Mazda News
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At just over 2,300 pounds, the Mazda2 is a lightweight. It's about 200 pounds less than the Honda Fit, MINI Cooper, or Ford Fiesta, and a bit less than the Toyota Yaris even. And, Smart Fortwo aside, that makes it the lightest regular production vehicle for 2011. Lighter weight and smaller engine displacement are two of the old assurances that a vehicle will get better mileage. Of course there are many other variables, like gearing, aerodynamics, accessories, and powertrain tuning, but it still rings true. With 2,300 pounds and a small, 1.5-liter engine, the Mazda2 has a compelling package...
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8.9 Earthquake Spares Small Car Manufacturing Plants in JapanAs the full effects of last week’s 8.9-magnitude earthquake are still sinking in there has been questions in the automotive industry as to whether Japanese car manufacturers would be affected. Now there are bound to be some issues especially considering the damage to the nuclear power plant...
Jonathan McGrew -
2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv-G Engine: How Much More Fuel Efficient?Next year's Mazda3 models will deliver fuel efficiency gains over their 2011 counterparts, the company said today, as it unveiled refreshed versions of its popular compact hatchback and sedan, to go on sale later this fall. The 2012 Mazda3 will offer as an option what Mazda now calls the SkyActiv-G...
John Voelcker -
Five Reasons Gas-Guzzlers Won't Die--And Shouldn't--Any Time SoonWriting about green cars can be a challenge. On the one hand, this site attracts many new-car buyers who want to learn more about more fuel-efficient alternatives to what they're driving now. Consider the Ford Explorer driver who bought a Honda Fit because it was really all he needed. But on the...
John Voelcker -
Mazda2 Electric Car Leasing Starts In JapanWe first heard about Mazda’s plans to develop a battery-powered electric version of its Mazda2 hatchback back in 2009, with the automaker finally starting real-world trials of prototypes last year. Now Mazda has announced that its electric Mazda2 (a Demio in Japan) is scheduled to commence...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Slow U.S. Adoption of Start-Stop Systems: The Real ReasonsSometimes even well-informed industry analysts get it wrong. Or miss the forest for the trees. A recent posting by Pike Research, entlted "Europe Leads, U.S. Lags In Start-Stop Hybrids," correctly notes that adoption of start-stop systems is well advanced in Europe, but lags behind in the U.S. But...
John Voelcker -
Since its introduction to the U.S. market in 1989, the Mazda MX-5 or Miata, as it is known here in the States, has been one of the all-time best two-seat roadsters in sales. However, you might have noticed that the Mazda Miata doesn’t get a lot of press these days, especially not in the National ad campaigns. Every wonder why that is, especially for such an iconic car? Mediapost.com did and they decided to go straight to the source. Chris Hill, Mazda’s new group manager of marketing operations, is someone who knows the Miata inside and out. As the former vehicle line manager for...
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Next-Gen Mazda2 Will Return 70 MPG, Without An Electric MotorThe U.S. is just getting its first taste of the funky Mazda2, a car that has helped rewrite the rulebook on affordable hatchbacks by showing that cheap doesn’t have to mean drab and boring to drive. However, the next-generation of Mazda’s global small car is currently in the works and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Newspaper Reports Ford Divesting Of Mazda Ownership StakeFord and Mazda have had a relationship for over three decades and Ford has owned a controlling interest in the company for most of that time starting with their purchase of 25 percent of Mazda’s shares in 1979. You might not have noticed the influence since the Mazda’s of the ‘80s...
Jonathan McGrew -
Will U.S. Green Buyers Accept Subcompacts, And Does It Matter?It's always important for writers to check their cultural biases when analyzing the auto market. Or at least admit them up front. So we appreciate our colleague Scott Burgess being honest about his point of view: He doesn't like subcompacts. Nope. Doesn't have any time for 'em. Animus up front In...
John Voelcker -
Latest Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive Licensee: Mercedes-Benz ???Toyota leads the world in hybrid-electric vehicles, having built well over 2 million of them since 1997. That's more than half the hybrids on the planet. Now, with new electric cars about to hit the showrooms--the 2011 Nissan Leaf and 2011 Chevrolet Volt, for example--Toyota wants to cement its...
John Voelcker -
Mazda Claims Sky Engine Range Will Match Hybrids In Fuel EconomyWhile many of its rivals have flocked to hybrid technology for fuel efficiency gains, Mazda is relatively unique in that it plans to further develop existing internal combustion technologies in order to maximize the fuel efficiency of its engines. Mazda previewed its next-generation of powertrain...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mazda Taps Into the Youth and Social Media Segments With Mazda2
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2011 Mazda Mazda2: First Drive ReportThe 2011 Mazda Mazda2 subcompact had a somewhat strange introduction, with the car itself unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show but the interior not displayed until three months later. Nevertheless, Mazda's sporty little subcompact is headed for dealerships this fall, starting at the remarkably low...
John Voelcker -
Mazda Miata Special Edition Goes On Sale For 20th AnniversaryUnfortunately For U.S. Customers It Won’t Be Sold Here
Jonathan McGrew -
2011 Mazda2: Fiesta Copy Or Innovative Platform SharerThere Is More To the Mazda2 Than One Might Think
Jonathan McGrew -
DRIVEN: 2010 Mazda3 i Touring Sedan at RMDEOn the Road and On the Track Mazda Shows Lots of Zoom
Jonathan McGrew -
2010 Mazda3: Loved Even More By CanadiansMazda3 Passes Honda Civic In Sales To Date
Jonathan McGrew -
Our reader Celeste wrote to ask us about available hybrid SUVs and crossovers, and we thought our answer might be useful for the site. At the moment, there are three main hybrid SUVs sold in the U.S. Each of them also has variations sold under other brands. All are likely to be durable, as their powertrains must be warrantied in some states for 10 years and 150,000 miles. Their mileage will vary depending on your "duty cycle." Hybrids are at their most fuel efficient in lower-speed and stop-and-go traffic, when their ability to switch off the engine on stops and run short distances solely on...
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2010 MazdaSpeed3: Puts the Zoom in Zoom-ZoomAn Affordable Pocket Rocket That Can Carry Too
Jonathan McGrew -
Mazda Granted Patent For Offset Wheel-Mounted MotorFor years Mazda remained adamant that diesel and advanced gasoline engines would be enough to satisfy its needs for more fuel-efficient cars, but last year, in a major shift in strategy, the automaker decided it would follow the crowd and embrace hybrids and electric powertrains. The change in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Could the Mazda Miata See a Boost In Mileage For 2011?New York Auto Show Hints At Things To Come
Jonathan McGrew -
2010 New York Auto Show: Mazda To Launch Diesel Mazda6 in 2012Yesterday's Mazda press conference mostly focused on its 2011 Mazda2 subcompact, but the company also dropped a bombshell. Starting in 2012, it will sell a clean diesel version of its Mazda6 midsize sedan in the U.S. And it expects the car to return 43 miles per gallon on the EPA highway cycle. The...
John Voelcker -
2010 New York Auto Show: 2011 Mazda Mazda2 Priced at $13,980At the 2010 New York Auto Show today, Mazda announced that its 2011 Mazda2 subcompact would carry a low starting price of $13,980 when it arrives at dealers. Not only that, but the first cars will show up in showrooms in late July, several months earlier than originally planned. Like the Fiesta but...
John Voelcker