There is one track-ready bit of hardware that doesn’t do the MX-5 any favours in the snow: the wheels. These, and the tires that surround them, are wide. And the car weighs about as much as a coffee table. On the track, that means heaps of grip. More grip than you’d be able to overpower with the 168-horsepower engine. So, you get forgiving, non-threatening and confident at-the-limit handling, even if you’re a ham-fisted klutz.
On snow, the large surface area of the tires and light weight of the car mean it never really ‘digs’ into snow and slush, but prefers to flit over top of it (the wider the tires, the more they act like skis gliding over snow rather than spikes digging through). It still goes in a straight line and feels stable, but if you’re after the heavyweight locked-on feeling of driving an SUV in a snowstorm, you won’t find it here.
Other notes from my test drive? The MX-5’s small cabin tightens up further when you’re wearing mitts, boots and a coat. If you’re north of 300 lb and afraid of celery, you’re probably not driving an MX-5 anyways. And, in any case, if you’re a bigger guy or gal, you’ll be extra snug.
It’s also hard to get your Sorels into the footwell without whacking the door and scuff plates in the process. You wear the MX-5, especially in winter. Thankfully, the cabin heats up quickly even in extreme cold, thanks to an efficient heater and its small size.
Ground clearance was surprising. The MX-5 is low, but not impractically so. I only had issues with the largest of frozen slush-boulders whacking the underside of the car. When appropriate, dodging around them in a game of slush-boulder-slalom is even more fun.
   2013 Mazda MX-5 GS. Click image to enlarge |
Oh, and one more important thing. For maximization of your investment in the winter months, why not enjoy the MX-5 topless in the winter? I sure did. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, I put the roof down and enjoyed a cruise, sans-lid, at minus ten. With a toque and winter coat of medium thickness, I was toasty warm, even at highway speeds. The heater wasn’t maxed out, and I wasn’t even wearing gloves.
Interestingly, while moving, the MX-5’s aerodynamics traps a ‘bubble’ of warm air in the cabin. It’s only when you stop for a traffic light that it gets chilly, and then only slightly so.
One gentleman towing a trailer full of Ski Doos asked me if I was nuts, or freezing. I pointed out that he drives his sleds in colder temperatures than this, and that they don’t even have heaters.
Oh, and spinning snow donuts with the roof down is nearly unbeatable fun.
Just sayin’.
So – my official assessment? The MX-5 isn’t a Ford Raptor when it comes to confidently getting around in deep, slippery stuff. But with a set of decent winter tires and half a clue how to drive in the snow, you’ll be just fine.
