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Autoblog Podcast #416

Episode #416 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Steven Ewing, and Brandon Turkus talk about the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, seeing the 2016 Nissan Maxima in the company's Super Bowl ad, and GMC's potential plans for a Jeep Wrangler fighter. Of course, the podcast starts with what's in the garage and finishes up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #416 Topics 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata first drive 2016 Nissan Maxima previewed in Super Bowl ad GMC mulling Jeep Wrangler fighter In The Autoblog Garage 2015 Hyundai Genesis 5.0L V8 2015 Honda CR-V Long-Term 2015 Volkswagen GTI Hosts: Dan Roth, Steven Ewing, Brandon Turkus Runtime: 01:36:43 Rundown Intro and Garage - 00:00 Maxima – 30:48 Miata – 41:46 GMC/Wrangler – 59:14 Q&A - 01:11:13 Get The Podcast UStream – Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Podcasts GMC Honda Hyundai Jeep Mazda Nissan Volkswagen vw gti nissan maxima

AWD Mazda6 or Mazda3? That could be a thing, but there's a problem

We wanted a stronger engine in the Mazda6, and last week at the L.A. Auto Show we got one, Mazda's turbocharged 2.5-liter four. (Though some of us wanted a manual transmission with it, but didn't get that.) And now we learn that apparently a lot of us would like to have all-wheel drive in Mazda's sedans. That might be a tough ask, but Mazda says it hears us. In an interview with CarAdvice, Masahiro Moro, Mazda North America's president and CEO, said there's a big demand in the U.S. for AWD, so Mazda's looking into it. Ah, but maybe we can't have everything. "I think we are not able to combine four-wheel drive and the 2.5-liter turbo. We have a layout issue with the sedans, that's why a four-wheel drive isn't deployed on the Mazda 3 and 6 so far," Moro said. "But there is a huge demand, at least what I know is that in the East Coast of the USA, 80 or 90 percent of premium sedans are sold with all-wheel drive." And with Mazda going upscale, it only makes sense to give upscale, performance-oriented customers what they want, like the AWD sedans the German premium brands have been offering for years. "Four-wheel drive becomes a premium cue for U.S. consumers," said Moro, "and obviously I have asked our R&D department to think about how we can accommodate four-wheel drive capability in the future." Though the CX-9, being a crossover, of course has AWD in combination with that turbo engine, it simply must not have the platform limitations of the sedans. And all-wheel drive in the Mazda6, at least, has been available in Japan, Europe and Australia, but paired with the Skyactiv-D and another smaller engine, diesels we don't get here. Moro's statement leaves open the possibility of AWD with the base 2.5-liter engine, but maybe not. Besides, a premium buyer would want the turbo. So, when Moro says the future, he means not now, not in the Mazda6 facelift we just saw. But maybe in the next big redesign? Or maybe the configuration problems will be easier to overcome when working with the innovative new 2.0-liter Skyactiv-X compression-ignition engine that's expected in the 2019 Mazda3. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2018 Mazda6: LA 2017 View 16 Photos Image Credit: Drew Phillips / Autoblog Auto News Mazda Technology Emerging Technologies Performance Sedan

2021 Mazda3 to gain a turbocharged engine, finally, probably

Buckle up, Mazda fans. The Mazda3 turbo might really be happening, says a report from Jalopnik. Some details from Mazda’s dealership extranet system observed by Jalopnik suggest weÂ’ll see a 2021 Mazda3 turbo in both sedan and hatchback form. We donÂ’t have eyes on the documents ourselves, but the report says both the sedan and hatchback versions will be all-wheel-drive only with no option for front-wheel drive. In addition to that, it looks like the turbo models will be exclusively automatic, as theyÂ’re both only listed as “6A” in MazdaÂ’s system. Sorry to break the hearts of those who were hoping for a manual turbo. The hatchback manual with the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter from the modelÂ’s first two years appears to be sticking around for a third, in case you were worried. There is one minor mystery that's a possible glimmer of hope for someone wanting more performance, though. The report says that a “MAZDA3 HB PP TURBO” is listed in the docs. Our hearts are yearning for the PP to stand for Performance Package, but it probably stands for “Premium Package.” ThatÂ’s the name of MazdaÂ’s highest trim Mazda3 right now, and itÂ’d make sense to offer the turbo engine on the upmarket model. The last we heard on this front was from a report published over a year ago. It suggested MazdaÂ’s 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder as a possible drop-in. That motor makes 250 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel and would be a big upgrade to the 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque made by the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter under the hood now. Without a manual, the obvious transmission would be MazdaÂ’s traditional six-speed automatic. ItÂ’s a solid transmission for cars like the Mazda6 and CX-5, but itÂ’s not meant for sports cars, as we recently found in the automatic Miata RF. So no, this Mazda3 turbo wonÂ’t be a Mazdaspeed. It would simply be a quicker Mazda3, and while we can still pine for a true Mazdaspeed, this will be a welcome addition to the lineup. ThereÂ’s even more ancillary news in the report, too. The docs that Jalopnik saw say weÂ’ll be getting a Mazda3 with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder in 2021. That one has to be the Skyactiv-X engine weÂ’ve been patiently waiting for. It has already launched in Europe, but was delayed in the U.S. Those 100th Anniversary Edition Mazdas get a callout, too. The Mazda3 version of that is reportedly set to be equipped with the turbo engine, making that particular model even more enticing.