Two years after unveiling the Mazda MX-5 RF at the 2016 New York Auto Show, Mazda is giving the raunchy sports car a new update ahead of its 2018MY release. The updates are subtle, but with a car like the MX-5 RF, even the smallest of changes can go a long way in giving the sports car a fresh perspective in the eyes of prospective customers.

For the 2018MY, the Mazda MX-5 Miata RF will feature four trim levels: Club, Club with Brembo/BBS Package, Grand Touring, and Grand Touring with Auburn Nappa later. Each of these trims has something new to offer, including the addition of keyless entry and heated cloth sports seats in the Club trims.

Should you decide to get manual transmission version of the MX-5 RF Club, you’ll receive a sports car that comes with front air dam and rear spoiler extensions, black side mirror caps, and rear seat stitching, all while sitting on a set of 17-inch dark alloy wheels. Throw in the Brembo/BBS Package and you get also get a palette of color options, a rear bumper skirt, body sill extensions, black leather seats with heating functions, and extra wheel options.

The Club and Grand Touring trim options also share a few standard equipment. The LED headlights, for example, are standard. So is the leather steering wheel. Both trims also get a gear shifter knob, an infotainment system with a seven-inch display, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio with a four-month trial subscription, and a Bose premium sound system.

The updates are impressive, but if you really want to make the most out of your MX-5 RF purchase, the range-topping Grand Touring trim with the Auburn Nappa leather interior is the way to go. The premium leather goes well with the available color options for the sports car, as well as the heated leather seats. Tech and safety items like automatic climate control, navigation system, adaptive automatic headlights with high-beam control, rain-sensing wipers, and the Lane Departure Warning System all come standard on the MX-5 RF Grand Touring.

Unfortunately, the changes, or at least the good ones, end there. There are no updates to the car’s engine, which means that all versions of the 2018 MX-5 RF will still get the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque.

The updates also come with the expected price increase. No surprises there. For 2018 models of the MX-5 RF, pricing now starts at $31,910 for the six-speed manual version. That’s $355 more than the base price ($31,555) of the 2017 model. Opt for the one with the automatic and you’ll need to tack on an extra $600 for the trouble. Meanwhile, the Grand Touring trim now starts at $32,750, an increase of $130 from its 2017MY price.

Premium paint colors:

References

Mazda MX-5

Read our full review on the 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF.