Sorry if you’ve had this post before but was wondering who’s driven all 4 mk’s or even had the pleasure of owning all 4! I’ve owned the mk1 (91) and had two mk3’s (55)(13) after test driving a mk4 (65). I’m mk3 all the way but never experienced a mk2! Favourite’s please?
Never owned or driven a MK1. Worked at a Mazda Dealership between 2006-2012 and drove lots of MK2’s & 3’s - Part of my job was accompanying potential customers on their test drives… I never really compared them that much because back then owning one was impossible due family circumstances. After getting a bit bored of turbo hot-hatches, I got my 2018 ND2 back in July 2020… and am loving it! (Any excuse to put a photo up…!)
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Yes I have.
The issue is, many, many cars that are older are now modified and there were and still are many variants.
The issue really comes down to interior and “civility” as modifications to ride, performance and just about everything else abound. If you can live without a glove box and with a thin steering wheel, the MK4 is great. If 4 cup holders is essential then the the MK3 will fit the bill. If you need to drop the hood in a couple of seconds, the MK2 will do that and pop up head lights only come in one version. The list goes on.
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Owned Mk1s. Drove Mk2 on first day of launch. Drove preproduction Mk3. Drove JDM Mk4 at Goodwood. Stuck with the Mk1.
First thing I noticed about the Mk3. The annoying cupholder in the door. And I broke the roof.
Own a Mk1 but it is a project that isn’t road legal yet and I would count bringing it out the garage as ‘driving it’.
Sat in a Mk2 but crushed my knee between the steering wheel and door handle so never got the chance to drive it.
Owned and drove a Mk3, thoroughly enjoyed but I agree with @ast as I too never understood the annoying cupholder in the door.
Currently own a Mk4 that I absolutely love!
I’ve owned the first three ,currently have a 3.75. They are all very similar like others have said its just more driver comforts as they modernise . The mk 1 has proper character with the pop up headlights and shape, the mk2 looks brought it up to date more but still great fun . Then in my opinion the 3.75 is the best looking mx5 ,all great cars and still have great fun factor. Not been in or drove a mk4 I think they’ve buggered the looks up on this model but thats my opinion.
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Owned a MK1 driven a Mk2 and 3 and now own a Mk4. Loved my MK1 it’s the longest I have ever owned a car, pop up headlights annoyed me though. I was impressed with the Mk2, the MK3 wasn’t so impressed with but I liked the 3.5 I drove, but the best one as far as I’m concerned for the looks and the way it drives is my MK4 
Owned 4 Mk1 and 2 Mk2 and have had my Mk3 for 8 years. Driven the mk4, but only a 1.5 (had to drive it like you stole it) I think the new higher power 2.0 will be nice but I can’t justify the cost to myself!
MK1 fun, but rattles and flexes.
Mk2 had an RS and a 10AE nice but moved on!
MK3 hate it standard, not precise and not like an earlier MX5 in the way of a sports car. Now it’s modified and goes and handles like a sports car/MX5. Got rid of the annoying cup holder in the leg by fitting NC2 door cards
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Wonder how your lovely supercharged 10AE is doing these days.
Hope it’s still going.
Owned a MK1 for eight years - used it every day and loved it.
Owned a MK2 for three years and adored it, but stupidly sold it.
Owned two different MK3’s - the second was a 2 litre Sport which I liked and kept for nearly four years.
Test drove a MK4 at our local dealer when they were first launched - liked it, but could not afford to buy a brand new car!
Bought my old MK2 back last year - still love it, and am absolutely delighted to have it back!!
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Only driven a couple of Mk3’s over the years, just could not get comfortable but that’s my spine rather than the car. One was a LE 1800 just out the Main Dealer box, and it felt lardy & gutless at the time.
Drove a few pre-launch ND’s on the Mazda UK VIP day, and was totally smitten for a raft of reasons.
Have owned our 93 Mk1 & 2002 Mk2.5 both for 15 years now. Been through, with both, the rot rebuilds as most know.
The Mk2.5 is by far the “better car” for many reasons.and until lockdown the obvious choice for longer distance work.
Never the less my Mk1 with it’s little rattles,& shakes is for me is the more entertaining of the two. Now it’s had it’s new chassis & brakes etc it’s the one I look back at the the car park, not the Sport…which I see as “just the other family car”.
SWMBO on the other hand sees her Sport as her special 5, and looks at mine with indifference. Different strokes, different folks.
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Drove a Mk1 demonstrator in 1996 but did not buy (There was a waiting list)
Bought a Mk3 2.0 Sport in 2007, my least liked MX5 unfortunately.
In 2009 took a friends Mk2.5 1.6 in part exchange for my Mk3 and loved the earlier model so part exchanged it within months for a low mileage immaculate Mk2.5 1.8 “Arctic”. The “Arctic” was my favourite MX5 but since October 2019 I have owned and barely driven an ND2 Mk4 2.0 GT Sport Nav+.
Yes I have driven and owned all four versions but keep coming back to the MK3 (currently a Sport Black in Green, My Third one!)
I started with an NA, a Eunos Roadster V Spec, which I loved. It was in great condition, but was becoming a bit maintenance intensive, so when an immaculate NC popped up locally for sale I bought it on impulse. I advertised the Eunos and my phone just about exploded, I could have sold it ten times over! I have very happy memories of that car, but age was slowly getting the better of it sadly.
My NC was a basic 1800cc Mk 3.5, with only 4,000 miles on the clock, so in effect it was all but a new car, so it was nice to have 100% reliability and no upkeep worries. I really enjoyed it and thought it was a very characterful car and rather underrated version of the MX5.
I sold it as I had too many cars, and regretted it, so I set about looking for an NB, but was very disappointed by what I found. They were either ruined rust buckets, which were horrible to drive, or expensive so called “collectors cars” which were nothing of the sort. Then one day in summer 2019 I happened upon a pre-registered ND SE+ for sale at a whopping discount, effectively brand new with 10 miles on the clock, so again on impulse I bought it. I certainly have not regretted it, as it is the best of the bunch so far.
The NA is delightful, but is now old and you have to make allowances for that. I tried to find an NB that was was worth buying, but failed miserably. Find a good NC, especially a later version, and I think they are still under appreciated, great cars. However, if your budget will run to it, the ND is head and shoulders the best yet, and I prefer the 1.5 version over the 2.0 litre.
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Up until last year we had 2 NA’s (one belonging to youngest son after coming back from uni - awaiting decision/time to rebuilt or not) 1 NB 2.5. 1 NC3 and a ND2. The NB has now gone, for some reason neither of us got on with it.
The NA is definitely much fun (mine is an auto), NC in my opinion has been immensely under ratted in the past, but is now starting to come into it’s own, but the odd one out of the 4. ND our favourite by far, harks back to MX5 roots but with quality and performance by the bucket
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Not tried a MK4 but will one day.
MK1 1.8 Harvard
MK2 1.8 Euphoric on MesiterR CRD coilovers
MK3 2.0 sport pfht stock
I really like MK1, 2 and 3. I just find my NC 1 2.0 Sport is my favorite. It’s still a fun drive for me and that’s all I wanted. I like the fact the NC has traction control if needed, allows me to learn rwd in the wet without it getting out of hand. The PFHT is great for security vs soft top and it doesn’t rattle. Maybe I just drove bad examples? But the Mk1 and Mk2 rattled quite a bit over bumps and pot holes.
Mk1 and Mk2 are issue for me due to ultra low emissions zone right next to me and it’s £12 every time you drive your car there if it doesn’t meet the regulations and mk1 and mk2 pre 2003 don’t pass.
I also believe the NC is the best value right now. My other car is a FN2 Type r which people say is the worst type r ever but that just means good deals to be had, which is what I feel my NC was.
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Owned all 4 in Australia, where I worked for 10 years in a Mazda dealership before retiring and coming back to the UK 2 years ago. NA V-Special, NB8A, Mazdaspeed turbo aka SE, NC, ND1.5. Since coming back to UK, standard NC PRHT, '90 NA6 auto, '93 S-Special, 09 NC PRHT BBR200. Still have the last two.
Yes I have had all four, currently without, so driving my Mazda 6 GT sport nav tourer.
1995 Mazda MX5 Gleneagles N826NCD
2003 Mazda MX5 Nevada CK03XZF
1994 Mazda MX5 1.8i Sport M884UNK
2009 Mazda MX5 1.8 SE AC GU59ZBE
2012 Mazda MX5 Powershift GY12PZA
2014 Mazda MX5 1.8 SE GX64WVS
2017 Mazda MX5 Arctic no 20 GX17NHK
My favourite was no 6
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NC2 door cards? Now there’s a thought, is it a straightforward swap?