Written by Marco Carvajal
The fantastic Miata has been reborn! The new 2019 MX-5 Miata RF is stylish and has a solid hard top. Mazda’s flagship roadster with 3 decades of evolution, bringing excitement to millions of drivers at a very low price
MPG – Manual Transmission
City / Highway / Combined
26 / 34 / 29
MPG – Automatic Transmission
City / Highway / Combined
26 / 35 / 29
Highlights
- 2.0-liter four-cylinder SKYACTIV-G Engine
- 181 horsepower at 7,000 rpm
- 151 lb-ft torque at 4,000 rpm
- SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic transmission
- 2,339 lbs. weight for manual transmission, or 2,381 lbs. with six-speed automatic transmission.
- Standard rearview camera
- Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry
- BOSE 9-speaker audio system with headrest speakers
- Bluetooth hand-free phone and audio streaming
The Beloved Miata
The Miata has been loved by many car experts and drivers through a few generations. Love at first sight started since its debut in the 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show. The Miata is manufactured by Mazda in Japan.
The Miata MX-5 seems to be inspired by compact European sports roadsters from the 60s, like the Triumph Spitfire, MG MGB, Datsun 2000, Fiat 124 Sport Spider, Alfa Romeo Spider, and the Lotus Elan, but the Miata is different, original and unique.
Mazda’s mission on the MX-5 is to provide drivers with the passion of driving a pure, lightweight sports car
The Miata MX-5 was originally created as a small roadster, with light weight and minimum mechanical complexity, modern and reliable. The Miata was born to stay, today in 2019 the Miata continues to be reborn with new look, technology and styles that makes it a very attractive compact convertible with a classic look but a new body.
According to Mazda, the MX-5 is the best-selling roadster of all times.
The New 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Retractable Fastback
The new 2019 Miata is more powerful now with a SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter engine with a power increase of 26 horsepower and 3 lb-ft of torque and from 6,800 rpm to 7,500 rpm, from the previous 2018 Miata. New features include a brown soft top option, tilt and telescoping steering column, additional safety features, such as a standard rearview camera, and three new options packages to upgrade and make it the best Miata ever made, the 2019 MX-5 Miata RF.
The 2019 MX-5 is approximately 150 lbs. lighter than the third-generation MX-5 and only 189 lbs. heavier than the original 1990 model.
Mazda USA
The MX-5 Miata RF (Retractable Fastback) replaces the old convertible fabric roof for a folding hard top roof panel and a rear window, producing a new solid look and safer cabin.
Pricing
The 2019 MX-5 Miata RF is available in 2 models: Club and Grand Touring. The one I am test driving is the Grand Touring the top of the line, but both trims are very similar in price. Both models are available as RF (hard top) or as Soft tops.
- 2019 MX-5 Miata RF Club, Automatic, Starting at $32,345
- 2019 MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring, Automatic, Starting at $34,410
The manual version is just a few hundred dollars cheaper.
The interior of the RF presents quality materials and an elegant design that prioritizes the fun of driving. Excellent overall visibility and intuitive technology reinforce that standard.
Being a small Roadster, some drivers will have a hard time getting comfortable behind the wheel. The interior quality meets the price expectations, good design at a great value price. Space is the main limitation on the Miata, it is a small car.
The Bose nine-speaker system provides great sound. The sophisticated navigation system operates through a 7-inch touch screen or a central console quadrant controller. The USB connection facilitates the integration of media devices / smartphones. Bluetooth is equally easy to connect, transmit audio and use as a telephone interface.
Voice commands are accessed through a button on the steering wheel and include standard commands for making phone calls, navigating to destinations and moving through music selections.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available yet.
If we think about the price and the features included standard, Mazda is providing a lot of features that will cost additional fees with other automakers. It is not easy to find a sports roadster for $32K that includes so many features standard.
Performance, Engine and Transmission
The new Miata is small but powerful for its size, equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 155 horsepower and 148 lb. feet of torque. Transmission is available as a six-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic.
The RF weighs only 2,468 pounds. The RF is a bit heavier than a soft Miata. The current MX-5 is quieter than before, but not completely, even with the retractable hard top of the RF you still can hear a lot of noise from the road and the engine.
The RF reacts better to smooth and deliberate commands, it’s still extremely fun to jump into curves. Although RF is capable of entertaining performance, it is easy to operate and enjoy in everyday situations, even with a manual transmission.
Conclusion
The MX-5 hard top makes the Miata a slightly quieter car and provides an interesting new look. However, you do not get the full outdoor experience and it adds about 100 pounds of weight and a higher price to the light Miata roadster.
Its interior is very beautiful and stylish. As you drive the 2019 version one can feel all the enhancements compared to its previous generations.
If you are looking for a sports roadster car at a low price near $32K, the Miata RF offers a unique combination of coupe and convertible attributes and it has a 30 year brand name hard to match, it is a Miata.
