2007 Mazda3 I 4-door Sedan, Silver, 5 Spd Manual Transmission. 36 Mpg!! on 2040-cars

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Mazda's slick new CX-4 crossover is sadly only for China

Mazda just unveiled the CX-4 crossover at the Beijing Motor Show, introducing the sleek new crossover exclusively for the Chinese market. The CX-4 rides on the same wheelbase as the CX-5, and is just as wide. It even packs the same powertrain options: 2.0- or 2.5-liter inline fours from Mazda's Skyactiv-G series, mated to the same six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. It measures a little longer from bow to stern than the CX-5 (albeit shorter than the CX-7), but the key part here is that it's shorter in height – shorter even than the smaller CX-3 – thanks to its sleek coupe-like roofline. The resulting impediment to interior space may make little sense from a practical standpoint, but it sure does make it look good. Consider the CX-4, then, to bear a similar relationship to the CX-5 as the BMW X4 does to the X3, or the Coupe versions of the Mercedes GLC and GLE to their conventional counterparts – albeit with styling more similar to the Infiniti QX70, particularly at the back. The question is whether the US market is ready for a more budget-oriented five-door crossover coupe in the same way that it has embraced those more upscale offerings. Mazda doesn't seem to think so; at least not for the time being. For our part, looking at the CX-4, we're not so sure. What do you think? Related Video: Mazda Unleashes New Mazda CX-4 Crossover SUV - On display now at the Beijing Motor Show, sales in China start in June - HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation has unveiled a new crossover SUV, the Mazda CX-4, at the Beijing Motor Show (Auto China 2016).*1 The latest edition to Mazda's new-generation lineup adopts SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY and KODO—Soul of Motion design throughout and goes on sale in China in June. The CX-4 was made to exceed existing categories and stereotypes. The dynamic design is unmistakably KODO in form and the planted stance and sleek, coupe-like cabin combine to give the model an outstanding presence. Customers will appreciate the exceptional functionality and user-friendliness, including the ease of entering and exiting the vehicle and the flexible cargo space. With SUV-like ground clearance and Mazda's i-ACTIV AWD*2 all-wheel drive system, the CX-4 is ready to take on a wide range of road conditions and offers a combination of outstanding environmental and safety performance (Sustainable Zoom-Zoom) and a Jinba-ittai driving feel with excellent handling thanks to its low center of gravity.

2023 Japan Mobility Show Mega Photo Gallery: All the highlights and reveals from Tokyo

The 2023 Japan Mobility Show managed to serve up a surprise heap of exciting and futuristic designs and production reveals. Our staff was on the ground in Tokyo for this year's show, where we captured not just all of the latest automotive trends, but some genuinely weird and fascinating stuff.  Browse: Some Delightful Oddities of the 2023 Japan Mobility Show But on to the cars. This year's show featured introductions from Daihatsu, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota. Some are weird; some are wild; most are probably destined to change significantly before production or merely fade into the void with the rest of the industry's vaporware, but if even a few of these make it to showrooms, we'll consider it a win. Scroll on down for our live galleries of each of the show's major debuts (and cars we're only now seeing in person for the first time). Enjoy!   BMW X2 and iX2 BMW X2 View 6 Photos   Daihatsu me:MO Concept Daihatsu me:MO concept View 14 Photos   Daihatsu Vision Copen Concept Daihatsu Vision Copen View 7 Photos   Daihatsu Osanpo Concept Daihatsu Osanpo View 6 Photos   Daihatsu Uniform Concept Daihatsu Uniform concept View 6 Photos   Honda Prelude Concept Honda Prelude concept View 5 Photos   Honda Sustania-C and Pocket Concepts Honda Sustania-C and Pocket Concept View 8 Photos   Honda CI-MEV Concept Honda CI-MEV View 3 Photos   Infiniti Vision Qe Concept Infiniti Qe concept View 14 Photos   Lexus LF-ZC Lexus LF-ZC View 8 Photos   Lexus LF-ZL Lexus LF-ZL View 10 Photos   Mazda Iconic SP Mazda Iconic SP concept View 8 Photos   Mitsubishi D:X Concept Mitsubishi D:X Concept View 8 Photos   Nissan Hyper Force Concept Nissan Hyper Force concept View 11 Photos   Nissan Hyper Tourer Concept Nissan Hyper Tourer concept View 6 Photos   Nissan Hyper Punk Concept IMG_6533 copy View 8 Photos   Subaru Sport Mobility Concept Subaru Sport Mobility Concept View 7 Photos   Suzuki Swift Suzuki Swift View 5 Photos   Suzuki eWX Suzuki eWX Concept View 3 Photos   Suzuki eVX Suzuki eVX concept View 4 Photos   Toyota Land Cruiser Se Concept Toyota Land Cruiser Se concept View 4 Photos   Toyota FT-3e Concept Toyota FT-3e View 6 Photos   Toyota FT-Se Concept Toyota FT-Se View 7 Photos     Tokyo Motor Show Honda Infiniti Lexus Mazda Mitsubishi Nissan Subaru Suzuki Toyota

Next-gen Mazda MX-5 could use carbon fiber to cut weight

The current Mazda MX-5 Miata has only been out for a few years, but the automaker is allegedly looking for ways to lighten the next one. According to a report from Autocar, Mazda is looking to carbon fiber to help the next-generation MX-5 cut weight and use a smaller engine. Despite having more safety features, modern amenities, and a stiffer body, the current MX-5 is the same size as the original sports car from 1990 and weighs less than its immediate predecessor. In a recent interview with Autocar, Nobuhiro Yamamoto, head of the Miata program, revealed that the next generation of the Miata will probably stay the same size, but could be even lighter thanks to the utilization of carbon fiber. The current MX-5 uses high-strength steel and aluminum, and Mazda doesn't use carbon fiber in any of its cars. Carbon fiber is expensive to incorporate into road-going vehicles, and so Yamamoto notes that Mazda has been hard at work making it more affordable. A lighter car could result in a smaller engine, Yamamoto said. In the US, the MX-5 comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 155 horsepower, while the Japanese and European version comes with a 1.5-liter, 130-hp engine. A smaller engine would make the sports car even lighter. It's unknown at this time if the automaker is collaborating with another automaker or a supplier to make produce carbon fiber, or if it'll make it in-house. There's no word on how much carbon fiber the next MX-5 will wear or how it will affect the sports car's price. Autocar reports that the next MX-5 won't arrive anytime before 2021, which could make the ND MX-5's lifespan an unusually short five years long. With cars getting heavier, it's nice to hear that Mazda is working on finding a way to make its lightweight sports car even lighter. Related Video: News Source: AutocarImage Credit: Mazda Mazda Convertible Coupe Lightweight Vehicles