2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club - Driven
http://youtu.be/8CslX64cZfM
Justin Cupler, editor in chief of TopSpeed.com, tests out the 2014 Mazda MX-5 Club. See what he thinks............
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is really one of the more polarizing roadsters available today. Those who are fans of it — myself included — rave about its handling, power-to-weight ratio, analog feel and balance on the track. Those who hate it argue that it looks like a "chick’s car," isn’t fast enough, too loud and never has all of the cool features found in modern cars.
Well, Mazda has — for the most part — ignored all of the MX-5 haters and focused on what the MX-5 lovers desire from the Japanese roadster. When Mazda redesigned the MX-5 in 2006, it listened to enthusiasts by adding in a Club Spec model that eliminated all of the higher-end features and replaced them with performance goodies, like Bilstein struts, a strut tower brace and upgraded tires. Well, Mazda was gracious enough to bestow upon me a 2014 MX-5 Club for a week, and as a Miataphile, I was more than thrilled to get a crack at a new model.
I personally own a modified 2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 that pumps out about 225 to 250 horsepower, so I had a good base to go off of for this review. Some of you may think that since my daily driver is a modded MX-5 that I may not find the new Club model all that thrilling, but you would be absolutely incorrect.
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On the outside is where the MX-5 gets the majority of its flak, particularly the NC generation (the 2006 - present generation). The previous generation, known as the NB, had a slightly more aggressive look to it, helping alleviate the "chick’s car" tag, but the softening of the body in 2006 resurrected those jokes. I’ve never been one to tease about the looks of the MX-5 — even before I was a fan of them — as I knew the purpose was to keep the curb weight low and the air moving, and the MX-5’s body has always done both effectively.
On the club model, particularly this sexy red one that Mazda lent me, you get a little shot of testosterone with the contrasting hard top, rims and lower-body stripe. On top of the cool factor, that contrasting hard top also did a great job keeping wind noise to a minimum, but we’ll get to that later.
On the outside, the MX-5 Club is fairly simple, as it features 17-inch aluminum alloys, halogen headlights with projector low beams, keyless entry, the aforementioned graphics, front air dam, black mirrors, rear diffuser and a cool club decal on the front fender. Pretty simple, but just enough to spice up the MX-5 a little and distract you from the weak-looking body.
Is it a sexy Bimmer Z4 or Mercedes SLK? No way, but it is a good-looking roadster that checks in under $30k and performs well. ’Nuff said.
2014 Mazda MX-5 Club PRHT - Standard Interior Features
- 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with gunmetal finish
- Halogen headlights with projector-type low beams
- Halogen fog lights
- Black power retractable hard top
- Remote keyless entry with retractable key
- Exclusive Club model badging and side graphics
- Body-colored decoration panel with Club graphics
- Painted black power mirrors
- Front air dam and rear diffuser
Badging In Detail
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2014 Mazda MX-5 Club - Exterior Specifications
- Length 157.3 Inches
- Width 67.7 Inches
- Height 49.4 Inches
- Wheelbase 91.7 Inches
- Curb weight 2,593 Pounds
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On the inside of the 2014 MX-5 Club, things are pretty much the same, as Mazda focused mostly on making its as light as possible and keeping the MSRP in a range that most shoppers can afford. I definitely liked the little red accent on the face of the instrument panel that the Club model adds, but the rest of the interior was a sea of black, scratchy plastic — yum. Why do I say "yum" to scratchy plastic? Well, because it is light and cheap...
When buying any MX-5 other than the Grand Touring, you aren’t looking for the latest and greatest in features. You want it light and you want it cheap, and this is where Mazda really listens to its buyers. Sure, there are the few that opt for the fully loaded Grand Touring model, but they are not the key demographic for the MX-5. That trim is for buyers that want a Z4, but cannot swing the $49k base price that it comes with.
One thing I fell in love with on this hard-top model was the easy-to-operate top. All it took to open it was a pull of one latch — not two latches like on my 2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 — and a press of a button. Not too shabby if I say so myself. Plus that hard top kept things nice and quiet on the inside, which is something that my soft-top model struggles with.
There were a few things that were really off in this cabin though. First of all, the sun visors are made from plastic; I am all for light and cheap, but c’mon Mazda, really? Secondly was the lack of SiriusXM radio. As a huge satellite radio fan (baba booey, baba booey), I see no reason for any car not to come standard with it.
Other than the lack of SiriusXM, the sound system was good for a lower-end convertible. The bass was throaty and firm, and the highs were pronounced. Even at high volume, everything came through clearly and there were no rattles at all.
The seats are thin at best, as they lack any real padding to keep you comfortable, but they do wrap you up in a tight embrace that makes you feel confident in the corners. The steering wheel is leather wrapped, but unpadded so you get plenty of feedback despite the typically numb electric-assist steering. Lastly, the button setup was well planned, and I rarely found myself hunting for a particular button.
Overall, the cabin is acceptable for a roadster at this level. It is not going to stack up to premium roadsters, but it is perfect for drivers that are looking for simplicity and functionality.
2014 Mazda MX-5 Club - Standard Interior Features
- Air conditioning
- Power windows with driver’s one-touch-down feature
- Cruise control with steering-wheel-mounted controls
- Cloth-trimmed seats with red stitching
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
- Trip computer
- AM/FM/CD/MP3-compatible audio system
- Dual front air bags and side-impact air bags
- Body-colored decoration panel with Club graphics
- Contoured IP gauge hood with dark gray meter rings
- Dark Gray seatback bar accents
Dashboard Accent Detail
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2014 Mazda MX-5 Club - Interior Specifications
- Legroom 43.1 Inches
- Headroom 37 Inches
- Hip room 50.6 Inches
- Shoulder room 53.2 Inches
- Maximum Cargo Capacity 5.3 Cubic Feet
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The drivetrain is where the MX-5 partly makes up for the lack of niceties. Mazda packed in a 2.0-liter four-pot that packs quite a punch at 167 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed manual transmission. Yeah, it doesn’t come close to my turbocharged 1.8-liter, but this is a different type of engine altogether, as the powerband is smooth and makes the car feel a lot faster than its roughly 6.9-second sprint to 60 mph may lead you to believe.
What’s more, this engine has the perfect — and I mean PERFECT — exhaust and intake system. The intake lets out a low and throaty note on full throttle that is enough to get any motorhead smiling, and the exhaust actually lets out a little crackle when you downshift. Coming from the whir and whoosh sounds that I am used to hearing from my MX-5, this was certainly a nice change of tune that I really did not expect.
On top of the peppy four banger, the MX-5’s transmission is smooth as silk. It engages positively, leaving no doubt whether you mis-shifted or not, and the clutch is very consistent. The only issue I had with the car is that the 140 pound-feet of torque was not great forgetting the tires rolling, but the byproduct of this are clean launches each and every time, so we’ll take the good with the bad on that front.
In terms of fuel economy, the EPA rates the 2014 MX-5 at 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway, and I hit both numbers pretty consistently.
Overall, the powertrain is very well matched for this sub-2,600-pound roadster. Yeah, it is no speed demon, but it is a perfect balance that I learned to fall in love with after just one drive.
2014 Mazda MX-5 Club - Drivetrain Specifications
- Engine Liters 2.0
- Cylinder configuration In-Line Four-Cylinder
- Horsepower (HP @ RPM) 167 @ 7,000 rpm
- Torque (LB-FT @ RPM) 140 @ 5,000 rpm
- No. of valves 16
- Standard Transmission Six-Speed Manual
- Fuel Economy (City/Highway/Combined) 21 / 28 / 24
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Where the MX-5 Club completely makes you forget about its lack of features is in its suspension and braking systems. Likely the biggest addition to the Club model is the sport-tuned suspension system with Bilstein shocks — similar to my Mazdaspeed setup. On top of that, you also get a front strut brace to help stiffen up the front end for point-and-go handling.
Taking this little roaster through the country roads just a few miles from my house was a thing of beauty. It effortlessly hugs the pavement and seems to almost pull itself through tight turns, and the suspension is dialed in perfectly as to not be too awful hard on your backside in the process. That said, don’t think that this is a road-trip-worthy rig either, as 500 miles is about all your derriere can take before needing a little break. In all, the suspension really is a delicate balance that my MX-5 simply does not have. Even the road noise was not overbearing; yes, it is still present, but it is not nearly as bad of MX-5s of yesteryear.
The brakes are also superb, but you expect that from a 2,600-pound roadster, Anything less would make absolutely no sense.
It is really clear where Mazda focused when putting together the Club trim level. It decided to leave out all of the cool features and focus on delivering a suspension system that true Miata enthusiasts will fall in love with. Nice work, Mazda...
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The 2014 Miata starts at $20,000, but the "Club" model tested was $28,665.
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Where do I leave off? Honestly, maybe I wasn’t the best tester, as I am a certified Miata nut; then again, maybe that makes me the best to review it, as I am very critical of them too. The MX-5 Club really does balance out the gap between the base Sport trim and the relatively flabby Gran Touring trim, giving real Miata fans a peppy and precise roadster that they can afford and enjoy. I definitely give the MX-5 Miata Club a huge thumbs up!
source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/mazda/2...1582.html#main
