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Mazda considers expanding Takata recall nationwide

Vehicle recalls have come in force recently. Honda expanded its front driver's side Takata airbag inflator recall nationwide to cover an estimated 5.4-million vehicles, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration added 19 notices to its database covering safety campaigns dating back to October. It looks like there could be one more to add to the list soon because Mazda is considering a possible nationwide expansion of its own inflator repairs. A company spokesperson tells Reuters that there is no decision yet when to actually make this nationwide expansion of the driver's side inflator recall official, and the company isn't sure how many vehicles may be affected. Mazda just expanded the scope of its Takata inflator recalls to additional regions earlier in December. The move took its total number of units in need of repair from around 65,000 under the earlier NHTSA estimate to 86,773, according to the company. So far, the automaker's US campaign has included the 2003-2007 Mazda6, 2006-2007 MazdaSpeed6, 2004-2008 Mazda RX-8, 2004-2005 MPV and 2004 B-Series pickup.

Mazda considering a 'hyper' Mazda3 with the 250-hp 2.5-liter turbo four

Mazda boss Akira Marumoto said last year there'd be no Mazdaspeed version of the new Mazda3 because the hot hatch segment wasn't a priority for the carmaker. Then Mazda engineer Dave Coleman told Road & Track that without "an engine on the shelf that would fit properly," an MPS variant made no sense. The first reader comment on our Coleman post read, "Engine — you have it; cue up the 2.5T." Mazda might have been listening. Program manager Kota Beppu told Autocar he'd like a "hyper" Mazda3, the outlet figuring the 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbo would make the most sense for power. Autocar wrote "the project had not been officially signed off, [but] insiders suggest that is a formality." When Car and Driver queried Mazda and its sources about the report, the magazine realized "the company is seriously considering a high-performance hot hatch." What's more, "Drew Cary, senior manager for brand communications, said, 'We encourage people to ask for it, though. Our planners and executives are watching and listening to fans.'" The turbocharged 2.5-liter SkyActiv-G four-cylinder — which doesn't sell in Europe — makes 250 hp on premium gasoline and 310 pound-feet of torque in the Mazda6, CX-5 and CX-9. A next-generation SkyActiv-G is predicted on the way next year, bringing more boost and power. Even as is, we're talking a chunky lump of power to send to the front wheels, and Beppu mentioned torque steer. The new Mazda3's all-wheel drive would alleviate that bugbear. Unlike the raw, fast-twitch reflexes of the last Mazdaspeed3 from 2013, Beppu says a new model "needs to be responsible and friendly ... more friendly than a Golf GTI." And, "It should be fast." The polished looks and interior address the necessary perceptions. CD's done the math on the current 2.5-liter and predicts a five-second sprint to 60 miles per hour, which is Volkswagen Golf R and Honda Civic Type R territory, so GTI comparisons could be a case of aiming low. Imagine a 300-hp engine with a touch more torque and a six-speed manual ... If Mazda follows through with such a product, it could take two years to get the green light. However, we're told that Mazda's Los Angeles research and development center has already built a proof-of-concept to encourage and anticipate that green light.

2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata First Drive Review | More power is the icing on top

SAN DIEGO — When Mazda announced that the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata was getting a serious increase in power, I was both excited and nervous. I was excited because more power is always exciting, and it was no insubstantial increase. At 181 horsepower, it's the most powerful production Miata ever offered, beating out turbocharged Mazdaspeed Miata's 178 horsepower. Plus it has more revs to play with. But what had me worried was whether this power would mess up the friendly, playful character of the Miata. The 155-horsepower 2.0-liter engine is just about perfect, almost universally loved by the Autoblog staff and other reviewers, with good midrange torque and short gearing that always made it feel quick in nearly every rev range. It felt like the right amount of power for the chassis, too. There was just enough to get it loose without working too hard, but it wouldn't spin you around unexpectedly. I could imagine a couple of ways the new engine could affect that sweet balance, too. A bit too much power could risk some of the Miata's accessibility and predictability. It might become more serious and less fun-loving. I also feared that in pursuit of a higher redline and more horsepower, the low-end of the rev range might become painfully slow. Honda owners know this feeling whenever their VTEC-equipped screamers drop out of the aggressive cam profile, and the Toyota 86 and BRZ suffer from an awful lack of torque right in the mid-range that doesn't recover until nearly redline. All of this was on my mind when the assembled reviewers were briefed by Mazda engineers about the car. It started out like most presentations, with a brief rundown of the goals of the car and what Mazda has done with the model so far. Then came a chart showing the power curves of the NC, current ND, and the 2019 model, and my fear of a loss of low-end grunt dissipated. The amount of power and torque over engine speed is nearly identical between the old and new ND Miatas right up to around 4,500 rpm. And then from there, the 2019 continues making more power all the way to its 181-horse peak at 7,000 rpm, 500 rpm higher than the previous model's redline. This was a good sign. Mazda managed to get these gains with no sacrifices through many small upgrades. The throttle body is wider with a slimmer throttle plate, the intake manifold has longer runners and dual paths, and the intake ports are larger.