2024 Mazda Cx-30 2.5 S Premium Package on 2040-cars

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2019 Mazda 6 gets more expensive, adds equipment and drops the manual

Update: We got wind of what Mazda had in store for the 2019 Mazda 6 in this report from last week, and now we have all the official information from Mazda. The news on the manual transmission's disappearance is still true — 2018 model year cars will be the last ones that make that an option. There are a few changes Mazda has implemented for this model year, and a slight price adjustment that goes with. The addition of Mazda's i-Activsense safety tech as standard is confirmed. As is G-Vectoring Control Plus, the next generation of Mazda's G-Vectoring we saw hit the CX-5 for the 2019 model year. Pricing has been adjusted to reflect the extra standard equipment and elimination of the manual transmission. A base (manual) 2018 Mazda 6 Sport costs $22,845 with its $895 destination fee, but the new 2019 model begins at $24,720 with the $920 destination fee included. That's a considerable increase, but the charge for an automatic transmission was $1,050 of that previously. Higher trim levels don't experience as much of a hike. For example, the maxed-out Signature is only $375 more expensive in 2019, coming in at $36,020 total. Mazda says the 2019 Mazda 6 goes on sale this month. It's a little surprising that 2019 model year Mazda 6s weren't already on sale, but mid-year updates or late introductions aren't exactly out of the norm for Mazda. Since its introduction, the current generation Mazda6 has always remained a top choice among driving enthusiasts. That's because it's one of the few cars left in its class to still offer a manual transmission, next to the Honda Accord. But sadly, it seems even that's going to disappear for the 2019 model year update. CarsDirect originally heard through the grapevine that the Mazda6 sedan will be losing its standard six-speed manual while gaining some new safety tech. At first, we here at Autoblog were in denial. We had to reach out to Mazda to verify this unfortunate news. And sadly, it seems CarsDirect's findings are accurate, with Mazda USA's marketing and brand communications manager, Drew Cary, replying to our inquiry with the following statement: At Mazda we are always listening to our fans, especially when it comes to what they are looking for from our vehicles. As we have moved the Mazda6 upscale with the launch of the Grand Touring Reserve and Signature models, we have seen less demand for a manual transmission option.

Mazda files patents for a sequential twin-turbo setup

Mazda has a history of interesting engine technologies, from yesterday's rotary engine to tomorrow's compression ignition engine, and new patents show it still may have some internal combustion tricks up its sleeve. The one on display in these patents isn't especially new in concept, though. A sequential twin-turbocharger setup is something Mazda itself used on the third-generation RX-7. But it's something we haven't seen much of lately. It looks like it could have some possible advantages over older sequential systems, and it has some potential advantages for enthusiasts. First a quick and dirty primer for what makes a sequential twin-turbo system distinct from other twin-turbo systems. In many twin-turbo engines, there are simply two turbos that work together as one bigger turbo. They're the same size, and they spool up at the same time. With a sequential setup, at low rpm, a smaller turbocharger is spooled up first at low-rpm for quicker throttle response, and as the rpm and exhaust pressure increases, a valve opens up that allows a larger turbocharger to also spool up and provide high-rpm boost. That's basically how the Mazda design shown above functions. A big flap blocks off the larger turbocharger exhaust inlet, channeling all the exhaust to the smaller turbo. When more exhaust is available at high rpm, it looks like that flap opens up to spool up the big turbo, too. What's interesting here is that the way the turbochargers are packaged takes up less space than past systems. It looks like both turbos are contained in one unit that shares the same exhaust outlet, meaning the exhaust manifold could be kept simple and compact. In fact, the piping for compressed intake air could also be shared, reducing the amount of piping, which would further decrease the amount of materials and possible failure points. There are a number advantages of making this system smaller. The potential applications of the system are much greater, since it could fit in smaller cars with smaller engine bays. Making the system smaller also means that there won't be as much weight, which is important from both fuel economy and performance standpoints. Finally, the smaller setup likely uses fewer materials, which could make the system cheaper and thus easier to offer on a wider range of vehicles, or at least more profitable for Mazda.

2020 Mazda CX-30 First Drive | The middle way

JULIAN, Calif. — An Aveo wanders in the lane ahead, its gas flap open and waving in the 30-mph slipstream as it creeps along some of the best roads in all of Southern California as swiftly as a retreating glacier. The 2020 Mazda CX-30Â’s speedometer needle quivers and then falls. The longing for a passing zone becomes unbearable. Even with a merely adequate 186 horsepower and a standard automatic, I canÂ’t wait to smoke this Aveo as I arc into another corner, tap brakes to transfer weight, and scoot into the next. And then a sort of calm washes over, provoking the slightest smile. The smile is a realization that, short of a few performance models from the German brands, most compact crossovers donÂ’t beg for this sort of action. The CX-30 is not most crossovers – itÂ’s built on the bones of the dynamically overachieving Mazda3, making it legitimately rewarding to drive. Think of it more as a car that happens to be marketed as a crossover. The careful attention to vehicle dynamics means it doesnÂ’t wallow like you might expect a jacked-up 3 might. What it feels like is a 3 variant, not an entirely different vehicle — analogous to the Subaru CrosstrekÂ’s relationship to the Impreza, albeit with greater visual differentiation and a much more sophisticated driving experience. ThatÂ’s a very, very good thing indeed – and letÂ’s take a moment to review the virtues of the 3 to explain why. ThereÂ’s nothing in its class that nails its brief so well. The interior looks exceptionally premium in higher trim grades, it drives better than anything in its class, and the sheetmetal “oozes sex appeal,” as contributing writer Jason Cammisa put it – although less oozing is present in the awkward hatchback. ItÂ’s even available with all-wheel drive. However, I respectfully disagree that the engine is refined – the Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter inline-four, a carryover from the last generation and shared between the 3 and CX-30, is harsh and clattery. In both vehicles it gets the job done. That 186 hp is backed up with 186 pound-feet of torque, channeled exclusively through a six-speed automatic in the CX-30. Front- or all-wheel drive is available in every CX-30 trim. And while thereÂ’s roughly a 200-lb weight penalty over the 3, the CX-30 manages to feel perky, not porky. Nor is the fuel economy hit as much as you might imagine.