Reviews and Road Tests
Test Drive: MazdaSpeed MX-5
By By: Chris Stutters
Feb 10, 2005, 18:45

Recently, 3Z had the opportunity to spend some time with a 2005 Miata and the MazdaSpeed MX-5, comparing and contrasting the two inside and out as well as under the hood. While at first glance it may seem the differences are fairly obvious, there are also some little-known differences that distinguish the two cars.

When the MazdaSpeed Protegé came out, people with the regular Protegé began copying that model’s unique look and turbocharged motor. And for the most part, it wasn't terribly difficult to duplicate MazdaSpeed’s efforts. With the release of the MazdaSpeed MX-5, "regular" Miata owners may well have it even easier if mimicking the MX-5 is their goal.

Interestingly enough, the North American MazdaSpeed MX-5 has no Miata badges on it, and the regular Miata makes no reference to the MX-5 label that is applied to the Miata in Europe (in Asia, the car is known simple as the Roadster). The red valve cover that looks so cool under the hood of the MazdaSpeed MX-5 will not swap over to the regular Miata because of that car's lack of variable valve timing.

There is an additional piece added to the front bumper cover of the MX-5 that is not on the Miata and the smoked headlights on the MX-5 are a nice touch. The body-colored rear-view mirror proclaiming “MazdaSpeed” across the front is a nice and unique touch as well.

The red seats and silver gauges are unique to the MazdaSpeed model; most noticeable is the tachometer with a 6,500 rpm redline, down from 7,000 rpm in the normal Miata. For the most part, the appearance the MazdaSpeed MX-5 is over all a Miata aside from these differences.




After crawling all over both the MazdaSpeed MX-5 and the Miata, it was time to take the faster of the two for a spin. As similar as these two cars may appear to be, a test drive in the MazdaSpeed MX-5 proves the differences between it and a run-of-the-mill Miata are quite real and become very apparent once you get out on the road.

While letting the car warm up, there was time to play with the stereo and fiddle with the seat. The Bose six-speaker CD player had a lot of nice features such as top down and top up volume control and seemed fairly easy to navigate – always a good thing in a retro inspired roadster.

The seats are comfy and hugged me just fine, and finding a comfortable seating position wasn’t tough. However, I am 5’6”, and the lack of a tilting steering wheel made it a little awkward at first. I don’t doubt someone larger than me might have a bit of trouble getting truly comfortable in the MX-5 (or any other Miata).

After getting situated and warmed up, it was time for a short drive. Getting comfortable with the six-speed transmission took a little time as I am used to a five speed. Still, it didn't take long to sort it all out and to make the most of the closer ratios the extra gear provides. Keeping the car in the meat of its powerband was the result. Finding reverse gear at first was a little troubling, but we really weren't there to drive around backwards anyway.

As mentioned above, the MazdaSpeed MX-5 ditches the regular car’s variable valve timing in favor of a turbocharger that boosts horsepower 25% to 178. The compression ratio has been lowered to 9.5:1 as well.

This gain in power makes the car noticeably quicker than the normal Miata. In Car&Driver magazine’s road test last year, the MazdaSpeed ripped to 60 in 6.7 seconds - 1.4 seconds faster than the normally aspirated version.

The ride was smoother than expected, considering the combination of low profile tires and an upgraded suspension. The Bilstein shocks and performance springs were well matched; better than the Protegé MP3’s stock suspension. And with the 17” wheels and low profile tires on Denver’s rutted and pot-holed roads, the over all ride quality was actually quite good. Harshness was not much of an issue.

The power delivery was smooth, although there was a bit of lag. The car is supposed to be running around 8 pounds of boost on a single-scroll old technology IHI turbo. I would have expected the car to pull harder, but my guess is the higher boost and long charge piping at this altitude are responsible for the lag I felt. Once into the boost the car pulled hard.

Getting on the highway was no problem at all - the turbo engine and 6-speed gearbox make keeping the revs up and snicking through the gears a breeze. Accelerating to the 75 mph speed limit was quick and easy. Taking corners at speed, the car remained flat and there were no scary moments. Basically, the car goes in the direction its nose is pointed and offers more control and better balance than the regular Miata.

Overall the car is a very nice package, and is a marked improvement over the previous MazdaSpeed offering. Yes, the intercooler is still small and the exhaust is basically a standard Miata affair, but thanks to the excellent aftermarket the Miata enjoys, solutions to address these issues already exist.

The 2005 MazdaSpeed Miata is an excellent value, priced from just $26,430. And if you don’t mind grabbing a leftover 2004, rumor has it they can be had for just under twenty grand. Either way, you get a quick and nimble roadster that still has a few creature comforts. It appears MazdaSpeed has succeeded in making a faster, better-handling Miata without destroying the outstanding balance and fun-to-drive qualities that have made the Miata such a success over the years, and also without resorting to silly boy-racer fluff. We are definitely looking forward to spending more time with this car; look for a complete road test later on in the year.



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