First launched back in 1989, the Mazda MX-5 is currently in its fourth generation. The current model - MX-5 ND – was introduced in 2014 and, except for a small power bump received in 2019, it remained pretty much unchanged. While there are few people out there that will say the MX-5 is not a great car, a lot has changed in the industry since 2014, and the small sports car is way overdue for an update. In a recent interview with WhichCar, the brand’s Head of Design, Akira Tamatani, confirmed a new generation MX-5 will arrive sometime in 2026. While he said nothing about the next MX-5 being all-electric, he did confirm it will receive some sort of electrification, while its exterior design will be inspired by the Vision Study we've seen in late November.
The New MX-5 Miata Will Comply With Euro 7 Emission Standards
The first thing that Tamatani confirmed is that, although it is difficult to justify the expense of standalone performance cars, Mazda will not follow the example of other makers that teamed up to build tiny sports cars, and the MX-5 will remain an in-house project. He also said that based on the current request, the MX-5 will continue in the future, but it will arrive after the new Euro 7 emissions regulations come into effect in July 2025. Since the new regulations will lower the NOx (nitrous oxide) emissions by about 35%, Mazda will have to electrify the MX-5 in some way.
While Tamatani said the company still has to "investigate the most appropriate strategy for the future MX-5 which will not betray our passionate fans’ expectations," the most plausible solution is a hybrid powertrain. But, by doing so, Mazda will have to come up with a solution to keep the car's weight as low as possible to deliver at least the same performance figures as the current model. As a reminder, the current MX-5 weighs only 1,021 kilos (2,250 pounds) in manual guise – which is about 90 kilos (198 pounds) lighter than the previous MX-5 NC. The question is: can Mazda find a solution to keep the next MX-5 lighter than the current one?
“The next-generation MX-5 we may have to think about electrification as well there, and if that’s the case the car has to be lightweight, of course, and it still has to have an MX-5-ness,” Tamatani told WhichCar.
The Next MX-5 Will Be Inspired By The Vision Study
When Mazda unveiled the Vision Study as part of its mid-term management plan update in late November 2022, it was believed the concept previews either the next MX-5 or the long-rumored RX-7's return. Well, both rumors are apparently wrong as the Vision Study is “just an image,” Tamatani said. It would, however, provide some sort of inspiration for the future MX-5, but that’s pretty much it. With the concept Mazda just wanted to show it “has this passion to create that type of vehicle, that’s the message we want to say.”
No matter what, the next MX-5 will be like no other Miata before, and we will learn more about it in the next months.