THERE are few cars on the road that claim almost universal praise. One is undoubtedly the Mazda MX-5.

The MX-5 is something of an icon, eagerly snapped up on the used car market while being a top seller in the new car stakes.

It has been around for more than 20 years now, both in coupe form and originally with a soft top, but now with a steel roof option and has been hailed as the successor to an iconic generation of Britsh two-seater roadsters - and a hairdresser's car.

Some hairdressers, will undoubtedly love it, but the truth is that it is a well-made, lively motor that is fantastic fun and it is easy to see why it the world's best selling two-seater sports car.

With a choice of two petrol engines, a 1.8-litre and two-litre petrol unit, there is plenty of power on tap which is transferred smoothly to the rear wheels by a slick-shifting six-speed gearbox.

That is a great start, but where the Mazda really scores is the drive and handling.

It can literally be thrown around with abandon, sticking limpet-like to the road while the steering is sharp and precise.

As a result the ride can be a little on the hard side, but not enough to make occupants uncomfortable.

The model tested featured the superb steel foldaway roof that is a joy to behold. Unclip the release catch above the rear view mirror and the whole contraption slides into the boot area.

Surprisingly this still leaves a decent amount of luggage space, 150 litres, where two soft holdalls can easily be accommodated.

Whether the folding time of around 12 seconds is the quickest could be put to the test by the new Renault Wind, but the difference would be minimal.

Once on the road the car is a delight. The willing two-litre engine develops a healthy 160bhp which beefs up performance that might have been slightly lacking in past models.

The 0-60mph sprint takes just 7.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 135mph where permitted.

Plenty of pace and not bad economy, claimed average fuel consumption is around 38mpg.

With the roof down passengers are still well-protected from the wind, but obviously road and wind noise are more apparent.

The interior itself is fairly minimalist but still looks neat and sporty, despite some cheapish plastics in places.

The centerpiece is a sporty, aluminium-trimmed steering wheel that also houses radio and cruise control, while the main controls are housed in a central console that swoops down between the two seats and also houses the gearstick and handbrake lever.

Equipment levels are pretty good and Mazda's reliability is stuff of legends.

Standard kit on the SE includes alloy wheels, driver, passenger and side airbags, electronic stability programme, plus electric windows and door mirrors.

3yrs/ 60,000 miles