The Mazda Miata MX-5 RF wasn't a car we were asking for - but we loved it anyway

So what did we think of this mighty little monster?

This leads to an awkward shifting position. It's doable, however.

An annoying thing about cramming a modern infotainment interface into a car that's more about old-school driving: the controls are right behind the shifter, meaning it's easy to accidentally input something with your forearm.

The six-speed manual is outstanding. It's crisp and delivers a nice, positive feeling as you snick through the gears. The Miata's clutch is taut without being heavy. The combo is basically perfect.

For the driver, the view of the instrument cluster is no-nonsense. There's a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen, but Mazda's system isn't the best. It gets the job done, though. It features Bluetooth capability, USB integration, and navigation.

The 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine is no beast, generating just 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. But it revs high, and you can get into all those ponies. Notice as well that you can see the motor. There's no plastic shrouding, which is common these days with many cars. Fuel economy is great: 26 mph city/33 highway/29 combined.

The trunk, as expected, can absorb a case of wine and little else. The Miata is optimized for driving fun and is perfect for weekend getaways, as long as you travel light.

There's barely room for a standard violin case! Don't ask why I have a standard violin case, by the way ...

As with all Miatas, the two-seater provides not much in the way of extra passenger space. The seats are heated, a welcome thing on cooler top-down days.

Open-air motoring is a joy! Well, it's mostly open. The RF lacks the fully drop-topped vibe of the soft-top MX-5. But you can hear your tunes through a tasty 9-speaker Bose audio system, thanks to speakers in the headrests.

The roof folds into a compartment while the RF retains the sloping fastback pillars on either side.

The result isn't a convertible, but a targa roofline.

... and here it is down. The lowering-and-raising process consumes about 10 seconds.

Here's the top up ...

The big difference from the regular Miata is that the RF features a fastback coupé shape with an automated folding hardtop.

Like the regular soft-top Miata, the RF has a sleeker design that harks back to the original Roadster from the early 1990s. I owned one of those, and the new MX-5 is my favorite Miata since those glory days.

Read my review of the new Miata here and here.

The MX-5 Miata RF arrived at our suburban New Jersey test center wearing an absolutely gorgeous "Soul Red Metallic" paint job. The interior for the Grand Touring trim level was "Tan Red," a succulent leather.