MAZDA

New generation Mazda MX-5 debuts new naturally aspirated 2.5L engine

The new generation of the Mazda MX-5 will remain faithful to the recipe that made it one of the most beloved roadsters on the planet: small, light and with a naturally aspirated engine coupled to a manual gearbox.

All good news, right? Wrong. Despite the good news for purists, the Portuguese have reason to be worried. And it's not because of emissions, it's because of our taxation.

Apparently, the new Mazda MX-5 of the NE generation — which replaces the ND generation launched in 2015 — will have a «mega engine» with the largest displacement in the history of this model.

In a context where manufacturers are rushing towards electrification (some with more desire than others…) and where even thermal engines survive only with turbochargers, electric assistance or sensor networks dictating power delivery, Mazda is once again rowing against the tide.

Ryuichi Umeshita, the manufacturer's technical director, confirmed that the next MX-5 will dispense with the turbo and adopt a new naturally aspirated block with 2.5 liters of displacement. The name? Skyactiv-Z

According to Umeshita, “the power will be very good and the fuel economy will be good too.” The associated technology? A new lambda (λ) combustion process, adjusted to keep consumption under control and meet future Euro 7 standards.

An engine that promises hassle-free performance and low consumption. We'll talk about this later because there's another weighty topic that needs to be explained.

Light, light, light...The engine has grown, but the weight will remain moderate. This is one of the goals set by Masashi Nakayama, general director of Mazda's design division. The Japanese brand intends for the roadster to remain under four meters long and weigh around one ton.

The next generation will remain true to these principles. And that also means that interior space will remain limited. The priority remains lightness and agility, not habitability. We managed to handle it well.

The Portuguese have a problem. The thing is that the taxation of Portuguese cars continues to favor outdated criteria — for example, the most ecological Renault Clio on sale in Portugal pays 10 times more tax than the gasoline version.

It's all because of the engine displacement. Therefore, while in other markets the new MX-5 will be able to maintain a competitive positioning, among us, the 2.5 liters of displacement will make it an (even more) niche car.

It's the same tax logic that penalized the Toyota GR86, Gazoo Racing's cheapest model. In Portugal its price was at the same level as the GR Yaris, all because it paid much more tax with its 2.4 liters than the 1.6-liter three-cylinder. The consequence was clear: the GR86 had a very timid commercial career among us.

Mazda admits it is studying an all-electric version of the MX-5, but weight remains an almost insurmountable obstacle. Furthermore, an electric car is not exactly what most consumers are looking for in a model of this nature.

There is a third hypothesis. A mild-hybrid version of the Mazda MX-5 is not ruled out, with a smaller engine and the help of an electric system. But any system that goes beyond that seems unlikely at this point. The brand wants to keep the Miata light, simple and true to itself.

According to Mazda, the first model with the new Skyactiv-Z will only arrive in 2027, under the hood of an SUV — probably the successor to the CX-5. The MX-5 is expected to follow shortly after, meaning the current-generation ND3 still has a few more years to go.

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