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Lexus, Mazda win KBB 5-Year Cost To Own Awards

We focus a lot on what new cars are like to drive, but it's difficult on a one-week loan to really get a sense of what a car is like to live with. Sure, we try to recreate that sense with our long-term vehicles, but even after a year, it's impossible to know fully learn about a car, particularly in terms of reliability and cost of repairs. For 2014 model year vehicles, Kelley Blue Book has put together a list of the most affordable vehicles over a five-year period.
At the tippy top of the list are Mazda and Lexus, with the Zoom-Zoom automaker winning the award for best non-luxury brand. Lexus, meanwhile, was the most affordable luxury marque over a five-year period. It's interesting to note, though, that not a single Mazda won its segment in this year's awards.
General Motors did quite well, taking eight segments, including both the subcompact and plug-in segments, with the gas-powered Chevrolet Spark and Spark EV. The Chevy Camaro SS and ZL1 took the high-performance car award. Toyota was well represented, with five winners split between the main brand (Corolla, Prius C and Tacoma) and Lexus (LS and RX).

Toyota i-ROAD leans its way into the city [w/video]

According to Toyota, the "i-ROAD takes the company closer to its goal of creating the ultimate range of eco cars." As you're surely aware, that range of eco cars includes the enormously successful Prius family, but this new machine is nothing like the hybrid hatchback. And it's not even a car - Toyota calls the i-ROAD a Personal Mobility Vehicle.
Toyota's i-ROAD Concept, which debuts at this week's Geneva Motor Show, is adorned with just three wheels, meaning it's just as much a motorcycle as it is a car, and the driver and passenger sit in tandem style instead of side-by-side. This arrangement allows for a very thin 850mm width, which is about the same as a large motorcycle. Because the cockpit is enclosed, the occupants don't need helmets, nor are they open to the elements outside.
Also like a traditional two-wheeler, the i-ROAD tilts through the turns and when driving on uneven surfaces. Toyota says its computer-controlled Active Lean technology automatically balances the vehicle with no input from the driver.

Mazda2 refreshed for 2020 with new style and tech

The North American market Toyota Yaris is a badge engineered version of the Mazda 2. Now, the Mazda underneath the Toyota badging has received some updates in its home market of Japan, and it will be interesting to see if or when the U.S. counterpart will be refreshed with any of these updates. The 2020 Mazda 2, now indeed called "Mazda 2" instead of the older Demio name on the Japanese market, has received new front end styling to bring it in line with bigger Mazda models. The grille and bumper are new, as are the headlights with adaptive LED technology and LED daytime running lights. Apparently the headlights are constructed out of 20 individually controlled LED blocks to optimize light output and direction, which sounds awfully interesting for this class of vehicle. The front end design, just like the new 16-inch alloy wheels, is Mazda-specific and the Yarisized version is unlikely to benefit from them, especially since the headlights are also different on the Toyota. Cabin materials have also been updated, and the driver’s seat is available with six-way power adjustability for 2020. The MZD Connect infotainment has Apple Carplay and Android Auto support, like the Yaris setup. In addition, cabin comfort is said to have been improved with better soundproofing, which is sometimes sorely needed in this class of cars. Safety and convenience features include adaptive cruise control, which is impressive on a city car, and the Mazda 2 also has the G-Vectoring Control Plus system for high-speed stability. Both the diesel and gasoline versions will get Mazda's i-Eloop brake energy regeneration system. The Japanese market also gets an all-wheel-drive version, which is surely a hoot despite only being available with the automatic transmission. CarAdvice says the Australian market will receive the redesigned Mazda 2 early next year, which is probably in line with the rest of the global market that gets it as a Mazda instead of a Toyota; Mazda says Japan market pre-orders have started today and official sales will begin on September 12th. It pays to remember that the base car dates back to 2014, and that the 2020 refresh is a facelift instead of a ground-up redesign. Assuming the usually expected shelf-life for the facelifted edition, the 2 will have racked up respectable mileage from the “DJ” generation bodyshell.