The new Mazda MX-F driven

This is an important new MX-5 variant for Mazda. The RF bit stands for Retractable Fastback, its fancy new folding hard-top roof that, if this car follows the trend of the old one, will soon come on 4 in 5 all new MX-5s sold in the UK. It seems we like our roadsters here in Britain, but we also like it when they come with a nice and cosy hard-top roof…

Previously, you’d struggle to tell the hard-top MX-5 apart from its soft-top sibling. This was intentional. With the RF, there’s no doubting which is which. And this too is intentional. Because this time around, Mazda’s given the hard-top MX-5 a style of its own, complete with Ferrari 599-style flying buttresses. Not everyone will love it, but it’s undeniably distinctive.

It’s not cheap either, mind: £2000 more than the regular soft-top. So how do they justify it?

With a fantastic roof mechanism for one, that’s made from aluminium, steel and plastic, and folds in just 13 seconds. The panels over the occupants’ heads and the glass rear window disappear but that rear fastback section remains in place for an MX-5 just as distinctive roof down as it is up.

With it raised, extra refinement is delivered thanks to a triple-layer headlining, more soundproofing and thicker carpet mats. Mazda’s even padded out the insulation around the gearlever and rear wheel arches, all to make this MX-5 RF more refined than the roadster it’s derived from.

Because the roof is heavier, Mazda has adjusted the suspension to suit, including one surprising change – weakening a cross member in the suspension to balance the handling. The new roof is stiffer than the soft-top, see, and Mazda needed to make sure the harmonious feel of the soft-top was retained.

Good news: it is. On the road, it feels, well, just like an MX-5. The handling is similarly delightful, steering is direct and informative, suspension is the perfect balance of comfort and sharpness. The 2.0-litre engine pulls as strongly too; the stats say it’s fractionally slower, but you can barely tell.

But what about that claimed extra refinement? Well, it certainly feels a bit smoother-riding than the roadster, and noise levels are lower in everyday use. Trouble is, get above 70mph and the extra wind noise from the window surrounds quickly spoils improvements elsewhere. Lower it, and the lack of buffeting is spoiled by the droning sound effects of the airflow over the rear section. For a £2000 hike, you somehow expect more.