I bought my Mazda MX-5 30th Anniversary Edition in September 2019. Even now, it still feels like one of the most intentional purchases I've made.
Collecting the MX-5 on delivery day.
Why This Car
I considered other options seriously before landing here. The Audi RS3 was on the shortlist, but I could not justify the price when the gap in fun did not feel proportional. The Subaru BRZ was another contender: similar philosophy, similar price range, genuinely compelling.
What tipped it in favour of the MX-5 was the 30th Anniversary Edition itself. It is painted in a vivid orange called Racing Orange, and orange is my favourite colour. That sounds simple, but it mattered more to me than any spec-sheet comparison.
Beyond the colour, the edition made the decision feel significant. Only 3,000 were built worldwide, and mine is number 1,947. It is my first sports car and my first roadster1, and owning a car that few others share made that first feel right.
Why the Timing Mattered
The car went up for preorder early in the year, and I placed mine in February 2019. Every allocated unit sold before the car even reached our shores, which tells you everything about how quickly this edition moved.
That context mattered to me. This was not a car I could have decided on later and still found. Committing in February was the decision; September was just when it arrived.
What Ownership Has Been Like
For three years, this was my daily driver.
In all that time, it is the only car I have owned where the itch to modify never really came. No bolt-on parts, no cosmetic changes. The wheels stayed stock, which was an easy call once I realised they are exclusive lightweight Rays2 forged wheels — not something you swap out lightly.
The manual transmission was a big part of why the car felt so satisfying. Rowing through the gears made even ordinary drives feel engaging, and it reinforced how much enjoyment can come from involvement rather than outright power.
The two changes I did make felt more like sensible housekeeping than modifications. The first was replacing the comically long stock radio antenna with a stubby. The second was fitting Michelin Pilot Sport tyres once the originals reached the end of their life — a straightforward upgrade that the car rewarded immediately.
In all conditions, it handled spectacularly. I drove it with extra care in snow, but that was respect for the conditions more than any shortcoming in the car.
The MX-5 after a snowfall.
Dry roads, wet roads, mountain passes — it always felt settled and precise.
Memorable Moments
One loop through Wellington became a drive I kept returning to whenever I needed to think. I would leave the city and follow Oriental Parade into Evans Bay Parade, then continue along Shelly Bay Road, Massey Road, and Karaka Bay Road before tracing the coast through Marine Parade and Breaker Bay Road. From there I would head out along Moa Point Road, sweep onto Lyall Parade, climb through Queens Drive and The Esplanade, follow Owhiro Bay Parade and Happy Valley Road, then come back in on Ohiro Road and Brooklyn Road to the city again. It was never really about getting anywhere. The repetition was the point. The route gave my thoughts room to settle, and each familiar stretch of road seemed to carry a slightly different mood depending on the night.
A familiar stretch of the Wellington loop that made the MX-5 feel especially at home.
With the roof down, the drive always felt more alive. The wind moving over the top of my head and the engine note changing through each bend did more to make that loop feel worth repeating than anything on a spec sheet ever could. The car was not especially powerful, but it never felt dull on that route. It felt responsive and completely present — an ordinary night drive that somehow doubled as a reset.
What It Taught Me
This was the first car that really taught me what people mean when they talk about a proper sports car, and more specifically, a roadster. It did not need huge power to make an impression. The appeal was in how involved it felt at ordinary speeds: light, direct, and always asking a little more from the driver.
It made the case that engagement beats numbers on paper — that a modest car, done right, can still feel like the best one you've owned.
Where It Stands Today
After three years as my daily driver, I bought a Tesla, and its versatility made it the more practical choice for everyday driving. The MX-5 never left, though. I still take it out when I just want to drive, just not as often as I used to. I never felt much urge to modify it or turn it into a project; it already felt complete in the ways that mattered.
The memory that best sums it up is still that Wellington city loop with the roof down — nothing rare or dramatic, just the kind of drive that suited it perfectly. Living with both cars only made the MX-5's character more obvious, and it still sets the benchmark for the kind of driving experience I value most.
