What's an RF?

The Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is a sporty two-seater featuring a fixed roof and a coupe profile. It made its debut in 2016, adding a fresh twist to the Mazda MX-5 lineage. Upon its release in Australia in January 2017, I rushed to the Mazda dealership to place my order. I adored the coupe look with the roof up and the feeling of wind in my hair when driving with it down. After nearly a decade, many are familiar with this model, but how many truly understand what the “RF” in its name signifies? The answer lies in the car itself — this specific MX-5 features a retractable hardtop rather than a fabric folding roof, which explains its name: retractable fastback.

MX-5 enthusiasts often highlight that this ND-generation Miata isn’t the first to feature a hardtop, as the previous NC MX-5 also had a folding metal roof. However, the significant distinction lies in the fastback design of the ND-gen RF’s roof, while the older NC-gen Miata had a hardtop resembling a conventional soft-top model. Notably, fastback-style MX-5 variants were experimented with previously. In the early 2000s, during the second NB-generation, Mazda produced 179 units with an elegant coupe roofline, specifically for the Japanese market. Although these models had a fastback appearance, their roof was fixed rather than retractable, making the RF the true pioneer of its kind when it debuted in 2016.