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The Car Guide › Manufacturers › Mazda › MX-5 › 2018

Mazda MX-5

Year

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The Car Guide rating 4.5/5 87% Detailed ratings

Price $31,900 – $42,300 Payments

Fuel consumption 6.8 – 9.1 L/100km

Awards Best convertible / roadster under $50,000 of 2018 coupe

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Totally remodelled in 2016, the fifth-generation MX-5 remains just as small—and as desirable—as ever. The standard six-speed manual gearbox can be replaced by an automatic with manual mode and wheel-mounted shift paddles. The Sport Package adds Recaro seats, Brembo brakes and 17-inch BBS rims. The headliner this year is the RF (Retractable Fastback) with a three-section hardtop that retracts in 13 seconds.

Tests and Features

All Mazda MX-5 reviews

Manual Gearbox to Survive in These Vehicles for 2026

If you're looking to get your hands on a new vehicle without an automatic transmission, we recommend you act sooner rather than later. There are only 24 options remaining for the 2026 model year, and they're mostly sports cars aimed at serious driving enthusiasts. Unsurprisingly, that number is down from …October 20, 2025

Top 10 Most Reliable 2025 Models According to Consumer Reports

It’s that time of the year again when trusted U.S. magazine Consumer Reports publishes its annual auto reliability rankings. These rankings are based on data collected on more than 300,000 vehicles as reported by their owners, covering the 2000-2024 model years as well as some early 2025 models. Twenty potential …December 5, 2024

Manual Gearbox to Survive in These Vehicles for 2025

The number of makes and models offering manual transmissions keeps shrinking due to poor sales, new emission regulations, incompatibilities with various driver assistance features and the increasing array of electric and hybrid vehicles, among other things. The 2025 model year will see the Jeep Gladiator, Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf …November 16, 2024

2024 Mazda MX-5: Little Details That Make All the Difference

Los Angeles, California— The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 (codenamed ND) has been around for nearly a decade and is still going strong. But why did the Japanese automaker choose to invite a bunch of journalists to a special test drive on the winding roads surrounding Los Angeles earlier this month? You …April 24, 2024

Manual Gearbox to Survive in These Vehicles for 2024

October 13, 2023

10 Sporty Cars With Great Fuel Economy

2022 Mazda MX-5 RF vs. Toyota GR 86: Old Queen Takes on Young Princess

Comparative Tests

Entry-level sports cars come in all shapes and sizes, and some of them don’t really have a direct competitor. That’s the case of the venerable Mazda MX-5 , which is still a ton of fun and a solid pick despite the current model nearing the end of the line. Sales …October 5, 2022

5 Pre-Owned Convertibles to Enjoy Summer

Pre-owned vehicles

Convertible season just started and you're still looking for an affordable model for the summer? Have you thought about a pre-owned convertible? Because many automakers have abandoned this segment over the last decade, you currently have more options when shopping for used cars than new ones. No matter what your …May 5, 2022

10 Good Used Vehicles From 2016

Pre-owned vehicles

If your budget is only compatible with five or six year-old vehicles, you obviously won’t be able to take advantage of the initial manufacturer’s warranty (unless, for example, you opt for a Mitsubishi model that has a drivetrain coverage of 10 years or 160,000 km). For that reason, choosing a …April 26, 2022

Meet AJAC’s Best Vehicles in Canada for 2022

Mazda MX-5 is a Whole Lot of Fun Even in Winter

The Mazda MX-5 is the kind of summer toy we wish other automakers would try to emulate. Unfortunately, Canadian winters can be rough, and most owners choose to keep their little roadster stored until spring returns. That’s not what we did when we were offered the opportunity to test drive …February 15, 2022

Top 10 Most Reliable 2022 Models According to Consumer Reports

November 23, 2021

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News

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The Best Sports Cars in 2025

Looking at all the sports cars on the market, the team at The Car Guide has identified the three models that represent the best buys for 2025 . Of course, sports cars come in many different shapes and at different price points. We’ve put sporty sedans and hot hatches in …June 2, 2025

2025 Mazda MX-5 35th Anniversary Edition Debuts With 230 Units for Canada

Mazda introduced the 2025 MX-5 35th Anniversary Edition last Friday ahead of the 62nd running of the 24 Hours at Daytona in Florida. Sporting upscale touches in a nod to the CX-90 three-row crossover, the car features dark Artisan Red Metallic paintwork, which is Mazda's fourth addition to its bespoke …January 27, 2025

Mazda Announces Pricing for Revised and Improved 2024 MX-5

If you’ve caught our coverage of the 2023 Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo last October, you know that Mazda has made a number of changes to its beloved MX-5 roadster for the 2024 model year. Today, the company shared details and pricing for the Canadian market. First, a recap. On …January 25, 2024

These Are the Vehicles Consumers Like the Most and the Least in 2024

Sales charts tell you a lot of things, like which vehicles are the most popular among consumers, but not the whole story. That’s why U.S. magazine Consumer Reports conducts a yearly survey to find out the models that people like the most and the least. Its latest rankings are out, …January 16, 2024

Mazda MX-5 Offers Fresh Styling, Better Handling for 2024

Tokyo, Japan— Electrification is inevitably coming to Mazda ’s iconic roadster, but before we get there, the current, fourth-generation model (ND) is receiving some nice updates for the 2024 model year. Don’t look for new creases or revised body panels. The KODO-inspired silhouette of the MX-5 is just like it …October 25, 2023

We Asked ChatGPT About the Best Cars and Here Were the Answers

Artificial intelligence is a pretty hot topic right now, and Open AI’s ChatGPT platform is right at the centre of it. Much has been said about its impressive abilities and potential—both good and bad. Spreading misinformation and fake news isn’t what we’d call “intelligent.” How car-savvy is this robot and …April 20, 2023

Is the Manual Gearbox Making a Comeback ?

It was said to be doomed by increasingly stringent pollution standards and the electrification movement that has taken the automotive world by storm. An article in the Wall Street Journal indicates that things are not as black and white. In 2021, stick shift enthusiasts comprised only 0.9% of the U.S. March 8, 2023

Top 10 Most Reliable 2023 Models According to Consumer Reports

November 16, 2022

The Car Guide's Best Buys for 2022: Ford Mustang

Every year, The Car Guide unveils a list of Best Buys covering all the different vehicle categories in the industry. The sports car segment is a pretty unique one with models catering to different types of customers. Some emphasize power and speed, while others are more about a light weight …July 29, 2022

The Most Dependable Makes and Models in 2022 According to J.D. Power

February 10, 2022

The Car Guide's Best Buys for 2021: Ford Mustang

Every year, The Car Guide unveils a list of Best Buys covering all the different vehicle categories in the industry. Sports cars are some of the most desirable vehicles on the market, and for 2021 there’s no better choice than the Ford Mustang . The iconic pony car is available …May 17, 2021

The Car Guide’s 2020 Best Buys: Mazda MX-5

Every year, The Car Guide publishes its Best Buys in nearly 30 different vehicle categories. Today we continue our review of the 2020 winners with a look at convertibles , and once again the favourite of our staff successfully defends its title. That’s right, the Mazda MX-5 (MSRP from $33,100) …March 5, 2020

Videos

All Mazda MX-5 videos

The Car Guide discovers the 2024 Mazda MX-5 in Los Angeles

Light on the 2019 Mazda MX-5 by Gabriel Gélinas

This introductory video, led by automotive journalist Gabriel Gélinas, is a perfect example of why the Mazda MX-5 won the best-buy title in the convertible segment of the 2020 Auto Guide... Whether with her soft roof on the standard model or remote-controlled hardtop in the MX-5 RF grand touring version, …

The Mazda MX-5: 2018 Best Buy in it’s class by the Car Guide

When you drive the MX-5 roadster, you’ll find that this perfectly balanced car gives you a sense of total control. The manual transmission’s shifter is beautifully precise, with a short throws and a great mechanical feel. Meanwhile, the clutch offers the perfect degree of feel. It is truly an incredible …

Review: 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF

The Mazda Miata was an instant success when it was first launched in 1990. It has undergone some changes including being renamed the more masculine MX-5. Let's check out the new one with a Retractable Fastback (RF) (This segment first aired on Motoring TV 2017 episode #16) ***Watch full episodes …

Introducing the Mazda MX-5 Miata RF. A retractable roof with fastback styling.

Motoring TV 2016 Sports Car of the Year

When it comes to affordable fun, you'd be hard pressed to find a better option than a true blue sports car. For 2016, the car-buying public was blessed with plenty of great sports car choices, with three in particular rising to the top. The Audi S3 was an early favourite …

Gabriel Gelinas Drives : 2016 Mazda MX-5

Gabriel Gelinas Drives : 2016 Mazda MX-5 …

Test Drive: 2016 Mazda MX-5

When Mazda unveiled the 2016 MX-5 in the fall of 2014, it was to much fanfare. Sure, it sheds its Miata moniker for the fourth generation, but its styling and proportions stayed true to the original MX-5 that debuted some 25 years ago. Important to the MX-5 's success, however, …

The Car Guide rating 87%

Pros

Absolute driving pleasure
Irreproachable driving position
Perfectly adapted engine
Sublime manual transmission
Very desirable RF version

Cons

Suspension too firm
Cabin isn't roomy and doesn't offer much storage
Cupholders are a joke
Infotainment system will leave you cussing
Trunk is very small

Fuel economy	6/10
Reliability	8/10
Safety	6/10
Infotainment	7/10
Driving	10/10
Overall	9/10

What's new in 2018

N/A

Competitors

Recalls

Powertrain
February 1, 2019

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