The Mazda MX-5 is without a doubt one of this year’s most eagerly anticipated sports cars. UK customers can now expect to purchase one for as little as £18,495.

To be fair, there are no truly cheap new cars, but to put things into perspective, you can get the all-new MX-5 for less than you’d have to pay for a KIA cee’d GT. And since we’re comparing a sporty little roadster to a hot-hatch, we feel that a lot of people might be tempted to go for the sportier, more agile MX-5, even if it’s down on power compared to pretty much any hot-hatch on the market.

If you’re more about driving experience than straight line acceleration, the choice is rather obvious don’t you think?

The all-new MX-5 is being offered with a choice of two SKYACTIV-G petrol engines, a 1.5 liter 131 HP unit and a 2.0 liter 160 HP one.

Spec-wise, there will be 9 different versions of the MX-5 for you to consider, starting with the 1.5i SE model, which also features the £18,495 entry-level price. The top of the range model is the MX-5 2.0i Sport Nav, setting you back £23,295.

Getting the top-spec version might be a good decision since you not only get to enjoy the LED headlights, leather steering wheel, climate control air-con, 7″ color touch-screen, rain sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, keyless entry, heated leather seats and Premium Bose Surround-Sound system, but also Sports suspension featuring Bilstein dampers, limited slip differential and strut tower bar, 17″ Bright alloys and the optional £350 Safety Pack which includes High Beam Control and Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

The MX-5 is set to arrive in UK showrooms this summer, but not before taking center stage at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Also, by pre-ordering your MX-5 online, you’ll also get the chance to drive the car on the Goodwood Race Circuit. If you’re one of the 50 lucky winners of the draw of course.

All in all, the all-new MX-5 truly is good value for money. As Mazda Motors UK Managing Director Jeremy Thomson states, “When it was launched in 1990 the 115ps Mk1 MX-5 cost £14,249 (equal to £31,687 in today’s money), yet 25 years later with vastly more standard equipment, the all-new Mazda MX-5 costs from £18,495, meaning more than ever the Mazda MX-5 sets the benchmark as the one of the world’s best and most affordable sports cars.”

Can’t argue with that.

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