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All of us have that buddy, the one who expects the world to cease for his or her birthday. The Mazda MX-5 is that buddy.
First launched in 1989, the world’s best-selling roadster quickly grew to become a supply of immense satisfaction for Mazda.
So, in 1999, the Japanese producer determined to rejoice the success of its little sports activities automobile by launching the tenth Anniversary Version – a visually and mechanically enhanced model of the then-new NB MX-5. Fairy bread and a leaping fortress, anybody?
The get together should’ve been a riot, as a result of Mazda has adopted up with a brand new Anniversary Version each 5 years since. And this – the thirty fifth Anniversary – is the most recent in an extended line of spruced up MX-5s.
Now, with age comes maturity, and that’s no totally different with the MX-5.
So, in contrast to the intense, daring and really orange thirtieth Anniversary, the thirty fifth Anniversary is remarkably understated. It’s completed in distinctive Artisan Crimson paintwork, and options bespoke wheels, a beige soft-top, beige carpet and ground mats, plus a tan Nappa leather-based inside. Oh, and a handbook transmission, after all.
Simply 50 examples have made it to Australia, every priced from $51,140 earlier than on-road prices – a $2350 premium over the Roadster GT handbook on which it’s based mostly.
Don’t race to your native seller simply but, although, because the thirty fifth Anniversary is formally offered out. What a tease, I do know.
With that in thoughts, is it price scouring the used marketplace for a near-new instance? And, thirty fifth Anniversary apart, is the decade-old ND MX-5 even price shopping for in any respect in 2025?
How a lot does the Mazda MX-5 value?
A decade has handed for the reason that fourth-generation (ND) MX-5 first launched in 2015, and incremental value hikes have seen the entry value rise by 24 per cent over that interval.
| Mannequin | Value earlier than on-road prices |
|---|---|
| 2026 Mazda MX-5 Roadster handbook | $42,140 |
| 2026 Mazda MX-5 Roadster GT handbook | $48,790 |
| 2026 Mazda MX-5 Roadster GT automated | $50,290 |
| 2026 Mazda MX-5 Roadster thirty fifth Anniversary handbook | $51,140 |
| 2026 Mazda MX-5 Roadster GT RS handbook | $51,790 |
| 2026 Mazda MX-5 RF GT handbook | $53,290 |
| 2026 Mazda MX-5 RF GT automated | $54,790 |
| 2026 Mazda MX-5 RF GT Black Roof automated | $55,810 |
| 2026 Mazda MX-5 RF GT RS handbook | $56,290 |
The thirty fifth Anniversary particular version is available in at $51,140 earlier than on-road prices – $650 lower than the most costly soft-top variant, however $9000 greater than the bottom handbook.
Nonetheless, all 50 examples of this particular version have already been accounted for.
To see how the Mazda MX-5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
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What’s the Mazda MX-5 like on the within?
The thirty fifth Anniversary makes up for an absence of mechanical upgrades with an inside that’s suitably particular.
The essential structure and have set stays unchanged, however Mazda has handled this milestone mannequin to the present of beige – beige seats, beige trim, and even beige carpets.
There’s a renewed sense of high quality to the supplies, too. Premium Nappa leather-based now covers the seats (which additionally characteristic thirty fifth Anniversary embossing on the headrest), whereas lush thirty fifth Anniversary ground mats relaxation proudly beneath your toes. Beige stitching completes the look, contrasting neatly with the black leather-based used for the steering wheel, handbook shifter, and handbrake boot.
A fast look left or proper reveals Artisan Crimson metallic door trims that glint brightly within the daylight, and the air vents are equally colour-coded to match the outside end.
Consequently, the thirty fifth Anniversary feels genuinely distinctive in comparison with other-5 variants within the vary. Various inside colourways together with tan, maroon and brown have beforehand been supplied with the ND MX-5, however this restricted version takes it a step additional.
With that being stated, the inside is lacking a number of numbered plaques to remind you that the thirty fifth Anniversary is certainly a limited-run mannequin.
Apart from the above materials and aesthetic variations, the thirty fifth Anniversary gives the identical expertise because the handbook GT it’s based mostly on.
So, whereas the seats have been re-trimmed, they’re nonetheless not notably racy. The bolsters are much less aggressive than you may count on, and there’s ample cushioning to get you thru longer journeys. Three-stage seat heating additionally stays.
It definitely appears as if Mazda was focusing on a softer touring specification for the thirty fifth Anniversary, and that concept is supported by the choice to re-skin the GT seats somewhat than the sculpted Recaro seats supplied in some abroad markets.
One benefit of that is that broader people can extra simply match within the driver’s seat, though headroom stays a limiting issue. The ND MX-5 has at all times been a space-limited sports activities automobile, and in the event you’re any taller than about 6’3″ or 6’4″, you’re going to battle to get comfy with the roof in place.
Legroom isn’t a lot of a barrier to driving an MX-5, though it may be for many who plan to experience shotgun. That’s as a result of the passenger footwell is each slender and shallow, with little room for lengthy legs.
Handbook adjustment is out there for each the entrance seats and steering wheel, however there’s solely a lot that may be finished to extract house out of what’s a really intimate cabin.
That lack of actual property is bolstered by the absence of any actual storage choices. There’s no glovebox or door storage on this era of MX-5, nor a correct centre console. Two-dimensional objects may be saved in a shallow cubby underneath the armrest, and there’s an undersized tray meant for a smartphone wedged behind the shifter.
Use of the attractive gearstick can also be impeded by the awkward positioning of detachable cupholders between the seats – what’s the purpose in providing a handbook gearbox if the driving force can’t execute a shift with out crunching their cellphone or banging their elbow?
Bigger objects corresponding to service books match snuggly in a lockable storage compartment between the seat backs, which might be essentially the most usable compartment obtainable.
On the finish of the day, practicality is sort of definitely not a precedence for potential MX-5 patrons, and that’s very true of these available in the market for a thirty fifth Anniversary.
It’s not just like the MX-5 is a whole ache within the arse to dwell with, both.
The cabin structure is kind of intuitive, and the tech improved considerably with the 2024 ND3 replace. Acquainted rotary dials on the sprint nonetheless maintain the your local weather settings, whereas final 12 months’s facelift introduced correct touchscreen performance for the infotainment system, which additionally grew to 10.25 inches.
Larger isn’t at all times higher, however the brand new system is cleaner, faster and extra fashionable than its predecessor. Wi-fi smartphone mirroring is now commonplace, so it’s straightforward to entry your favorite apps together with Waze, Google Maps and Spotify. Wired connectivity can also be obtainable within the type of two USB-C retailers.
Moreover, MX-5 patrons get three years of complimentary entry to Mazda Related Providers – net-based and distant options accessible by way of the MyMazda smartphone app. Highlights embody car standing and well being, stolen car help, distant locking, car location companies, geofencing, SOS emergency calling, and Mazda eCare.
As is the case with the GT, the thirty fifth Anniversary options an upgraded nine-speaker Bose sound system – excellent for blasting your favourites tunes with the roof down.
Upgrades to inside tech haven’t prolonged to the instrument cluster, which nonetheless homes analogue gauges and a small, configurable digital show. There’s nothing improper with that, because it’s massively satisfying to look at the needle sweep across the central tachometer.
Boot house has by no means been a energy of the MX-5. The opening aperture is kind of broad, however the boot itself is shallow and awkwardly formed, so it’s tough to suit bigger objects in there. Mazda quotes a capability of simply 127 litres – lower than absolutely anything on sale in the present day.
Nonetheless, from earlier expertise it’s doable to cram as much as 4 comfortable luggage down again for a weekend away… simply don’t journey with arduous suitcases or golf golf equipment.
Nonetheless, the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GR86 make extra sense as a every day, do-it-all sports activities automobile. You possibly can match 201L of stuff within the boot of the BRZ, whereas the Toyota gives 237L. Each even have rear seats that fold down, unlocking additional storage capability.
| Dimensions | Mazda MX-5 Roadster |
|---|---|
| Size | 3915mm |
| Width | 1735mm |
| Top | 1230mm |
| Wheelbase | 1505mm |
| Cargo capability | 130L |
To see how the Mazda MX-5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What’s underneath the bonnet?
Modifications for the thirty fifth Anniversary don’t prolong to the powertrain, so you continue to get the identical perky four-pot paired solely with a six-speed handbook transmission.
| Specs | Mazda MX-5 thirty fifth Anniversary |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2.0L naturally aspirated 4cyl petrol |
| Energy | 135kW |
| Torque | 205Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed handbook |
| Drive kind | Rear-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1070kg |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 6.5 seconds |
| Gas financial system (claimed) | 6.8L/100km |
| Gas financial system (as examined) | 6.9L/100km |
| Gas tank capability | 45L |
| Gas requirement | 95-octane premium unleaded |
| CO2 emissions | N/A |
| Emissions commonplace | Euro 5 |
To see how the Mazda MX-5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How does the Mazda MX-5 drive?
The thirty fifth Anniversary drives no totally different to some other soft-top, handbook MX-5, and that’s no unhealthy factor.
As a result of, in a world of conservative velocity limits and strict policing, the MX-5 is one of the simplest ways to have enjoyable on the highway with out risking your licence.
It’s bought sufficient pep to really feel keen and enthusiastic, however not sufficient to get you into bother whenever you put your foot down. And that’s one thing you’ll need to do, because the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine does its finest work on the higher reaches of the rev vary – 7000rpm, to be precise.
I simply want there was extra of a soundtrack. The likes of Honda and extra lately Abarth have produced some epic-sounding four-pots in years passed by, however Mazda hasn’t fairly cracked it with the MX-5.
Mazda has, nonetheless, mastered the artwork of the handbook transmission. All seven gates are well-defined, the shifter is gentle, and the clutch pedal is likewise user-friendly. The chew level is kind of excessive, which takes slightly little bit of getting used to, however the gearbox is in any other case straightforward and interesting to work together with.
Equally, the cease and go pedals are straightforward to modulate.
The fourth-generation ND MX-5 was the primary to achieve electrical power-assisted steering (EPAS), and even after revisions the system feels rather less linked than the hydraulic rack discovered within the NC.
Nonetheless, that deficiency is offset by the sheer agility of the present automobile. It responds immediately to steering inputs and modifications course on a dime – attributes that shine by in all driving conditions.
That go-kart really feel is obvious with the roof up, however much more so with the highest down. Fortunately, the roof mechanism couldn’t be easier – its operation requires only a few seconds and slightly shoulder mobility.
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The petite dimensions of the MX-5 additionally contribute to its unmatched enjoyable issue. Most fashionable sports activities vehicles have gotten greater, wider, and heavier, which reduces their enchantment on slender roads. Not the MX-5. As a substitute, it’s really reduced in size, and that means that you can discover the dynamics of the automobile with out crossing lane markings.
It’s good to have that leeway, as a result of whereas the entrance finish is razor sharp, the MX-5 is hardly a race automobile for the highway.
Reasonably, it’s a playful little factor susceptible to physique roll that transitions to manageable oversteer when pushed. In different phrases, an incredible setup for having fun on a twisty nation highway.
That relative softness additionally interprets to commendable experience consolation. There’s a compliance baked into the MX-5 that simply isn’t current in different sports activities vehicles just like the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ, not to mention costlier, track-focused fashions.
Frightened about velocity bumps or steep driveways? You shouldn’t be, as I didn’t expertise any scraping throughout a full week of predominately city driving.
I wouldn’t advocate lengthy stints on the freeway although, as noise intrusion turns into a problem at increased speeds. On the intense aspect, all fashionable MX-5s go away the manufacturing unit with cruise management, which eases the burden of lengthy roadtrips.
To see how the Mazda MX-5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What do you get?
The thirty fifth Anniversary is completed in a singular Artisan Crimson paint color, and options bespoke wheels, a beige soft-top, beige carpet and ground mats, plus a tan Nappa leather-based inside.
2026 MX-5 Roadster tools highlights:
- 17-inch black metallic alloy wheels – black metallic
- Fabric soft-top
- LED daytime operating lights
- Computerized LED headlights
- Piano black mirror caps
- Energy-adjustable mirrors
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Local weather management
- Black material and suede upholstery
- Tender-touch ‘Maztex’ centre console and armrests
- Physique-coloured interior door trim (beforehand GT and above)
- 8.8-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Wi-fi and wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- 6-speaker sound system
- DAB+ digital radio
- Satellite tv for pc navigation
The MX-5 GT provides:
- 17-inch machined alloy wheels
- Adaptive LED headlights
- Physique-colour mirror caps
- Heated mirrors
- Black leather-based seat trim
- Heated seats
- Bose 9-speaker premium sound system with 203-watt amplifier
- Keyless entry
The brand new MX-5 thirty fifth Anniversary provides:
- Bespoke 17-inch alloy wheels
- Unique Artisan Crimson premium metallic paint
- Beige soft-top roof
- Tan Nappa leather-based upholstery
- Beige carpet and floormats
- thirty fifth Anniversary headrests
- DSC-TRACK mode (stability management calibration)
The MX-5 RF GT Black Roof provides (over the GT):
- Black retractable roof
- Tan Nappa leather-based
The MX-5 GT RS provides (over the GT):
- 17-inch BBS solid alloy wheels
- Bilstein suspension dampers
- Brembo entrance brakes
- Suspension entrance tower brace bar
- Energy mirrors – piano black, heated
- DSC-TRACK mode (stability management calibration)
To see how the Mazda MX-5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
Is the Mazda MX-5 secure?
The Mazda MX-5 is at present unrated by ANCAP, because the ND-generation’s five-star ANCAP security ranking expired on January 1, 2024.
Pre-update fashions wore a five-star ANCAP security ranking based mostly on 2016 testing, the place the Japanese sports activities automobile scored 35.20 out of 37 in opposition to older standards.
Customary saefty options embody:
- 4 airbags
- Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Ahead, reverse
- Pedestrian detection – entrance
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver consideration monitoring
- Hill-start help
- Lane departure warning
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Rear parking sensors
- Reversing digital camera
- Seatbelt warning
- Site visitors signal recognition
- Tyre strain monitoring
To see how the Mazda MX-5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How a lot does the Mazda MX-5 value to run?
The MX-5 is roofed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, with 5 years of roadside help.
| Servicing and Guarantee | Mazda MX-5 |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 5 years, limitless kilometres |
| Roadside help | 5 years |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | As much as 7 years |
| Common annual service value | $556.86 |
| Complete capped-price service value | $3898 |
To see how the Mazda MX-5 strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
CarExpert’s Tackle the Mazda MX-5 thirty fifth Anniversary
In case you can one way or the other get your palms on a thirty fifth Anniversary, it’s undoubtedly well worth the value of admission.
The MX-5 was already distinctive within the fashionable motoring panorama, however this particular version provides a retro cool color scheme and real exclusivity for simply $2350 over the common GT.
Having stated that, I want Mazda went slightly additional with this milestone mannequin.
There was an actual alternative right here to provide lovers (myself included) entry to some efficiency and dealing with upgrades as they wait patiently for the announcement of a fifth-generation MX-5. Simply image it – a thirty fifth Anniversary with stiffer suspension, a fruitier exhaust, Recaro seats, and an engine remap.
It might’ve been priced as much as $60,000, as I’m certain clients would’ve been keen to foot the invoice given the dearth of inexpensive, convertible sports activities automobile alternate options.
Alas, it wasn’t to be. And, given the thirty fifth Anniversary is now offered out in Australia, there’s no level residing up to now. With that in thoughts, there’s nonetheless loads of worth to be present in common variations of the MX-5, and my expertise with this instance suggests any handbook soft-top instance is a good purchase in 2025.
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