Ford Focus ST Estate 2015

The Ford Focus ST Estate mixes the sharp handling and turbo performance of the ST hot hatch with the versatility of an estate car body.

If you’re looking for serious driving thrills, then the Ford Focus ST should be at the top of your shopping list. We named the fast five-door Best Hot Hatch at our 2012 New Car Awards, as it combines thrilling driving dynamics with a low price. However, this is the first time the ST has been offered as a versatile estate since the Mk1 ST170 bowed out in 2006. As the recent recipient of a mid-life facelift, the ST estate is now available with both a muscular 247bhp turbo 2.0-litre engine and a 181bhp 2.0 TDCi diesel engine capable of returning 67.3mpg and 110g/km of CO2. A light sprinkling of styling updates, along with a generous 476-litre boot mean that it delivers both pace and practicality. It also features the same uprated suspension and head-turning looks as its five-door hatchback brother. Better still, prices start at just £23,295 for the entry-level ST-1. Equivalent diesel and petrol models have identical economy and cost the same. 

The handsome, well proportioned estate has been given a muscular makeover with an eye-catching bodykit that includes deeper front and rear bumpers, prominent side skirts and a large tailgate spoiler. Elsewhere, you’ll spot the distinctive trapezoidal centre-exit exhaust, gaping front grille and bold LED daytime running lights. Ford also offers the £275 Style Pack, which adds graphite grey 18-inch alloys, red brake calipers and illuminated kick plates. Ford has been equally bold with the Focus ST’s interior, which is littered with hot-hatch styling cues. A trio of extra dials is set into the top of the dashboard, and you also get a pair of body-hugging Recaro seats, metal-finish pedals and a smattering of ST logos. For the facelift the interior has been tidied up significantly with a large eight-inch touchscreen on top-spec models and a less-cluttered dash design. While fit and finish are good, some of the plastics used in the lower half of the cabin look and feel cheap. Still, the driving position is excellent and ST-2 specification gives you loads of standard kit, including a DAB radio, part-leather trim, a heated windscreen and climate control.

Most estate cars put family-friendly versatility ahead of driving fun, but the Focus is different. If it's out and out thrills you're after then the petrol-powered model delivers scintillating pace and a special sound symposer delivers a rasping exhaust note under acceleration, yet reduces engine noise to a background hum when cruising. For the facelift, revised suspension settings and a quicker steering rack have made it even more responsive, but be warned that it will torque steer and like to spin up the front tyres in the wet. But it’s the Ford’s sparkling handling that really stands out. Like the hatchback, the ST has extremely sharp and beautifully weighted steering, strong grip and superb body control. And unlike in the Octavia, you can subtly adjust the Ford’s line through corners using a combination of steering and throttle. Factor in the six-speed manual gearbox’s snappy shift action plus the powerful brakes, and even a short blast down a twisting back road will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

The price you pay for this handling is a firm low-speed ride, which causes the ST to thump into potholes. However, the Focus settles down well on the motorway and its cabin is better insulated from wind and road noise. If you're prepared to sacrifice some performance for fuel economy then the diesel is an excellent choice. It still sounds great thank to a synthetic sound simulator and delivers strong in-gear acceleration, the power delivery is also less spiky so it's a more manageable car to drive in all conditions.  

Despite Ford’s efforts to improve quality, the latest Focus finished a disappointing 70th in our Driver Power 2013 survey. Owners like the nimble handling and hi-tech gadgets, but complain about poor reliability and below-par fit and finish in the cabin. What the Focus lacks in ultimate durability, it makes up for with top-notch safety. All models get six airbags, stability control and a five-star Euro NCAP rating. The £900 Driver Assistance Pack adds city safety collision-avoidance kit, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and a road-sign recognition system.

Open the large tailgate and you’ll find a low loading lip and a decent 476 litres of luggage room. Flipping the rear seatbases up and lowering the seatbacks gives you a totally flat floor and a healthy 1,502 litres of space – although that’s still a notable 238 litres less than in the vRS. The Focus’ boot also features a number of handy shopping bag hooks, a 12V power supply and hidden cubby beneath the floor.

However, there are no remote levers for folding the rear seats, while the retractable parcel shelf suffers from a stiff release mechanism and is quite heavy and cumbersome to move around. The Ford also trails the Skoda for interior space. Passengers in the rear get less head and legroom, while the Recaro rear bench is awkward for three adults, as the sculpted design leaves the middle occupant perched uncomfortably on top of the padded ridge between the two outer chairs. On the plus side, the cabin is littered with useful storage spaces, including deep door bins, a number of cup-holders and a retractable sunglasses tray that’s built into the roof lining.

Given its scorching performance, the Focus ST is relatively clean. There's no prizes for guessing that it's the diesel that's the economy champ. Ford claimed economy and emissions figures are 67.3mpg and 110g/km - incredible for a genuine hot hatch. The petrol has cleaned up its act since the mid-life update, too, with a six per cent improvement in economy and emissions to 41.5mpg and 159g/km - that's largely down to the addition of stop-start. There’s good news for private buyers, as our experts predict the entry-level ST-1 will hold on to 46.8 per cent of its value after three years, while the ST-2 tested here should retain 45.1 per cent. The only fly in the ointment is Ford’s pre-paid servicing, which costs a hefty £785 for three years. 

2015 BMW X6 xDrive30d M Sport

It would be hard to argue that the recent facelift has made it any better looking, but in other areas this entry-level X6 gets a tweaked cabin design and improved efficiency - mostly thanks to updates to the eight-speed automatic gearbox to get the best out of the single-turbo 3.0-litre straight six diesel.

s always been impressive how well the X6 handles for something of this size, and that remains the case. Opting for the M Sport trim of our test car brings adaptive dampers as standard, over the variable steering weight, throttle and gearbox responses you get on all X6 models, and the result is satisfyingly pert handling.

Some might think the steering is a bit too heavy, even in the standard setting, and it feels lifeless at any point, but you can still enjoy flinging the X6 through corners with confidence.

The active four-wheel drive system keeps things mostly neutral, and if you do scrub past the fairly monstrous grip levels afforded by the active four-wheel drive, it’s easy to correct your line if the ESP doesn’t do it for you. 

Sure, there’s a fair bit of body roll as the X6’s substantial weight gets shuffled about through corners, but by SUV standards body movement is really progressive and doesn’t remotely spoil the general entertainment on offer. 

Having said all that, ride comfort leaves something to be desired here; even in the most forgiving driving mode, there’s plenty of patter over high-frequency bumps, and any rough-edged intrusions can feel pretty jarring even at low speeds.

On top of that, you never quite forget how heavy this car is. Sure, it’s grippy and easy to drive at high speeds, but you’re always conscious of its size and weight, and you get little sense of what speed you’re doing. 

And this isn't a slow car. It may be the least powerful X6, but it’ll hit 62mph in a hot hatch-like 6.7sec, so it’s no slouch. In fact, this powertrain is so good that with, price taken into account, it's easily the most recommendable model in the X6 range. 

This engine feels properly punchy, and it’s rare to experience any turbo lag thanks to the smooth, accurate ministrations of the eight-speed automatic gearbox, which does a near-faultless job of keeping the engine in its power band.

You don’t need to use the paddle shifters, and you certainly don’t need to rev the engine beyond the broad mid-range, although the gearbox will give up full control and let you pick the ratios if the fancy takes you. 

Changes inside the X6 are subtle. Predictably, the forward cabin is indistinguishable from the X5 on which the X6 is based, and that's no bad thing. The seats are supportive and the materials feel pretty plush, if not quite as top-notch as those in a Porsche Cayenne or the more expensive Range Rover Sport.

However, the X6 is better equipped than those rivals, with BMW’s wide-screen sat-nav system a particular highlight of the standard kit.

Arguably the biggest problem with the X6 remains its restricted practicality. Adults sitting in the rear seats will feel a bit cramped, because the roofline cuts into head room, and while the rear seats now fold 40/20/40 for a bit more flexibility, the boot is still smaller and shallower than you’ll get in less coupé-like rivals. Rear visibility is still pretty abysmal, too.

You don’t need to enjoy the X6’s brash attitude to appreciate its direct handling and effortless pace. It really does live up to the sports SUV billing, and if you take equipment into account then it’s better value than either the Porsche Cayenne or Range Rover Sport.

Even so, if you can stretch to the Range Rover Sport, we'd recommend you do, as you'll enjoy a more spacious cabin, better comfort and more fluid, if not quite such pointy-feeling handling.

Alternatively, think very hard about a Porsche Macan Diesel S. It’s smaller than the X6, but in real-world terms it’s just as roomy and practical, offers an even better ride/handling balance and will save you money even after you’ve added equivalent kit.

There may be better alternatives, but if you really want that X6, this entry-level diesel model is the one to have.

Price £55,850; Engine 6 cyls in line, 2993cc, turbodiesel; Power 255bhp at 4000rpm; Torque 413lb ft at 1500-3000rpm; Gearbox 8-spd automatic; Kerb weight 2140kg; Top speed 143mph; 0-62mph 6.7sec; Economy 47.1mpg (combined); CO2/tax band 157g/km, 27%

What Car?

Information Links

Main Navigation

• Home
• Reviews
• True MPG
• Advice
• News
• Awards
• Used cars
• Leasing deals
• Free valuations
• Finance

- See more at: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/2015-hyundai-genesis-pricing-specification-engines/1218101#sthash.G3qoMHNq.dpuf

Audi's supermini gets a selection of minor visual changes for 2015, along with a tweaked chassis, more infotainment options and new engines on the entry-level models.
Given the A1's success to date, the visual changes are predictably subtle. It gets a redesigned front and rear bumper, a tweaked grille, revised headlights and tail-lights, more defined door sills and a redesigned rear bumper.
The mild exterior changes add 2cm to the length of the A1, which now stretches to 398cm overall. As before, customers can choose between either a standard single or optional two-tone paint scheme.
- See more at: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/2015-audi-a1-face-lift-revealed/1321847#sthash.T1rLCXaC.dpuf

Lotus Exige S

The Lotus Exige S is a rival for similarly priced high performance coupes like the Porsche Cayman R and BMW M3. But it's much more of a thriller than either of those two, and is even more compromised. Unlike its lightweight predecessor, it's powered by a supercharged 3.5-litre V6, so performance has taken a big leap forward. With a more aggressive look and upgraded suspension, it looks and feels like a compact version of a proper supercar – and it's astonishing to drive, with brilliant handling and straight line performance. It still feels like a low-volume hand-built machine, though, which is the major downside, but it's certainly fun.

Take an Elise, add a longer wheelbase, wider track, new rear subframe, pumped-up bodykit with vast aerodynamic additions and larger wheels and you've got the Lotus Exige S. It looks very aggressive and stands out far more than a Porsche Cayman R on the road. In fact, it looks so dramatic, we wouldn't be surprised if it turned as many heads as an Italian supercar costing three times the price. Inside, the cabin is stripped out and almost identical to that of the Elise, with a lot of switchgear borrowed from mainstream manufacturers, thin racing seats and exposed aluminium.

This is where the Exige S really excels. The supercharged 345bhp 3.5-litre V6 offers searing acceleration, thrusting the 1,176kg Exige S from 0-60mph in just 3.8 seconds and on to a 170mph top speed. It doesn't sound as tuneful as a Cayman R's flat-six, but it certainly delivers with lots of low-rev punch and high-rev urge. The handling is even better. This is a car that tells you exactly what's going on at the front wheels, and together with the widened track and longer wheelbase, it's more grippy yet more stable than the Elise on which it's based. Incredibly, Lotus' engineers have also managed to make it ride comfortably too.

One neat feature is the traction control system available on Race Pack versions which is so clever that even a professional driver is quicker around a racing circuit with it switched on than when off. On the downside, the gearchange has a loose feel to it and the steering is heavy at parking speeds, while the engine is ever-present, especially at a high speed cruise when all the wind and road noise combine to make the stereo pointless... Ear plugs are a must for long journeys.  

Yes, the Exige S has a driver and passenger airbag and ABS with stability control, but that's about it for safety aids. It's based on the Elise, and despite the higher price tag, you don't get more safety kit for your money. Lotus has never had the best reputation for reliability either, with numerous gremlins creeping in after a few months of ownership. Still, most people don't buy a Lotus to drive on a daily basis. 

With just two seats, and a tiny 98-litre boot in the rear, the Exige S is about as impractical as cars get. The problems start when you try to get in: the wide sill and low roof make trying to slide elegantly into the driving seat very difficult indeed. Once inside, you'll find there's not much adjustment for the driver's seat – it doesn't slide back and forth very far – and the steering wheel is also fixed. Similarly priced rivals like the Porsche Cayman R are much better in every respect.

The Lotus Exige S doesn't weigh very much, so when you're cruising you'll probably manage more than 30mpg from the big V6. Use that performance, though, and you'll be filling up the relatively tiny 43-litre tank on a regular basis. The engine is very dirty too, with CO2 emissions of 236g/km, so your annual road tax bill will be high. Lotus expects most Exige S owners to take their cars onto a racing circuit too, an environment in which it's quite easy to go through tyres and brakes – and they aren't cheap to replace. Add in service intervals of just 9,000 miles, and it becomes clear that running an Exige S is an expensive venture. 

It gets a redesigned front and rear bumper, a tweaked grille, revised headlights and tail-lights, more defined door sills and a redesigned rear bumper. - See more at: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/2015-audi-a1-face-lift-revealed/1321847#sthash.ecsuxqNh.dpuf

Audi's supermini gets a selection of minor visual changes for 2015, along with a tweaked chassis, more infotainment options and new engines on the entry-level models.
Given the A1's success to date, the visual changes are predictably subtle. It gets a redesigned front and rear bumper, a tweaked grille, revised headlights and tail-lights, more defined door sills and a redesigned rear bumper.
- See more at: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/2015-audi-a1-face-lift-revealed/1321847#sthash.ecsuxqNh.dpuf

Audi's supermini gets a selection of minor visual changes for 2015, along with a tweaked chassis, more infotainment options and new engines on the entry-level models.
Given the A1's success to date, the visual changes are predictably subtle. It gets a redesigned front and rear bumper, a tweaked grille, revised headlights and tail-lights, more defined door sills and a redesigned rear bumper.
- See more at: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/2015-audi-a1-face-lift-revealed/1321847#sthash.ecsuxqNh.dpuf

Jaguar F-Type Coupe manual

In addition to the option of four-wheel drive on 2016 model-year F-Types, Jaguar has bowed to pressure and introduced a manual gearbox on the supercharged V6 models.

The new six-speeder, developed by Jaguar and ZF, has been tuned to provide what the company describes as “the purest possible F-Type experience”. However, it’s only available on either of the V6 engines in Coupe or Convertible form – the V8 remains an automatic only.

It provides a new entry level to the F-Type range, too, although due to a ‘price realignment’ it’s the same price as the lower-powered automatic model was – the auto has jumped up by £1,800.

If you really must have a manual shift for your F-Type, you’ll find the new gearbox pleasant enough to use, but without the crispness that you’ll get from a Porsche box. It’s not vague or rubbery, but lacks the direct mechanical feel of the very best manual shifts.

Swapping gears manually also means the performance takes a bit of a dip: the 0-60mph time goes up by four-tenths to 5.5 seconds in the 336bhp car and 5.3 seconds in the 375bhp model – still pretty swift returns by any standards. However, changes to the exhaust baffles on the manual car mean a more exciting noise than in automatic models, almost on a par with the rip-roaring V8.

Elsewhere, the V6 F-Types benefit from a raft of 2016 model-year tweaks, including Torque Vectoring by braking for sharper front end responses, and the new electric power-steering that gives even greater feel than before.

You can also opt for the Sport Design Pack that’s standard on the V8 R models and the much improved infotainment touchscreen system with Jaguar’s impressive InControl apps.

The latest F-Types benefit from upgrade to touchscreen infotainment system and can be used with impressive InControl apps, too. The Sport Design Pack will give V6 models the appearance of the F-Type R, with deeper sills and revised front and rear spoilers.

Key specs

• Price: £65,735
• Engine: 3.0-litre V6 supercharged
• Power: 375bhp
• Transmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
• 0-62mph: 5.3 seconds
• Top speed: 171mph
• Economy/CO2: 28.8mpg/234g/km
• On sale: July 2015

Jaguar XE 2.0d R-Sport 2015

 

Is there a more important new British car this year than the Jaguar XE? With two freshly opened factories and thousands of recently created jobs, this all-new rival to the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 has plenty riding on its handsome shoulders. And this is our first chance to find out if it can truly compete with the giants of the lucrative compact executive car class.

The XE arrives in UK dealers in April, when we’ll also get a chance to drive full production cars here. But Jaguar is so determined to get this car right, it’s building 600 pre-production prototypes. And it’s one of the first of these models we’ve been invited to drive.

 The brand new Wolverhampton plant is already churning out new Ingenium four-cylinder engines (the other new factory in Solihull is assembling the cars), and our first taste is of the more powerful diesel with 178bhp. The anticipated top seller gets a 161bhp version with an impressive 99g/km of CO2 and a claimed 75mpg, set to make the XE a company car favourite.

Our more powerful car in sporty R-Sport trim with an eight-speed auto box is still on the money with 109g/km and 67.3mpg, while knocking half a second off the other car’s 0-60mph time, at 7.4 seconds. That makes it more efficient than a 320d M Sport and just as quick, but it’s pricier, at £34,775 versus the £33,465 BMW.

You’ll get more kit in the Jag, but what we’re here to find out is whether you get a better drive. Even accounting for this car’s pre-production foibles, we’d say yes – marginally.

Settling into the comfy sports seats and hitting the starter button (this Jaguar XE 2.0d 180PS R-Sport Auto is keyless) fires the diesel engine into life with a bit of a shudder, while the brand’s familiar rotary gear selector rises majestically from the wide centre console. The engine seems a touch louder than we’d like, but Jaguar says things will improve in production cars. It’s not a nasty rattle, with a bassier note than some rivals. But even on the move, it’s slightly more vocal than we’d like or expect.

However, that’s pretty much where the negatives end – throttle response is good, especially if you sharpen things by selecting dynamic mode on the Jaguar Drive Control system, while there’s a nice, smooth surge of power for overtaking, if no great out-and-out punch. Whether it’s enough to make you want to pay the extra £700 for this more powerful diesel remains to be seen, but it’s an impressive start for this all-new family of engines that’ll weave its way through all Jaguar and Land Rover models in the coming years.

So the power seems good, and so does the ride. This R-Sport model is marginally stiffer than the standard set-up, but feels pleasantly firm without ever jolting you. We slightly preferred it to the V6 S model we drove with the Adaptive Dynamics that are optional on this car, and we hope more comfort-orientated models don’t slacken the superb body control too much – this is a car that corners flatly with strong grip, giving you plenty of confidence; a nice balance between comfort and sportiness. In fact, very much how you’d expect a small, sporting Jaguar saloon to feel.

The XE uses the same double wishbone front suspension set-up as the F-Type, while a clever integral link rear suspension was chosen over a multi-link system, which Jaguar said would have compromised ride quality – a good call, we’d say.

The lightweight bodyshell, using aluminium for 75 per cent of its parts, is 20 per cent stiffer than the XF’s, and it shows in the car’s agility. The electric power-steering is just a tiny bit vague off the straight-ahead as it works out how much assistance to give, but then reacts quickly with plenty of feel. The XE might not feel quite as sharp as a 3 Series M Sport, but it’s not far off with a far greater degree of comfort.

Jaguar made a big play of the XE’s noise levels and it’s certainly quiet inside, but it’s not noticeably more hushed than rivals. Things will improve as the engine gets better insulated on production models, but road noise is more of a culprit than wind noise, which is remarkably absent thanks in no small part to the XE’s slippery shape.

The driving position is pretty spot-on, too, with plenty of adjustment. The centre console does feel wider than on rivals (more on that in a bit), and hefty A-pillars create a bit of a blind spot, especially if you sit low in the car. Front and rear doors open wide for easy access, while in the back there’s easily enough space for a six foot tall passenger to sit behind a similar-sized driver – as there is in a 3 Series.

However, that wide centre console hides a wide transmission tunnel, which is obvious in the back. It’ll make things uncomfortable for a third rear passenger in the middle – best not to wear a skirt. The boot is an okay size, marginally down on the BMW for space and usability – the entrance is a bit narrow, concentrating more on depth. It should be fine for a few sets of golf clubs. 

Back inside and the XE debuts JLR’s new eight-inch touchscreen interface, complete with InControl apps that can be downloaded to your smartphone.

It’s way better than the company’s previous efforts, but as our finger waggled around in front of the screen over a particularly bumpy road, we couldn’t help but think how much better BMW and Audi’s control wheel solution is than a touchscreen. We wouldn’t call it a deal-breaker, though.

What is likely to get you into the dealer is the XE’s style – a refreshing antidote to the familar Germanic design of rivals. We’ll admit to being underwhelmed when we first saw the XE, but on the road with LED lights accentuating the width at the front and the back, it looks purposeful and exciting. We like the interior more having got behind the wheel, too. This is a classy car that’s growing on us more and more

Key Specs: 

• Price: £34,775
• Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbodiesel
• Power: 178bhp
• Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
• 0-62mph: 7.4 seconds
• Top speed: 140mph
• Economy/CO2: 67.3mpg/109g/km
• On sale: April 2015

Mazda MX - 5 2015

The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 has some big boots to fill. Unprecedented success over the last 25 years has elevated it to become the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car. We especially love them here in the UK, with around half of all MX-5s sold in Europe going to British buyers.

Smaller, over 100kg lighter and more efficient than its predecessor, the new MX-5 has gone back to its roots in a bid to offer genuine lightweight sports car thrills for buyers whose pockets aren’t deep enough for a Porsche Boxster.

A removable fabric roof stows manually behind the driver and passenger, while the boot and cabin offer more space, despite the car’s smaller footprint on the road. Buyers can choose between 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre petrol engines connected to a six-speed manual gearbox and sending power to the rear wheels.

The sharp new design is an interpretation of the latest Kodo design language, while the interior is brought right up to date with Mazda’s latest MZD Connect infotainment system. 

The new MX-5’s design is more about perfect proportions than endless slashes, creases and vents in the bodywork. Mazda’s designers have worked hard to make the car 10mm lower overall with a 15mm shorter wheelbase and overhangs reduced by 45mm at each end, giving it a more muscular and squat stance on the road.

Slim LED headlights and a gaping front grille give it a slightly more aggressive character than previous versions, while round taillights give it a striking light signature in the dark. Roof up or down, the MX-5 has a classic silhouette with the driver and passenger’s heads towards the rear of the car and a long bonnet stretching out in front of them.

On the inside, the door tops are coloured to match the exterior paint, adding a flash of colour to the cabin and, according to Mazda, visually connecting the driver to what’s going on outside. On high-spec models the dash is dominated by an iPad-like screen, controlled by a rotary dial on the centre console.

Underneath that there are three circular dials for the climate control. The instrument panel (with the tachometer front and centre) and air vents are designed to be perfectly symmetrical around the driver, for a cockpit-style feel, while the driver’s seat has actually moved 15mm closer to the centerline of the car, putting you closer to the car’s centre of gravity. 

To state the obvious, driving feel is what the MX-5 is all about – it has built its reputation on serving up playful dynamics at an affordable price and the new version doesn’t disappoint.

With a kerbweight of around 1,000kg, depending on spec, it’s over 100kg lighter than the outgoing car and only 50kg heavier than the original MX-5 first launched 25 years ago. That means even with the relatively low-powered 129bhp 1.5 SkyActiv petrol engine performance is strong.

The engine has been completely reworked to make it smoother and it revs eagerly all the way to 7,500rpm, so the driver is rewarded for holding onto a gear and powering out of a corner. Switch the traction control off and you can break the rear tyres grip on the road, but the car always lets you know how close to the limit you are.

The suspension is supple, so there’s body roll in the bends, but that only adds to the interactivity when you’re moving fast, and boosts comfort when you’re taking things easy. The steering is light, but pinpoint accurate, while the stubby gearlever pops satisfyingly from gear to gear.

A more powerful 2.0 SkyActiv engine is also available, but considering the additional cost involved, and drop in fuel economy, we reckon smaller engine suits the MX-5’s no-frills character far better.

The new Mazda MX-5 hasn’t been on sale long enough to identify any reliability issues, but with such a simple mechanical layout (there’s no adaptive dampers, sport buttons or twin-clutch gearboxes here) the MX-5 should provide trouble-free motoring. It’s worth noting however, that if you plan to drive it hard – on road or on track – then perishables such as brakes discs, brake pads and tyres will need replacing more frequently.

Euro NCAP haven’t had a chance to crash test it yet either, but the suite of i-ACTIVESENSE active safety systems is impressive, using radars and sensors to warn the driver of potential dangers, such as a static car in front or if you’re swerving out of your lane. There are side airbags with a head protection function, and an active pop-up bonnet making it one of the safest cars around for pedestrian protection.  

The MX-5 is never going to make the perfect family car, but Mazda has definitely made the most of its modest dimensions. Boot space is yet to be announced but on visual inspection it’s a deep cavity that can easily swallow two or more large weekend bags. You might even squeeze a set of golf clubs in there.

The roof is stowed in a slot behind the rollover hoops, so it doesn’t eat into the boot, and the lightweight fabric hood can be folded back easily from the driver’s seat with one hand. Small cubbies between the seats and on the centre console are useful for your phone or small change, but there’s no glovebox.

A bonnet lowered by 28mm and thinner A-pillars moved back by 70mm mean forward visibility has been improved significantly, but what really makes the MX-5 surprisingly practical is its light steering feel, soft suspension and impressive refinement with the roof up in top gear.
It all adds up to a car that you could easily use every day, if you can put up with the lack of luggage space. 

Mazda likes to think of itself as an honest car company, more interested in giving customers real-world fuel savings than focusing on spectacular results in the official EU economy cycle.

That’s why its strategy is based around high-compression naturally-aspirated petrol engines rather than following the turbocharged, downsizing trend. Both engines offered here use direct injection, but its the smaller 1.5 SKYACTIV unit that delivers the best fuel economy – expected to be in the region of 50mpg with CO2 emissions of 130g/km, although official figures are yet to be confirmed.

Despite its exotic bodyshape, the MX-5 shouldn’t be any more expensive to run than, say, a Mazda 3 hatchback - both use a variety of common components, so replacement parts should be easy to track down and relatively affordable.

If you’re planning to wait for a more powerful turbocharged MX-5, or a more efficient diesel version don’t hold your breath – Mazda’s engineers have ruled out both for the MX-5, in the near future at least.