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Mazda drops 2.0-litre MX-5 as emissions rules tighten
Mazda has removed the 2.0-litre MX-5 from UK sale, leaving the 1.5-litre as the only option. The decision reflects tightening CO2 rules and raises questions about which affordable fun engines remain.
By Edward Beaumont · 4 min read
Mazda has quietly dropped the 2.0-litre version of the MX-5 from its UK line-up, leaving the smaller 1.5-litre engine as the only option for buyers of the iconic roadster. The move, which follows the engine’s earlier removal from continental European price lists, is a direct consequence of Mazda’s limited electric vehicle sales and the need to reduce fleet-wide CO2 emissions. The 2.0-litre unit emitted 13g/km more than the 1.5, and with every gramme counting towards regulatory targets, Mazda decided the larger engine had to go.
The loss of the 2.0-litre is not as damaging to the MX-5’s appeal as the fate that befell the Ford Puma ST a few years ago, when Ford replaced its 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine and manual gearbox with a 1.0-litre automatic, effectively neutering the hot crossover. The MX-5 with the 1.5-litre engine retains the same fundamental character as its bigger sibling: it sounds good for a four-cylinder, responds keenly, loves to rev, and still comes with arguably the best manual gearbox on sale. The main sacrifices are outright pace and the low-end grunt that allowed drivers to steer the 2.0-litre on the throttle in the dry.
Mazda’s PR line that the ND-generation MX-5 was designed around the 1.5-litre engine is only partly accurate. That claim mostly refers to early versions of the 2.0-litre, which were something of an afterthought for the American market and used an engine that did not rev as eagerly. Later 2.0-litre units were much more lively. Buyers will still be able to specify the 1.5-litre with Recaro seats and other niceties previously exclusive to the 2.0, and while a limited-slip differential is not offered from the factory, aftermarket units cost only about £1,000.
The MX-5’s 1.5-litre engine is not the only affordable fun unit left. The 1.2-litre three-cylinder in the Suzuki Swift deserves a place on any list of enjoyable small petrol engines. In an age when many electric vehicles produce more than 300bhp, these small units make up for their lack of power with enthusiasm. Both the MX-5 and Swift engines can be taken to the redline all day without feeling mechanically unsympathetic — revving is what they do. The same cannot be said for the 1.0-litre triple in the Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto, which is willing but weedy.
For those with a larger budget, the Germans still produce some excellent straight sixes. BMW’s B58 and Mercedes’ M256 are both 3.0-litre turbocharged units, usually found in large SUVs often with plug-in assistance and subdued tuning. In more sporting applications, such as the BMW M340i and Mercedes-AMG CLE 53, they offer a willingness to rev with a smooth, cultured voice. Two rarer engines also deserve a nod: Audi’s EA855 five-cylinder, which has lent rally-car vibes to the RS3 and Cupra Formentor, and the naturally aspirated V8 in the Ford Mustang. The Coyote V8 is endlessly surprising — it loves to rev but still sounds like a muscle car at a gentle canter.
The petrol engine is far from dead, but most remaining units are worthy, torquey, efficient things. The removal of the MX-5 2.0-litre is one fewer choice in a shrinking market, and it is worth celebrating the fun engines that remain.
