Soft shell or hard shell?

I ask you: "What can be better than a hot sunny summer's day at the wheel of a convertible with the one you love by your side?" Those that answered "Nothing" probably own a convertible or a roadster and have experienced such a day when all the planets are aligned in perfect harmony. Mazda has enjoyed tremendous success with their roadster; best of all, Mazda has been infusing its vehicles with small doses of Miata-ness to the great pleasure of fans of the brand since 1990.

The little roadster has attracted an ever-growing number of fans since day one.

Mazda has been thinking outside of the box since day 1. From the Cosmos to the RX-8, Mazda has always approached the automobile from a road-less-travelled point of view. Through the decades, Mazda has become famous for being Mazda and nowhere is it truer than in Quebec where these Japanese products disappear faster than you can say "gone in 60 seconds".

More accommodating interior
The recently redesigned Mazda MX-5 is as round and charming as the original car. Its larger overall dimensions are especially appreciated by the passengers. Where there was once little or no leg, elbow and headroom, there is now ample space to nearly stretch your legs on a long trip. The dashboard of the new MX-5 is flatter and protrudes less into the passenger's personal space.

The great seats continue to be supportive and thanks to the tilting steering wheel, a more adequate driving position is found. There is still a good number of storage bins for pockets to be emptied into and the trunk size is actually cooperative, especially when compared to some of its competitors.

But I am not so sure I like all of this. What happened to having to suffer a little in order to be rewarded? I have actually become of the mindset that the MX-5 is too clement to its passengers; it feels like a glove that is one size too big. I think I have come to miss not having any room for my legs and elbows. One thing that does trouble me is the pair of door-mounted cup-holders. I somehow never noticed in the past that they dig into my knee when I am cornering hard.

Two tops to choose from
For 2007, Mazda has joined the popular retractable hard top clan. The MX-5 now joins the likes of the 3-Series BMW, Volvo C70, Chrysler Sebring, Volkswagen EOS and a few mostly European products that offer the best of both worlds when it comes to tanning your cranium and getting around in the winter.

The power retractable hard top is a new feature for 2007.