Updated 2020 Mazda MX-5 Arrives With Fancy 'GT Sport Tech' Trim Grade

Mazda really went to town on the ND MX-5 the last time the dinky roadster got an update. A great deal of the 2.0-litre SkyActiv engine was chucked away, with the unit gaining new valve springs, lighter pistons and con rods, revised crankshaft counterweights and more.

The result was a 7500rpm-revving delight with a decent uplift in power. For the ND’s latest update, however, Mazda hasn’t been quite so committed. But don’t be too disappointed, as the Japanese manufacturer has given the car a new, fully-loaded ‘GT Sport Tech’-trimmed range-topper. It’s unrelated to the Playstation game of (almost) the same name, before you ask.

With the GT Sport, you get 17-inch BBS wheels, Nappa leather seats in Burgundy and Polymetal Grey Metallic paintwork. It’s yours for £31,795, while at the opposite end of the scale, there’s the £23,795 SE-L entry-level model. It isn’t exactly barren in terms of equipment, coming with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, electrically adjustable/heated mirrors and a seven-inch touchscreen-based infotainment screen as standard.

From there we have the MX-5 Sport for £26,095, which has all of the SE-L’s gear plus rear parking sensors, leather trim, rain-sensing wipers and a nine-speaker Bose sound system. The £30,295 Sport Tech sits just under the GT Sport and has been given 17-inch wheels, a reversing camera and blind-spot monitoring in its standard kit list. Go for the 181bhp 2.0-litre version of the Sport Tech, and you’ll find Bilstein dampers, a front strut brace and a limited-slip different added into the mix.

The sole mechanical chance is a new ‘i-ELOOP’ energy recovery system that harvests power under braking. It works together with a new stop/start setup, making the already frugal MX-5 even more efficient. The car is now compliant with the new, more stringent WLTP cycle.

The 2020 Mazda MX-5 is available to order now and will be arriving at dealers next month.