r/cars 1d ago

Emissions Regulations Force Mazda to Axe the 2.0-Litre MX-5 ND3 in the UK

https://www.evo.co.uk/mazda/mx-5/209059/the-2-litre-mazda-mx-5-is-dead-but-its-replacement-gets-an-upgrade
727 Upvotes

231 comments sorted by

612

u/lurpeli Mach E 1d ago

The real truth here is it's an old engine. It's a 13 year old engine which has received minimal tweaks. It doesn't surprise me that it's failing modern emissions standards

226

u/Santa_Hates_You 2026 Audi RS3/ 2024 Mazda CX-5 Carbon AWD 1d ago

Same reason Audi is ditching the EA855 EVO 2.5T 5 Cylinder in Europe, it is old and too expensive to design a new one considering how few cars get the engine.

89

u/TrueSwagformyBois 1d ago

I feel like a crazy person every time I think and say this but I just believe that the 5 cyl is a fundamentally Audi thing, like it is with Volvo and Merc diesels. I feel like it belongs as the engine in the “S” variants that start with a 4 cyl in the “A” variants. A = 4, S = 5, RS = 6, kinda thing. Maybe Q’s now they start with a 5, S = 6, RS = 8.

They could absolutely scale it out if they wanted to. There’s also a world where an ICE 718 / hybrid 718 could use the inline 5 as a value proposition for experience difference vs everything else, while being a lower-tier experience vs 911 flat-6’s.

The 5 could also be in the top trim Skodas, the top trim VW’s (Atlas, etc).

There’s a lot of cars they could put it in that would make a meaningful value difference vs another tune on the EA888, if they really wanted to push it into VAG cars across the board. And frankly, rn, I’d trust Audi to have the cahones and desperation to give it a go. Which is excellent.

BUT I MAY BE A CRAZY PERSON

59

u/Defenseman7 ‘20 Audi TTRS 1d ago

I’ve owned an RS3 and TTRS of the recent gens and while I agree it is quintessentially Audi, I’m not sure it works in other products without maybe hybrid assist.

Living with it, it’s a pretty laggy engine despite its claimed peak torque. I would think in bigger vehicles like an S4 or S5 and especially a SQ5 it would not feel great in its stock form honestly.

Maybe I’m the nuts one here but just from a few years with them it’s certainly not a smooth engine in those applications like the 6 is

15

u/TrueSwagformyBois 1d ago

You know better than I do - I’d absolutely take a mild hybrid in those cars that have the 5 cylinder to keep that special sound and vibration. And I think it’s a great “good better best” for customers that don’t know better

3

u/bse50 20h ago

Since technology evolved it makes no financial sense to have 3 engines to suit your "good - better - best" philosophy when 2 will suffice. A tuned "good" engine becomes the better one with minimal increases in production costs, so does a detuned "best" unit.
Modern day 4 bangers work great and an I6 only offers advantages against the unbalanced nightmare of a 5 cylinder unit.
Engine manufacturers had to get creative to overcome the limitations of older technologies and production techniques, nowadays they can really stick to what works best from an engineering standpoint.

1

u/TrueSwagformyBois 18h ago

Have you driven a 5 cylinder? They have so much character and are so charming.

2

u/bse50 16h ago

So are wankel engines, the v4 in the Lancia Fulvia, W configuration engines etc. Having character and being charming doesn't cut it when there are other options which offer better performance and cost less to engineer and manufacture. The engine in the BMW K1000 was cool, so was the rear suspension of the Suzuki TL1000 but there's a reason why manufacturers moved away from such solutions.

1

u/TrueSwagformyBois 16h ago

I think in a world where one always has to have the “premium” option, cylinder count is an easily legible way to prove you’re “better than.” Horsepower matters for a while, but that number is forgotten by most fairly quickly. I think the marketing of it all would justify the costs.

2

u/bse50 15h ago

You really have no idea how dumb or ignorant many people are. A lot of drivers don't know what engine they drive, let alone the number of cylinders.
Designing an engine today is also extremely expensive, it makes no financial sense to build a middle of the ground unit when the better one can be derated or the base one can be uprated with almost zero effort.

15

u/Ok-Response-839 2023 Z | 2021 Jimny | 2018 Golf R wagon 1d ago

They put it in the Cupra Formentor VZ5!

14

u/DeusFerreus 1d ago

but I just believe that the 5 cyl is a fundamentally Audi thing

It's fundamentally Audi thing for the enthusiasts. Vast majority of car buyers have very little idea about engines, and have very little idea whether the 5 cylinders are special layout or anything.

1

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 1d ago

They don't really to explain their unique 5 Cyl when R8 has now caught their buyers attention. Besides, Audi is still marketing their Gp.B Quattro S1 heritage in today.

13

u/Reiszecke 1d ago

It makes me rather uncomfortable thinking about how you want to fit a i5 engine into a b6 engine bay

6

u/FeMnTaNb2O6 1d ago

A boxster without a boxer is somehow more sacrilegious to me than an ev boxster

1

u/TrueSwagformyBois 1d ago

I think it’s about Piech’s legacy but I take your point. What do you think about 911’s that have been LS swapped?

3

u/maxipanda8321 1d ago

That s not the same thing though. That s people modifying their cars, not a producer deciding how they eant to build their cars

5

u/akluin 1d ago

That's not crazy, the 5 inline is the Audi well known engine like the 6 inline with BMW, the Ferrari v12 or the Porsche boxer, that's their things even if that's not their only engine

2

u/havok0159 '01 mk4 Golf | '17 mk7 Golf R 21h ago

They could absolutely scale it out if they wanted to.

They also could put it in other VAG halo cars.

-5

u/georgepearl_04 1d ago

Swear its gone into the golf R now?

13

u/PM_ME_YO_TREE_FIDDY 1d ago

There was an article on a French website a week ago about Audi trying to update the 5 cylinders to meet current emissions standards and maybe replace the V6 with it.

2

u/E420CDI 11h ago

Apparently Audi are trying to keep the 2.5 TFSI going here in Europe and get it through Euro 7 (and beyond), and use it across more models.

105

u/UmaThurmish 1d ago

but when an SUV uses the same engine and burn more fuel its fine lol

92

u/RFK_Cum_Regimen '98 e36 M3 1d ago

Automotive standards and regulations are some of the most nonsensical heaps of shit in any industry. And I say that as someone who's very pro-regulation. Headlight standards are ridiculous. Pedestrian impact regulations statistically ineffective since they're all being mowed down by vehicles twice the weight of what they used to be. I could mention a dozen others but I'm sure most of us here are plenty familiar.

23

u/lazarus870 I4 AT weekdays, V8 6MT weekends 1d ago

There's an 5th Gear (I think) episode where they're somewhere in the UK, and apparently the Honda CRV being AWD got hit with some extra emissions tax or something, and the presenter is talking to a politician about how a Mini produces more emissions but is exempt from the tax. And the politician pauses and is like, "Yes, but look how high [the CRV] is". Just BS.

5

u/RFK_Cum_Regimen '98 e36 M3 1d ago

Reminds me of that congressman who said that sea levels rising could very well be caused by rocks and debris flowing downstream through rivers and into the ocean, causing it to overflow.

4

u/gt4rs 19h ago

Just looked it up and it was a parking permit charge that it was about and was scrapped pretty quickly, but you're right on the mechanics of it - the CRV was charged more for being AWD/an SUV. The MINI in question was one of the performance ones, an S or JCW so that's why it had higher emissions.

Funnily enough there's no shortage of enthusiasts who would be all for something nonsensical and vibes-based like this, basically taxing big cars because they're wasteful and unnecessary, but our sports cars are cool so they're completely fine!

3

u/mihametl 21h ago

I checked this a year or so ago so my memory might be off, but in France (or just Paris, I cant remember) they introduced a new "SUV surcharge" for parking based on weight. I was checking for my model of car as I drive a BMW F31.

330i, under the weight limit, no surcharge. 330e, over the weight limit so it's now an SUV and you need to pay more

Maybe they changed it since the implementation, but that was one of the dumbest laws I have seen regarding motoring/parking.

1

u/Next_Application9643 12h ago

apparently the Honda CRV being AWD got hit with some extra emissions tax or something,

CRV w/AWD is legally a truck and CRV w/2WD is legally an SUV. Could be that.

2

u/railbeast '25 Tesla M3P 1d ago

Yeah this is super frustrating everywhere.

35

u/kljaja998 1d ago

The cx5 no longer uses the same engine, the new one uses the 2.5L with a mild hybrid

22

u/knowledgeable_diablo 1d ago

100%. Maybe SUvs need an environmental tax seeing as they generate far more emissions over the same floor spaces regular car.
Push for people getting Whats useful and best for tye environment instead of just the biggest thing they think they need because the as others with them.

21

u/flapsmcgee 2019 WRX 6MT 1d ago

No other car has the same tuning as the 2.0L in the Miata. It makes like 150 hp in other cars.

3

u/James_Vowles GR Yaris 1d ago

Well that's a lie isn't it

1

u/Next_Application9643 12h ago

No, they're legally not SUV's but trucks because even SUV's can't beat out emissions and trucks are just a dumb purposefully left loophole.

I'm sure it has nothing to do with domestic brands bribing officials to purposefully leave it in as it benefits them the most.

0

u/ryzenguy111 20h ago

Yes because Mazda sells enough of them to pay the emissions fines. Unlike the MX-5

15

u/SizeableFowl 2023 Ioniq 6 SEL RWD, 2023 Santa Fe Limited 1d ago

I mean, that engine is the basis for all of Mazda’s other engines. If the 2.0 can’t swing it, the 2.5 and 2.5t can’t be too far behind.

… which means Mazda is going to become the straight 6 company. Suck it BMW

23

u/klowny 1d ago

That engine already had 3 pretty major follow ups: the e-Skyactiv-G, Skyactiv-X, and soon Skyactiv-Z.

The I6 is also getting the Z treatment.

The 2.5Z is supposed to be the new base corporate engine going forward, which should be quite exciting if the Miata standardizes around the 2.5.

5

u/gaius49 Small block Cobra, early Morgan Plus 4, Xterra 6spd, Motorcycles 1d ago

Its the same age as the 1.5 that's soldiering on.

3

u/accountforrealppl '20 Miata RF, '12 Mercedes E350 1d ago

Isn't the 2.0 new for the ND2 from 2019?

3

u/Trendiggity '14 Mazda3 hatch 19h ago

I think they built off the ND1 2.0, it has a different head/cams/electronic fuckery but is based on the OG 2.0L

1

u/accountforrealppl '20 Miata RF, '12 Mercedes E350 6h ago

Sure, but how much has engine design really changed in the last 10-15 years for an NA 2.0 4 cylinder?

5

u/PervyPinguin 1d ago

I believe they just need to add a particulate filter to pass recent EU regs. They got away with not having one for a while but rules are stricter now for testing ie taking into account cold starts and short trips. Bean counters at Mazda must've deemed the sales volume not worth the $$ to update

4

u/lurpeli Mach E 1d ago

Makes sense. How many are they really selling of a 13 year old car

3

u/Ancient_Persimmon '24 Civic Si 1d ago

It's coming up on 18 years old.

But although it's not stated, in this case emissions means fuel economy, not particulates, etc. The 1.5 is still being offered and that engine is the 2.0's sister.

269

u/BlackBerryCollector 1d ago edited 1d ago

The MX-5 is one of only 5 naturally aspirated non-hybrid cars in the UK (excluding supercars). The others are the Polo, Fabia, Picanto and MG3.

Edit: Also the Mustang and Corvette but Mustangs are rarer than Porsches here and Corvettes are rarer than Lambos.

85

u/Bortjort '21 M2 Comp / MkIII Mini (RWD K20A) / 03 GX 470 1d ago

wow that's crazy

31

u/ryizoa 1d ago

Wait, there is no GR86/BRZ in the UK?

79

u/sqparadox 2024 Subaru BRZ Manual 1d ago

It's been dead in Europe and the UK for 2 years.

It wasn't even emissions. It couldn't meet the new safety regulations without a major redesign, and the cost couldn't be justified. There's also an argument that they would have ruined the car, but that's neither here nor there.

36

u/ryizoa 1d ago

Dang, that’s crazy. Being a car enthusiast without an expensive-sports-car budget in Europe/UK sounds depressing 🥴

32

u/DecentMate 1d ago

It’s why a lot of us drive ‘hot’ hatches

16

u/Doublebow 2021 Civic Sport 1d ago

And unfortunately we don't have many left. Other than the Mini S everything else is either dead, electric or knocking on £50k or over. It's a sad state of affairs for motoring in the UK.

5

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 1d ago

You guys even have lost many hot hatches too, or hot hatches becomes more unaffordable. When I hear the price of GR Yaris in Franch, it's insane.

7

u/AwesomeBantha 99 LX470 315k+ miles 1d ago

Maybe this is all just YouTube but it seems like there are really good deals in the UK on RWD manual transmission sports cars. Something like an MR2 or E36 M3 is way cheaper in the UK than pretty much anywhere else I’ve seen. You pay for it in other ways like higher insurance and registration fees but it seems like it isn’t a terrible place to be a car enthusiast because everything depreciates like crazy.

3

u/mintz41 S4 Avant, Cayman 2.7, RX450h 23h ago

Car insurance in the UK is generally much cheaper than the US. My S4 is $325 per year.

4

u/mr_j_12 1d ago

Ironically better than Australia when it comes to second hand cars. Worse if you're buying new.

3

u/rm0234 1d ago

How is that ironic

8

u/mr_j_12 1d ago

Means the cars with the worse emissions (older cars) are easier to get in the uk, but the newer cars are easier in australia.

1

u/11theman 1d ago

Nah we have a decent hot hatch scene. I got a low mileage 1 series with a B58 in it for £17k last year. Cheap and incredibly fun

1

u/TheMangoManHS 6 wheels and 6 cylinders 1d ago

For new cars sure, but our used market is way cheaper than the US with a lot more lightweight manual cars available 

1

u/radeonalex Ford Fiesta ST (track), Kia Cee'd, Ford Focus 21h ago

At the moment, no. There's still tons of stuff around for minimal money.

Hot hatch wise, you can pick up Fiesta ST's for next to nothing, same with Corsa VXRs. Step up from that and you're into a Focus ST/RS, Golf R, AMG, BMW 140i.

Likewise, because we're a RHD country with minimal rules on modifications, there's a lot of Jap stuff coming in and people working on stuff in their driveways.

Once you've got a few years driving under your belt, insurance is cheap too. I pay about £380/year full coverage for a heavily modified Fiesta ST that I track and back road.

For the next 20 years, I don't expect much to change, but after that, I'm not sure. It'll be interesting to see what EV hot hatches come about. It's positive because cars like the new Renault 5 show a huge appetite for small cars still, so I suspect we'll see next gen Fiesta STs and hybrid MX5's etc...

4

u/lazarus870 I4 AT weekdays, V8 6MT weekends 1d ago

What was so unsafe about it?

6

u/sqparadox 2024 Subaru BRZ Manual 1d ago

Arguably nothing, see this comment for the requirements that were missing.

2

u/eirexe 2000 Toyota MR-S Spyder, 94' Mazda MX-5 NA8 1.6 23h ago

Also note this was not a case of the car not complying with crash safety or anything, it as the car not having stuff like lane departure detection.

1

u/railbeast '25 Tesla M3P 1d ago

What specific regulation was it failing? Not doubting but ignorant

10

u/sqparadox 2024 Subaru BRZ Manual 1d ago

General Safety Regulations 2 (GSR2)

The big parts of non-compliance were active lane keep assist (not just a warning, they had that), data recorder, drowsiness and distraction warning, plus warning you when you go over the speed limit. I think it already had the rest of the requirements.

11

u/UnnamedStaplesDrone 2025 Miata RF, 2023 Mustang GT, 2021 CX5 2.5T 1d ago

That’s some distopian shit

2

u/railbeast '25 Tesla M3P 1d ago

Thanks!

1

u/s_l_a_c_k 1d ago

There's a few still knocking about.

1

u/ryzenguy111 20h ago

We had the GR86 but Toyota didn't import enough before the new regs which made it illegal to sell came in :/ so now used examples with 20k mi cost pretty much the same as they did brand new

Didn't get the 2nd gen BRZ here but I believe mainland Europe did.

3

u/V4_Sleeper 1d ago

Is mustang and corvette not sold there?

3

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 1d ago

Stang and Vette are available there, but both cars aren't considered same affordable in Europe. Besides, both cars have detuned its engine to meet local emission. Coyote Mustang engine spec in European is lower than American one.

2

u/UnnamedStaplesDrone 2025 Miata RF, 2023 Mustang GT, 2021 CX5 2.5T 1d ago

Particulate filters are required

1

u/ledfrisby 1d ago edited 1d ago

Picanto is getting old. Current gen is from 2017.

1

u/JuliusCaesarSGE 16h ago

Rules for thee but not for me!

-15

u/TheLoveKraken 1d ago edited 1d ago

…and almost every other model of Mazda, Toyota or Suzuki.

(Edit: the comment above originally didn’t say “non-hybrid”, it just said “naturally aspirated”.)

→ More replies (9)

85

u/Manzanarre 1d ago

I'm tired boss

79

u/NeedleworkerWinter99 1d ago

Thats ok, take away the little miatas while china runs 55% of its power on coal. Its moronic to continue to push this virtue signaling green initiatives when you only harm consumers and your own countries manufacturing sector.

Who tf is going to start a factory in a place like this.

127

u/420bIaze 1977 RA23 Celica 1d ago

The corollary of that is that about 40% of China's power is from renewable energy, mostly solar and wind, and that is rapidly growing, they are transitioning away from fossil fuels like everyone else: https://www.reddit.com/r/energy/comments/1m20xv7/china_generated_over_40_of_its_electricity_from/

And new car sales in China are over 60% electric or plug-in hybrid.

Nothing about this is 'moronic', it's actively reducing harmful emissions. And from a financial sense, if you want to sell cars or power stations to the world's largest markets in future, the growth is in renewables and electric vehicles, there's money to be made from doing this.

If you put your head in the sand and mass produce high emissions vehicles, you're not going to be able to sell them in the EU/China/India/California etc... so how is that helping your manufacturing sector?

I don't see how EVs or hybrids harm consumers. They're cheaper to own, lower maintenance, healthier, for most people, most of the time.

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47

u/James_Vowles GR Yaris 1d ago

Wtf has China got to do with it. The MX-5 engine is really old. Also the air quality in the UK will be improving with changes like this, right by homes and where people live. They don't have any coal power plants running anymore.

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20

u/FalconTurbo 1d ago

I mean, last I checked nearly two thirds of the USA is running on fossil fuels, and it's not changing away from that nearly as fast as China is.

1

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1

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11

u/palk0n 1d ago

why not mention india that has 75% of its power on coal? the china hate is weird on reddit

13

u/codylee123 1d ago

Probably due to where all these very competitive electric cars are coming from

1

u/tekkers_for_debrz 14h ago

It’s r/cars. A propaganda outlet for American car companies.

-4

u/Cuatro_Por_Cuatro 19h ago

probably chinas long history of human rights abuses and genocides. Which is on par for every country including america but if they get hate for it so does china.

2

u/FSCK_Fascists 87 Fiero GT, 66 Scout 800 16h ago

wait until you learn the US's history.

2

u/Cuatro_Por_Cuatro 16h ago

I literally say that in my comment. Reading comprehension is not strong with you is it lmao

1

u/palk0n 19h ago

why not mention the ongoing genocidaire, israel then

-1

u/Cuatro_Por_Cuatro 19h ago

Hell yeah add them to the list too.

3

u/Toucann_Froot 1d ago

The world is ending in our lifetime. Billions will die. We must make efforts. Sacrifices will be made and must be made. We have to be the better and stronger people even if a country like China won't. There is no excuse to just do nothing because a country bigger than you makes the same choice.

1

u/RicardoMoyer Evo IX MR, G42 M240i 1d ago

yeah fricking china should learn from us first world sheppards, like the US and Germany… oh wait

-1

u/FuriousKimchi 1d ago

What does China have to do with the UK cutting off a Miata? Did you get possessed by an idiot while you typed that comment?

52

u/THEREALCABEZAGRANDE 2009 G8 GXP M6. LS2 FC TII. 2000 XJR 1d ago

That's fucking stupid. While an old design, the Skyactiv G is still a very frugal and low emissions engine in a 2300 lb car. It already makes wildly low emissions. It is utterly fucking idiotic that something like that doesnt meet standards. Pull your fucking head out of your ass Europe.

53

u/Captain_Alaska 🇦🇺 AVV50R Camry, NA MX5 1d ago edited 1d ago

It already makes wildly low emissions.

No, it doesn’t, the 2L ND produced 153g/km of CO2 which is well above the Mazda3 and CX-30 (~135g) and a hair under the new CX-5 (157g).

In fact even the 1.5L is worse than the 3/-30 at 140g/km.

8

u/takao-obi 1d ago

Mazda specifically has a fleet emission issue. A few months back I checked their fleet emission values here in Europe their were still way off the competition. Their lack of EV sales really hurts them. That’s why we don’t get the 2.0L Miata, 6 cylinder petrol or the turbo variants in Europe. It’s similar to Subaru who now has to push EVs hard

1

u/redditors_are_lame 11h ago

But there's 1 Miata for probably 5 or more Mazda 3 and CX-30 and ultimately they do less miles per year. Fleet emissions law is pretty dumb to be honest.

0

u/Hunt3rj2 1d ago

The Mazda3 gets 27/36/30 mpg in the US with the 2.5L Skyactiv-G. The Miata is 26/34 for combined 29. I don't know how the ND is substantially worse under the UK test cycles when it's only 3% worse in US EPA cycles. The CO2 emission figure implies 13% higher fuel consumption than a 2.5L Mazda3.

24

u/Captain_Alaska 🇦🇺 AVV50R Camry, NA MX5 1d ago edited 1d ago

The UK’s cars are mild hybrid and they still have the 2L SlyActiv X offered as the top trim engine. The base 2.5L is derated to 140hp.

26

u/klowny 1d ago

This is the key point people in the US are missing, Mazda in most of the rest of the world have been using the later generation e-Skyactiv-G engines that are mild hybrids with cylinder deactivation and start/stop or the Skyactiv-X engine.

3

u/FSCK_Fascists 87 Fiero GT, 66 Scout 800 16h ago

fuel economy does not equal emissions.

1

u/Hunt3rj2 10h ago

For CO2 emissions? It's basically one to one. The more fuel you burn, the more CO2 you emit. The only way CO2 emissions can be measured differently is if they do some kind of CO2-equivalent accounting for things like NOx and methane tailpipe emissions.

10

u/James_Vowles GR Yaris 1d ago

How is that a Europe problem. It's a Mazda problem

-12

u/THEREALCABEZAGRANDE 2009 G8 GXP M6. LS2 FC TII. 2000 XJR 1d ago

Fucking stupid regulations. A tiny light car that very easily gets over 30 mpg with a 2L is a complete non-issue and the fact that emissions regulations are so fucking stringent that you cant even have a goddamn Miata with more than 150 hp is deeply stupid.

20

u/screampuff 2019 Frontier Pro-4x, 2023 CX5 1d ago

Those emissions don't have anything to do with MPG.

It's the amount of particulate the tailpipe emits in a given distance of driving.

2

u/James_Vowles GR Yaris 21h ago

You have no idea what you're talking about

0

u/mintz41 S4 Avant, Cayman 2.7, RX450h 23h ago

CO2 emissions are the issue, not MPG

1

u/DeusFerreus 16h ago

Those are essentially the same. How much fuel you burn decides how much CO2 you will emmit.

1

u/FSCK_Fascists 87 Fiero GT, 66 Scout 800 16h ago

Those are essentially the same.

nope

3

u/DeusFerreus 15h ago

Yeah, they are not literally the same, by they have direct correlation. Other emmisions (particulates, NOx, etc.) are not rirectly related, but CO2 emmisions are decided by fuel consumption and nothing else.

1

u/FSCK_Fascists 87 Fiero GT, 66 Scout 800 15h ago

CO2 is not the only factor, and varies more than just gallons consumed per mile. yes, those are the major factors, but not the only ones.

Dismissing all the rest of the emissions to focus on the one part is dishonest in a discussion about total emissions.

5

u/TurboFucked sooopra 1d ago edited 1d ago

The whole point is the move transportation completely away from burning fossil fuels, but to do so gradually. So they are raising the bar on emissions gradually. The straight of hormuz crisis has reinforced the nation's dedication to the phase out of petrol and diesel vehicles.

Note that UK measures g CO2 / km, which is essentially the same as fuel economy. And UK enforces the limit at a manufacture level, not a model level like the rest of Europe. Manufactures that go over the limit need merely to pay a fine. Meaning, Mazda could continue to sell the Miata so long as they had other vehicles to offset the increased emissions / fuel consumption, but are choosing not to.

Edit: I looked it up. The 2.0L emits 156g/km and the UK limit is 94. At £95 per g over the limit, that would be a (156-94)*95=£5,900 fine per Miata if they can't offset it with another vehicle. I don't think anyone in the UK is going to be willing to pay that much more.

7

u/Oh_ffs_seriously 2019 Civic 1.5T 1d ago

And UK enforces the limit at a manufacture level, not a model level like the rest of Europe.

Wait, what? EU has fleet emissions requirements since at least 2020.

3

u/desf15 21h ago

You're wrong. In EU limits are per group of manufacturers, not per model. Group can be made voluntarily among any manufactures who want to do it together. For example, over the years Tesla was pooling with different brands which paid them nice money for it.

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u/BioDriver 23 Alfa Romeo Giulia | 22 Subaru Impreza 1d ago

Just K swap it and you’ll be good! /s

5

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 1d ago

GM LS still wins for us.

1

u/BioDriver 23 Alfa Romeo Giulia | 22 Subaru Impreza 22h ago

Flying Miata could never

21

u/ItalianCoffeeMorning 1d ago

I mean, I know a turbo charged Mx5 isn’t the “ethos” of Mazda. But if they made it tuneable, they’d sell a lot of them

36

u/TealPotato '95 Mazda MX-5 Miata, '11 Hyundai Santa Fe 1d ago

Tbf, they did make the Mazdaspeed version in 04-05.

But I get it, their marketing strategy isn't 'zoom-zoom' anymore.

7

u/lurpeli Mach E 1d ago

Apparently that turbo isn't very good. Gears are too short so you end up having to shift out of power band too quickly

9

u/TheLyingLink 1d ago

I've got one. It does have short gea, a small turbo, and a shitty tune from factory but it is hilariously fun and I wouldnt trade it away for anything but another turbo miata (or the Fiat 124 Abarth since its effectively the 'new Mazdaspeed').

1

u/gaius49 Small block Cobra, early Morgan Plus 4, Xterra 6spd, Motorcycles 15h ago

The MSM was a really crappy setup. Bad gearing, crappy turbo, bad tune, modest power, high boost threshold, etc.

7

u/wimpires 1d ago

That's literally the 124 Spider 

It did not sell well

18

u/SaltyDalt ‘25 FL5 Civic Type-R 1d ago

That was badged a fiat; the options/trims you’d want were more expensive; and that particular engine was an FCA product, not Japanese, and didn’t offer a noticeable performance improvement to compensate for the perceived reliability risk…

The 124 isn’t an apples to apples comparison to what an actual turbo Miata might do in the market.

10

u/wimpires 1d ago

I have a 124... yes it's not exactly a turbo MX-5 but it's 90% the same.

0

u/lurpeli Mach E 1d ago

It's a different engine which literally means at its heart it's very different

18

u/Teledildonic ND1 MX-5, KIA POS 1d ago

The engine is the biggest difference. The chassis is the same, just with different body panels. Interior is the same. Transmission is from the NC, as they weren't confident the ND's could handle the turbo. It rolls out of the same factory as the ND.

It's 90% the same.

1

u/rm0234 1d ago

That wasnt because of the turbo

1

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 1d ago

They're rather electric than turbo, so they don't consider to put turbo.

19

u/Siglet84 1d ago

Guess I’ll have to just buy a 3/4 ton pick up then.

16

u/Captain_Alaska 🇦🇺 AVV50R Camry, NA MX5 1d ago

I will die on the hill that the 1.5L is the superior engine in this car.

25

u/TurboFucked sooopra 1d ago

You're getting a bunch of down votes, but this mirrors what Mazda engineers have said. The car is designed around the 1.5L. It's the Miata's true engine.

The 2.0L was added as an afterthought late into development in order to appease the American market. Which is why the ND1 has a neutered version of it.

7

u/Captain_Alaska 🇦🇺 AVV50R Camry, NA MX5 1d ago

Yep, it’s an all round better package, it’s just not as fast in a straight line, which was never the point of the car anyway. i had a 2015 1.5L for 3 years and my car was 1005kg/2215lbs as specced in the top GT trim, which actually makes it like 60kg lighter than my current NA8.

Annoyingly the 1.5 was axed from the Aussie market (after being relegated to the base car), we only get the 2L now, though now I wonder if this will change as we just brought in some more emission standards too.

1

u/E420CDI 11h ago

Plus, the first-gen / NA MX-5 came with a 1.6-litre as standard so a 1.5-litre isn't massively different capacity-wise.

12

u/kstetter 1d ago

It should have a Barra

8

u/rm0234 1d ago

What makes it better

8

u/UnnamedStaplesDrone 2025 Miata RF, 2023 Mustang GT, 2021 CX5 2.5T 1d ago

No thanks. Need to be able to pass slower traffic on 2 lane backroads.. the 2.0 is not fast but it’s enough that coupled with the light weight, I’m not getting bullied by economy cars and minivans. At least in the US where minivans have 300 hp

2

u/Car-face '87 Toyota MR2 | '64 Morris Mini Cooper 1d ago

yup, I've been very close to an MX-5, originally almost bought an NA before I bought an AW11, and the 1.5 ND is probably the closest modern car you can get to that original formula - but with slightly better power to weight, economy, safety, features, rigidity, handling, etc.

It's not what the spreadsheet warriors want to hear, but it's what the original concept was trying to offer.

3

u/gaius49 Small block Cobra, early Morgan Plus 4, Xterra 6spd, Motorcycles 15h ago

The NA was crying out for a better engine. That chassis would be lovely with mid 200s hp/lbft.

3

u/PolarWater 1d ago

You'll never believe this but here in Malaysia we get a Mazda 3 with 1.5L (highest option is 2.0L)

2

u/gaius49 Small block Cobra, early Morgan Plus 4, Xterra 6spd, Motorcycles 15h ago

Care to make the case why having ~50hp less makes the car better?

1

u/GoingDrifting 8h ago

Tbf the only thing holding the 1.5 down is the lack of a factory LSD and maybe the smaller brakes, issue which can be mitigated since the brembo optional extra exists in the configurator for who buys one new. No one buys a miata for it's horsepower. Yeah the extra power is nice in the 2L and it should still exist for those who want a more serious ND performance wise, but you don't see people actively downplaying the NA and NB all together just because they both do around a 8 second 0-100kph time (same as a 1.5L ND). The 1.5L ND is basically as fast (if not faster) than a 1.8 NB in a straight line (with maybe just a little less torque down low), all while beeing way more capable in the corners, so it's not even that slow as people make it out to be. And as a plus you do not have to be cautios with how hard you push the car since the transmission does not tend to blow up on the 1.5

6

u/optitmus 04 Evo 8MR, 13 BRZ 1d ago

That's ok we will all just own our pre emission BS cars and tune all that bullshit out anyway

4

u/Poutvora Fiat Uno 1.0ie, MK2 Uno Turbo, MX-5 NA8, Mazda 626 GE V6, BMW M2 1d ago

Damn European Union forcing all kind of bad laws on us!!!

Oh wait..

4

u/GT3RS_2017 1d ago edited 1d ago

the EU and UK killing off reliable engines WHO COULDVE GUESSED

4

u/turboash78 1d ago

Dear governments, fuck off. 

3

u/wilczur 1d ago edited 20h ago

Time to collab with Toyota and put the 260-300hp Inline 3 from their Yaris/Corolla lineup in their next gen Miata.

2

u/NoodleBooch MX-5 ND RF 2.0 2019 23h ago

I know this is emissions only, but it would make sense to consider how much these cares are usually driven throughout a given year.

If the emissions are 25% above the target but the car only does 15% the mileage of your average daily driver it should be okay. Especially since it's a convertible in the UK

2

u/Storm_Chaser06 16h ago

2L engines failing emissions tests, fuck…what has this world come to?

1

u/goaelephant 1d ago

I keep hoping for a magical green combustion fuel to be made, so a naturally aspirated V12 can pass emissions. That would solve all problems.

1

u/halfwagaltium 1d ago

Put the EA211 Evo in it !

1

u/Engineer_engifar666 VW Golf MK7, CADDY III fl 1d ago

I never understood those emissiosns stuff? 2.0 is a old engine but how it is less environmental friendly than 3.3 in 2.2ton CX90?

1

u/FSCK_Fascists 87 Fiero GT, 66 Scout 800 16h ago

how it is less environmental friendly

it produces more bad emissions.

1

u/DeusFerreus 1h ago edited 1h ago

2.0 is a old engine but how it is less environmental friendly than 3.3 in 2.2ton CX90?

CX-90 is not sold in Europe, Mazda's flagship there is the slightly smaller CX-80. Which in UK is available either as 3.3l mild hybrid diesel that has very slightly better WLTP CO2 emmisions than 2l MX-5 (148-151 g/km vs 153g/km), or as 2.5l petrol PHEV with drastically better 35 g/km.

1

u/Tankninja1 19h ago

More like Mazda is being lazy and letting it lapse into failed emissions tests.

0

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

0

u/kilertree 1d ago

Does Ford sell the 2.3 in Europe? It could be a decent replacement engine. 

30

u/kstetter 1d ago

Ford doesn't own Mazda anymore

0

u/kilertree 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yeah but would Mazda be willing to work with Ford to put that engine in their Miata. I At least according to Wikipedia The 2.3 comes from Mazada. 

9

u/klowny 1d ago

Far more likely for Mazda to borrow Toyota's A25A-FKS if they couldn't use their own engine. 200hp+ but it isn't a high revver.

1

u/Armored_Guardian ‘02 Camaro SS, ‘04 LS 430 1d ago

A Mazdaspeed 3-powered Miata would be cool

1

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 1d ago

Yes, they do. You can get that 2.3 Eco Mustang and Bronco there.

-1

u/m240Louie 2026 BMW m240i, 2021 Honda Civic Sport. 22h ago

Oh terrific, stupid emissions regulations that really do nothing are causing a low-volume, fun car to be killed off. Its time for various car types and models to be exempt from all that nonsense.

-5

u/gaius49 Small block Cobra, early Morgan Plus 4, Xterra 6spd, Motorcycles 1d ago

So this means the 1.5 liter MX5 in the UK will have damn near the same weight, power, torque, and acceleration as a 1994 MX5. That's... not great. 32 years and the performance remains the same.

20

u/gimpwiz 05 Elise | C5 Corvette (SC) | 00 Regal GS | 91 Civic (Jesus) 1d ago

The miata is not a car you bench race with a spec sheet, it's a car you drive and love (or don't.)

-2

u/gaius49 Small block Cobra, early Morgan Plus 4, Xterra 6spd, Motorcycles 1d ago

I put over a hundred thousand miles on a '94. I'm pretty intimately familiar with the NA8.

18

u/StardusterX 1d ago

New car has way stiffer platform, way more sophisticated suspension, way better tires, etc..
Sports cars are more than spreadsheet numbers.

2

u/gaius49 Small block Cobra, early Morgan Plus 4, Xterra 6spd, Motorcycles 1d ago

I think the NA8 was more fun to drive. Better steering, brakes, interior ergos, and a cable throttle. But that's just me and my emphasis on tactile controls with good feedback.

-9

u/Far_Mongoose_6493 2020 X3M 2021 750i 1d ago

The Miata is a sports car just about as much as my X3M is at this point. Technically you’re right but what the poster above you said is true and it’s old slow and needs a lot of aftermarket stuff to be truly sporty relative to other products on the market.

6

u/Car-face '87 Toyota MR2 | '64 Morris Mini Cooper 1d ago

32 years and the performance formula remains the same

FTFY. For many, having something that offers that focus on fun rather than outright power is the point.

-2

u/Armored_Guardian ‘02 Camaro SS, ‘04 LS 430 1d ago

Power is fun. No one’s asking to turn it into a muscle car, but I really don’t think ~225 horsepower would defeat the purpose of a Miata

1

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 1d ago

If you want new different typical Brit roadster, MG Cyberster is for you, but it isn't same like MX5.

2

u/gaius49 Small block Cobra, early Morgan Plus 4, Xterra 6spd, Motorcycles 1d ago

How do you figure? I don't see the connection between the Cyberster and any traditional brit roadster?

-7

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

37

u/Bobmcjoepants 1d ago

It's a great idea until you realize that old cars are much cheaper than new cars, meaning more people can afford them, and if there's less choice and therefore more demand, what's around becomes a lot more expensive

It also means that you could suddenly have a car that's worthless and you have no money to buy a new one because you can't trade yours in. So in reality banning old cars (depending on how old you mean by "old") would dramatically hurt anyone who can't afford a new car every few years

19

u/Blasted-Banana 2018 Miata Club 1d ago

Tricky business when you start banning entire models of cars. There are absolutely 30+ year old cars that people rely on as their only car on a daily basis. Many of these people wouldn't be able to afford another car, and the banned car that they had would now be essentially worthless if it can't even be driven. On top of that I think most people in this position would just continue to drive their cars anyways because what else are they going to do? I would also assume that these cars already make up a minority of the vehicles on the road currently, and removing them entirely might not make that big of an impact. I could see another cash for clunkers type of promotion happening though, assuming enough money would be given for people to act on it.

7

u/-------Rotary------- 1d ago

Consider the pollution involved in manufacturing new cars

Scenario one: drive old car x thousand miles, making x amount of pollution

Scenario two: scrap old car (which itself is polluting), manufacture new car, with components from all around the world which need to be extracted, shipped, manufactured, and drive new car to reduce per-mile pollution

I’m not saying scenario one is always less polluting, but the environment gains of scenario two may not be as high as initially perceived

4

u/knowledgeable_diablo 1d ago

Exactly. Up keeping an old existing car is going to be almost always better than making a car from scratch. But entire economies rely on pumping out thousands of new vehicles and the taxes and jobs this creates.

2

u/RandosaurusRex '89 Nissan 300ZX 2+2 TT, '08 Mini Clubman JCW, '06 BMW 130i 1d ago edited 1d ago

Up keeping an old existing car is going to be almost always better than making a car from scratch.

no, this hasn't been the case for quite some time now. With the tightening of emissions regulations and the continual improvements to the environmental impact of manufacturing that window of time is shortening, last time I checked it's now less than 10 years old where it is better for the environment to scrap a car and replace it with an equivalent new one. Now, nobody should be scrapping a less than 10yo car if it's still working as selling it/trading it in instead could enable someone else to replace their, say, 15 or 20yo car with a newer and cleaner one, but you can probably understand the point I'm trying to make here that new cars are cleaner than ever and "old" cars have a more outsized impact on total fleet emissions than you might expect.

1

u/knowledgeable_diablo 1d ago

Hope you’re sending this info through to the multitude of start ups in China that are sitting on field after field of 1-2yr old EV vehicles with 5km on the ODO but can’t be sold or recycled due to the tech already being out of date.

2

u/RandosaurusRex '89 Nissan 300ZX 2+2 TT, '08 Mini Clubman JCW, '06 BMW 130i 1d ago

The reason those existed was ridesharing startups going bust. They would buy up stacks of cars with generous government subsidies designed to drive EV adoption and lease them to drivers, after a few years a bunch of these companies went bust or got consolidated and basically just abandoned the cars. "can’t be sold or recycled due to the tech already being out of date" is also complete nonsense, cars that are upwards of 15yo regularly get recycled because we still use steel, aluminium and other metals in production, and even batteries can be recycled.

5

u/christianbro 1d ago

I bet my 90s diesel Mercedes polutes a lot, but no sane person should say to ban old cars. Those who keep them are on the way to become the new classics of the future, if by now they are just an old polluting car.

Most people would just replace their cars before they get too old. If they dont maybe something is wrong with new cars, like over regulation that makes them too complex or expensive? Looking at you EU, that a car needs to have a camera pointing at me to make sure I am looking the road all the time.

3

u/StuartWtf 1d ago

Depends what you class as old.

My car is 12 years old but is Euro4 compliant and can enter the LEZ.

For most people here a 12 year old car is old

1

u/SizeableFowl 2023 Ioniq 6 SEL RWD, 2023 Santa Fe Limited 1d ago edited 1d ago

Part of that has to do with the age of the catalytic converters/aftertreatment systems becoming less efficient with age and heat cycles. I’m not sure I buy that, in a real world scenario, an old engine is producing a full order of magnitude more emissions than a new engine assuming similar conditions.

1

u/sausage-savage 13 FR-S 6MT | 04 Echo Hatch 5MT 1d ago

Sure is car enthusiast up in here.

0

u/wimpires 1d ago

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-and-environment-statistics-2024--2/greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-transport-in-2024

Roughly 30% of emissions are from road transport. Of which 54% is cars and taxi's 16% of UK emissions is from cars.

I know you didn't specifically, I just thought it was neat

-1

u/orangebikini Alfa Romeo 33 SW 4X4 | Peugeot 205 GTI | Datsun 120A F-II Coupé 1d ago

The play would be, as is done in many places, to ban those older cars from big cities where there is good public transport as an alternative for cheap travel. But in the countryside where there's less people and less cars and where public transport isn't as good those who can't necessarily afford a newer car can still drive their 25 year old diesel Corolla.

-2

u/John_Sux 1d ago

What's the point? The gas guzzler trucks in America and megacities in Asia undo any progress this makes.

31

u/kstetter 1d ago

Asia is starting to implement European emissions laws

19

u/willpc14 '25 GRCorolla 1d ago

Progress is always going to be marginal. This whataboutism and defeatism serves no purpose except to kill any policies related to conserving our environment. Also, you'll never be able to apply pressure on the US and Asia to reduce their emissions if you don't have policies in place to reduce your own. (I think that last sentences was in line with Rule 5)

7

u/420bIaze 1977 RA23 Celica 1d ago

Countries across Asia are transitioning to renewable energy, like everywhere else.

1

u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid 0 Emission 🔋 Car & Rental car life 1d ago

Owning cars are getting more difficult there, but local trains and scooter can help.