Fun machine.

Byline: Alistair Coull; Val Jessop

BACK in the seventies and eighties there were very few 'real' sports cars. Then 20 years ago a Japanese car company launched its interpretation of a small British sports car.

It wasn't very big, wasn't very powerful; and it didn't cost a lot of money - but it took the world by storm.

I was lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the first generation Mazda MX-5 in California, months ahead of its UK launch, and I loved it.

So did everybody else who drove it and it became the most popular roadster in history.

It also spurred other manufacturers into action. Without the success of the Mazda, there might never have been an MGF, Toyota MR2, Fiat Barchetta, Alfa Spider or BMW Z3.

The original MX5 design lasted well with the 1998 second generation being more of a facelift than an overhaul.

Now it's been replaced in its entirety. The only components to have survived are the side indicator lamps.

Nothing radical has been done to it - Mazda has played safe with the styling - but yet they have managed to create a car that looks thoroughly modern and more muscular than its predecessor.

Overall, everything works well.

The exterior still looks great but I thought the cabin could have been done better.

There were lovely leather seats and it was well screwed together but the centre console could have come from any run of the mill hatchback and the multi-button steering wheel was a bit cluttered. Whatever has happened to Mazda's minimalist approach that made the original so appealing? The boot is bigger than before but it's still going to be a bit of shoe-horn job to squeeze the holiday luggage in. The hood however is a triumph of electronic wizardry. Release a catch, the windows drop down a couple of inches, a hatch opens, and the metal folding roof tucks itself away in about 12 seconds behind the seats. Simple but brilliant!

Two engines are available - a twin cam 16-valve four cylinder unit it either 1.8-litre 125bhp or 2.0-litre 158bhp form, powering the rear wheels.

The 2.0-litre test car was mated to a six speed manual gearbox . Suspension tweaks and retuned Bilstein dampers help to make it even better on the road. You can point it a bit more into corners, it's a little flatter and even more precise in the middle of bends and less prone to oversteer, but nothing revolutionary.

The rear wheel drive set-up adds to the sun factor in twisty bits and on dry road it sticks to the black stuff like glue. It's a bit less forgiving in the wet but the standard ESP will soon kick in and sort things out.

It's not that quick off the mark - 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 136mph.

T HERE''S an even greater equilibrium to the latest MX-5 and it is this, rather than athletic muscle, that earns it praise. But just as impressive is that there is more driver involvement in the latest upgrade of the rear-wheel-drive wonder.

You get a sense of driver/machine chemistry normally reserved for sports cars boasting a much larger engine and costing twice the price. This, the 2.0i Sport, amazingly, costs just over pounds 21,000.

The four-cylinder engine develops 158bhp which pushes the roadster to a 0-62mph sprint in 7.9 seconds. It isn''t eye-popping, granted, but the MX-5 is and always has been about thrills on tap from its considerable handling and roadholding capability.

Line-up a few tight S-bends and the Mazda slices through them with easy precision and decorum, not a whiff of drama. The roadster keeps its head and remains totally alert, but composed, while the engine rewards with spot-on, swift delivery.

The face-lifted Mazda doesn''t differ greatly from its handsome predecessors in looks: the profile and overall stance are just as attractive, unmistakably MX-5 with a few metal tweaks to give it a more edgy, modern veneer.

And there are no major changes in the roadster''s driving dynamics, save a few adjustments, including chassis modification aimed at greater agility and controllability.

Both the 2.0i test car and the alternative 1.8-litre unit have been fine-tuned so that CO2 emissions are reduced by 7% and fuel consumption improved by 8%, while a lowered front suspension makes for tighter steering.

What''s so attractive about the MX-5, and always has been, is the highly affordable price tag: a roadster which looks terrific and has fun factor written all over it.

The MX-5 performs sure-footedly but doesn''t dampen driver involvement. It can switch on the thrills, but equally it can perform as a sensible, everyday commuter without any fuss and without being too thirsty - averaging around 37mpg.

The best bit, though, has to be that incredibly competitive price tag. Few sports cars can beat it on looks, performance and cash and insurance group 13 isn''t too crazy.

The cockpit doesn''t look a lot different to the earlier MX-5. It looks neat, solid if a little uninspiring. But the seats are superbly comfortable and there''s good space for driver and passenger, so you don''t feel as shoe-horned in as in some roadsters.

The 2.Oi unit feels alert, but can sound fairly vocal under pressure - part of the territory for most enthusiasts, if not a requirement.

Your can't fail to be impressed by the power retractable hardtop, which take just 12 seconds to open or close - apparently the fastest of its kind.

MAZDA MX-5 2.0i Sport PRICE: pounds 21,195 MECHANICAL: 158bhp, 1,999cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving rear wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox MAX SPEED: 109mph 0-62mph: 7.9 seconds COMBINED mpg: 37.2 INSURANCE GROUP: 13 CO2 EMISSIONS: 181g/km BiK RATING: 24% WARRANTy: 3yrs/ 60,000miles