1990 Mazda Miata Mx5 on 2040-cars

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The Miata gives me a new perspective on the world

The Miata: making everything a new experience and turning low-beam headlights into high-beams since 1989. That's what happens when you're basically sitting on the ground, something I've become intimately familiar with when driving our long-term 2016 MX-5 Club. I am not a tall person. Far from it. In most cars I drive, I crank the seat height up close to maximum as soon as I get in. That's easy in the Miata because there's no height adjustment at all. Couple that with the facts that the seat is thin and the car barely hovers off of the pavement, and my eyes end up sitting at the height of most car's exhaust systems. That results in a lot of examining other cars' bumpers in traffic. And one day recently, it almost led to me missing my exit from Interstate 94, part of the route I take every day to work. Everything just looks different from down here – it is quite literally a different point of view from what I'm used to. And then there's the issue of night driving. When you're this low down and stuck in traffic, the headlights of cars following look extremely bright (and incredibly close). They're not, of course, you're just lower than every other driver on the road so it seems like you're staring down high-beams in the rearview mirror. I still love the Miata. It's just not the best commuter vehicle, which should come as a surprise to precisely no one. But when a hole opens up in traffic, the Miata and I are the first to fill it. I just hope the other cars see me. Related Video: Mazda Long-Term Garage Convertible Lightweight Vehicles Performance

Mazda CX-5 getting mild refresh

Mazda has found both critical and commercial success with its CX-5 small crossover, and seems to be endeavoring to keep the momentum up with an upcoming refresh. As you can extrapolate from the obvious lack of the usual camouflage, the company isn't reinventing anything in the very near future of the CX-5, but it does seem as thought some tweaks are in the works.
Lighting elements fore and aft appear to have gone under the knife, with the front grille and rear fascia also seemingly to be slightly revised. The side mirrors now look slicker and slightly more upscale with their integrated turn signals, as well.
In all, expect a look that's a touch fresher, without being a radical departure from the existing visage.

Mazda announces mild-hybrid variant of MX-30 crossover in Japan

Mazda hinted its first series-produced electric car, the MX-30 introduced in late 2019, might not be sold in the United States. We could see it on our shores with another powertrain under its coupe-like sheetmetal, however. The company announced a mild-hybrid variant of the crossover during a press conference held in Japan. Technical details about the gasoline-electric MX-30 are hazy, but Mazda said it's powered by the same basic mild-hybrid system available in the Mazda3 and the CX-30. That means the drivetrain is built around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a small electric motor that captures the kinetic energy generated while braking. It uses this electricity to power the car's electronics, and it injects it into the driveline to deliver bursts of extra power. Fuel economy and performance figures haven't been released yet. We expect the mild-hybrid model will be quicker than the heavier electric version, and its driving range will be appreciably greater. The electric model is equipped with a relatively small, 35.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that delivers a 124-mile range. Mazda explained using a smaller pack yields total CO2 emissions on par with a turbodiesel-powered Mazda3. The biggest visual difference between the two variants is an e-Skyactiv-G emblem on the hatch. Both model wear the same sporty design characterized by a steeply-raked roof line and a set of rear-hinged half doors reminiscent of the rotary-powered RX-8. It's the same story inside, where the hybrid and the EV are all but identical. Significantly, the hybrid MX-30 is expected to cost less than the electric model, which carries a base price of ˆ33,490 (about $40,000) in Germany. All told, it's better positioned than the EV to stick the landing if it's sent to the United States. Mazda hasn't yet published a list of the countries where it will sell the hybrid MX-30. Autoblog asked the company for additional details, and received word back that the company hasn't yet "made any announcements on MX-30 for the U.S. market." Related Video:     Featured Gallery 2021 Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv-G Green Mazda Crossover Electric Hybrid