MX5 1.8 Sport

Advantages: Dead easy to drop the top (and put it up again)
Disadvantages: Fuel economy coulld be better

...For the Summer I purchased a second hand MX5 1.8 Sports. It was 4 years old and had the matching hard top as well as the permanently fitted cloth soft top. I had done my home work and this was the one that every review was recommending. It is one of the limited edition Sports and as such comes with leather heated seats. First things first, off came the hard top and into storage until winter. The hard top was very simple to remove and the soft top just flips up and down. However neither my wife or I can pull the soft top up when sitting in the seats. One of us has to get out. Both the hard top and soft top have a heated rear window which is essential and in a two seater cabin. The fold up rear wind deflector is not that good so long hair still gets blown forward. Top Gear did an effective demonstration of the difference...

ForlornHope 23.07.2007 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.8i

mazda mx-5 monza

Advantages: fun drivabilty
Disadvantages: space

...Having been given this car as a gift I was somewhat apprehensive fearing it's lack of practicality - I need not have worried, sure the boot is tiny and the rear window has no heater but once in the driving seat such worries are forgotten. The handaling and ride suit its sporting image and are superb as is the short gearchange. The roof is off in seconds and a powerful heater extend the topless driving year. Luggae can be stored in the ample glovebox with soft bags on the rear shelf or behind the seats dependant on the size of the passengers. Although no family car or mpv the mx-5 is the best drive I have ever experienced - try it next spring....

winprizes2000 30.11.2000 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.6i

Mazda's MX5: The worlds best selling sports car

Advantages: fun, stylish, easy to drive, convertible
Disadvantages: fuel consumption around town, road noise on the motorway

...This review will concentrate on the 1.6 litre cars available in the UK from 1989 to 1993 I Bought my MX5 in the winter of 2006. I picked up an early 1991 model with the 1.6 litre engine and 67,000 miles on the clock. The car was faultless without an ounce of rust on the body and had a full service history with Mazda and had been cared for by the Lotus garage that had taken the car in as a part exchange. The car did require the big service at 60,000 miles (includes the cam belt change) which was carried out by MKG3000 Mazda of Twickenham for the reasonable cost of £390. Around town the car deals with bumps very well with only large pot holes sending a shimmy through the chassis. Road noise around town is also very acceptable and its light direct steering makes it easy to park. Around town you'll achieve around 24-26mpg...

ukfan 10.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.6i

The Perfect Driving Machine

Advantages: Great driving experience, offers the frills
Disadvantages: not the most practical sports car

...I have now been the proud owner of two Mazda MX-5's and I have to say they have been the most reliable and joyous cars that I have owned thus far. The 1.8 sport has the added bonus of a six speed manual gearbox which only adds to it's already sporty pedigree. Do not be fooled by thinking this is a typical hair dressers car, It's NOT! This really is a proper sports car which offers all the frills of a porsche for a fraction of the cost. The MX-5 has near perfect weight distribution combined with rear wheel drive which offers sublime handling and is regarded by many as being one of the best handling cars in the world. You can pick one of these beauty's up very cheap now, and my advice would be to wait for winter to kick in as you will see some excellent examples pop up for less than a thousand pound. In my opinion you can have just as...

kylehall99 20.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.8i

Performance you can afford!!!

Advantages: Fantastic driving experience, cheap to maintain
Disadvantages: not very practical

...I have now been the proud owner of two Mazda MX-5's and I have to say they have been the most reliable and joyous cars that I have owned thus far. Do not be fooled by thinking this is a typical hair dressers car, It's NOT! This really is a proper sports car which offers all the frills of a porsche for a fraction of the cost. The MX-5 has near perfect weight distribution combined with rear wheel drive which offers sublime handling and is regarded by many as being one of the best handling cars in the world. You can pick one of these beauty's up very cheap now, and my advice would be to wait for winter to kick in as you will see some excellent examples pop up for less than a thousand pound. In my opinion you can have just as much fun in the mk1 MX-5 as you can the mk2 and pick them up for a lot cheaper too. The styling on the mk1 is a bit...

kylehall99 05.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.6i

The convertible that converted me!

Advantages: Cheap, reliable convertible, great handling
Disadvantages: Not a practical car!

...~~~~~~~~~ Background ~~~~~~~~~ We bought a Mazda MX5 as our first ever car in January 2003. Bizarre time to be buying a soft-top car, you might think, but actually quite good from an economic point of view – you'll be one of only a few people looking at these sorts of cars in the dead of winter and so can pick up a bargain – and probably get to test the waterproof quality of the roof! The model we have is the 1.8i S, and is W reg. As standard, it has ABS brakes, sill plates, electric wing mirrors, heated rear window, a CD player, twin air bags, mud flaps, alloy wheels and branded carpet (!). These are mostly only options on the 1.8i and 1.6i, although the 1.8i has some as standard too. Launched in 1989, the MX5 is now the world's top selling roadster (according to the Guiness Book of Records). It has a front...

xalala 22.03.2004 (23.03.2004) · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.8i

A lotta fun for not a lot !

Advantages: Fun, nimble and cheap to run. Japanese reliability
Disadvantages: Not a lot of boot or storage space but thats not what these cars are about

...MX5 Mk 1 - a drivers car with the flexibility to poodle along or have a bit of fun as the mood takes you. I have seen a few quotes about being under powered and heavy on fuel. They are neither if driven properly ! True it is not outstandly fast which wont appease the hot hatch boy racer brigade but let them go and have their accident somewhere else ! Driven progressively but sensibly I have found mine responds beautifully, is great fun and returns very respectable fuel consumption. General comfort is quite good and noise not too bad even on the motorway - roof up or down. What is particularly good is the way the car's firm suspension copes so well with the curse of modern driving - speed humps. As for going round bends - WHAT bend ? Apart from routine maintainance, the car is getting old so a few odds and ends need replacing from...

Jules2477 22.04.2008 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.6i

BEST_CAR_EVER!

Advantages: Looks great, drives great, cheap to run
Disadvantages: low low ground clearance

...Now here is a review i have been saving!. I bought my 15 year old Mazda MX-5 convertible 6 months ago now, and i have been thinking very hard of what to write here. I decided to start with this... No review of this car can possible be negative, its just positive in every way. My MX-5 is the 1.6i Convertible, i bought it stock and have added a few bits on, but il review it firstly, as it was stock, how easy it was to upgrade, and what it is like now.. I actually travelled 100 miles up to London after bidding for the car on ebay, i thought it was a steal at only £900. For this i got the car as it was, with no CD player or speakers...but it did have power steering (life saver)! The sunroof was new and everything worked fine, including the air conditioning. So i drove it home at a steady 70mph with no troubles, not even straining...

migitaldave 10.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.6i

The great, fun, irrestable sports car for everyone

Advantages: A great affordable sports car with fun driving added in for free!
Disadvantages: If you are a big shopper like me, you may need to put the roof down!

...After my Mum eventually brought a 2 yr old MX5 3 years ago, I knew that it was the car I wanted to own. You get looked at (yes I am a poser!) and it just oozes sexiness. My mission was to own one! I now own a G reg (1990) MK1 MX5 1.6i. I have owned it since 2003 and I am still having fun now! It is such a great car! Quick and responsive, great handling!(I do throw it round corners quite a bit) for when you feel a bit naughty! But when you do want to be sensible and just take it easy, it can do that too! SPECIFICATIONS - (please note this is for a newer MX5 standard not modified like mine, information was last updated 2.12.04) Engine - 1.6i (1597cc) 16 valve 0 - 60 mph is 9.7 seconds Top speed is 119 mph (Ive done close to this and its still pulling) Fuel tank capacity is 50 litres The price of a new standard...

hannahciao 25.02.2005 (01.04.2005) · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.6i

scream if you wanna go faster still!

Advantages: Great driving experience, fun & fast!
Disadvantages: none really...only 2 seats but that's part of the charm!

...My partner has a Mx-5, the 1.8i version. It is in British racing green & is a 1996 model so we have the 'pop-up' headlights, a feature which gives the car its individuality. Due to safety concerns, these are not featured on new models which is a shame. We have had the car for 2 1/2 years. it has given no trouble at MOT & has never let us down. We have put almost 30000 miles on it, trouble free. We have invested in a second hand hard-top to preserve the soft top, as it is showing very slight 'cracking' on the passenger side. The hard top is great in winter & as it is white, gives our car a distinctive look. We were going to get it sprayed but everyone says it looks good as it is. The soft top has never leaked & it easy to operate. Now....the driving experience. My own cars have been fairly standard hatchback/saloon cars...

moomande 06.04.2005 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.6i