2008 Mx-5 Miata , Convertible, Heated Seats, Leather, Automatic, Paddle Shift, on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 Mazda3 sedan and hatchback get IIHS Top Safety Pick awards

The 2019 Mazda3 is all-new, and now we have crash test ratings from the IIHS for both the sedan and hatchback. A Top Safety Pick (not the TSP+) award was given to both variants of the compact car. Since the IIHS only rates the Mazda3 headlights as "Acceptable" and not "Good," it doesn't get the "Top Safety Pick+" rating. All the major crash categories like small overlap front, side and moderate overlap front are rated as Good. The IIHS also makes crash avoidance part of its battery of tests now to evaluate forward collision and pedestrian detection systems. Both versions of the Mazda3 offer these systems, but the IIHS points out that Mazda's "Smart Brake Support" is only standard on the hatchback. This makes the hatchback standard with a "superior-rated" crash prevention system, and only optional on the sedan. Both cars equipped with the system were able to avoid collisions at 12 mph and 25 mph in the IIHS tests. Even though the Mazda3 does come standard with LED headlight projectors, the IIHS still didn't think they were good enough for a Good rating. There is one video of the Mazda3 going through the side crash test if you'd like to watch the new sedan get hit. You can read our thoughts on the new Mazda3 here. We certainly like driving the redesigned Mazda, and it's good to know the car will perform well in a crash, too.

Next-gen Mazda3 teased in new video, should debut next month

Despite being one of the oldest vehicles in its class, the third-gen Mazda3 is still a favorite here at Autoblog. It's handsome, comfortable and one of the best-driving compacts around. While we had hoped to see a new Mazdaspeed3 hot hatch before this model expired, it seems that's not the case. Today, Mazda released a short teaser video showing a very brief glimpse of what appears to be a new hatchback. A caption says there's more to come next month. That leads us to believe we'll see the next Mazda3 in late November at or around the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. We don't know much about the new model, though it does look like the hatchback will carry over. That's no surprise given the Chevy Cruze, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Hyundai Elantra all offer five-door variants. You can include the hatch-only Volkswagen Golf on that list, too. The sedan is a given considering how popular the body style is in America. Expect the design to draw a lot from the Mazda Kai concept we saw last fall. It's harder to say what Mazda might stuff under the new 3's hood. Skyactiv-X would be great, but the compression-ignition gasoline engine likely won't be ready in time for the Mazda3's debut. That's a shame, as the engine shows a lot of promise and would be a good and unique feature for Mazda. Until the EV infrastructure improves and the associated costs go down, more efficient internal-combustion engines will still have a place in the market. Check out further info on the Skyactiv-X technology here, and stay tuned later next month for more news from Mazda. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Mazda Hatchback Sedan

2016 Mazda CX-9 First Drive

Automotive enthusiasts tend to obsess over spec sheets. How else could we know which cars and trucks are the quickest in a straight line, hold the road with the greatest tenacity, or tow the biggest trailers? More succinctly, what ammunition would we have in the seemingly endless back-and-forth of Internet forums if it weren't for specifications? Mazda's engineers think they've found a better way. The 2016 CX-9 has less horsepower than its primary competitors. The only engine available is a turbocharged four-cylinder, hooked to a six-speed automatic. Drivers won't miss the 23 horsepower (or more, as we'll soon explain) lost in the changeover from 2015 to 2016, because Mazda applied its holistic Skyactiv approach to the largest vehicle it offers. That means less weight and, ultimately, more fun. Or so they say. Are they right? Yes. And no. Most of the time, in normal on-road driving conditions, the 2016 CX-9 is the most fun you can have with three rows. But the real-world tradeoff didn't go off completely without a hitch. Reasoning that real-world performance is more important than ultimate horsepower, Mazda specified a four-cylinder for its big, three-row SUV instead of a more traditional V6. Let's get those all-important specifications out of the way: All 2016 Mazda CX-9s are fitted with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 250 horsepower and, impressively, 310 pound-feet of torque at just 2,000 rpm. Unless you decide to use 87 octane, in which case you'll be limited to 227 horsepower. Mazda doesn't think owners will actually notice the difference in power levels, so there's no Premium Fuel Recommended sticker on the back of the fuel door. Mazda utilized some clever turbo trickery to deliver a diesel-like torque curve from its gasoline-fueled engine, which makes the small-displacement powerplant feel lively at low engine speeds. The flipside is that the CX-9 runs out of breath as the needle swings across the upper reaches of the tach. While that simply wouldn't do for a sportscar like the MX-5, in the CX-9 it's not necessarily a deal breaker. One benefit to the downsized engine is that it doesn't guzzle fuel. The EPA rates the CX-9 at 22 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway. Drop one mpg all around for the all-wheel-drive model. Those figures beat out all the CX-9's most natural competitors, including the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. The turbo-four Ford Explorer matches the 28-mpg highway figure, but loses by three in the city.