#Miata rf dim3 drivers

The convertible seems a purer driving experience to me. I prefer the convertible to the hard top. Top down, wind in your hair and all that jazz. Gotta go with the classics and the roadster is the purest form of Miata out there. Oh, and the RF looks like a three-quarter scale Lightning McQueen, which is OK if you’re into that (I’m not). Three, the MX-5 roadster’s soft top is so well-designed and folds so quickly, it makes the RF’s mission completely superfluous. Two, the hardtop section adds no rollover protection, so it’s both inadequate for serious track days AND it may preclude the addition of a proper rollbar because of the extra structure -– in other words, an RF may actually hinder your participation in a track day, which would be a shame.

#Miata rf dim3 drivers

I really wanted to like the RF more than I do –- I like the idea, and targas make a lot of sense in sketchy climates like ours here in Michigan, but the RF has a couple serious flaws: One, the thick B-pillar makes a huge blind spot, particularly for taller drivers who have to sit far back in the cockpit. We probably don't need to point out that pretty much all automotive journalists are also members of the Mazda Miata Appreciation Society and some will go as far as to recommend a Miata no matter your actual needs, even if you need to pull a horse trailer daily or carry four passengers and their luggage across unpaved roads.īut the debut of the RF has given us an opportunity to poll our own editorial staff to examine just which version they would buy. Both versions now have their fan bases, and both are aimed at slightly different slices of the MX-5 audience. This meant that Mazda moved a little closer to the coupe bodystyle while still throwing a bone to fans of powered hardtops, offering something new to those who prefer the profile and handling of coupes most of the time but like a little wind in their hair every now and then. The result is a Miata that's stiffer than the roadster, and one that traded a fully open top for something more like a classic targa experience.

Mazda surprised the automotive world with the debut of the hardtop/targa/fastback RF two years ago, replacing the Power Retractable Hard Top version of the previous-generation Miata with something a little more novel.