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Mazda plans a new crossover for 2021

If Mazda is going to increase sales, it's going to need more crossovers. According to company CEO Masamichi Kogai, a new crossover that won't cannibalize sales of the CX-3, CX-5, and CX-9 is coming in 2021, to be built at the new U.S. factory Mazda is building in partnership with Toyota. The plant will be able to build 150,000 vehicles per year, and that full capacity will be reserved for the new CUV. With 112,235 units sold, Mazda's best-selling vehicle in the United States last year was, not surprisingly, the CX-5. With that in mind, it seems a safe bet that the new crossover will be a replacement for the discontinued CX-7 to slot above the CX-5 and below the CX-9. Kogai told Automotive News that the vehicle will be designed for America and built exclusively in the States. "We are actually going to introduce a totally new and different type of SUV," said Kogai. We don't know exactly what that means, but we hope the new model line follows Mazda's tradition of crossovers that are more fun to drive than their main competitors. Related Video:

Ruminations in winter | 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata long-term update

Winter is an odd time for our 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club long-term tester. In the summer, the track beckons. Fall and spring bring top-down adventures at sunset. But our Miata is a little out of its enthusiast element when the weather is harsh and our moods grow as gray as a January day in Michigan. Sure, there's the occasional snowstorm, and equipped with winter tires the Miata can be a fun toy. But what about when it's just cold and dreary? We had a lot of time to reflect on our MX-5 these past few months, and we still managed to find enjoyment in the little things - even though admittedly this is not the time of year when the Miata shines. For starters, we taught associate video producer Amr Sayour how to drive a stick shift with the Miata. With its agreeable clutch and short throws, the six-speed manual was the perfect learning instrument for Sayour. His teacher, Adam Morath, actually had to show him how to stall. Arguably, learning to drive a manual isn't a little thing, but it was these run-of-the-mill events that showcased the Miata could be more than tolerable in winter. Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale used it for a 500-mile roundtrip to pick up a new pet and found it was a little tight for dog and driver. Though Stocksdale still enjoyed the sports-car feel, he came to the conclusion that "Miata is always the answer, but not always the best one." We also quickly realized the MX-5 isn't a great commuter car, nor did we expect it to be. It's low to the ground. It's loud. The small cabin has a greenhouse effect, and the windows fog easily. "If you have a Miata, it will creak and rattle in the winter. A lot. Nothing out of the ordinary here - this is a convertible with a lot of flexy parts - but something the casual shopper might not be aware of," Editor-in-Chief Mike Austin noted. Still, he found ways to have fun. "On the upside, winter tires = low-speed power oversteer." We had a lot of time to reflect on our MX-5 these past few months, and we still managed to find enjoyment in the little things. Speaking of those snowshoes, Stocksdale said they made our Mazda a "perfectly acceptable winter ride." Keeping the traction control on, he navigated his neighborhood roads in packed snow with little trouble. Like Austin advised, be aware of the ground clearance; Stocksdale got hung up in deep snow while attempting to scale his driveway.

Mazda pits 2016 MX-5 Miata against the original

Mazda has toiled admirably to keep the latest MX-5 Miata true to the spirit of the original. But just how close did the team come? To find out, the Japanese automaker brought two bookending examples of its iconic roadster down to a racetrack in Spain and put them in the hands of a couple of endurance racing drivers – Jade Paveley in the original, Owen Mildenhall in the new model. Whichever crossed the finish line first at the end of one lap would win. And because 25 years of progress wouldn't exactly make it a fair match, they gave the original a four-second head start. Watch the video above to see how it went down. Related Video: