The Mazda MX-5 Just Lost Its Bigger Engine – Can the 1.5 Keep the Magic Alive?

The Mazda MX-5 has been around since 2015, yet its formula still works: small size, low weight, and a simple sports-car layout. For 2027, Mazda makes a major change in the UK. The 2.0-liter engine leaves the lineup, leaving the 1.5-liter Skyactiv-G as the only choice.

The bigger engine left the European range in 2024 because of emissions rules, and the UK now follows. Mazda still has enough 2.0-liter cars in stock to cover demand until around January 2027, but the factory has stopped building them. The 1.5-liter engine gets a small bump for 2027, reaching 134 hp and 114 lb-ft.

Mazda also adds Zinc Green Metallic to the color range and expands the Homura and Homura Plus trims to the 1.5-liter model. These versions get 16-inch black Rays wheels, red Brembo brakes, black mirrors, Recaro seats, Bilstein dampers, and a front strut brace. The MX-5 continues in Roadster and RF forms, while every grade gains a driver monitoring system.

The Homura Plus gets extra safety tech too, including adaptive LED headlights, rear cross-traffic alert, vehicle exit warning, a rear-view camera, and Smart Brake Support Rear. Mazda hasn’t announced UK pricing yet. For fans of the MX-5, one question now hangs over the range: can the lighter 1.5-liter keep the car’s magic alive without the 2.0-liter?