Mazda MX-5 Mk1 Review (1990-1997)

What is the Mazda MX-5?

Launched in 1989 as an homage to classic British two-seater sports cars but without their oil leaks and unreliability, the success of the MX-5 caught Mazda by surprise – the pretty little roadster was an instant global hit and quickly acquired cult status.

While the MX-5’s popularity may have waned as it was succeeded by newer generations, there has been a resurgence of interest as car enthusiasts appreciate its styling and realise its potential as a modern classic. The Mazda factory in Japan has also recognised the MX-5’s enduring appeal by launching its own official restoration programme and marketing a host of remanufactured parts for the car, including everything from new hoods to cambelts and washers. It was replaced by the second-generation NB model in 1998.

How practical is it?

If you need lots of space, then a first-generation MX-5 is not for you. It’s strictly a two-seater and you can fit a couple of modest bags in the 125-litre boot, but that’s about the size of it. The Mazda grew with age, and later models are larger – particularly the third generation – but they’re all two-seaters, and this one is the dinkiest of the bunch.

That said, it is practical in the sense that it’s simple and reliable enough to use every day, and absolutely not the type of sports car that’s confined to the garage until the weekend.

What's it like to drive?

What makes the MX-5 so special? Lively but predictable rear-wheel drive handling. Quick, accurate steering. A keen engine and a fruity exhaust note. A precise, short-throw gearshift for the five-speed manual gearbox, and a real sense of interaction between car and driver. That its outright performance seems tame by today’s standards doesn’t diminish how entertaining the MX-5 is to hustle along back roads, or even just to the shops.

From launch until 1994, the MX-5 was sold with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 115bhp. The 1.8 that replaced it was more powerful with 130bhp but offers little extra performance; by the time the 1.8 made its debut, the MX-5 had put on weight thanks to some chassis stiffening measures. A cheaper version with a detuned 1.6-litre engine option was introduced in 1995 – this model is best avoided, because it had a miserable 88bhp, and it rolled on a set of cheap-looking steel wheels.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Simplicity is a byword for the MX-5, and it’s a long way from a luxury car, so don’t expect much. All but the detuned cars were fitted with alloys wheels, electric windows, a radio, and power-assisted steering. Don’t kid yourself that an MX-5 without power steering will somehow be purer, either; it was designed to have it, and it’s beautifully weighted with loads of feedback, and one of the car’s real highlights.

Rather than having a complex model range, Mazda kept the spec of the standard MX-5 models simple and then spiced things up with numerous special editions with distinctive paint jobs, fancy interior treatments, and unique alloy wheels. Among which are the imaginatively named Limited Edition, the turbocharged Le Mans, SE, California, Gleneagles, Monaco, Merlot, Monza, Dakar, Harvard, Classic and Berkeley. It’s worth checking these out if you stumble across them, because many have been well looked after due to their comparative rarity.

Mazda MX-5 running costs

Unless you’re stupendously lucky, within a couple of years of buying a used Mazda MX-5 – especially is it’s a UK car – you’re going to be shelling out for some rust repairs, probably to a rear wheel arch and likely the accompanying rear sill. Some garages will offer to patch up the affected panels, but that’s just delaying the inevitable, and you’re better off paying a specialist for a proper repair. Often this rust is caused by blocked drain holes for the hood, which allow water to accumulate inside the sills, so invest in a cheap trombone cleaning brush and rod the drain holes on a regular basis.

Simple though the MX-5’s hood is, it won’t last forever, so budget for a replacement. Brake calipers are another almost inevitable expense – they’re prone to seizing – and a new set of discs and pads might not be a bad idea, either. If the car you’re considering hasn’t been abused then it could well be on its original clutch – they tend to start expiring from 100,000 miles or so.

The MX-5 is so simple and parts are so readily available that plenty of owners service their cars themselves. That doesn’t mean they should be avoided, but an example with a recent service history from a specialist will never be a bad bet. Every five years you’ll need to a major service that includes new spark plugs, fresh oil for the engine, gearbox and rear axle differential, and replacement radiator coolant. And don't forget to budget for a periodic cambelt replacement, at which point it makes sense to fit a new water pump, too.

Most owners aren’t that concerned about fuel consumption but expect figures ranging between the mid-20s to high 30s mpg, depending on how much fun you’ve been having. Thanks to their modest dimensions, new tyres are pretty cheap.

Mazda MX-5 reliability

Mechanical reliability isn’t of great concern with the MX-5, but as we said, rust is. It gets everywhere – front wings, rear wings, floor and, most concerningly and most expensively, the rear of the sills between the trailing edges of the doors and the leading edges of the back wheel arches.

By the time you notice corrosion bubbling up on the outside surface of the sills, rust has usually chewed its way through both inner and outer sills and up into the wheel arch. You won’t find out how extensive the damage is until a specialist has got busy with the angle-grinder and started chopping out large chunks of flaking metal. Good quality repairs and repainting can cost four figures for attending to both sides of the car. Don’t take an MoT certificate as a sign of structural integrity, and having a pre-purchase inspection by a reputable MX-5 specialist is extremely worthwhile – think of it as an investment.

The MX-5 is now of an age where some of its components have reached the end of their natural lives. The clutch, suspension bushes, anti-roll bar drop links, brake discs, calipers and brake pipes, radiator, and hood catches are all likely candidates for replacement at some stage during your ownership, but they’re all comparatively affordable and readily available. The rear differential might clunk in its old age, but sometimes just changing its oil will alleviate the sound. Unless they’ve been seriously abused, the engine and gearbox seem to go on forever, and there’s a plentiful supply of very cheap second-hand replacements at specialist MX-5 breakers, should the need arise.

Faults inside tend to be age-related. Windows can become slow to lower and raise, but this can be cured by lubricating their mechanisms. The internal gaiter around the gearstick perishes over time allowing extra noise and heat into the cabin: a replacement is cheap, and you can probably fit it yourself. The driver’s side seat bolster may be showing signs of wear, but you should be able to find a replacement seat at an MX-5 breaker, and several of them now offer re-upholstery services. Steering wheels often wear, too.