By Gallery: 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF first drive exterior
What is it: A hardtop/targa/fastback version of the amusing MX-5 for those who aren’t into a dedicated soft-top convertible. The MX-5 RF replaces the former Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) Miata with a less open but sportier-looking alternative for the fourth-generation car.
Key Competitors: Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86, Fiat 124 Spider
Base Price: $33,455 As-Tested Price: $33,885
Highlights: The Mazda MX-5 RF’s retractable hardtop makes for a more sensible Miata without losing any of the convertible's sharp reflexes and pure driving experience.
Gallery: 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF first drive interior
Our Opinion: The Miata is everything you want from an old British sports car, but without any of the problems of owning said British tin. While you might not get as many thumbs-ups or hear as many war stories in a Miata as you would in a Lotus Elan, you at least know you’re not going to have to call your boss on Tuesday because it’s raining and your car won’t start.
Of course, that’s been the charm of the Miata since the car’s inception in the late 1980s. What’s good with the newest iteration of Mazda’s roadster is the retractable targa top. Unlike the previous generation of retractable hardtop Miatas, this doesn’t look anything like the stick-on hardtop that you’ll see on a roadster, but the structure doesn't fold completely, either -- you either have a closed coupe or a targa fastback that looks a little like an Alfa Romeo 4C.
The hardtop is noticeably better than the roadster is noise and feels more refined than the soft top roadster. Wind noise is virtually nonexistent with the windows up -- a trait that can’t be echoed with the roadster. Operating the top is also even easier than the piece of canvas covering the regular MX-5, but only because the top disappears with the touch of a button.
Aside from the top, the Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is perfectly Miata. Porsche could take note of how the short-throw shifter happily clicks into place -- giving you all the feedback you’d ever want from a gear change. The steering is light, too, but not annoying -- you still get input back through the steering wheel from the front rubber. The suspension is soft enough to drive around pothole-riddled streets without wincing the night away.
Compared to the permanently fixed-top Toyota 86, the retractable Miata hits a few of the same notes, with less power, less interior room and more open-air fun. The only reason to walk past the Miata RF is to climb into a regular roadster.
Vehicle Model Information
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $33,455
AS TESTED PRICE: $33,885
POWERTRAIN: 2.0-liter DOHC I4, RWD, six-speed manual
OUTPUT: 155 hp @ 6,000 rpm; 148 lb-ft @ 4,600 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 2,445 lb
FUEL ECONOMY: 26/33/29
OPTIONS: Gray paint ($300); Keyless entry system ($130)
PROS: All the fun of a Miata with more weather protection
CONS: Nasty blind spots; feels even smaller than a regular Miata
