2025 Mazda MX-5 RF Grand Touring 6 Speed Manual Transmission - Review by David Colman

Exceptional two-seat roadster delivering unadulterated driving pleasure

David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent
THE AUTO CHANNEL

Here are five tell-tale warning signs guaranteed to dissuade most drivers from ever buying a sports car: pedals too small for shoes too large; oversize tachometer located dead center on the instrument panel; manual gearbox with fancy knob and leather shift boot; factory OEM race tires carrying a Tread Wear rating of TW 280. If you discover any of these red flags, by all means stick to your conventional family vehicle.

But if, on the other hand, you happen to be a committed sports car enthusiast - perhaps a diehard MG/Triumph/Jag lover from the classic era - all the aforementioned bullet points will serve as catnip to rekindle your addiction. It did for me. And from my point of view, slouched in the body cosseting bucket seat of a 2025 Miata RF, there isn't a better, or a more affordable sports car on the market today. To prove the point, Mazda is celebrating 35 years of continuous production of the MX-5.

What distinguishes the RF from the many other MX-5 variants Mazda offers is its ingeniously designed retractable hard top roof. This device deserves its own perpetual replay channel on tiktok. Instead of the base model Miata's old-school fabric roof (which requires hands-on operation), the RF's bifurcated roof splits in the middle, tucks its rear end into a receptacle, then covers the works with the front section of the roof. All this Rube Goldberg wizardry takes less than a minute to accomplish. But be advised that when you erect the roof, the procedure concludes with both side windows still 2 inches short of the top. I did not notice this until I found the seats and belts soaked from an overnight rain storm.

In the less-is-more department, Mazda's manual transmission Miata weighs just 2,469 pounds, unthinkably light considering most EVs today weigh 5,000 to 6,000 pounds due to their battery packs. By comparison, the Miata's svelte energy unit consists of a SKYACTIV G 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gas engine that produces 181 hp and 151 lb.-ft. of torque. This fuel-efficient motor drives just the rear wheels through a short-throw six-speed manual gearbox. The Grand Touring RF is also available with an optional 6-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts. However, you will pay a 46-pound weight penalty for choosing the automatic over the manual version. You will pay an even greater enjoyment penalty, because the stick shift is what transforms the RF from a mere conveyance to a collaborative driving experience.

Mazda has introduced a couple of suspension tweaks to distinguish the 2025 model from previous Miatas. The first is an "asymmetric limited slip differential" which enhances adhesion of the autocross-ready (TW 280) Bridgestone Turanza 205/45R17 radials. Note that for competition purposes, the Sports Car Club of America allows only a slightly softer TW 200 compound for competition purposes, so you're pretty much race-ready when you roll this RF out the dealer's door. Mazda has also provided front and rear anti-sway bars plus a very useful new front shock tower brace that ties the engine compartment tightly together. The second notable engineering advance for 2025 involves recalibration of the rear suspension geometry that Mazda calls the improvement "kinematic posture control." Despite the fact that this sounds like something more attuned to learning the Samba at an Arthur Murray dance studio, the RF's sport-tuned Bilstein gas shock absorbers suppress body roll when cornering. In the course of several spirited passes up and down California Route 1, we confirmed the accuracy of Mazda's claim. It's virtually impossible to dislodge this little roadster - even in wet weather - from the optimal path through the switchbacks.

Don't think of the RF as your only mode of transportation. It offers little in the way of creature comforts inside the snug cabin, and even less in the way of storage with its one suitcase trunk. There's really no glovebox in the cockpit, unless you count the tiny vertical cubby between the seats that is already filled with the Owner's Manual. Twin cup holders are mounted behind your elbows in a position that's virtually unreachable while driving. But despite all these minor irritants, the Miata interior presents a palatial improvement in fit and finish over the crude British sports cars that are so fondly remembered today by enthusiasts. In other words, be thankful that at least one manufacturer on this planet still believes in offering an exceptional two seat roadster that delivers unadulterated driving pleasure. That it comes at such a reasonable price is just gravy on the deal.

2025 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA RF GRAND TOURING 6MT

• ENGINE: 2.0 liter inline-4, aluminum block and head, DOHC, 16-valve, direct fuel injection
• HORSEPOWER: 181hp@7000rpm
• TORQUE: 151lb.-ft.@4000rpm
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 26MPG City/34MPG Highway
• PRICE AS TESTED: $39,130

HYPES: Best Handling Sports Car Period

GRIPES: Needs Button to Delete LDW

STAR RATING: 10 Stars out of 10

©2025 David E Colman