Mazda MX-5 ND: the soundtrack of Jinba Ittai, the complete guide
The MX-5 ND is a return to the roots: under a tonne, with the original purity rediscovered. The best-selling roadster in history in its finest form, with just one wish: to be heard a little more. Here, point by point, is how to choose the exhaust for your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G, and what each option really changes.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G
From €2,190 in stainless steel, €2,690 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- Mazda MX-5 ND 2.0 Skyactiv-G (2016-2021)
- Engine
- 160 to 184 hp · 200 to 205 Nm, depending on the version
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted manifolds with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
The MX-5 engine: the Jinba Ittai philosophy, right down to the exhaust
Your MX-5 ND follows Jinba Ittai, the unity of horse and rider: lightness, balance and total connection. In that philosophy, the sound is part of the experience, especially with the roof down. The discreet factory exhaust lets the little four-cylinder sing under its breath: it is the favourite upgrade of the worldwide MX-5 community.
The ROG exhaust gives it its full voice: a lively, mechanical timbre, an expressive climb, and light crackles on the overrun. With the roof down, the transformation is total, and the valves keep discreet journeys possible.
How the exhaust on your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G is put together
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencer, valves. Routing, silencer, valves: this is where the sound is shaped, and where we focus our research and development.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G, these are the manifolds, which collect the gases as they leave the cylinders. The factory catalytic converter is built into it: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Changing this part remains a choice: it pays off mainly with an ECU remap, which turns the freed-up flow into power.
Your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G in figures
What an exhaust changes straight away is the sound, the engine's breathing and the weight at the rear. For more power, add an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures. Factory figures vary by version; Stage 2 figures published for the 184 hp version.
With or without an ECU remap, the exhaust fits and works. But it is an ECU remap at an approved tuning centre that truly unleashes your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G, and that is what we recommend.
Let's be honest: on an MX-5, nobody is looking for 100 extra horsepower, and the exhaust brings a moderate gain. What it really brings: better breathing, less weight, and a soundtrack that changes every journey. That is exactly the spirit of the car.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G, the exhaust costs €2,190 in stainless steel and €2,690 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
€2,190
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
Durable, corrosion-resistant, with a rounded, full sound: the most popular option.
Titanium
€2,690
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
For the same design, it weighs around 40% less than stainless steel. A more metallic note at high revs and a look all of its own, from brushed to blued.
Both materials age well: 304 stainless steel copes with winter and salt, and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 4: Front section: manifolds and catalytic converter
Optional: the manifolds on your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G, with their catalytic converter. Sound rating out of 10, valves open: the factory exhaust sits at 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
Nothing changes at the front: the cat-back alone is already enough to change the car.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+€530
8/10Road use and inspection
The everyday compromise: emissions control is still there, and breathing improves noticeably.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+€530
9/10Inspection: depends on local rules
One step further: more flow, a more aggressive sound, reduced emissions control.
Decat
+€330
10/10Track use
Everything unleashed: maximum flow and unrestrained sound, for the track.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat manifolds + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? It can appear with a sports catalytic converter: the downstream oxygen sensor reads a different level of cleaning from the factory unit. It is not an engine fault, and it is dealt with by an ECU remap or a diagnostic tool. With a decat, an ECU remap becomes necessary. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing vehicle inspection with a sports exhaust.
-
Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G.
ROG remote
The simplest solution: a control unit in the boot and a remote, open or closed at the press of a button, whatever mode you are in. A question while fitting? We will get back to you.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
Does your vehicle have factory valves? The exhaust keeps their existing control: the drive modes operate the valves, as before, with no added electronics.
On a long journey, what matters is the absence of drone at a steady speed. With the valves closed, the exhaust keeps the cabin calm; the show is still there whenever you ask for it. More about exhaust drone.
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Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.
- Stainless steel
- Black
- Carbon
- Blued titanium
The ROG sound signature on the MX-5
Our exhaust gives the MX-5 its full voice: a lively, mechanical timbre, an expressive climb, and light crackles on the overrun with the valves open. With the roof down, every journey becomes a celebration of Jinba Ittai. With the valves closed, the neighbours still love you.
From order to fitting
-
Configuration
You choose the options for your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G and enter its VIN, found in box E of the registration document or at the base of the windscreen.
-
Check
We confirm compatibility with your car before we build it.
-
Manufacturing
Made to order, for your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G.
-
Delivery
Free, insured delivery, with tracking sent on dispatch.
-
Fitting
Clamps and gaskets, no welding: two hours on average at the garage of your choice.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
What about the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, fitting a part from another brand is not enough on its own to void it; the manufacturer has to prove the link between that part and the fault. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G
-
Daily driving
€2,190
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves when you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
€3,220
- Titanium
- 200-cell manifolds
- ECU remap
For great roads: more voice and more response, while staying road-friendly.
View this configuration -
Track
€3,020
- Titanium
- Decat manifolds
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
These profiles are starting points. The right choice is often made in five minutes on the phone.
Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G: your questions
How much power does an exhaust add on the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G?
As standard, the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G produces 160 to 184 hp and 200 to 205 Nm, depending on the version. Without a remap, the exhaust transforms the voice and lightens the rear; it is the ECU remap that increases power. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures for the 184 hp version reach 205 hp and 230 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G?
For the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G, the ROG exhaust costs €2,190 in stainless steel and €2,690 in titanium. Choose stainless steel for value for money and a rounded sound, titanium to save around 40% in weight and get a clearer tone.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G?
No, the cat-back alone already does most of the work on the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G. The manifold option is for those tuning the engine: 200 cells to stay road-friendly, 100 cells or decat for the track.
Will a ROG exhaust pass vehicle inspection on the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell sports catalytic converter both keep emissions control: that is the configuration to present, with the valves closed. The 100-cell brings more sound and flow, and whether it is accepted at the emissions test depends on the car and local rules; the decat version is intended for track use on the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted on the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G?
Fitting needs no welding or cutting and takes two hours on average on a lift. We check compatibility with the VIN of your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G before manufacturing.
What price and lead time for a ROG exhaust on the Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G?
From €2,190 to €3,220 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Free delivery, 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you use your Mazda MX-5 ND Skyactiv-G. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
Behind every ROG exhaust is a French team you can actually reach, who know the cars they talk about. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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