Mazda MX-5 2.0 (2009) CAR review

This is Mazda’s new 2009 MX-5 – and in a world exclusive, CAR has driven the facelifted MX-5 seven months ahead of its UK debut to bring you the first road test of what is still the world’s most popular sports car. The news is all good…

The facelifted Mazda MX-5 looks pretty much the same. What's new?

Visually, the roadster’s petite styling has been given a small but useful dose of aggression by that new five-point lower air intake, which aligns the MX-5 with Mazda’s recent 2, 6 and current RX-8. Those rakish front foglamp housings and new bumper also beef up the new MX-5's visage, as do the more prominent side-skirts.

At the rear there’s a new bumper and more prominent taillights. The individual changes may be minor but collectively they effectively update Moray Callum’s original design with an added dash of brio.

And inside the MX-5?

Again, it’s a raft of minor tweaks to the cosy two-seater cabin. The dials are new, as are the grippier seats – thank you, Recaro – the climate control dials are now silvered, the shiny black strip running through the dash is now a matt silver, the Bose stereo is now even more powerful and the hugely annoying door-mounted cup holders that dug into your knee no matter what driving position you adopted have been ditched.

Oh, and more effective insulation means the Coupe version – the one with the folding metal roof – is now a little quieter than before.

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