2010 Mazda Mx-5 Miata 2dr Conv Prht Auto Touring on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Why Mazda did so well and Volvo so poorly in Consumer Reports survey

The poor performances of Tesla and all three domestic automakers got the headlines in Consumer Reports magazine's latest reliability survey, but there were other results that caught our interest. Tiny Mazda notched the biggest gain among the 29 brands included in this year's list, leap-frogging nine spots to No. 3. Buick, which was in the top 10 last year, fell 11 spots to No. 19, the biggest decline of any brand. And then there's Volvo, a brand often vaunted for its quality and reliability, dropping six spots to dead last. What gives? For starters, all three brands benefited or suffered in large part due to their relatively small portfolio of vehicles. So when raves or complaints rolled in for even one particular model, as was often the case, it weighed heavily on the entire brand. That's especially true when it involves a relatively high-volume, hot-selling model such as the Buick Enclave (more on that in a moment). Mazda fared as well as it did despite the CX-3 losing Consumer Reports' influential "recommended" status due to problems with its climate system, including leaks from the condenser and refrigerant unit that triggered a service bulletin from the automaker in late 2016. Deputy auto editor Jon Linkov said that scratch didn't hurt the overall brand, since the CX-9 crossover and MX-5 Miata both jumped up to replace it on CR's list of newly recommended vehicles, thanks to several back fixes Mazda made to both models. For Buick, the redesigned Enclave SUV earned a "Much Worse Than Average" rating after owners reported problems with the new nine-speed automatic transmission it shares with the Chevrolet Traverse as well as some issues with the climate system. There were issues with rough shifting, plus complaints about the torque converter that necessitated fixes to the computer or outright replacement. "Again, similar stuff that we saw with the Traverse: both first-year vehicles, similar powertrains," LInkov said. He said all-new vehicles or redesigns typically fare poorly in CR's reliability survey due to issues that are hard to suss out before vehicles go into everyday use by consumers. The top-selling Encore and Envision fared well, Linkov said, but were outdone by the Enclave's problematic transmission components. The Enclave was Buick's second best-selling model through September at 35,227 units. Then there is Volvo, about which there is one word to sum up its woes: infotainment.

Mazda MX-30 crossover is brand's first EV, with sporty, coupe-like looks

TOKYO — Mazda's first production full electric car has finally been revealed, and it's called the MX-30. And the name and shape point to it being a sporty, fun EV, though we're still waiting for more details. Starting with the name, the 30 designation gives you an idea of its size, which is similar to the upcoming CX-30, itself close to the Mazda3 hatchback. And importantly, it has the MX prefix, which is only used on Mazda's sporty cars, typically with piston engines. The RX prefix is for sporty rotary cars. So clearly the aim of this car is to be fun. Its shape points to sportiness, too. It has a fastback roofline that is coupe-like. In fact, you could arguably call this a coupe, since it uses the same type of rear half-door arrangement found on the RX-8 and Saturn Ion coupes. And of course it was used on the less coupe-like Honda Element and Toyota FJ Cruiser. The roof also is available in a contrasting graphite color. The lower half of the body is simple, and a bit boxy with the blunt nose. That nose features a much smaller rendition of Mazda's pentagonal grille, and the grille blends into the headlights. And like all crossovers, the MX-30 has big plastic fender flares. Inside, the MX-30 features a typically minimalist, modern dashboard that's low and wide. New for the MX-30 is a touchscreen display for climate control functions, and it sits on a "floating" center stack and console. The cabin features unique materials such as fabric made from plastic bottles, and cork in the center console. That cork is made of leftovers from a cork stopper company, and it's a nice throwback to Mazda's origins as a cork producer. While we get a great look at the MX-30 inside and out, Mazda was light on critical details for an electric car: power and range. Both are mysteries, though it seems it is a single-motor vehicle, and so is likely front-drive only. It does feature an electric version of G-Vectoring Control, which is the system that reduces torque with steering input to shift weight forward for a larger front contact patch and more eager turn-in. The battery, located in the floor of the car, is cooled with a refrigerant, so it isn't simply air-cooled, and the car will be compatible with DC fast charging stations. Mazda also didn't provide an on-sale date for the MX-30. We expect it will be available sometime in the next year. Whether it will come to America is also an open question. But as a stylish crossover, it seems like it would be an EV with U.S.

Here are your 2016 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year finalists [w/polls]

The 2016 Detroit Auto Show will kick off with the announcement of the annual North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year awards, and the three finalists in each category have just been revealed. Following this announcement, the jury – which includes Autoblog editor-in-chief Mike Austin – will re-evaluate each candidate before casting a final vote for the winner. This year's finalists are: Car of the Year Chevrolet Malibu Honda Civic Mazda MX-5 Miata Truck/Utility of the Year Honda Pilot Nissan Titan XD Volvo XC90 The 23rd annual awards will be announced on the morning of Monday, January 11. For now, we want to know where you stand. Let us know which vehicles you think should win, by voting in the polls below. Chevrolet Honda Mazda Nissan Volvo north american car of the year NACTOY