Like the recipe for your gran's favourite coffee and walnut cake, the Mazda MX-5 has been honed and refined over the decades, resulting in package that is arguably so good, it’s difficult to improve upon. Yes, mild updates are made here and there but the very essence of this delicious driving treat has largely remained unchanged for 30 years: low power, low weight, heavy on the tactile driving thrills.  

So how do you keep buyers interested? Mazda believes you bung some nice alloys on it, fashion the convertible roof from a grey fabric (one that matches the paint job, nonetheless) and smother the interior in Burgundy Nappa leather. Granted, it’s not a huge deviation from the standard 1.5-litre MX-5, which can be snapped up for a mere £23,800, but the fact that this particular R-Sport variant is limited to just 150 examples goes somewhere towards explaining the near-£4k price hike.

R for road not race 

The R-Sport title is a little misleading, because this MX-5 hasn’t been prepped for the race circuit. Instead, it has a nice set of wheels, a grey paint job and a red leather interior with all of the options ticked. That means you get heated front seats as standard, some tricky to reach cupholders, an auto dimming rear mirror, parking sensors and dusk-sensing headlights. Everything else is identical to the entry-level 1.5-litre SE-L model.

The interior is basic, to say the very least, although Mazda’s small infotainment system takes care of all the functionality you’ll ever need… even if it does so in a slightly clunky manner. There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB Radio and navigation, while this R-Sport model also benefits from the Bose premium sound sys­tem with 9 speakers. A handy addition, considering the cockpit gets noisier as the speedo climbs.

There’s just about enough room in the boot for a couple of backpacks, while the aforementioned cupholders are positioned behind the central armrests, meaning a full swivel is required to grab hold of your piping hot coffee. The boot is also opened by a button that’s beneath the rear bumper (if you don’t do it off the key fob), so expect grubby hands every time.

But hey, you don’t get a driving experience like this without a little compromise and this generation of the MX-5 is arguably the most refined yet, with exterior noise cut slightly by the fabric roof and the ride quality surprisingly good for such a taut little car.

For the love of driving

Let’s face it, nobody buys an MX-5 for the practicality, so let’s agree to move on from its quirks - the cramped interior and some of the more basic plastics used to finish much of the dash, for example. These foibles can be completely forgiven the moment you thumb the starter button.

The 1.5-litre petrol engine delivers just 132hp, but this naturally aspirated unit just begs to be worked and the rough rasp as the rev needle climbs is highly addictive. The six-speed manual gearbox is also one of the best on sale today, with laser precise shifts that remind you just how much fun manhandling a little sports car can be. Honestly, if you are ever bored of cookie-cutter hatchbacks, clunky automatic gearboxes and bloated SUVs, just hop in an MX-5 and fall back in love with driving again.

The ride is firm but the 16-inch alloy wheels ensure it is never harsh or jarring and the suspension is just so cleverly judged, allowing just enough body roll to make sure the rear end feels predictable and playful through corners, rather than intimidating and snappy. Flick off the traction control and the little car will spin its real wheels and get as slidey as you like. But it never feels out of control and menacing. It is low-powered fun at its very best.

Wind the engine up to its rev limiter and it lets out a note that’s somewhere in between raspy and rough. It’s not particularly refined but it weirdly makes you want to drop the top and enjoy the experience more, even if it’s freezing outside. With that said, the heated front seats are a massive bonus here and the HVAC system in general does a great job of warming the diminutive cabin up quickly, meaning those mid-winter open top sessions can be enjoyed without the worry of hypothermia.

This R-Sport version does a good job of making things feel slightly more premium and plush inside. The burgundy leather might not be to all tastes, but it’s certainly striking, and wrapping the lower portion of the dash in cow covers up some of the cheaper plastic found in entry level variants.

Is it worth the extra dosh? Not really. And unless you are drawn by the limited edition nature of the R-Sport, it’s probably worth saving the pennies and plumping for an SE-L model. It might not be quite so flash inside, but it will deliver a driving experience that’s worth every penny. 

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