Alongside the fun factor you’d expect of a lightweight sports car the Mazda MX-5 continues to offer unparalleled levels of safety, including Mazda’s i-Activsense active safety technology, and if an accident should occur, the benefits of a stronger Skyactiv-Body.
Across all models the Mazda MX-5 features front and side airbags, and the side airbags use special bracket on the outside shoulder of the seat to protect occupants’ heads, even with the soft top down. The seats provide improved head and upper body support during a rear impact, and along with the door panels, they have been optimised to enhance side impact protection. The seatbelts come with pretensioners and load limiters, while the passenger seat has anchors and top tether for ISOFIX child seats.
Standard active safety equipment across the range includes, tyre pressure monitoring, rear parking sensors, rain-sensing front wipers, dusk-sensing lights and an auto-diming rear-view mirror, Traffic Sign Recognition and Driver Attention Alert, Lane Keep Assist (LAS) with Lane Departure Warning (LDWS) and Front Smart City Brake Support. From Exclusive-Line upwards additional safety features include Rear Smart City Brake Support, while 184ps Exclusive-Line and Homura trims adds Blind Spot Monitoring System with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and vehicle exit warning, Adaptive LED headlights and a reversing camera.
When a crash is unavoidable, the latest MX-5 is designed to protect occupants from harm. The MX-5’s Skyactiv-Body delivers excellent collision protection and in spite of the shorter front and rear overhangs the model’s unique structure and lightweight high-strength materials ensure the MX-5’s body absorbs and disperses impact energy to prevent cabin deformation. Frontal impacts are channelled around and underneath the cabin along a multi-load path via the side sills, B-Frame and tunnel section.
To ensure the soft top MX-5 has the strength needed to resist side impacts without a fixed roof, there’s a seatback cross-member connecting the right and left sides of the body at the rear edge of the side sills. Together with other enhancements, like reinforced side sills, seatback brackets the Mazda MX-5 effectively disperses side impact energy throughout the body, while the strong A-Pillars and seatback bars protect occupants in the event of a rollover accident.
As for pedestrians, the evolved active bonnet automatically rises during an impact to protect a persons’ head by expanding the space between the bonnet and engine. Sensor technology compensates for the MX-5’s 28mm lower bonnet by raising it higher during an impact. Inside the bonnet, impact absorbing beads also soften the blow, while energy-absorbing foam in the front bumper beam protects the knees, while a lower bumper stiffener prevents legs from sliding under the car.
A truly modern sports car, the Mazda MX-5 comes with the reassurance of 21st century safety technology, without the need to compromise its lightness and care-free nature.