2002 Mazda Mx-5 Miata Base on 2040-cars

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2020 Toyota Yaris hatchback is basically the Mazda2 hatchback

The Toyota Yaris line in the U.S. has been really weird, what with the hatchback coming from Toyota, and the sedan coming from Mazda a rebadged Mazda2. For 2020, the Toyota Yaris line is still weird, but at least its consistent as the hatchback is also a rebadged Mazda2. And as far as styling is concerned, that's all there is to say. The front bumper is the the same angry catfish face as the Yaris sedan, and everything rearward comes from the Mazda2 that's available overseas and in Puerto Rico. The interior is the same as the Mazda2, and very similar to the Mazda CX-3. The switch to the Mazda platform has added 0.3 cubic-feet to the cargo space over the old Toyota version. Under the hood is the familiar 1.5-liter inline-four making 106 horsepower. Disappointingly, the only transmission available will be a six-speed automatic, whereas the current sedan is available with a six-speed manual transmission. But having six speeds is a massive improvement over the outgoing Yaris's ancient four-speed automatic. Fuel economy hasn't been announced, but expect it to get close to the Toyota Yaris sedan's 32 mpg in the city and 40 on the highway. This will be another improvement over the old Yaris hatch's 30 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway. Unlike the sedan, the new Yaris hatch will only be offered in LE and XLE trims, leaving out the base-level L. Every version of the car gets alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, fog lights, keyless entry with push-button start, automatic emergency braking and an infotainment system with seven-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Moving up to XLE adds leatherette upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, automatic climate control and automatic LED headlights. Pricing and availability haven't been announced, but it will likely go on sale later this year with a starting price around $17,000 like the Yaris LE sedan.

2014 Mazda CX-5 with 2.5-liter Skyactiv engine

Back in October, we compared the relative merits of two new and very good small crossovers: the 2013 Ford Escape and 2013 Mazda CX-5. The CX-5 we tested then had Mazda's 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine under its hood, and it managed to just edge out the EcoBoosted Ford despite being down by some 23 horsepower and 34 pound-feet of torque. Had it been available, the 2.5-liter Skyactiv engine that we recently had the opportunity to try out in the 2014 Mazda CX-5, it may have made that comparison even easier to call in the Japanese CUV's favor.
Clearly, if you're in the market for a reasonably sized crossover, the CX-5 should, at the very least, be on your test-drive list. The new engine offering will let buyers opt for a stronger powerplant, with 184 hp and 185 lb-ft on tap. On our second day in Austin's Hill Country - the first was spent quick-spinning the 2014 Mazda6 i Sport, you'll recall - we covered a couple of hundred miles and put the new CX-5 through its paces; here's what we turned up.
Driving Notes

Mazda: Penn & Teller

Mazda turned to magic to highlight its refreshed CX-5, bringing in Las Vegas staples Penn and Teller to saw the CUV in half. The glitzy spot has a very Sin City feel to it, although considering some of the ads we've seen tonight, it's short on shock value, humor and heart-tugging imagery. Have a look, though, and let us know what you think.