The Mazda MX-5 GT RS now comes with Recaro bucket seats as standard in Australia. The last time Australians could buy a new MX-5 with Recaros was the 2019 30th Anniversary Edition, and only 30 of those came to the country.
The same update brings Zinc Green Metallic, the first green paint for the fourth-generation (ND) MX-5. Australian media reported the changes on 13 October 2026, and orders are open now.
Quick facts
- New Recaro bucket seats in Nappa leather and Alcantara with light grey stitching on the GT RS (Roadster and RF)
- Alcantara also on the dashboard, centre console, console lid and door trims of the GT RS
- New colour, Zinc Green Metallic, for both the soft-top Roadster and the RF
- Lane-keep assist is now standard on every MX-5, and the emergency braking now detects cyclists too
- Engine unchanged: 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four with 135 kW and 205 Nm, rear-wheel drive, six-speed manual or six-speed automatic
- The GT RS is manual only
- Prices from A$44,590 to A$61,740 before on-road costs, up A$1,950 on most versions and A$4,950 on the GT RS
- Deliveries in Australia start this month (October 2026)
Recaros are back for Australian buyers
The GT RS is the sharpest MX-5 in Australia. It already had DSC-Track, a stability mode made for circuit driving, and now it gets the seats to match. The new Recaros are lightweight buckets trimmed in Nappa leather and Alcantara.
Mazda Australia also covered more of the cabin in Alcantara. You now find it on the dashboard, the centre console, the console lid and the door trims.
Fans in Japan know this setup well. There, the Roadster RS has used Recaro seats for years, and photo 4 in our gallery shows that cabin. Australia had to wait for a special edition to get them, until now.
Zinc Green, the first green on the ND
Mazda revealed Zinc Green Metallic on 31 May 2026, and the MX-5 is the first model to wear it. The world premiere took place at the Karuizawa Meeting 2026, an event run by MX-5 owners in Japan.
The name comes from zinc chromate primer, an undercoat used to protect industrial parts. Mazda says the paint looks almost solid in low light and shows a fine metallic shine in bright sun. The mix uses bluish metallic flakes.
Green has a long history on this car. Mazda says it has offered about 80 shades of green over the years, and earlier MX-5 generations had green paint. The ND, sold since 2015, never had one until now.
“This is the first time in 10 years that a green body colour has been available on a Mazda in Australia,” said Jarrod Gieschen, Mazda Australia’s sales and marketing director.
Same engine, more safety
There are no mechanical changes for Australia. Every MX-5 there keeps the 2.0-litre Skyactiv-G four with 135 kW and 205 Nm, and the power still goes to the rear wheels.
The new safety kit is lane-keep assist, which joins the lane departure warning the car already had. Autonomous emergency braking now looks for cyclists as well as cars and pedestrians.
Australian media also disagree on the name of the update. Mazda Australia calls it a 2026 model, while some outlets use 2027.
The price jump and the rivals
The extra kit costs money. Most versions go up by A$1,950, and the GT RS goes up by A$4,950. The GT RS Roadster now costs A$57,240 and the RF GT RS costs A$61,740, before on-road costs.
The closest rivals are still the Toyota GR86 and the Subaru BRZ. Both are rear-drive coupes, so the MX-5 is the only one of the three you can drive with the roof down.
What tuners will think
For a lot of owners, Recaro buckets are the first thing they buy for an MX-5. Getting them from the factory saves owners that job and that money.
The engine stays fully stock, so the usual MX-5 tuning parts still fit. Nothing in this update closes that door.
Our take
This is our opinion. Factory Recaros and a proper green are what MX-5 fans have asked for, and the GT RS now feels like a complete package for a track day. The green also looks great on the ND’s lines.
The bad side is the price. A jump of A$4,950 for seats and trim is a lot, and there is still no more power. This is a small update for a car that has been on sale since 2015, so many fans will keep waiting for the next-generation MX-5.
Your turn
Would you take the GT RS with factory Recaros, or buy a base MX-5 and fit your own seats? Tell us in the comments.
Sources: CarExpert (MX-5 update prices and equipment), GoAuto (MX-5 mild update and price rise), The Beep (2026 MX-5 safety tech and green paint), Mazda newsroom (Zinc Green Metallic).
Photos: Oq10pass (CC0) and Tokumeigakarinoaoshima (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons. Photos 1 to 3 show a Japanese-market 2026 MX-5 RF (Roadster RF VS), photos 4 and 5 a Japanese-market Roadster RS. They do not show the Australian GT RS or the Zinc Green paint.
