The Thrill Of A Drop Top [2017 Mazda MX-5 Review]

Once in awhile, something comes into my life that shakes up my routine, in a really good way. That was the case last week, when my two kiddos were at their grandparent’s house, and my husband and I had the week all to ourselves. Instead of having the chill, somewhat routine week I’d envisioned (finally doing the cleaning and organizing around the house that I wanted to, diving into a novel), something happened that turned my routine on its head: I was given the 2017 Mazda MX-5 convertible to drive for the week. It changed my whole perspective!

On the first day, when I got into the car to take it on a test drive (I was running out to the bank), I knew that my week was going to be a whole lot different than I imagined. The car looks impressive, with sleek lines and a modern, gorgeous feel to it. The inside is shaped perfectly around the driver, and I noticed that controls and buttons were placed intuitively so that I never had to search for what I needed.

But the eureka moment happened when I pushed a small button on the center console, and all of a sudden, in just a few second and with barely a sound, the roof slid back and disappeared into the rear of the car. The hard-topped roof of the Mazda MX-5 is different than the soft-top versions. The roof is made with sound absorbing steel and aluminum panels. It only weighs 100 lbs more than the soft top, and it fits into an incredibly small space.

All of a sudden, my boring errand to the bank was no longer just a chore to get through! The wind felt amazing in my hair, and sunlight was pouring down on me. My house is up on a hill, and getting down to the main road sometimes feels like it takes forever. But this time, I felt like I wanted the twists and turns under the trees and blue sky to last forever.

Needless to say, that night I forced my husband to join me on a cruise. He was glad that he did! The two of us had so much fun cranking up the music and driving down to Houston with the top down. We actually stopped on an overlook and watched the sunset and just stare at the skyline! It reminded me of when we first started dating, and we used to go on drives just for the sake of being out in the world on our own, with no distractions.

This car would be a great choice for a young, newly married couple, who are enjoying that stage of life without kids. That time of life is so special, and it goes by so quickly! Being newly married is the time to just enjoy the freedom that you have, and this car would certainly help you get the most out of those years. I can imagine driving to the beach on a sunny day with the top down. You could go for a ride in crisp fall air and check out Halloween decorations. It would also be fun taking slow cruises around the neighborhood, looking at Christmas lights with hot chocolate in the cup holder. What fun! If I could live the ‘newly married’ part of my life over again, I’d want to be driving a car just like the Mazda MX-5.

In addition to making driving fun, the light, sporty MX-5 was super safe. When my husband and I weren’t out on drives just for the pleasure of being together in the car, I was using it as my everyday vehicle. The lane departure warning system was great; when I was driving above 41 mph,  the car warned me if I was straying from my lane.  

It also had cool cameras and warning sounds and symbols that would alert me if traffic was near, when I was backing up, which was really convenient in crowded and busy parking lots. Night driving was easier than ever. The headlights actually turned when I turned the car, and the high beams automatically switched off when there was oncoming traffic. I felt like a better driver!

Hopefully, I will still be able to perform all of the duties that the car was taking care of for me, when I go back to my old car. Maybe a Mazda MX-5 will be in my future — permanently this time!