The Mazda MX-5 is a fantastic little basic car with a front engine, rear-wheel-drive roadster without unnecessary frills to detract from the thrills you get from the sweet handling and decent chassis. Performance wise it has a lower-powered 124bhp 1.8- litre that might be just a touch too limp for such a capable chassis. The two-litre model sneaks to 62mph in just a smidgen under 8.0-seconds and on to a top speed of 131mph, which is exactly where the Mazda MX-5 feels most comfortable. It is not a fire-breather, but that is not really the point in this context ? it is all about the way the little Mazda drives. Where the driving is concerned the new MX-5 - much like the old model - is extremely sensitive to wheel and tyre choice. The big rims and tyres look good but spoil the roadster's delicacy. They tend to catch ruts and cambers more, which means that the car is less progressive on the limit.

Surprising amounts of space are readily available in the new car, thanks to some very clever attention to detail on the part of the design team. There is buckets of storage cubby action available in the cabin, with a decent boot even when the hood is stowed. And the front seats cope with even the biggest of occupants without popping you up over the windscreen top and into the breeze.

You can tell the MX-5 has been built down to a price, but they have done the best that they can. Interior quality is a decent step up from the old model, with some nice new shapes and everything - the hood especially - just reeks of quality engineering. The plastics however are not so impressive. There is a depth of feeling about the whole car that inspires confidence in the way it has been put together. If in doubt, check under the bonnet for evidence.

Safety Six airbags are available as well as traction and stability control for the first time on an MX-5. To be brutal, the car just does not need it, but it will probably prevent someone having a wheel twirling moments on an icy roundabout. The two rollover hoops shadow the headrests of the front seats, so they are not visually intrusive but it is nice to know that they are there.

We should all own an MX-5 at least once in our lives, if only to demonstrate to ourselves why getting back to basics is a very good thing. It will also probably save your driving license from taking a battering because you get the thrills without the speed. It should also hold a decent residual value thanks to solid demand for MX-5s of absolutely any kind. No reason to believe this model will be any different.

It will put a smile on your face wider than the Grand Canyon, so it is hard to put an empirical value on the new MX-5. It is better than the older models in terms of quality and refinement, but has resisted the temptation to wander off down the silicon-tweak school of chassis management. The prices has been increased, but if you can afford to go for the newer model then do so. And do not forget to go for the smaller wheels.

In short the Mazda MX-5 is a great little car which is improved rather than re-designed over the old model. It makes tons of sense if you fancy a toy that will not break the bank, or make passers-by hate you on sight.