Latest wheels or the original ride? Comparing the 2016 Mazda Miata to its 1989 original

[SOUND] [MUSIC] Welcome to Whale's where we're here to test the very latest [UNKNOWN] form Mazda NX5. But first I've beaten an argument because which I think the new things are always better. For example, the McLaren P1 faster, smarter just better. No, no, no Alex McLaren F1. The original is far better. Kevin I think Cardamom oak. Play boy. What about Gran Torismo? Hour run. See that's the issue I have with Mach IX 5, no doubt it's a great car but it's been built to preserve the driving dynamics of the original Mach 1 MX 5 that we all love. So while it's built it to copy the original, why not just buy the original? Retro is better. [MUSIC] Mazda has worked hard, to keep the driving dynamics of this, the Mark 4MX5, as close as possible to the winning recipe of the Mark 1. Power has soared from 115 to 158 break horsepower but the basic recipe is the same. As it was on the Mark 2 and the Mark 3 as well. The power [UNKNOWN] dynamics and amounts of grip, are all served up in equally modest helpings. The great package That anyone can enjoy it anytime, even on a damp Welsh racetrack. There's a 1.5 liter model, and then there's this, the 2 liter sport. You see, Alex, I think you have just as much fun in a Mark I as you would a Mark IV. These things are 10% of the cost of of buy, they're appreciating in value, they can run on classic car insurance, And rust aside, they are pretty robust. And you do have quite a bit of rust in- No, that's not rust, that's patina. Patina. [SOUND] Thank you. [SOUND] So then, Rich thinks that older is better and his evidence of this is he's part ways through restoration Mark 1MX5, it's one of the oldest in the country. If not [UNKNOWN] all this, yes, its got a few rough edges but something that he was [UNKNOWN] to point out, and I actually agree with, is that you can buy one of this for a couple of grands. They are cheap, and for what I'm actually experiencing, and for what this does, they seem like amazing The steering is lovely. It's happy. It's a bit light. It's a bit on the light side but it feels direct and it feels good. There's a lot on this one. Brilliant. The brakes less so. The gearbox is one of Mazda's things and the MX5's gearbox has always been the thing to go for. Because it's brilliant. It's stunning. For a car made in the late 80's, this feels far better than lots of cars you could buy today. For having driven the Mark IV, which feels a bit more modern, a bit more grown up, a bit more sourced, this doesn't feel a million miles away in a For a tenth of the price. And I think it looks good as well. I think it looks really good. Immensely well. I'm tempted to be rude about the man's car. Purely just to make him feel bad about himself, but I don't really want to because this thing is fantastic. Yes he's rough around the edges, yes he's old, yes I have to watch the temperature gauge because on this one it can be a little bit odd. I can see why Rich is a bit down on the MD, on the Mark 4, cuz the NA Still stands up. It's still fantastic. And you know what? The proof of that is in the enormous modification scene. The fact that you keep seeing these all over the place with silly wheels on them, or induction kits, or anything done to Just to personalize them, to make them their owners. [INAUDIBLE] is so [INAUDIBLE] in its [UNKNOWN] over the years. If you want one, you can have one. It's not an unattainable beast. You can push it as hard as you want and it'll just fly. New is a bit better, and it's a little bit sharper and it's a bit quicker. And I think it looks a bit better. But old is more attainable, [BLANK_AUDIO] And it almost can make me feel 99% as good as the new one makes me feel for a lot less money. I'm kind of tempted to buy the old. Now this is the first time that I've ever driven a mark four. It's a new car. I have driven a mark three and a mark two and of course that [UNKNOWN] mark one is my own so I'm pretty familiar with MX size driving dynamics. This car just feels like more of the same. Okay, we've got an extra gear, we've got a 158 BHP which is quite a lot more than the 115 in the Mark 1. But you've got the same pretty sharp steering, even though now it's electric, not hydraulic. The same kind of feeling that you're leaning over on your tires a little bit. So the specs, okay, you can spec these cars fairly high. This is a two-liter sport model. And it's got a couple of extras on it. And I'm not entirely sure that I really need it. I've got a blind spot assist, I've got a lane warning departure, all the buttons for this are down here. And it might not add weight but it certainly adds cost, and I'm really not sure it's needed on a car like this. Blind spot assist, I mean the visibility in thing is fantastic. It's a convertible. Goodness sakes. One of the reasons people love [UNKNOWN] is the styling. That knock off fantasy land pop up head light funkiness. Everybody loves that. You always get their pass at junctions and well it isn't a threatening car. It's a sports car without being in your face. But this, I have to say, I really don't like the styling of this car. It's got a face off [UNKNOWN]. All aggressive and snarly, and maybe Mazda's done that thinking they'll sell a few more cars to blokes that'll want a sports car, but this isn't really a hardcore sports car. This is just a weekend car. It doesn't need that nasty face. I want to be let out at junctions. I'd be quite tempted to buy one of these, but actually but the 1.5. Because for all of its faux-sportiness, it is faux-sportiness. You're not really buying a dedicated track car. You can do the [UNKNOWN] in it. But indeed, the appeal of an NX5 is, it can be a daily driver that you enjoy the odd track day with. Trips to the seaside, and generally just a bit of fun on B roads. So I don't really think you need this two liter, because you're always chasing more power anyway. Best not to bother, just enjoy what you've got. Enjoy the modest levels of grip, modest levels of power. It's a damn good car. Just don't [UNKNOWN]. [MUSIC] Yes, this is quite expensive, it's 20000-ish pounds. And yes, it does have lots of [UNKNOWN] Like traction control, ABS, air bags, and heated seats. It's quite chilly. I bet my bottom is being warmed delightfully. Not the 16 exchange over seven, top speed at over 130 miles per hour. They aren't overwhelming numbers, driving wise. It's hilarious fun. Yes, it's a bit wallow-y in the course but it is a standard in X drive. This is what happens before people do stuff to it. This has taken everything that the Mark 1 has done and updated it to 2015. Your old car may be the purest and the earliest of the breed, but right now you couldn't sell the old one. Today you can sell this. This carries the spirit of it. It really is neat. You've gotta remember that this is a 25 year old car now. And they were kind of a bit cheap and tinny when they were new and they haven't gotten better with age. But you have to look beyond the slightly ugly cosmetic issues, because what you have underneath is a fantastic bit of car. This is the only car that makes me feel like my first ever drive. You know that feeling you have when you pass your test? You get your first car, your first ever insurance, and you head out on your own for the first time and you're grinning. You can go anywhere and you can do anything. But the weird thing is That car makes me feel like this even though I've been driving for 500 years because I'm old and wrinkly. I simply love driving it. I bought it 10 years ago for a Fanger rally and it's basically had nothing spent on it until a few months ago when finally when another MOT fell under it's belt, I had the suspension done, gear box done, roof done, feet done, couple new wings and a bit of new paint It's still not perfect. These shouldn't be treated as garage greens. These cars are to be driven. They are suppose to be cars you can rely on for weekend trips out. For the odd track day. Maybe even a bit of drifting too with some cheap tires on it. The cars everybody can enjoy. On path. No Rubik's Cubes. All right, what about Lewis Hamilton? Center, every time. And I think Center would appreciate the pure driving experience [INAUDIBLE] He probably would have liked it, but, you say this is one of the oldest in the country, but with all you've done to it, it's probably one of the newest as well. Still, I do get it, it's pure low cost, low speed, low power handling fun. When you think about something like a Porsche, yeah it's fast and it's [uuu] what have you, but can you really push it on the road really? Probably not. In one of these, you can. And in the Mark 4, I've got leather seats, I've got sat radio and it's even got climate control. You know why you need climate control? In a convertible, why? Well because I like the seat warm but my heart cold. Yeah, and I suppose also, if people don't buy Mark 4 and X5s, there are no low cost, cheap sports cars of the future. This is true. Anyway, with all that going, I need some food. Is there a buy in somewhere around here? What's Byron Burger? There's a Wimpy. [LAUGH] [NOISE] [MUSIC]