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Mazda2 nets Japan Car of the Year, Cherokee first US model to ever crack top 10

The 2015 Mazda2 is quite high up on our must-drive list. Yes, the teeny, tiny successor to the 100-horsepower five-door is worth getting excited over, largely because the previous generation was one of the absolute best smiles-per-dollar values on the market.
While we eagerly await for our opportunity to take to the 2's helm, our expectations of the new car have just been heightened thanks to its win in Japan's Car of the Year competition. Called "Demio" in the land of the rising sun, Japanese journalists handed out Mazda's second COTY award since the CX-5 took the title in 2012.
In more surprising news, the new Jeep Cherokee has made the list of 10 Best Cars in Japan. The Jeep's triumph marks the first time an American car has cracked the top ten, finishing eighth. It's not, however, the first Fiat Chrysler vehicle to snag the title, following in the footsteps of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Fiat Panda. Still, the fact that an American brand can make such impressive inroads into the traditionally tough-to-crack Japanese market is a seriously big deal.

Star Trek actor's death may be linked to Jeep shifter issue

The tragic death of Anton Yelchin on Sunday may have resulted from a known design flaw with his Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 27-year-old actor, best known for playing Pavel Chekov in the latest Star Trek movies, was reportedly crushed when his vehicle rolled backwards down the driveway in front of his house, pinning him against a brick pillar and metal gate. The 2014-15 Grand Cherokee was one of three models (alongside the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans) that Fiat Chrysler recalled this past April due to roll-away risk. The vehicle was equipped with an unintuitive "e-shifter" that didn't deliver the usual tactile response of being shifted into position, leading to numerous drivers exiting the vehicle mistakenly thinking that it was in Park. The problem was reported to have resulted in 41 injuries – and now possibly Yelchin's death as well. The manufacturer stated at the time of the recall that "the vehicles involved in these events were inspected and no evidence of equipment failure was found." It determined that while the vehicle warned occupants if the driver's-side door was opened while the engine was running and the transmission not in the Park position, such measures may have been insufficient. Its remedy for the problem involved updating the vehicle software to better warn drivers in such an event, and changing the design for subsequent models. "Regarding the recall," an FCA spokesman told Autoblog, "I can confirm notices were mailed to affected customers. Included in those notices were tip sheets describing proper operation of the shifter. This supplemental information echoes the instructions in the owner's manual." Yelchin was born March 11, 1989, in St. Petersburg, Russia. His parents were a figure-skating pair, and defected to the United States when Anton was just six months old. In the prime of his career, Yelchin had several films currently in development, including Star Trek Beyond, set to reach theaters next month. His body was reportedly discovered by friends when he didn't show up for rehearsal. Related Video:

Hands on with the concepts of the Moab Easter Jeep Safari

Jeep has a way of tugging at the heartstrings of its enthusiastic owner base when the annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari rolls around. The 2015 version sees all boxes ticked in the off-road event's 49th year: multiple diesel engines on display, a pickup-truck-like model and more than a few nods to the brand's long and storied history book. We were able to get a first-hand look at the seven concepts being shown in Utah's Red Desert in the much cooler, cleaner confines of the FCA Technical Center's Design Dome. Jeep Chief Concept We aren't sure if it's that throwback chrome grille or the eye-catching Ocean Blue paint, but even more than the Red Rock Responder, the Chief drew our eye as soon as we walked into the Design Dome. It's a surprisingly tall vehicle, but it's also very wide. We'd also wager it's longer than your typical four-door Wrangler. Jeep may have used a Wrangler as a base for the Chief, but any similarities to the donor vehicle are extremely difficult to spot. The fenders and doors are probably the biggest giveaways, but you're going to need to squint (and have the benefit of a Wrangler to compare with, like we did) to pick out Wrangler bits. As is the recurring theme throughout all seven concepts, the Jeep design team's attention to detail is borderline fanatical. From the "Surf Rated" badge on the fenders, to the tweaked door handles to the bumper stickers in the cargo area and the Tiki-statue-shaped shifter, the little details are truly the stars of the Chief Concept. The rosewood trim in the rear cargo area is stunning and adds to the Beach-Boy-friendly stylings of the Chief. The throwback grille, round headlights and tall, skinny taillights, meanwhile, add a lot of personality to the exterior. The high beltline and lower roof gives the Chief a chop-topped look, but it's arguably the least successful element to the blue concept's otherwise impressive design. All of the vehicles Jeep put together for Moab are 100-percent functional. That's not surprising with some of the vehicles you'll see below, but it somehow is remarkably impressive given the degree of the changes Jeep made in putting together the Chief. Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Responder The Wrangler-based Red Rock Responder is arguably one of the most capable of these real-world vehicles, both in terms of the way it looks and its actual hardware. We mentioned the special rescue equipment fitted to the bright-red, truck-like Jeep – a compressor and air gun, sockets, tow straps, etc.