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Mazda shows lightweight MX-5 Spyder and Speedster at SEMA

Ever since Mazda dropped the first teaser on us last week, we've been looking forward to seeing what it had in store for us at SEMA this year. Now we've seen it what Mazda has dubbed the MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster, and they were worth the wait. The Spyder goes vintage with a silver paintjob and a brown top stretched overhead. It also has an aero kit, grille, and tonneau cover done up in carbon fiber, rides on 17-inch wheels, and features a natural leather interior. The blue Speedster, meanwhile, goes for the stripped-down, wind-in-your-hair experience. It has no roof or windshield, just a tiny deflector at the front of the dashboard. It's dropped an inch closer to the ground on an adjustable coilover suspension with 16-inch alloys, and features a center-exit exhaust. Carbon fiber helps trim 250 pounds from the curb weight, along with a stripped out interior trimmed in Alcantara. Both look pretty slick, and disappoint only in so far as they (like so many of their predecessor concepts) won't be heading for production. If they were, we'd be hard pressed to choose between the two. Which would you go for? Mazda Reveals Extreme Lightweight Design Concepts at 2015 SEMA MX-5 Concepts Display Two Different Takes on Staying True to Pure, Lightweight Sports Car Philosophy LAS VEGAS (November 3, 2015) – Mazda revealed two design concepts today at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, based on its all-new 2016 MX-5 Miata—MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster—demonstrating two vastly different takes on lightweight, open-air performance. Lightweight. Fun-to-drive. Roadster. Those three tenets have served as the foundation for the Mazda MX-5 Miata since its 1989 introduction and continue to serve the new fourth-generation model. Focused, lightweight engineering is a guiding principle of every Mazda vehicle made with SKYACTIV Technology, allowing for greater efficiency, improved performance and agile handling dynamics. But what if that sense of lightweight performance were taken to the extreme? What if Mazda's North American designers harkened back to vintage roadsters to create thoroughly modern, bespoke concepts for what a lightweight performance car should be The results would be the MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster concepts. "Both MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster are uncompromising designs that highlight the core strengths of MX-5," said Ken Saward, design manager, Mazda North American Operations.

Best compact SUVs of 2022

Compact SUVs are now the go-to choice for family transportation. Actually, considering how popular they are, they have clearly moved beyond only family duty. With such popularity, though, comes an awful lot of competitors, and it can be difficult to figure out which one might be the best compact SUV for you.  It's important to note that by "compact SUV" we're talking about a specific segment. As we describe in our more comprehensive "Best small SUVs" list, there are also subcompact SUVs that vary widely in size amongst themselves, but are clearly smaller than the SUVs below. Frankly, today's segment of compact SUVs isn't exactly compact — some have more cargo space than vehicles that are considered midsize based on their exterior dimensions. They've all grown considerably over the years. While many lists out there just rattle off every vehicle available in a segment, we thought we'd be a bit more helpful and curate your shopping a bit with the top-recommended choices reviewed by Autoblog. We've included both mainstream and compact luxury SUV choices. Best compact SUVs of 2023 and 2024 2024 Honda CR-V Why it stands out: Best-in-class space; excellent hybrid powertrain; sharp interior style; Honda dependabilityCould be better: No lower-price base trim levels; no sporty or off-road niche models; no plug-in hybrid Read our full 2024 Honda CR-V Review Consider the CR-V the baseline for any compact SUV search, and look extra closely at the superb CR-V Hybrid option. Objectively speaking, it's tough to beat due to its massive cargo capacity, voluminous back seat, strong-yet-efficient engines, well-balanced driving dynamics, competitive pricing and features,  and well-regarded reliability. It's easy to see why it continues to be such a best-seller: for the vast majority of compact SUV buyers, and especially families, it checks every box. That's been the case for many years now, however. The all-new 2023 Honda CR-V changes things up by adding a bit more style and character, particularly in terms of its interior design and how surprisingly enjoyable the Sport and Sport Touring hybrid trim levels are to drive.

So, just how different are the Fiat 124 Spider and Mazda MX-5 Miata?

"We leveraged a great platform." That's how Bob Broderdorf, Jr., Fiat's North American director, summarizes the creation of the 124 Spider. We all know Fiat's new roadster shares its underpinnings with the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata, but there are a lot of key differences to keep them separate in the eyes of consumers. Mazda may have engineered the platform, but Fiat added many of its own touches. Here, we'll take a closer look at the spec sheets of the two cars, and summarize the major differences between the Japanese and Italian roadsters. If you need a refresher, read our full First Drive of the 2016 MX-5 Miata, and glance at all the Fiat 124 Spider details in this post. Design Fiat Chrysler design lead Ralph Gilles is super excited about this car. "I think it's going to change lives," he told the assembled media at an event in Auburn Hills, MI, earlier this month. Yes, it's definitely exciting to add a small roadster to any lineup, especially one that uses such a proven platform. But we're not sure people are going to get all that jazzed about it from a design standpoint. You'll either love it or hate it, and we're kind of leaning toward the latter. Every single body panel is new, and the design is "100 percent Italian." There are a number of creases and angles throughout the exterior, with a squared-off rear end and rectangular taillamps. Fiat trusts you'll be able to spot the similarities between the new 124 Spider and the original, but we're not so sure. We can see a bit of the old car's grille on the new car's face, and the dual hood blisters are a nice throwback touch, but that's about it. Trust us when we say that this car looks way better in photos. In person, it really didn't wow us. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One colleague told us his wife, a long-time Miata owner, hates the look of the new one but will absolutely adore the Fiat. Good for her, and good for Fiat. But based on design alone, we'll take the Mazda every single time. What about you? Dimensions When Broderdorf said Fiat leveraged the Miata's platform, that means the Italians took it as-is. The two cars ride on an identical, 90.9-inch wheelbase. The front and rear tracks lengths are the same, at 58.9 and 59.1 inches, respectively. But that's where the similarities end.