Why a Mazda MX-5 with more horsepower isn’t a bad idea at all

The best selling convertible two seater sports car, the MX-5, gets a boost in engine power and a whole suite of driver assistance features for 2019. Already a fun and engaging drive, it’s not like the MX-5 needed more power to begin with, but we’re not complaining. Not at all.

The 2019 Mazda MX-5 is slated for release in Europe by August of 2018, while North America will get theirs on the last quarter of 2018. No news yet on when the updated roadster will hit our shores, but we can expect some news as we get closer to the end of the year. We’re excited to see it for ourselves, and the thought of enjoying some twisty roads with a bit more power and excellent handling makes the wait even harder.

Odds are, if you’re looking into getting an MX-5 soon, you’re faced with a conundrum; get the MX-5 right now, which is already an excellent two seater in its current form, thus satisfying your cravings. Or, you could delay gratification and wait until a release date for the Philippine allocation is released, and then wait until you can place your order, and then be extremely happy as your 2019 MX-5 gets that 17% bump in power and features fancy safety tech.

We’re expecting the new MX-5 to not only be faster, but offer a better value proposition, as, if the prices stay comparatively the same, you’ll be getting the safest two seater sports car in its class. Competing manufacturers lack things like a rearview camera, traffic sign recognition, and smart city brake/smart city brake support. Even if the new MX-5 does get a tad more expensive, you’re still looking at something that punches above the competitors as an overall performance and technology package. Of course, that’s until we hear of any big updates from the likes of Subaru’s BRZ or Toyota’s 86. 181 horsepower in the new MX-5 is an extremely tempting proposition as the combination of an already agile and lightweight chassis is supplemented by a more powerful engine.

On the flip side, we could be seeing many existing owners putting their pre-2019 MX-5s up for sale very soon in anticipation for the latest iteration, and this could be a good a time as any to pick up your dream two seater on the second hand market. After all, the answer is always Miata.