1990 Mazda Miata Great Condition, Lots Of New Parts, Runs Fantastic on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: First EV to attempt Dakar Rally, Mazda makes bioplastic parts

Zap and Jonway Auto brought their Urbee EV and their new Falcon A-380 SUV to the Peru Motor Show in Lima. Jonway sells its SUV and minivan in Lima through Dai-Ichi Motors, which displayed the cars at the show. According to the companies, their cars "received tremendous interest from the public," including private citizens as well as groups who would use the EVs for security guard service or campus use. Read more in the press release below. California is the US leader when it comes to EVs. In 2013, California had 70,000 battery electric and 104,000 plug-in hybrids. The state boasts almost half of the country's electric vehicles, thanks largely to state and local EV incentives that go beyond the federal tax rebate. California also leads the way in legislation, and nine other states have adopted California's ZEV mandate. Washington, Maryland, Georgia and DC also have their own EV incentives, while some utility companies also offer benefits for EV owners in other states. Still, EV sales have only made up about 0.7 percent of new vehicle sales in 2014. Read more at the US Energy Information Administration website. Toyota will be using landfill gas to help power its Kentucky manufacturing facility. Beginning in 2015, Toyota's Georgetown assembly plant will use electricity converted from landfill-sourced methane gas from Waste Services of the Bluegrass. It will provide enough energy to produce 10,000 vehicles each year. Plus it diverts methane - a greenhouse gas - from entering the atmosphere and helps improve the local air quality. Learn more in the video or Toyota's press release below. Mazda has developed a plant-derived bioplastic for making exterior and interior parts. The dyed plastic doesn't require painting, and it reduces petroleum consumption and carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. The bioplastic will be used for interior parts in the all-new MX-5 before being put into use on the exterior of future vehicles. Mazda will display prototype parts at the Eco-Products 2014 exhibit in Tokyo. Read more in the press release below. Acciona will enter the first-ever zero-emissions vehicle (pictured) to compete in the Dakar Rally. The vehicle uses an electric motor and lithium ion batteries, as well as solar panels to power telemetry and security systems. The Dakar Rally will take place from January 4 through 17 through Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. See Acciona's Dakar EV in the video and read more in the press release below.

2020 Mazda CX-9 gets more torque and second-row captain's chairs

The 2020 Mazda CX-9 is here, and it’s even more enticing than the 2019 model year SUV. ItÂ’s not a full redesign, but Mazda shook up the features list to make it more competitive with other three-row crossovers. Most notable (arguably) of all changes comes from a small increase in torque — the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gets bumped from 310 pound-feet of torque to 320 pound-feet. Horsepower remains the same at 250 horses. Those figures are only applicable when using 93 octane fuel. They go down to 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque when on 87. Another new feature is an off-road traction assist button, replacing the traction control button. This new feature is meant to help when navigating rougher terrain. HereÂ’s how Mazda describes its function: “When the diagonal wheels lose traction, off-road traction assist will stop reducing the engine torque and increases the brake force on the wheels without traction. This transfers power to the wheels still on the ground to help allow the vehicle to regain traction and continue the drive.” WeÂ’ll be interested to see how this helps the CX-9 on a snowy Michigan winter day soon. The number of standard features on the base Sport trim is up, too. Now all CX-9s get heated front seats, a power driverÂ’s seat, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated outside mirrors and auto high-beams. Additionally, Mazda made its full suite of i-Activsense safety features standard. This includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and other driver assistance niceties. Mazda is also adopting the new key fob design of the Mazda3 for the CX-9. Optional on the Touring and Grand Touring are second-row captainÂ’s chairs. Previously, Mazda only offered bench style seating for the CX-9, so this addition could be a huge turn-on for some folks in this segment. The chairs have armrests, and the lack of a center pull-down means Mazda had to redesign its cupholder layout in back. In CX-9s equipped with the chairs, the cup holders and USB ports are now integrated into the backside of the front center console. If you opt for the captainÂ’s chairs in the Grand Touring or Signature trims, the seats are heated.  Pricing does increase a fair amount for the 2020 CX-9. A base front-wheel drive Sport is now priced at $34,835 including destination, a $1,510 increase from last yearÂ’s base price. The top of the range only got $750 more expensive, though, as the Signature starts at $47,160.

2020 Mazda6 Review & Buying Guide | Still at the top

The 2020 Mazda6 should be on anybody’s sedan shortlist. ItÂ’s modern and attractive both inside and out. The ride and handling balance is unmatched by anything short of the 2020 Honda Accord, and itÂ’s priced well alongside all of its tough competition. An Accord is still the only one in this segment to offer a manual transmission for enthusiasts who care to shift themselves, but the Mazda6 with the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is still plenty of fun with its smart-shifting six-speed auto. Mazda has also succeeded in putting together a luxurious interior — highlighted by the Signature trim — that outdoes the more pedestrian interiors found in other pricey mid-size sedans. Tons of work was put into the Mazda6 to make it more refined and premium, and itÂ’s worked. Downsides are few in number, but if the Mazda6 suffers anywhere, itÂ’s in the infotainment and utility departments. The software Mazda uses is old and antiquated compared to its new system in the Mazda3 and CX-30, as well as those in the Accord, Hyundai Sonata and others. The trunk is also smaller than most in this segment. Those may be deal breakers for some, but people who value an engaging driving experience will appreciate it for its sharp steering and agile chassis, and those who could care less will still love it for the refinement and comfort. WhatÂ’s new for 2020? There isnÂ’t much new for the 2020 Mazda6 this year. Mazda says itÂ’s switched to the key fob design used on the Mazda3 and CX-30, and thereÂ’s also a new “Signature” badge for the top trim. Besides that, the car carries over unchanged from 2019. 2020 Mazda6 Signature View 57 Photos WhatÂ’s the interior and in-car technology like? The 2020 Mazda6Â’s interior is simple and beautiful. Mazda has upped its interior quality game beyond the competition, and itÂ’s accomplished this without pricing the sedan out of the ballpark. Comfortable chairs make long rides a breeze as does the hushed cabin noise. From lower trims on up, the cabin looks and feels of a high quality. Even the basic entry-level Sport trim has an excellent interior that goes above the more basic furnishings of competitors, while on the other end of the spectrum, the Signature boasts rich suede-like cloth and beautiful Sen wood to create an environment encroaching on the luxury segment. However, MazdaÂ’s infotainment system is way behind compared to others in the segment.