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Autotrader picks best cars for 2015's college grads

Summer is here and the school season is winding to a close. That means millions of students will be graduating college and (hopefully) entering the workforce. For many, that will mean buying a new car suited to the new stage in life into which they will now be embarking. That can be a bewildering choice, especially for someone who's never bought a car before. Fortunately, Autotrader has come up with a short list of recommended cars – new and used – which it recommends to the graduating class of 2015. Among the site's top choices are some compelling crossovers and hatchbacks, including the Buick Encore, Chevy Trax, and Jeep Renegade, as well as the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa Note, Mazda3 and Fiat 500. Can't stretch to buying new, or don't see the point? Autotrader has also identified the Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion and even the Lexus IS as smart buys in the certified pre-owned category. "Any time someone goes through a major life change, such as graduating college, they need to determine if their current ride makes sense for their lifestyle, from both a financial and functional perspective," says Autotrader editor Brian Moody. "For example, while that hand-me-down SUV from your parents was nice when you turned 16, you may want to opt for a safer, more fuel-efficient car as you transition into the working world." Autotrader Names 10 Best Cars for Recent College Graduates ATLANTA, May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- For many, graduating college is a milestone like no other – it represents a new chapter, a proud accomplishment and, fortunately or unfortunately, financial independence. Luckily for graduates who are in the market for a new car to suit their post-college lifestyle, Autotrader's expert editors say now is a great time to make a purchase, as dealerships are flush with affordable models that are fun, fuel-efficient and thoughtfully designed. Autotrader Logo "Any time someone goes through a major life change, such as graduating college, they need to determine if their current ride makes sense for their lifestyle, from both a financial and functional perspective," said Brian Moody, site editor for Autotrader.

Did Mazda designer Derek Jenkins leave to head up a 'Stealth Project?'

Not long after Derek Jenkins officially gave the 2016 MX-5 Miata to the buying world, he's left the Mazda building. Jalopnik reported that the head of design for Mazda North America changed the current job description on his LinkedIn profile to "Stealth Project." Mazda backed up the discovery with this reply to Jalop's inquiry: Derek left Mazda last Friday. He left on great terms in order to work on a new endeavor. We wish him the best of luck. He will be missed, but we are sure that he will do great things in the next chapter of his career. That "last Friday" would be July 17. Emphasizing the "stealth" bit in his new position, as far as we can tell, Jenkins still hasn't publicly answered any question about what he's doing. Every automaker has secrets, but traditional automakers usually make a hubbub about hiring big-name designers, especially one with Jenkins' resume. For his new employer to go all Ghost Recon with all information, well that's the kind of mystery this summer needs. The obvious culprit would be a certain fruit-named company in a certain Cupertino, CA office park. If that ends up being the case, Jenkins would be the second chief designer at Mazda NA to go electric: he replaced Franz von Holzhausen in the position after von Holzhausen went to Tesla. Various other Apple Project Titan hires have made the news, though. For all we know, Jenkins' project might not be automotive. So let's just go ahead and cue the speculation. We're looking forward to whatever he's got coming, and to whoever gets nominated to keep the full head of Zoom-Zoom going at Mazda NA.

2021 Mazda Miata rocks new white leather interior

Mazda has announced changes for the 2021 MX-5 Miata, and while the model year is mostly a quiet one for the enthusiast-favorite sports car, there is one striking new addition: a White Nappa leather option. Sure to be the bane of Miata restorers years hence, the White Nappa leather is exclusive to the Grand Touring trim level, where it carries a $300 upcharge. Sadly, where Mazda giveth, it also taketh away, as last year's Red Nappa leather option has been dropped, and Tan Leather also falls by the wayside. That leaves black as your only other leather color choice. You may want to pair your white leather interior with the Miata's new Deep Crystal Blue exterior hue, as shown above. Deep Crystal Blue replaces 2020's Eternal Blue. The white interior also can be paired with any other exterior color with the exception of Snowflake White Pearl — that would be a little too '76 Eldo. Once again, soft top colors are black or gray, the latter for an extra $200. (The red soft top that was exclusive to the 100th Anniversary model has departed with that limited edition.) Equipment-wise, the only changes for 2021 have to do with smartphone mirroring. The base Miata Sport roadster adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (they were already standard on the upper trims). The Grand Touring, meanwhile, upgrades to wireless CarPlay. Prices for the base Miata Sport rise by $250, to $27,775 (including the $945 destination charge) for the roadster with a six-speed manual, with the automatic adding $1,350. The tariff for the Miata Club roadster and the RF is unchanged, with the soft top at $31,235 and the hardtop stickering for $33,990. Pricing for the Club's Brembo/BBS/Recaro option package is also unchanged at $4,470 (soft top) or $4,670 (RF). The news is even better with the top-spec Miata Grand Touring, which actually sees its base price drop — albeit only by $100, but still. The Grand Touring roadster is now $32,715, with the Retractable Fastback at $35,570. The 2021 Mazda Miata should arrive in showrooms this month. Related video: