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New Mazda3 looks just like Mazda Kai concept in spy photos

Just a couple of weeks before the official reveal, one of our spy photographers caught the next-generation Mazda3 out testing in minimal camouflage. The car was a hatchback model, testing alongside a VW Golf and Audi A3, and was only wrapped in thin vinyl. As a result, we can clearly see that the new compact Mazda hatchback looks just like the stunning Kai concept from last year's Tokyo Motor Show. The car features effectively the same nose and profile of the concept. The main grille is larger than the current model, and it leans forward aggressively. The windshield is very low and sleek. The rear portion of the car is dominated by the very thick C-pillar that leans far forward, augmenting the car's athletic stance. The window sill at the rear kicks up sharply, and the rear window doesn't wrap around or bulge out, giving the car a very tight, taut shape. It's not just the outside of the 3 we get to see. We get a good look at the interior. It also looks very much like the Kai's interior, with the focus being the driver. The gauges are flanked by air vents that blend into the shape of the instrument binnacle. The rest of the dashboard is left as uncluttered as possible. The climate controls and vents all reside in the same long horizontal plane. The infotainment screen, which appears to be touch-sensitive based on one spy photo, is canted toward the driver. Mazda's rotary controller does return, as seen in the center console. Also in the center console is the manual shift knob, which we expect, or at least hope, will continue to be available in the U.S. We'll have answers to all our questions about the Mazda3 at the end of this month when it makes its debut at the L.A. Auto Show. We'll also see the sedan version of the car. The powertrain is the biggest mystery at the moment. Mazda showed the Kai with the Skyactiv-X engine, Mazda's spark-controlled compression-ignition gasoline engine. We've driven a development car with the engine, and Mazda seemed to intend the new Mazda3 to use it, but we're not sure if the engine will be ready for the car's launch. If not the Skyactiv-X engine, or perhaps in addition to, Mazda will probably use versions of its current engines. It could carry-over the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter four-cylinders currently used. The latter may use the cylinder deactivation now used on the Mazda6 and CX-5. We would love to see the company finally offer the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine from the Mazda6, CX-9, and now CX-5.

Recharge Wrap-up: 61 miles on Autopilot; Mazda CX-9's 32% mpg improvement

A technology analyst at The Motley Fool used Tesla's Autopilot uninterrupted for 61 miles. In order to see how far the Tesla Model S could drive itself without driver intervention, Daniel Sparks set off on the highway from Monument, Colorado, through Colorado Springs and onward toward Pueblo. Only when a truck encroached on his lane did the driver take command of the wheel, rather than waiting to see what the car would do. "With [the] Model S nearly out of Pueblo and onto a long, boring stretch of highway by the time I had to grab the wheel, chances are I could have made it all the way to Colorado City if it wasn't for this interruption," says Sparks. Read the full account at The Motley Fool. The 2016 Mazda CX-9 offers 32 percent better fuel economy than the outgoing model. The front-wheel-drive CX-9, equipped with Mazda's Skyactiv-G 2.5T engine, gets an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city/28 mpg highway/25 mpg combined. The 2016 CX-9 has shed significant weight compared to its predecessor. Its turbocharged engine uses a Dynamic Pressure Turbo system, which improves performance at lower rpm by controlling the degree of exhaust pulsation according to engine speed. The new CX-9 goes on sale this spring. Read more at Green Car Congress. A group of eight US cities have formed the Energy Secure Cities Coalition (ESCC), pledging to switch their fleets over to alternative fuels. Atlanta, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Orlando, Rochester, Sacramento, San Diego and West Palm Beach will retire their petroleum-powered vehicles in favor of EVs and cars using cleaner fuels like natural gas. The cities expect the change to help improve air quality and save taxpayer money on fuel and maintenance costs. The ESCC hopes to grow to include 25 major cities, removing some 50,000 petroleum-fueled vehicles from service and saving 500,000 barrels of oil per year. Read more in the press release below. Eight Major Cities Unite to form Energy Secure Cities Coalition—Fleets Embracing Alternative Fuels to Improve America's National and Economic Security Coalition's goal is to retire 50,000 petroleum-powered vehicles, saving tens of millions in taxpayer dollars and improving U.S. national and economic security. Washington, D.C.

2019 Mazda CX-3 crossover updated with a tad more power and refinement

NEW YORK — Mazda's smallest vehicle, the CX-3 subcompact crossover, is getting a refresh for the 2019 model year. Visually, you'd be hard-pressed to tell what changed, and that's because not much did. The grille now has slats that are grouped in pairs, and the rear taillights have been redesigned. But there are a number of changes aside from visuals that separate this model from the 2018. Under the hood is still a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. It picks up two more horsepower and pound-feet of torque for totals of 148 for each, though Mazda says that it also picks up torque across more of the rev band and gets better fuel economy. Mazda didn't have official mileage numbers, though. The CX-3 will also now come with the G-Vectoring Control system that helps improve turn-in by reducing torque and shifting weight forward. The steering and suspension have been slightly retuned, and the tires developed to better absorb bumps. Deeper inside the CX-3, several changes should make the driving experience more calm and refined. These include thicker door panels and rear door glass to make things quieter. The seats are now wider with redesigned foam cushions for greater comfort. A new integrated armrest in the center console and one in the rear seats with cup holders help the same cause. Mazda will also add faux suede trim to the cabins of CX-3s for a more premium feel. Pricing hasn't been announced for the new CX-3, but the little crossover will go on sale in late spring. So expect pricing to come soon. Fuel economy numbers will likely be available soon, too. Related Video: