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Mazda MX-5 1.5-litre gains power as 2.0-litre exits UK
Mazda has updated the 1.5-litre MX-5 with a modest power increase and extra equipment, confirming the 2.0-litre version has been withdrawn from the UK market due to emissions regulations.
By Charlotte Redford · 3 min read
Mazda has confirmed that the 1.5-litre MX-5 will receive a small increase in power and additional equipment, following the removal of the range-topping 2.0-litre version from the UK market. The roadster now produces 134bhp and 114lb ft, a rise of 4bhp and 3lb ft over the previous 1.5-litre model, though it remains well short of the 181bhp and 151lb ft delivered by the discontinued 2.0-litre engine.
The Japanese manufacturer is keen to position the 1.5-litre as the engine the current-generation MX-5 was designed around. In a statement, Mazda said the unit's light weight, responsive and accessible performance perfectly reflect its Jinba Ittai philosophy, which translates as horse and rider. Alongside the power increase, the engine's sound has been revised for what the company claims is better driver engagement, while CO2 emissions have fallen by 1g/km.
The updated model also benefits from equipment previously reserved for the 2.0-litre. The range-topping Homura and Homura Plus trims now gain Bilstein dampers and a front strut brace, which sharpen the roadster's handling. However, the asymmetrical limited-slip differential fitted to the 2.0-litre, which added to its appeal as a driver's car, has not been carried over.
The updated 1.5-litre MX-5 is due to arrive in the UK in January, which is also when Mazda UK forecasts it will run out of stock of new 2.0-litre examples. Pricing for the revised model has yet to be announced, but Mazda emphasised that the MX-5 is one of only three sub-£30,000 convertibles on sale in the UK, committing to the model's affordability.
The 2.0-litre was dropped due to stricter emissions regulations. A spokesperson for Mazda UK explained that the engine was removed from European markets in 2024 as a result of changing rules, but different derogation timings in the UK allowed an extended sales period. That period has now ended, and sales will cease once existing stock has been sold.
The future of the MX-5 in the UK remains uncertain. Although it serves as the marque's halo model, the current-generation version is now more than a decade old and sales have declined from around 4,000 units in 2019 to roughly 1,500 in subsequent years. Autocar awarded the 2.0-litre MX-5 a rare five-star rating in its road test this year, describing it as the definitive sports car.
