2002 Mazda Mx-5 Miata Ls Convertible Low Miles 1 Owner Super Clean on 2040-cars

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2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club long-term wrap-up | Farewell, fun friend

About one year ago, we took delivery of a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. We made sure we got the sportiest version we could, the Club model (which includes Bilstein shocks, a limited-slip differential and a front shock tower brace) with optional BBS wheels and Brembo brakes. We also sprung for the appearance package to give our cute little roadster a modicum of aggression. It was a tad pricey at $32,835, but we enjoyed every minute of it. Well, almost every minute of it. It's not a perfect car, as it's loud and stiff on the highway, and we ran into an issue in which the top had to be replaced (under warranty). But minor grievances aside, just about everyone who drove the little roadster came back with a smile, especially when we took it to a racetrack. Below are final thoughts on the car from our editors. Senior Green Editor John Beltz Snyder: This car is about as car as any car gets. It's so car! That is to say, it's pure in its mission and in its effective execution as a driver's plaything. Its crisp steering, snickety six-speed manual gearbox, and rev-happy engine create the wonderful sensation that you're driving faster than the speedometer reads. Normal speeds never felt so heroic. The view out the front is fantastic, too, and the curves of the hood are nothing short of inspiring as they frame the road ahead. I don't care that it's noisy, jarring, and ergonomically weird. Old and British in spirit, it offers a level of engagement that's hard to find in a new car, especially for under $30,000. Anyone who has a Miata in their stable isn't lucky. They're smart. Senior Editor Alex Kierstein: I'm a bit embarrassed to think back to my first impressions about driving the MX-5 now that I've had so much seat time in this one. While I loved the idea of it as a throwback to the original NA Miata from the moment it was revealed, I was a bit turned off by how civilized it was. And how quick it was. No longer a momentum car, the new MX-5 seemed more forgiving of bad gear selection or a bad corner entry. I felt like something had been removed, a ragged edge, some everyday engagement. Well, a year on, and my feelings have changed. If you stop comparing it directly to the (slow, weedy, rattly, uncomfortable) first- and second-generation cars, it's a brilliant little roadster. I miss the raw edge less and enjoy the livability more — the raw edge was really just a lack of civility. A flaw that forced you to engage with the thing every moment.

Mazda CX-30 'just right' crossover will head from Geneva into production

As more and more customers move into the crossover segment, the less the segment is one-size-fits-all, or even three-sizes-fit-all. As such, Mazda has taken the opportunity at the Geneva Motor Show to offer a new, "just right" crossover to its lineup. The 2019 Mazda CX-30, as it's called, slots between the diminutive CX-3 and the compact CX-5 crossovers. The CX-30 shares the "Kodo" (meaning "soul of motion") design language Mazda does so well, and the execution here is excellent, too. We love the long hood and simple but elegant curves, the way the light reflects off the sides in dramatic waves. Its no surprise that Mazda chose its Soul Red Crystal to show off the new model. Mazda says it had four goals for the CX-30, two of which had to do with the size of the vehicle. It needed to be small enough to be highly maneuverable, so that drivers wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere they need to go, but it also had to be roomy enough to provide a comfortable space for multiple passengers to easily enjoy one another's company. Mazda wanted the design to "embody the joy of owning something that matches your sensibilities." Finally, it had to perform in a way to provide peace of mind and a relaxing driving experience. Mazda will offer the CX-30 with its Skyactiv-G 2.0 gasoline engine with cylinder deactivation, Skyactiv-D 1.8 diesel engine and its new Skyactiv-X engine with gasoline compression ignition. Both gasoline engines will use Mazda's mild hybrid technology to help improve fuel economy without sacrificing performance. The CX-30 will also be offered with Mazda's I-Activ all-wheel drive and G-Vectoring Control Plus for maximum grip and stability. It will be available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The CX-30 is equipped with a driver monitoring system to improve safety using an infrared LED and camera to watch the driver's face for signs of drowsiness or inattentiveness. It'll alert the driver to pay attention, and will sound the braking alert earlier. Other active safety systems include available Front Cross Traffic Alert and Cruising & Traffic Support, the latter of which will employ accelerator, brake pedal and steering operations in traffic jams to help avert driver fatigue. Mazda hasn't said whether it will offer the CX-30 outside of the European market. Related Video:

Red Bull RX-7 goes drift crazy on New Zealand's Crown Range

For the first time ever, the Crown Range, New Zealand's highest paved road, was closed off for the drifting pleasure of one man. That man is Mad Mike Whiddett, and the machine he's piloting is a heavily modified Mazda RX-7 sponsored by the energy-rich crew from Red Bull and powered by a 750-horsepower quad-rotor engine. There will be smoke. Lots and lots of smoke.
Mad Mike hits speeds in excess of 140 miles per hour over the course of the road's six and a half miles, which boasts 47 individual corners at over 3,500 feet of elevation. Scroll down for all kinds of fire-belching, tire-squealing and smoke-inducing action. Or, as Mad Mike himself puts it, "A dream turned into reality."