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Mazda CX-3 almost ready for LA Show

The Mazda CX-3 is just days away from its unveiling at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, but elsewhere in the world, the Japanese brand still has the compact crossover disguised for testing. These spy shots aren't too camouflaged though, and when combined with the previous teaser image, they give a pretty clear idea what the new model will look like.
The grille here is well covered, but the photo from the front reveals the similarities to the design sketch. The rear shows a similar horizontally oriented design as the Mazda2, which the CUV is based on. However, the dipping sides around the B-pillar from the teaser don't appear to be on this tester. Even with all the swirls, the vehicle looks fairly attractive.
Mazda is doing a fantastic job of keeping mechanical details about the CX-3 a secret. It's not yet known whether the model is front-wheel-drive only or if all-wheel drive is also an option. The crossover also likely shares the Mazda2's engine, which isn't revealed for North America, yet. The diminutive CUV will compete with a huge crop of new classmates, including the Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, Chevrolet Trax and Honda HR-V. Check out the gallery for the latest glimpses of this Japanese CUV just days ahead of its full debut.

Patent application suggests Mazda rotary return

A recent patent application by Mazda reveals that the Japanese automaker is still working on the rotary engine. This could in fact be the Skyactiv-R engine found in the RX-Vision concept from the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. As with anything Wankel-related, nothing is certain until Mazda makes a production commitment. But this filing suggests that serious development is happening in Hiroshima. The 2011 Mazda RX-8 was the last rotary-powered car you could buy in America. Slow sales, poor fuel economy, and tighter emissions standards prevented Mazda from committing to a follow-up. But the fundamental principles of the rotary - compact size and light weight - perfectly fit Mazda's Skyactiv ethos. (For an explanation of how rotaries work, click here.) In this new engine the intake port sits at the bottom of the engine with the exhaust port on top instead of the other way around. That allows for lower mounting, which improves a car's center of gravity. This rotary is also turbocharged. Putting the turbo up high helps ensure it doesn't get in the way of any body or chassis crossmembers. The implication of those claims is that somebody is thinking about how to put this engine in a car. There are other benefits as well. The short path from the exhaust port to the turbo ensures minimal turbo lag. It also allows for a close-mounted catalyst on top of the enigne, which will help emissions. Another innovation in this new engine is a triangle-shaped rotor that covers part of the exhaust port. This allows for different exhaust flow characteristics. The filing claims that that two of the four orientations allow for less airflow resistance in the exhaust port. As in previous Mazda rotaries, there are two spark plugs to manage ignition timing and combustion. But unlike in the 16X concept, Mazda's last public display of such an engine, the new rotary uses port fuel injection. Keep in mind this is only a patent application. A Mazda spokesperson refused to comment on future product, but commented "As we stated at the Tokyo motor show, Mazda is doing all that it can to bring a rotary to the market." In the meantime, keep your RX-7 prayer candles lit and hope for the return of the rotary before the end of the decade. You can bide your time by reading the entire application here. Related Video: Related Gallery Mazda RX-Vision Concept: Tokyo 2015 View 11 Photos News Source: USPTO via autoevolution Rumormill Mazda Performance rotary mazda rx7

2018 Mazda CX-5 Buying Guide | Specs, safety, expert reviews, and more

Crossovers are all the rage these days, and spunky Mazda devotes half of its six-vehicle portfolio to the segment. The compact CX-5 slots right in the middle of its crossover lineup, size-wise, and outsells all other Mazda vehicles by a country mile, with sales continuing to climb so far in 2018. The CX-5 was the first car to feature Mazda's KODO design language, which has given its vehicles a more premium appearance and made the CX-5 longer-looking and more taut. Now in its second generation, Mazda offers the CX-5 in Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trims, with the option of front- or all-wheel drive configurations. This Autoblog buyer's guide is aimed at helping you to make an educated decision about whether to buy the 2018 Mazda CX-5. We'll summarize safety and reliability ratings, engine specs and horsepower, fuel economy ratings and pricing. We'll also touch on what Autoblog's professional reviewer thinks of the crossover. Is the 2018 Mazda CX-5 safe? Based on its crash tests, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the 2018 CX-5 a four-star overall rating. It awards five stars for frontal- and side-crash protection, and four of five stars for rollover crashes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety further vouches for the 2018 Mazda CX-5, giving the crossover its coveted Top Safety Pick + award — at the time of this writing, the only compact crossover to get this rating, thanks to available adaptive headlights. It also has good ratings for all of its crash-test metrics and headlights, a superior rating for front-crash avoidance, with optional equipment, and an acceptable rating for the ease of use of the child-seat LATCH anchors. We encourage you to visit the NHTSA and IIHS websites to review ratings on the specific vehicle you're researching. Is the 2018 Mazda CX-5 reliable? J.D. Power gives the 2018 Mazda CX-5 an overall score of 75 out of 100, considered average. On its 10-point scale, it rates the vehicle an 8 on overall quality, which is in the average range, and 9 — considered among the best — for overall performance. It rates an 8 for overall depreciation. As is customary, we note that Autoblog has raised concerns about the way J.D. Power weights serious and less-serious reliability issues. You can read more about that here. According to NHTSA, there has been one recall involving 682 models of the 2018 CX-5 because the side curtain airbags may not properly deploy following a side-impact or rollover crash.