It's the eternal debate when it comes time to consider your very own sports car: Oooh! A convertible. But what happens when I want a roof---not just a piece of cloth, but an honest-to-goodness roof? Should I buy a coupe instead?
M-I-A-T-A:
Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer
Specifically, the Mazda MX-5 Miata RF. It's a retractable hardtop. Well, more accurately, a fully-insulated retractable roof panel that, when lowered at the press of a button, disappears into a space between the trunk and the cockpit and leaves the car with a Targa roofline.
A pretty neat look and some added rollover protection in the bargain.
Beyond the trick roof, the MX-5 Miata RF is all the typical goodness of the standard Miata---a 181-horsepower 2.0-liter four, good for 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, while still returning an EPA fuel economy estimate of 26 miles per gallon city/34 highway. And handling as precise and involving as anything this side of a sport bike.
The 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF comes in one trim, the top-of-the-line Grand Touring. Base price $35,000, and for that you get a. sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift knob and parking brake handle, automatic air conditioning, keyless entry, heated outside mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, a nine-speaker audio system and a complete suite of active safety features.
And---that's it. Unless you want to order an automatic transmission instead of the six-speed, in which case, we can't be friends. Okay, that's harsh, but seriously, the six-speed in the Miata is a delight. You'd be missing out.
Anyway, with $1,015 destination charge, the as-tested price of the 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is $36,015.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is the most fun you can have on four wheels at a reasonable price. The Mazda MX-5 Miata RF lets you have a convertible and a coupe.
Why wouldn't you?
