Dropped my 2005 MazdaSpeed MX-5 Turbo off for its first free oil change yesterday. Spent about an hour setting in the new ones in the showroom while waiting.
Hope I don't offend any new owners, but I don't like them. I'll admit they are very highly rated by the auto press and probably would run rings around mine with their bigger engine. But a few things I don't like.
They put a big 5 inch wide black shiny plastic cheap looking rectangular piece along the top of the dash in place of the smooth mat black convex vinyl of the 05, moved all the radio controls to the steering wheel just where I like to rest my thumbs while I grip the wheel, and changed all the gages. They look cheap with plasticy looking bezels around them. They added a big coffee cup holder on the door which means now I can't comfortably lean my leg against the door like I do now when driving, and replaced the soft vinyl padded visors with thin flimsy solid, no padding, cheap black plastic ones. Outside they added big out of proportion bulbous fender flairs. These look great on a larger car like the 350Z, but I think they're out of place on a sleek little MX-5.
About the only thing I really liked were the new stainless shift knob and shift pattern, and the Michelin 205-45R-17 tires. You have to press down now on the shifter to engage reverse which is on the driver's leg side up towards the dash where it belongs. And the tires look more winter drivable than my Toyo's.
All in all, it's still a nice roadster but I'm really glad I bought the last of the classic Speed MX-5's. And I'm still smiling about that $6000 discount. There's just something about the new ones that doesn't look and feel right to me.