2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF
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2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Retractable Fastback

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Written by Marco Carvajal

The fantastic Miata has been reborn! The new 2019 MX-5 Miata RF is stylish and has a solid hard top. Mazda’s flagship roadster with 3 decades of evolution, bringing excitement to millions of drivers at a very low price

MPG – Manual Transmission
City / Highway / Combined
26 / 34 / 29

MPG – Automatic Transmission
City / Highway / Combined
26 / 35 / 29

Highlights

  • 2.0-liter four-cylinder SKYACTIV-G Engine
  • 181 horsepower at 7,000 rpm
  • 151 lb-ft torque at 4,000 rpm
  • SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic transmission
  • 2,339 lbs. weight for manual transmission, or 2,381 lbs. with six-speed automatic transmission.
  • Standard rearview camera
  • Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry
  • BOSE 9-speaker audio system with headrest speakers
  • Bluetooth hand-free phone and audio streaming

The Beloved Miata

The Miata has been loved by many car experts and drivers through a few generations. Love at first sight started since its debut in the 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show. The Miata is manufactured by Mazda in Japan.

The Miata MX-5 seems to be inspired by compact European sports roadsters from the 60s, like the Triumph Spitfire, MG MGB, Datsun 2000, Fiat 124 Sport Spider, Alfa Romeo Spider, and the Lotus Elan, but the Miata is different, original and unique.

Mazda’s mission on the MX-5 is to provide drivers with the passion of driving a pure, lightweight sports car

The Miata MX-5 was originally created as a small roadster, with light weight and minimum mechanical complexity, modern and reliable. The Miata was born to stay, today in 2019 the Miata continues to be reborn with new look, technology and styles that makes it a very attractive compact convertible with a classic look but a new body.

According to Mazda, the MX-5 is the best-selling roadster of all times.

2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF

The New 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Retractable Fastback

The new 2019 Miata is more powerful now with a SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter engine with a power increase of 26 horsepower and 3 lb-ft of torque and from 6,800 rpm to 7,500 rpm, from the previous 2018 Miata. New features include a brown soft top option, tilt and telescoping steering column, additional safety features, such as a standard rearview camera, and three new options packages to upgrade and make it the best Miata ever made, the 2019 MX-5 Miata RF.

The 2019 MX-5 is approximately 150 lbs. lighter than the third-generation MX-5 and only 189 lbs. heavier than the original 1990 model.

Mazda USA

The MX-5 Miata RF (Retractable Fastback) replaces the old convertible fabric roof for a folding hard top roof panel and a rear window, producing a new solid look and safer cabin.

Pricing

The 2019 MX-5 Miata RF is available in 2 models: Club and Grand Touring. The one I am test driving is the Grand Touring the top of the line, but both trims are very similar in price. Both models are available as RF (hard top) or as Soft tops.

  • 2019 MX-5 Miata RF Club, Automatic, Starting at $32,345
  • 2019 MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring, Automatic, Starting at $34,410

The manual version is just a few hundred dollars cheaper.

The interior of the RF presents quality materials and an elegant design that prioritizes the fun of driving. Excellent overall visibility and intuitive technology reinforce that standard.

Being a small Roadster, some drivers will have a hard time getting comfortable behind the wheel. The interior quality meets the price expectations, good design at a great value price. Space is the main limitation on the Miata, it is a small car.

The Bose nine-speaker system provides great sound. The sophisticated navigation system operates through a 7-inch touch screen or a central console quadrant controller. The USB connection facilitates the integration of media devices / smartphones. Bluetooth is equally easy to connect, transmit audio and use as a telephone interface.

Voice commands are accessed through a button on the steering wheel and include standard commands for making phone calls, navigating to destinations and moving through music selections.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available yet.

If we think about the price and the features included standard, Mazda is providing a lot of features that will cost additional fees with other automakers. It is not easy to find a sports roadster for $32K that includes so many features standard.

Performance, Engine and Transmission

The new Miata is small but powerful for its size, equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 155 horsepower and 148 lb. feet of torque. Transmission is available as a six-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic.

The RF weighs only 2,468 pounds. The RF is a bit heavier than a soft Miata. The current MX-5 is quieter than before, but not completely, even with the retractable hard top of the RF you still can hear a lot of noise from the road and the engine.

The RF reacts better to smooth and deliberate commands, it’s still extremely fun to jump into curves. Although RF is capable of entertaining performance, it is easy to operate and enjoy in everyday situations, even with a manual transmission.

Conclusion

The MX-5 hard top makes the Miata a slightly quieter car and provides an interesting new look. However, you do not get the full outdoor experience and it adds about 100 pounds of weight and a higher price to the light Miata roadster.

Its interior is very beautiful and stylish. As you drive the 2019 version one can feel all the enhancements compared to its previous generations.

If you are looking for a sports roadster car at a low price near $32K, the Miata RF offers a unique combination of coupe and convertible attributes and it has a 30 year brand name hard to match, it is a Miata.

2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF
Follow Marco Carvajal:
Marco Carvajal has many years of experience in the editorial world, in the entertainment industry including events, cars, music and other fields. He also has wide experience in business, e-business and e-commerce. He is actively involved in the development of AutomotorPro.com and other affiliated car publications, from marketing and business management, to the editorial department as a contributing writer and editor for other writers. His passion for automobiles, travel and art, supports the development of AutomotorPro.com in an original and unique way, as a leader in the automobile editorial industry, nationwide in the United States and international territories. Marco graduated from the University of Miami, in addition to additional studies at other universities and institutions. In the field of business, he has created several enterprises and multinational projects related to publishing and entertainment. As a writer, the number one goal for Marco Carvajal is to be able to communicate clear information easy to understand for our subscribers, in an easy language, very detailed, about automobiles and lifestyle. He also likes to show a different perspective, with innovative style, about the information and characteristics of each car, mostly oriented to the daily life, about what each person may want learn about each car, thinking on the practical daily use of cars in real life. Marco Carvajal tiene muchísimos años de experiencia en el mundo editorial, en la industria del entretenimiento incluyendo eventos, autos, música y otros, así como gran experiencia en los negocios, e-business y e-commerce. Se envuelve activamente en el desarrollo de AutomotorPro.com, desde aspectos de mercadeo y manejo de negocios, hasta el departamento editorial donde también escribe y edita artículos de otros escritores. Su pasión por los autos, viajar y el arte, le ayudan a AutomotorPro.com a desarrollarse de una forma original y única, como un líder en la industria editorial automotriz a nivel nacional en Estados Unidos y otros territorios internacionales. Marco se graduó de la Universidad de Miami, además de haber realizado estudios y cursos en otras universidades e instituciones. En el área de negocio ha fundado varias empresas y creado varios proyectos multinacionales en el área editorial y del entretenimiento. Como escritor, la meta número uno de Marco Carvajal es lograr transmitir información sobre automóviles fácil de entender para los lectores, en un idioma sencillo, los más detallada posible. Además de lograr mostrar un lado diferente e innovador sobre la información y características de cada auto, principalmente orientado a lo cotidiano, a lo que cada persona puede aprender sobre cada automóvil, pensando en la vida diaria, en el uso de cada auto en la vida práctica.
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