With just 130 litres of cargo space – and the requirement to carry a fire extinguisher, helmet, race clothing, camera gear and a week's worth of luggage for myself and my photographer – it was a tight fit to say the least. But with motoring.com.au 'war paint' adorning the Soul Red duco we felt at least that the car was dressed for the occasion.

As is the practice for any Bass Strait crossing we stowed the MX-5 on board the Spirit of Tasmania ferry and waited patiently for the heaving to stop. Ten hours later we set course for the Central Highlands, quickly gaining a newfound appreciation for our roadster's love of a twisty road.

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We've said it many times in these pages, but the ND-series MX-5 truly is the best exemplar of Mazda's iconic roadster since the original launched in 1989. Lightweight, and with not a drop more power than is required, the pint-sized two-seater flicks happily from corner to corner, predictably communicating the intentions of both axles through the fingertips and buttocks.

Our day spent touring solo – aided helpfully by well-meaning locals – was of course only a precursor to what was to come. Stop-start driving past the camera is enjoyable, sure. But a weekend at two of Tassie's iconic raceways would show the 1.5-litre Roadster in a whole new light.

Track it, Matty
Day one saw us aim our 8000km-old 'ND' at the fast straights and wiggly ends of Symmons Plains. It was dusty, hot, and with 40 other cars all vying for a place on the leader board I experienced some trepidation – however this was soon eased by a group of guys and girls I felt I'd known forever. The bond created by the commonality that is the MX-5 extends instantly to 'newbies' and out-of-state members alike. Tips and banter hastily exchanged, we suited up, ready to determine our pecking order for a day of 'sprints'.

Having been at Symmons Plains just a few days prior (albeit in a Porsche 911) I found my way around in no time at all. The ease of 'understanding' the MX-5's footing made mid-corner pace easy to carry, almost negating the obvious lack of grunt available down that l-o-n-g back straight.

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The Clerk of Course told us "a one-fourteen lap of Symmons Plains is quick for an MX-5" and we were determined to make the grade. Trying hard to set a respectable time I soon found myself grouped with similarly-paced competitors, the four of us ready for a series of sprint races of five laps apiece.

As the day went on, the seconds fell away. The ND and I even managed to win a round, our daily best lap time of 1:13.75 narrowly behind the only other 1.5-litre ND's best of 1:13.61. The times meant our little red roadster placed better than I'd expected in the mismatch of stock and modified cars of all four series. The two (stock) 2.0-litre NDs posted times almost two seconds faster than our own.

We finished the day mid-pack, which for a stock car with road tyres, standard suspension and just 96kW/150Nm is impressive stuff; and testament to the keen development of the ND's chassis.

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It also impressed me that in spite of the weather – and the frenzy of getting nearly four dozen drivers on and off the track continuously – that the vibe in pit lane remained so mellow. The competition, as obvious as it was on track, was countered with backslaps and handshakes after the chequered flag fell. Like-series rivals even donated parts and assistance to one another between rounds in a bid to keep as many entrants involved for as long as possible.

Dropping the tyre pressures and reloading the MX-5 with our gear (we'd even removed the jack in a bid to save weight on track) we took to the highway for our trip south. On track, the fuel consumption average had jumped to 9.6L/100km, soon settling to 4.9L on the long run to Hobart. The MX-5 impressed us with its return to normality, switching back to a road-going cruiser with zero fuss: a little tyre wear was the only sign of a day at the track.

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And so to Hobart's Baskerville Raceway, which would prove better suited to the MX-5's playful character. The late apexes, blind corners and challenging undulation made for an entertaining mix – as did the cold and variable weather conditions.

The longer travel of the ND's suspension proved almost unsettling at first. In fast directional changes the body movement can disguise tyre response, which means you need to trust the car to respond once settled – and stay on the throttle!

Baskerville in a (relatively) low horsepower car such as the MX-5 means finding the right line and maintaining a high average speed is crucial to good lap times. By the end of the day – and with a film of drizzle settling across the tarmac – we'd managed a 1:08.59", narrowly ahead of the other 1.5-litre entrant's 1:08.92".

See full Mazda MX-5 gallery here

Time to shine
The Nat Meet isn't all about the track element, of course. Many of the members involved elect to participate only in the motorsport side of things, while many more choose the social events and road drives exclusively. In total, 105 MX-5s from as far away as Perth arrived for the Show and Shine in Launceston on day three. The broad age range and model mix was truly reflective of the clubs' diversity.

But the weather wasn't having any part of it. Strong winds and steady drizzle do not a pleasant car show make. Yet still the gathering of owners, partners and friends smiled and chatted their way through the miserable conditions, somehow keeping their cars immaculately presented throughout the day as the judges roamed the field.

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We elected not to enter the competitive part of the Show and Shine, preferring 'real' members with newly-purchased NDs to have a chance at the win. By way of reward we did get to nominate our pick of the congregation, deciding Louise Morrison's beautifully presented NA with just 60,000km on the odometer (!) was the epitome of 'pride and joy'.

From the Show and Shine our attention shifted to the road. The clubs organised a series of drive routes encompassing various Targa stages across the coming week, with smaller groups taking to different parts of Tasmania to enjoy the scenery and their cars.

We tacked on to the back of one group headed through to Bridport in the state's north-east. The drive was spirited, but sensible, lead and sweep cars controlling and communicating with the group via UHF radio. The Sideling Pass proved particularly exhilarating and perfectly suited to the MX-5's thirst for corners. Winding along through the tall trees with the roof down really does reiterate why Mazda's roadster is such an enjoyable way to take in the scenery. It might be dynamic and an enthusiastic corner carver, but it's also a relaxed and respectable cruiser when you want it to be.

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We joined couples old and young for lunch as many of the club members used annual leave to enjoy Nat Meet and the camaraderie of their clubmen and women. One family even brought the kids along for the week. Mum and dad each owned an MX-5 and the kids took turns riding between the two.

It really was an inclusive atmosphere, and one that obviously had its magnetism. The organisers told us this year's Nat Meet, the twelfth since its inception, was the biggest to date, and that owing to the limitations of logistics was the first time they've turned people away.

Arguably, that's a pretty good problem to have.

Giggles and niggles
With every up there's bound to be a down – and we're not talking about the club members.

Our little MX-5 stood up well to five days of punishment as the 1500-odd-kilometre trek condensed months of use into a single gruelling stint. After such a trial there were bound to be a few issues present themselves. But pick as we might, there were only a couple (other than the obvious tyre and brake wear) that stood out.

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One recurring issue, and the more persistent of the two, was the tyre pressure monitoring system's over-sensitivity. Carefully checking the tyre pressure – and the valve stem of each wheel – we'd reset the system, only to find the light come on a few hours later. Intriguingly, two other ND owners reported the same problem during the trip.

Initially we thought we had a leak, and squeezed in a booking to JAX QuickFit Tyres in Launceston to get it seen to [ordinarily I wouldn't quote the name of a workshop charging for a service, but these guys graciously squeezed us in 10 minutes before close on a Friday night].

The crew looked at the car and seemed to get the issue sorted. But after checking the pressures and resetting the system the fault was back a day later – strangely with no difference in the actual pressure at the valve. Since our return to Melbourne we have booked the car in to Mazda for a service. We'll keep you posted on the outcome.

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We also found a wind whistle around the A-pillar on the driver's side that we hadn't noted previously, though this could be the fact the car is in need of a good wash. Again, we'll keep you posted.

Either way, the trivial nature of the issues points to a pretty solid offering from Mazda, though we'll be sure to keep you abreast of any other issues through the course of our long-term test.

See full Mazda MX-5 gallery here

2016 Mazda MX-5 Roadster pricing and specifications:
Price: $31,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 96kW/150Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 6.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 142g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Four-star ANCAP

Related reading:
>> Mazda MX-5 1.5L Review
>> Mazda MX-5 2.0L Review
>> Mazda MX-5 1.5L v 2.0L Comparison
>> Mazda MX-5 v Toyota 86 Comparison

motoring.com.au wishes to thank the Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria and Tasmania for inviting us to attend Nat Meet, particularly Randy Stagno-Navarra, Tim Emery and David Collins. motoring.com.au covered all costs associated with the event, including those organised and arranged by the Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria and Tasmania.

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Written byMatt Brogan
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