Where to start...
The ingredients are right for a cool car. Pretty-pretty styling and purpose built convertible. It has no uncool fundamentals...
Except what came before it. The NC/NC.5 isn't as sharp looking as the NA/NB/NB.5. It certainly isn't as sharp-handling either - as standard it comes with a 4x4 ride height that can be rectified with a £400 aftermarket Eibach suspension kit which was attached to the original show car but deleted from the production model. This doesn't fix the handling completely though - it's not a patch on former '5s.
And that's because it's also much heavier - and to compensate for the extra weight they've stuck a 2 litre engine in it (no idea where the performance in post 1 comes from - it's no faster than a 1.8 NA/NB), completely missing the point of what made MX-5s good in the first place... the Lotus Elan. Wee engine up front driving wee wheels out back and not much in between except some guy wearing flying goggles and that weekend's mistress.
That engine itself is an issue as well. It's a 2 litre MZR. Except it's a 2 litre Ford Focus engine with MZR stamped on it. For that matter almost every moving part on the NC/NC.5 is sourced from a Ford Focus - it's a reversing Focus...
And then we get to the owners. NC owners aren't MX-5 owners. They're NC owners - usually older, former '5 owners or that certain type of girl who wants a cute little convertible and it's a toss up between that and the Mini Cabrio.
Ultimately, the NC/NC.5 is a bigger, softer, comfier MX-5. It's a cruiser, not a sports car. That's fine, but it's a different market, there's other cars which do the job better and, essentially, they're playing on the good name of the MX-5 to shift a car which isn't one.
But none of that matters. It's a small, cute, purpose-built convertible. Take the roof off and drive it about for a day and you'll get out with a smile on your face.
I hate this car, but it's cool.
