4 minute read
If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you know I have a soft spot for cars that make you feel something. Not the “look how many screens I have” kind of feel, but the raw, analog connection you only get from a proper driver’s car. The 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club RF is exactly that—one of the rare modern cars that reminds you why you fell in love with driving in the first place.
First Impressions
The RF is the Miata’s more civilized, coupe-like sibling. It’s got a power-operated targa roof that transforms the car from closed-top to open-air in about 13 seconds, and it looks fantastic doing it. I’ll be honest—when I first saw it in person, the stance, the curves, and that Jet Black Mica paint had me hooked before I even turned the key.
Inside, it’s exactly what a sports car should be: simple, focused, and just driver-centric enough without feeling stripped. There’s an 8.8-inch screen with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, USB-C ports, and a Bose system with speakers built into the headrests—perfect for top-down drives without losing your soundtrack.
What You Get with the Club RF
The Club RF isn’t just a trim level—it’s a statement. This isn’t the “entry” Miata or the cushier Grand Touring. The RF version of the Club comes loaded with the good stuff you’d normally pay extra for:
- Brembo brakes with red calipers
- Forged BBS wheels
- Heated Recaro sport seats
- Bilstein dampers
- Aero bits for a subtle performance edge
If you tried to add all that to a base model, you’d end up spending more and still not get it all dialed in as well as Mazda has from the factory.
On the Road
Under the hood, you still get the 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. On paper, that doesn’t sound like much in a world of 400-hp sport coupes, but here’s the thing: the Miata weighs just around 2,500 pounds, and the way it delivers power is pure joy.
The updated steering is sharp and communicative, the asymmetric limited-slip diff keeps things planted and predictable when you push it, and the DSC-Track mode loosens the electronic babysitters just enough to let you have fun without getting reckless.
Every corner is an event. Every shift is satisfying. Even a grocery run feels like a quick detour through your favorite canyon road.
Living With It
The RF roof is a game-changer for daily use. Quieter on the highway than the soft top, with the ability to drop the roof at a stoplight when the weather turns nice—it makes the Miata’s open-air charm that much easier to enjoy.
Yes, the cabin is tight and the trunk is laughably small. Yes, you won’t be bringing home flat-pack furniture in it. But that’s not what this car is about. The Miata is about driving for the sake of driving, and on that front, it’s worth every penny.
Value for Money
At just over $40K before destination, the Club RF delivers an experience you can’t really buy anywhere else for the money. Plenty of cars are faster, roomier, or more tech-packed—but almost none at this price offer the same level of connection between driver and machine. And when you factor in the standard Brembo/BBS/Recaro setup, the RF starts to look like a bargain for anyone who actually plans to drive their car hard.
Final Verdict: 4 out of 5
The 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club RF isn’t perfect. It’s small. It’s not built for long road trips with lots of luggage. It won’t win drag races. But if you value the pure joy of driving over everything else, this is the one. It’s a sports car that feels alive in your hands, every single time you drive it—and for me, that’s worth more than any horsepower number or spec sheet bragging rights.
