By Nauman Farooq
The Mazda MX-5 is a low slung, rear-wheel drive, two-seat, convertible sports car that is built to be enjoyed ideally in the summer. However, its makers also gave it a ride height that allows you to put tire chains, so you can drive it in even the harshest of winter weather.
I wasn’t looking to test one on a country trail with tire chains, but I did want to see if -when equipped with proper winter tires- it can be used daily through a Canadian winter?
I was given keys to a 2018 Mazda MX-5 RF wearing Bridgestone Blizzak rubber, during a week where the temperature was either cold, or really cold! Throw in some freezing rain and snow into the mix, and the task at hand was made even more challenging.
So, how did I get on?
Well, if you’re someone who loves to drive, and have good car control skills, then the MX-5 is just about the most enjoyable vehicle you can currently buy. It has a wonderful chassis and suspension set up, coupled with a very communicative steering system, all of which lets you know what the car is doing underneath you. That makes it good to drive on slippery roads.
A linear throttle also lets you use only the amount of horsepower that you actually need – just because its 2.0L, 16-valve, SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder has 155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque on hand, doesn’t mean you have to use all of it at all times!
Allow me to clarify the previous paragraph. Most cars these days have electronic throttles, which are often not calibrated properly – so, you’ll find in some vehicles, that when you press the accelerator 25%, you get 10% of the power, and when you press the accelerator 50%, you get 75% of the available power. This can get a bit annoying. In the MX-5, the accelerator pedal is like a surgical instrument, it is perfectly tuned to the input from your right foot. Thanks to this predictable, linear throttle, you can much more accurately judge how much power is required, based on the grip level of the tarmac. So, even on snow covered roads, the MX-5 was a joy to drive.
If you’re not a performance driver, fear not, the MX-5 also has a wonderful traction and stability control system, which works hard to keep you from crashing. So, even when the car feels a bit loose in the rear-end -like any rear-wheel drive car would in slippery conditions- fear not, just keep calm and keep on moving on, because its electronic safety net would do its best to keep you going in the desired direction. Its stability control system intervenes in the softest of manners, bringing the car back in line calmly if the back end steps out – unlike most systems, which cut in harshly.
If you’re looking to have some oversteer fun, just turn the traction control off, and then you can pretty much go sideways -in the snow- through your entire neighborhood! So, the MX-5 is a lot of fun in winter, and the RF version adds an extra layer of comfort in sub-zero temperatures. The RF – as in, Retractable Fastback- has a folding hard-top, which does shield you against the harshness of winter a bit better than the soft-top version. Couple that with heated seats that can (possibly) cook an egg, and you’ll be very cozy in winter in your MX-5 RF.
Any flaws? Well, getting in and out of a low car on a daily basis can get a bit tiring, but if you’re in better shape than I am, than you’ll be just fine.
There are lots of impressive things about the MX-5 RF, but one of the most shocking was its fuel economy! Even with me clowning around, drifting the car (safely) every chance I got, I still averaged 7.7L/100km during my test run (170 km of highway driving, with 130 km of city driving). Last year, when I had this car in the summer, I had averaged 7.3L/100km – so, winter had a very marginal affect on my fuel economy, proving that Mazda’s SKYACTIV-G engines are really efficient.
Prices are really good, too. The 2018 Mazda MX-5 RF starts from $38,800 – that makes it (by far and away) the most affordable hard-top convertible currently on sale in Canada.
While a MX-5 might not make sense to the masses as a winter car, but with the right tires, and some decent driving skills, it is (arguably) the most fun you can have during a Canadian winter.