Mazda MX-5: What Are Its Real Chances of Survival?

The Mazda MX-5 has become an industry icon. It is now to Mazda what the Z is to Nissan, the Corvette to Chevrolet and the Mustang to Ford: a symbol of its image. However, no model lasts forever, and given the trends of the past few years, with cars and sports cars giving way to SUVs, it’s fair to wonder whether the model has a real future. With the fourth generation now in its 10th year, let’s take a closer look.

• The MX-5 arrived in 1989 as a 1990 model

• The current generation is the fourth

• Today, the MX-5 is a symbol of the image Mazda projects

The four generations and their code names

Car enthusiasts often tend to refer to model generations by their code names. That can get annoying. In the MX-5’s case, the good news is that it’s fairly easy to remember. There have been four iterations, each following the NA, NB, NC and ND logic.

You guessed it: the next one will (most likely) be the NE.

For the record, the first generation ran from 1990 to 1997, the second from 1999 to 2005 and the third from 2006 to 2015. The fourth has been with us since 2016, and that’s where things get interesting when we envision its future.

Paradigm shifts

Until now, nobody really questioned the model’s makeup. The recipe stayed the same: a compact, lightweight, rear-wheel-drive roadster, offered with a naturally aspirated engine and an available manual transmission. And, very importantly, with near-perfect weight distribution. The goal: the ultimate driving pleasure.

On that front, mission accomplished since day one. The MX-5 is a genuine cure for depression.

But over the past 10 years, a new reality has hit the industry: electrification. Since then, it has been part of the discussion about the model’s future. So much so that we’ve gotten lost in rumours over the past 10 years. The problem with electrifying a car like the MX-5 in 2026 is weight. With current technology, it would be extremely difficult to build an electric MX-5 as light as the gasoline version.

And therein lies the dilemma.

A flood of rumours

For ten years, rumours about the next MX-5 have focused on the powertrain. When the ND generation launched, there was talk of a turbo version, even a Mazdaspeed (as in 2004-2005), or a version powered by a 2.5-litre Skyactiv-G four-cylinder. Program manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto said one should be wary of forced induction, which adds weight.

In 2021, Autocar instead reported the Skyactiv-X engine, which uses compression ignition controlled by a spark plug. Since 2025, the path being studied has been a naturally aspirated Skyactiv-Z (2.5 litres), according to chief technical officer Ryuichi Umeshita. Best Car magazine, meanwhile, mentioned a 2.0-litre engine.

At the same time, electrification entered the conversation, mainly because of regulatory constraints, notably those tied to the Euro 7 standard. Here, the information went in every direction: 48-volt mild hybridization, a patent for a hybrid system with three electric motors, then a patent for a plug-in hybrid sports car with a rotary engine.

Then came the Iconic SP concept, with its rotor acting as a generator. It was first linked to the MX-5’s future, before statements from Mazda executives fuelled the theory of a separate sports car, possibly inspired by the RX-7. In 2026, top boss Masahiro Moro stated that the next generation must also be ready for a scenario without a combustion engine.

You get the picture. It’s easy to be confused by this bundle of information heading in every direction.

One constistancy

Despite these shifts, one thing has remained constant in what Mazda executives say: lightness remains the top priority. Masashi Nakayama is aiming for less than 1,000 kg, and Masahiro Moro for 1,000 to 1,200 kg, without resorting to exotic materials that would drive up the car’s price.

They also want to keep the model under four metres and retain the manual transmission. Jo Stenuit, of Mazda Europe, summed it all up this way: driving pleasure, lightness and affordability, without which we’re no longer talking about an MX-5.

An NE in the same vein

Considering all this, we can expect a new MX-5 to follow suit. A bit of hybridization, perhaps, but for a fully electric MX-5, weight remains a major obstacle. Mazda still wants to keep that a possibility for the next generation.

Will we ever see an electric MX-5? It’s very possible, but it doesn’t seem to be around the corner. We believe Mazda will explore many other avenues first. And the other question to ask is this: will an electric MX-5 still be an MX-5? Probably, but with a different flavour.

Just as today’s Ford Mustang is different from a 1960s version. Do you think Zachary “Zora” Arkus-Duntov (the spiritual father of the Chevrolet Corvette) ever imagined his model with a mid-mounted engine and a hybrid powertrain? Yeah, right.

Is the current version still relevant?

The current MX-5 is 10 years old. That’s a lot in this industry. In its case, however, it doesn’t really show. It still delivers the same driving enjoyment; it has what it needs in terms of connectivity and, mechanically, it’s powerful enough and doesn’t really need more horsepower to win people over.

A redesign will certainly give it a second wind, but the current version is still relevant.

Be warned, though: it’s not for everyone. You have to contort yourself to get in and out, and those with back problems will quickly find the exercise difficult. It also can’t be the only family vehicle. Its size makes it very impractical, even if its trunk can hold two small suitcases. And day-to-day, it’s noisy. You appreciate that during a drive, but when you have to use it every day, it gets a bit annoying.

I drove a regular version and an RF version back-to-back. After two weeks, my ears had had enough. Of course, the hardtop RF is not as bad. Still, it remains noisy on the highway.

These are details to consider, but they are not arguments against this car.

If you’re looking for a nice toy for weekend drives, it’s hard to find better, especially at this price.

Verdict

The MX-5 is like fine wine. Better still, on the used market, you can find nice examples at perfectly reasonable prices. The author of these lines has even promised himself to find one, one of these days.

As for the vehicle’s future, to answer our initial question: yes, its chances of survival are real, even excellent. Thanks to its longevity, the MX-5 has carved out a solid place within the Mazda family, one that can’t be dislodged.

Imagining Mazda’s lineup without the MX-5 is unthinkable today. That gives us a good indication for the future.

We’ll simply have to accept that one day, the MX-5 will probably be different from the one we know.

As long as it still delivers the same driving pleasure, we’ll live with it.