Facelifted Mazda MX-5 is your £28k ticket to open-top thrills

• Minor revisions to its exterior and interior
• Unchanged engine lineup
• First UK deliveries in March

The facelifted Mazda MX-5 is finally available to order in the UK, with prices kicking off at £28,000 for the entry-level Prime-Line model. 35 years and over a million sales since the world first laid eyes upon the two-door roadster from Japan, the latest MX-5 remains the flagbearer for low-cost, open-top motoring in a market where affordable sports cars are few and far between.

It’s a facelift that’s been nine years in the making, with the first examples of the fourth-generation MX-5 reaching our roads way back in 2015. In that time, few cars have challenged the MX-5’s spot as one of our favourite sports cars for around £30,000, with only the long-discontinued Fiat 124 Spider and Toyota GR86 coming close. Now that the latter is unavailable to order in the UK, the new MX-5 looks to have very few direct rivals at this price point.

What’s new for the 2024 Mazda MX-5?

The tweaks for the facelifted MX-5 are not particularly drastic, with only minor changes to the exterior and interior. Up front, there’s a pair of new headlights with integrated daytime running lights, while the tail-lights have also had a modest redesign. Other than that, the exterior remains as sharp and clean as before, the only addition being a new grey hue added to the colour palette. The MX-5 will continue to be sold in two bodystyles – the traditional soft top Roadster and the RF ‘Retractable Fastback’, which is essentially a folding hardtop.

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Inside, the central infotainment touchscreen has grown to 8.8-inches and there are new USB-C ports for improved connectivity. The driver still gets a set of analogue dials for speed and engine revs, although the faces have been slightly changed.

Under the bonnet, the pair of engines are unchanged from the outgoing MX-5. Buyers can choose between 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines, with 130bhp and 181bhp respectively. Models fitted with the larger engine get the same performance upgrades as before, too, with a strut brace for improved chassis stiffness, upgraded suspension and a limited-slip differential for better traction coming out of corners. All models now come with a six-speed manual gearbox – the RF’s automatic option has been dropped.

How much does the 2024 Mazda MX-5 cost and when can I order one?

Prices start at £28,000 for the entry-level Prime-Line model in the Roadster bodystyle. This model is only available with the 1.5-litre engine and comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning and cloth seats. 

The £30,000 Exclusive Line model is available with either the 1.5-litre or the 2.0-litre engine, the latter commanding an additional £2,400. Included is an upgraded sound system, leather seats and keyless entry, while 2.0-litre models also get the previously-mentioned performance upgrades.

Top of the MX-5 hierarchy is the Homura model, available exclusively with the larger engine. Costing £34,800, the Homura gets 17-inch wheels, sportier Recaro seats and larger brakes.

The RF bodystyle is available in all trim levels and costs £1,900 over the price of an equivalent Roadster model. Order books are open now, with the first MX-5s scheduled to reach customers in March.

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