{"id":794791,"date":"2019-04-12T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-13T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/mountain-wheels-mazdas-targa-topped-miata-mx-5-rf-provides-multi-season-fun\/"},"modified":"2019-04-12T22:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-04-13T04:00:00","slug":"mountain-wheels-mazdas-targa-topped-miata-mx-5-rf-provides-multi-season-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/local-news\/mountain-wheels-mazdas-targa-topped-miata-mx-5-rf-provides-multi-season-fun\/","title":{"rendered":"Mountain Wheels: Mazda\u2019s targa-topped Miata MX-5 RF provides multi-season fun"},"content":{"rendered":"
The most recent edition of the fourth-generation MX-5 has been considerably reimagined with the addition of a 181-horsepower, 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine.<\/strong>
JAMES HALFACRE \/ Mazda<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As we get close to what I might imagine being the end of a very long winter season in the Central Rockies, thoughts turn at long last to vehicles with less all-season practicality.<\/p>\n

Oddly enough, I got a chance a few months ago to drive what one would normally consider the epitome of warm-weather-only motoring, the perennial Mazda MX-5 \u2014 better known as the Miata \u2014 with a set of honest-to-goodness Blizzak snow tires.<\/p>\n

Oh, if only I had been so lucky with the dozens of less-appropriately shod vehicles I tackled passes, whiteouts and mid-winter miseries by the dozen.<\/p>\n

I was gifted with a Grand Touring edition of the Miata\u2019s 2019 RF edition, which substitutes a targa-style, power-deploying micro-roof for the diminutive sports car. Throw the switch and the entire rear quarter of the car\u2019s beautifully sculpted roofline magically lifts off the body, allowing the two-piece, over-the-cabin roof to be electrically stowed away \u2014 all in about 13 seconds. There are heated seats, heated windows, heated side mirrors and rain-sensitive wipers, all potentially useful winter driving additions.<\/p>\n

However, with a dedicated rear-drive setup, as magically old-school roadster groovy as that might feel on hard, dry pavement, the slight issue of the Miata\u2019s under-2,500-pound curb weight led me to believe that making a run up to the tunnels in a blinding blizzard was a terrible, terrible idea. And you know that I am usually one to welcome a terrible driving idea.<\/p>\n

Conceivably, the very small vehicle could offer some mid-winter excitement, but I also look back on a photo I took of my test vehicle parked between two full-sized pickups \u2014 making it look more like a Radio Flyer wagon than a collision-proof, winter survival machine \u2014 and I am glad I did not take my chances.<\/p>\n

So let us flash forward to the time I spent on an unseasonably sunny early February day in the Longmont and Lyons area, hauling ass in the car but happily equipped for any low-drama traction issues.<\/p>\n

The most recent edition of the fourth-generation MX-5 has been considerably reimagined, in an almost heretical fashion, with the addition of a 181-horsepower, 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine. My last outing was in a 2017 model with the older 155-horsepower setup, and the difference is quite tangible when you have so little car to begin with.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a transformational change, switching the car from a usually topless roadster that needed patience and coaxing to access top highway power, to one where big-car-worthy boost is always on tap and can be revved to 7,500 rpm.<\/p>\n

To keep things extra sporty, I had a Miata RF with a six-speed manual transmission, and a few pieces of optional equipment \u2014 a limited-slip differential, a tuned suspension with Bilstein shocks, plus attractive alloy pedals \u2013 all provided additional splash and dash, bringing the total MSRP to $35,405. Yes, with brand-new winter tires, the handling was subsequently a little less crisp than a set of high-performance summer tires, but the little Miata still cornered and cruised in impressive fashion.<\/p>\n

Overall mileage is impressive, up to 34 mpg on the highway, but the objective in Miata is consistently sporty cruising, so don\u2019t expect Prius-styled returns at all times.<\/p>\n

To that end, Miata remains a pure enthusiast vehicle, with cabin space that is not at all forgiving (or welcoming) to drivers accustomed to full-sized rides. Bred and equipped like a track car, you\u2019ll find maybe an inch or so of wiggle room in the seats, and feel more like you\u2019re an actual part of the car than a simple operator, especially if your journey stretches more than a couple of hours. Even cupholders are an afterthought, and need to be popped into slots in the center console \u2014 mine were hiding in a locking, vertical storage box between the seats.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an awfully sharp-looking vehicle, however, and mine got a black roof and stainless steel door sill plates, just to add to the overall appeal.<\/p>\n

via:: Summit Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The most recent edition of the fourth-generation MX-5 has been considerably reimagined with the addition of a 181-horsepower, 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine.JAMES HALFACRE \/ Mazda As we get close to what I might imagine being the end of a very long winter season in the Central Rockies, thoughts turn at long last to vehicles with less […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-794791","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-14 14:04:03","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSMT The Mountain","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/794791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=794791"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/794791\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=794791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=794791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=794791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}