WHEN it comes to designing and building one of the best balanced cars on the planet, it is hard to go beyond Mazda and the legendary MX-5 sports car, and for good reason.
Proof that it doesn't take 400 horsepower (or more) to make a car an absolute delight to drive, the MX-5 has a smile-inducing factor that goes all the way to 11.
Over the decades, Mazda has resisted the urge, as well as calls from owners, to up the ante in the power stakes, including many requests for a rotary-powered version, instead sticking firm to their belief that balance is the most important part of the performance equation.
Globally, the MX-5 (or Miata for our North American readers) is one of the most-raced production cars on the planet, with probably only the Porsche 911 ahead of it on motorsport entry lists.
The latest version maintains this belief in balance over power, the motor remains a 2 litre four cylinder producing 135 kilowatts and 205 Newton-metres, driving through either a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.
Included in the latest facelift is an 'Asymmetric Limited Slip Differential', which adds to the fun factor thanks to a cam in the differential gears counteracting the weight shift during braking and cornering.
While this is most useful on a racetrack, Mazda says the system improves stability in all driving situations.
Other improvements were made to throttle response, although I found the auto version to lag behind the manual, even with the transmission in Sport mode and using the paddle shift system.
This is a car that should have paddle shifters, by the way, I may criticise their overuse in other cars, but the MX-5 is a car that screams out for ultra-fast gear changes.
For those who know me, and are wondering, yes, I do fit into the MX-5, admittedly only just, and having the roof down is mandatory in all but heavy rain, I would suggest prospective owners, especially taller drivers, insist the dealer throw in a cap (or two) as part of the sale.
Sadly, those over 190cm will probably never fit, at 185cm, I could only just get my left leg under the steering wheel and still use the clutch pedal, this is a car that is built with a more compact driver in mind.
Yes, I did use the open-wheel entry method a few times, top down, window down, step over the door, and lower myself into the seat, sliding my legs under the steering wheel.
Fun, but, my partner assures me, completely not happening when she is frocked up to go rock and roll dancing, please be a gentleman and open the door for her...another tip for the ladies - a head scarf to keep the hair in place on the way to the dance, plus you get to (apparently) do the whole Audrey Hepburn look...
That said, I have squeezed myself into some tight spaces in the name of automotive enjoyment, and the MX-5 was no exception, whatever it took, I was not missing out on what is one of the most joyous driving experiences on offer for enthusiasts.
The MX-5 is not a car for everyday, not because it is hard to drive, it isn't, but with limited space, it is not the most practical to get around in.
There is no glovebox, just a small storage space between the seats, which is blocked if you use the drink holders, and the small boot doesn't hold much more than an overnight bag.
In a way, that is part of the MX-5's charm, it is completely unsuited to a 'normal' life, but justifies its existence by being so much fun to drive, you forgive it small sins, like not being able to hold the groceries, or barely having enough room for two coffees.
An upside to the MX-5's compact nature is everything important is literally at your fingertips, and Mazda have retained the chunky, small diameter, steering wheel from previously, it just feels 'right'.
One criticism of Mazda is the interior designers seem to have hit a highwater around 2010, but since then have done very little on updating the cabin.
This is not restricted to the MX-5, but that is what we are discussing now, so other models will have to wait their turn.
The large rotary dial controller sits abaft the gear shift, which required a bit of a kink of the elbow and wrist to get my hand positioned without spilling the coffees, and is a 'spin and push' operation to access the desired screen on the central display.
When it was first launched, this was pretty funky, but other manufacturers have since developed integrated touch screen systems that are more driver-friendly, it feels like Mazda have left things alone, and have been left behind.
The system works well enough, but for best results, preset your music, destination and communication before you leave, trying to do it on the fly is not easy - if you have a co-driver (no passengers in this car!), put them to work, or be prepared to pull over and reprogram it on the side of the road.
Typically for Mazda, build quality is outstanding, the Soul Red paint remains eye-catching, with a depth that draws the eye in, while panel fit is superb, this is a car that has been assembled with care and accuracy.
With all the minor stuff taken care of, it was time for the main event, driving the MX-5 - and what fun it is!
Whatever method you choose for entering the car, once you are in, you are in, you wear it like a glove, and you feel as though you are part of the machine, and what glorious feeling that is.
Push the 'START' button, a low growl, no snarling or wailing, leave that to the Italians, and you are ready for all the fun you can handle.
Down on the clutch, across and up on the shifter, and you are away, it will spin the wheels with enough revs from a standing start, stepping out of line a fraction, but not so much you feel like backing off, just keep the power on, small adjustment on the steering to keep it pointed in the right direction.
The gear shift is positive, with a short, precise, movement between gears, try and muscle the shifts, and you will be left with a bunch of neutrals, or worse, shift from second to fifth, with the resulting loss of momentum, and then sit there like an L Plater on their first drive, trying to get a gear.
Be direct, but let the shifter guide you, it defaults to the '3-4' position, then just ease it into the desired gear, relax, and enjoy the fun.
I have been fortunate to drive many versions of the MX-5, and this is one characteristic that has never changed, a precise style is rewarded with the most lively driving experience you will get from a road car.
Try to attack the car, or physically overpower it with an aggressive approach, and you will hate every moment, as the car lurches through corners, twitching and oversteering, leaving you ragged and sweating from trying to bring it back under control.
There is a lot of talk of 'race cars for the road', even I have used that description a few times about various cars, the MX-5 is something different, this is like driving a genuine racing car on the road.
The steering is super-accurate, you think it around corners, if you use more than a quarter turn of lock anywhere other than a carpark, you are doing too much.
Not surprisingly, the suspension transmits every bump and corrugation through to the cabin, while it is good to have that level of feedback when charging through a series of flowing corners, it is not so nice driving around southeast Queensland and the patchwork quilt that makes up the road network.
An upside is you quickly become hyper-observant of what is happening around you, whether it is upcoming potholes and manhole covers or watching what every car, truck and bus is doing, and having a 'Plan B' for when they invariably forget to use their mirrors and try to change lanes over the top of you.
Like the rest of the car, the MX-5's brakes are outstanding, with plenty of stopping power, and the ability to stop from speed in a straight line in a short distance, allowing you to drive right up to a slow corner, then brake, drop back a gear or two, and on with the show.
If it seems I am overlooking the auto version, while it retains the ride, handling, steering and braking of the manual, it feels underdone in the power stakes, and needs to be pushed more to get the same result.
I know there are those who prefer the self-shifter, and that is where we are headed as consumption and emission regulations make it harder on manufacturers to build manual transmissions, but the MX-5 did lose its edge in auto form.
About the only time the auto really outperformed the manual was in stop-start traffic, where moving 10 metres then stopping got a little tiresome with the three pedal version, but otherwise, to really get the most out of the total package, the manual is the weapon of choice.
The MX-5 is a car that has to be driven to be appreciated, no amount of superlatives can really do it justice.
When testing a car, I always try to assess it against the manufacturer's stated objective, is it a people mover, a workhorse utility, family sedan or hatch, rather than trying to make unfair comparisons of outright performance or race track lap times.
In the case of the MX-5, that means the 'fun' factor of pushing it through corners, making the most of its ultra-precise steering and its braking to cover a tight, twisting piece of road in the shortest possible time, and emerging with a grin that takes days to wear off.
In turn, that means overlooking the inability to carry the groceries, not having more than one other person in the car, all the things that make family cars good at what they do.
So, yes, in terms of meeting the criteria Mazda established when they first sat down to build a modern two-seat sports car in the mould of the great British offerings of the 1950s and 1960s, this is a car that is 100% on target.
Would I have one, after all that?
Honestly, I am not sure...is it fun? Absolutely! But, it is a bit small and cramped for me, and while I no longer need a big family wagon, I do need a degree of everyday practicality the MX-5 lacks.
That said, as a car that can be driven to Lakeside or Morgan Park, thrashed mercilessly, and then driven home again, it does have a lot going for it...
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