Boosting driver appeal

The cornering characteristics of Mazda’s MX-5 have been sharpened with new suspension technology headlining an update just in time for New Zealand’s summer.

All models of the two-seater are also equipped with the marque’s newly developed kinematic posture control (KPC) system.

David Hodge, Mazda NZ’s managing director, says the changes strengthen appeal for drivers, and deliver on the company’s strategy for continual improvement.  

For example, KPC offers an improvement in high-g cornering precision and confidence. It manages different vehicle systems to help the MX-5 “behave as an extension of the driver’s body” without adding any weight.

For ride comfort and stability, the rear suspension is already designed to generate an “anti-lift” force that pulls the vehicle’s body down when the brakes are applied. KPC uses the MX-5’s suspension structure to provide more integrated and stable turning The system applies a very slight brake to the inner rear wheel during high-g cornering. This pulls down on that corner, suppressing body roll, and making steering response feel more linear through tight or rough corners. 

Slightly stronger braking is used when accelerating through a corner, enhancing the limited-slip effect. Turning conditions are determined by KPC in real time from the difference in speed between the left and right rear wheels, and increases its activity linearly in response to this to produce an appropriate posture stabilisation effect. 

This means there is no change to everyday driving situations, but the harder the drive becomes, the more the MX-5 sharpens its tail-end senses and cleverly adjusts its own turning posture.

All models across the range have a rear-wheel-drive layout and come equipped with the Skyactiv-G two-litre engine that delivers 135kWof power at 7,000 rpm and 205Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. 

The MX-5 features dual front airbags, side-impact airbags and side-impact door beams in addition to many i-Activsense systems. These include blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, smart city brake support and lane departure warning.

The exterior styling adds the newly available platinum quartz-metallic paint to the seven colour options. Other features include dual exhaust, daytime running lights with adaptive LED (ALH) headlights. 

On the inside is a seven-inch full-colour display with the Mazda Connect infotainment system, which can be controlled with the multi-function commander knob and integrated with Apple CarPlay wireless and Android Auto. 

A three-spoked leather-wrapped steering wheel is another feature and comes with a tilt and telescoping function to help allow a wider range of owners find their ideal seating positions. Then there’s the Bose 9-speaker premium audio that includes a sub-woofer and headrest speakers for the driver and passenger seats, advanced keyless entry and climate-control air conditioning.

The MX-5 RF’s roof can open or close in 13 seconds. The GT returns in roadster body style. It has a sports performance package with 17-inch gun-metal BBS forged alloys with 205/45 low profile tyres, Bilstein sports suspension dampers, Brembo front brakes with red front and callipers, as well as a front suspension tower-brace bar and gloss-black door mirrors.

The MX-5 Roadster GT is paired with a six-speed manual transmission, while the MX-5 Limited RF has a choice of manual transmission or a quick-shifting six-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel paddle shifters.

The new MX-5 range is available from Mazda dealerships nationwide with pricing for starting at $57,590 for the Roadster GT.