---
title: "2019 Mazda MX-5 RF Starts at $32,345"
description: "Mazda isn't comfortable letting the MX-5 rest on its laurels, and will give the sports car a significant horsepower and tech augmentation this year."
date: "2018-07-31"
modified: "2018-07-31"
authors:
  - name: "James Gilboy"
    job_title: "Contributing Writer"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy.md"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/22524/2019-mazda-mx-5-rf-starts-at-32345"
categories:
  - "Mazda News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "compact"
  - "Convertible"
  - "Convertibles"
  - "mazda"
  - "Mazda Miata"
  - "miata"
  - "Roadsters"
  - "sports cars"
---

# 2019 Mazda MX-5 RF Starts at $32,345

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/07/2017-mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-84-e1533048381780.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

**Topline**: Mazda announced Monday that its MX-5 RF convertible's entry price will climb for the 2019 model year, justified by a healthy increase in horsepower, and updated safety tech options.

**What's New**: The MX-5's 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G inline four receives a significant rework for 2019 model year cars which reduces internal friction and component weight, the end result being a 17 percent leap in power from 155 to 181 horsepower and a redline raised from 6,800 to 7,500 rpm. A marginal increase of three pound-feet of torque plays wingman for the horsepower hike.

The telescoping steering wheel added to the base model [2019 Mazda MX-5](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/21637/2019-mazda-mx-5-miata-more-power-more-revs-more-brown.md>) reappears on the RF, though the RF swaps a steel steering column for a lighter aluminum one. To account for the RF's buttressed foldaway roof, a rearview camera is now standard equipment on the RF. Optional tech extras include traffic sign recognition and low-speed automated emergency braking.

August will see the 2019 Mazda MX-5 RF reach showrooms, where retail price-obeying dealers will hang a price tag of $32,345. This is a $435 increase from the 2018 model year's price of $31,910.

**What You Need to Know**: As horsepower becomes more bountiful across the sports car market, the MX-5's already rare breed of small, lightweight sports car becomes even rarer. Only the [Toyota 86](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/22347/2019-toyota-86-trd-special-edition-instant-collector.md>) is a legitimate competitor in the United States, though it lacks the convertible roof that makes the MX-5 attractive to the general populace. Dwindling demand for compact cars in the U.S. has led to a dearth of inexpensive convertibles, leaving Mazda's option as one of the few options in the lower five-figure range. With [how good the MX-5 is](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/13114/2017-mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-review-great-but-theres-room-for-improvement.md>), though, we're not missing variety.

## Author
James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids."

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/jamesgilboy>)

## More

- [2019 Mazda MX-5 Reportedly Gets 181 HP and a Higher Redline](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/21481/2019-mazda-mx-5-reportedly-gets-181-hp-and-a-higher-redline.md>)
- [2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Club Review: A Pinch More Power Only Makes the Sauce Sweeter](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/24029/2019-mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-club-test-drive-review-new-engine-more-power-only-improve-this-sports-car.md>)
- [2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Review: Which Is Best, Classic Convertible or Sexy Retractable Hardtop?](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/26074/2019-mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-grand-touring-which-is-best-classic-convertible-or-sexy-retractible-hardtop.md>)
- [The Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Explores the Epic Landslides of Big Sur](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/13897/the-mazda-mx-5-miata-rf-explores-the-epic-landslides-of-big-sur.md>)
- [The Mazda MX-5 Might Be Getting a Substantial Power Bump for 2019](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/18930/the-mazda-mx-5-might-be-getting-a-substantial-power-bump-for-2019.md>)
- [The 2019 Mazda Miata Gets 17 Percent More Power for Only $435](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/23987/the-2019-mazda-miata-gets-17-percent-more-power-for-only-435.md>)
- [2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata 30th Anniversary Edition: An Orange-Licious Birthday](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/26390/2019-mazda-mx-5-miata-30th-anniversary-edition-an-orange-licious-birthday.md>)
- [The 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata Starts at $25,295](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/17127/the-2018-mazda-mx-5-miata-starts-at-25295.md>)