Mazda Roadster NB and NC import guide

In Japan the MX-5 is simply the Mazda Roadster, and the later NB and NC cars are a good way to get one with a better spec or a rarer trim than most UK cars. They are right-hand drive, every one is now over 10 years old, and the import route is simple. The two things to get right are rust on the NB and the sums, because a Roadster from Japan does not always work out cheaper than a good car already here.

Generations

NB (1998 to 2005), NC (2005 to 2015)

Shipping from Japan

From £3,575, shipping only

Typical journey

About 5 to 8 weeks

Test

MOT, as every car is over 10 years old

NB or NC?

The NB replaced the pop-up headlights of the first car with fixed ones, and was sold in Japan as the Mazda Roadster once the Eunos brand had gone. It was facelifted in 2001, and owners often call the later cars NB2. The NC is bigger and more modern, with a 2.0 litre engine, and from 2006 it was also offered with a folding power hardtop, known as the RHT.

The NB feels closest to the original: light, small and simple. The NC is the one to pick if you want more comfort for longer trips, and the RHT makes it a proper year-round car. For the first-generation car, see our Eunos Roadster import guide.

Japanese-market specials

Part of the appeal of buying in Japan is the choice. Mazda sold a long run of limited and special editions there, with different colours, interiors and wheels. The NB was even offered as the Roadster Coupe, a fixed-roof version that was not sold in the UK. On the NC, look out for the more focused trims aimed at club racing as well as the softer, better-equipped ones.

Edition names on an auction sheet are not always clear, so check what you are buying before you bid. A rare edition is worth more to the right buyer, but it can also mean trim and body parts that are harder to find here.

What to check before you buy

The NB is where rust matters most. Japanese cars are often cleaner than UK ones, but cars from the snowy north of Japan can be just as bad underneath. The NC is generally better, though it is not immune, and an RHT roof needs its own checks.

An auction sheet and an independent inspection are your best protection. Our guide to Japanese auction grades explains how to read the sheet, and history checks for imported cars covers what you can find out about the car's past.

Import tax by age

A car from Japan normally pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price plus the shipping, with the VAT charged on top of the duty. That is the rate every NB and NC pays today.

The reduced rate of 5% VAT and no duty is for cars over 30 years old. Working from 12 October 2026, that means cars built before 12 October 1996, so no NB or NC is close. The earliest NBs reach 30 in 2028, and even then HMRC expects the car to be in its original state. Our guide to the historic vehicle 5% VAT rules explains the conditions.

The import tax calculator will give you an estimate, and our worked tax examples show how the sums go together.

Is it cheaper than buying a UK MX-5?

Not always. There are plenty of NB and NC cars for sale in the UK, and once you add shipping, duty, VAT and the work to register a Japanese car, a plain one bought in Japan can cost about the same as, or more than, a similar UK car.

Importing makes the most sense when you want something the UK market does not offer: a Japan-only edition, a colour or trim you cannot find here, or a car with a rust-free underside that would be hard to match locally. Price the whole job, including tax, before you bid, and compare it with the best UK cars rather than the cheapest.

Shipping and getting it road legal

From Japan, RoRo is the usual route and costs less than a container. The car needs to run and drive and should be empty, with no loose hardtops or parts inside. As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from Japan starts from £3,575, shipping only, and the journey door to door is usually about 5 to 8 weeks. The documents are the Japanese export certificate, the purchase invoice or auction paperwork, and your passport.

Every NB and NC is over 10 years old, so GOV.UK exempts it from vehicle approval and it takes an MOT rather than an IVA test. The speedometer does not have to be converted to mph, as that rule applies to cars under 10 years old, though many owners do it anyway. Our guide to speedometer and headlight conversions explains the options.

The usual change is a rear fog light, fitted in the right position if the car does not have one. Japanese cars are no longer checked for headlight compliance. We do the work and the MOT on our own site in Castle Donington, and our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register the car within 10 working days. For the full route, see our guide to importing a car from Japan.

Living with one

The mechanical parts are shared with UK MX-5s, so servicing is easy and specialists are everywhere. Japan-only trim, badges and special edition parts can take longer to source. Insurers will want to know the car is an import and whether it has been modified, so tell them everything. Our guide to insuring a Japanese import covers what they ask.

Questions people ask

Found a Roadster you like? Send us the auction lot or the seller's details on the quote form and we will price the whole job.