Mazda

#91, Sacramento vintage car collector Andy Harris

Andy Harris lives and works in Sacramento, California. He’s owned United Attorneys’ Services for many years, and he shares two of the same pastimes as the co-hosts of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Harris is a veteran long-distance runner and he’s a vintage car collector. Harris is our guest on Episode #91 of our weekly conversations about all things in the automotive industry. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Harris the particulars of the four vastly different cars he owns. How about a 1959 Crown Imperial? Or consider Harris’ 1973 Citroen SM or his 1991 Mazda Miata. And for a daily driver, how about Harris’choice of a 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth? While all of his cars attract attention, the

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2019 Mazda CX-9: versatile SUV with sedan tendencies

The Mazda CX-9 debuted in 2006 as a versatile, well-equipped addition to the fraternity of family haulers. The first generation endured for nine years in the ever-expanding segment of urban taxis. The 2019 edition is the second generation’s fourth year. Tweaks have been added each year as SUVs become increasingly attractive to large clans and families of one. New this year for CX-9: Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a retuned suspension and a surround-view parking camera. Mazda’s largest vehicle remains available in Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and Signature trims. All choices present Mazda at its best, including the base model. It has a three-zone climate control with a second-row control and a seven-inch color touchscreen with a rotary controller. And

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2019 Mazda CX-5 (Signature)

The new, top-line trim of the 2019 Mazda CX-5, the carmaker’s compact crossover SUV and its best-selling vehicle, was unveiled at the recent Seattle Auto Show. The new Signature SUV includes the turbocharged SKYACTIV-2.5T engine and new G-Vectoring Control Plus. It incorporates premium materials, such as Caturra Brown Nappa leather and genuine layered wood trim. Other features in the 2019 Mazda CX-5: Apple CarPlayTMand Android AutoTM compatibility, a reconfigurable 7.0-TFT gauge display, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, a BOSE 10-speaker premium sound system, windshield-projected Active Driving Display head-up unit and a 360°View Monitor with front and rear parking sensors The powertrain lineup adopts the SKYACTIV-2.5T direct-injection turbocharged gasoline engine also found in the Mazda

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2019 Mazda CX-3 versatile foe in tough little SUV segment

Four years into its first generation, the 2019 Mazda CX-3 is upgraded from last year’s model. It’s a good thing since the subcompact-crossover sport utility vehicle competition continues to intensify. More support and comfort are now in the seats and leather upholstery is an option. Noise, harshness and vibrations are improved via an adjusted, smoother-running 2.0-liter engine. Equally subtle changes include: The anti-fog lights and B and C pillars get black trim; the front spoiler now has silver trim. The taillights and grille have also been revised, with the latter now featuring four horizontal bands, three less than previous editions. Since its debut as a 2016 model, the Mazda CX-3 found a strong market. But there are other newbies in

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2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF: Driving nirvana with an asterisk

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is the best-selling and most polarizing roadster in history. It’s driving nirvana for its vast fan club. For others, it’s a too small, overrated phenomenon. But the MX-5’s numbers give credence to its enduring popularity. Since its debut in 1989, sales have averaged slightly more than 37,000 units per year through 2016. That’s minimal compared to top yearly sellers like the nearly 800,000 Ford F-150 trucks sold last year. Yet the little two-seat sports car has retained its loyal following for nearly three decades. The overriding reason: The soft-top convertible, hardtop and new RF (retractable fastback) define motoring fun at a fair price. The MSRP for the RF trim, my test vehicle, is $33,825. The RF

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2017 Mazda3: Classy compact keeps getting better

Nearing the end of its third generation, the 2017 Mazda3 continues its stellar reputation as a versatile compact available as a sedan or hatchback. The Mazda3 improvements include a retuned suspension, a new electronic parking brake, an updated dashboard design, a new steering wheel and new front and rear fascias. Stiff competition in the compact segment from Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze, Kia Forte and perennial best-selling Honda Civic prompted the upgrades. Read about the 2019 Mazda 3 here. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The top-of-the-line Mazda3 Grand Touring model, my test vehicle, featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower. It’s standard with an automatic transmission, but the six-speed manual transmission was a pleasant surprise. Its short-shift, smooth gear-changing added

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Chevrolet, Mazda top Car and Driver best of 2017 list

Car and Driver, the largest-selling automotive publication in the United States, has announced its annual best cars list. The 2017 honorees include three Chevrolet models and two Mazda vehicles. The 34th annual is selected based on a car’s ability to “execute its mission at the highest level and deliver a driving experience somewhere between sublime and messianic.” Contending vehicles also must cost $80,000 or less, be on sale by January of the year of the honors and be available for the experts at Car and Driver to test during the past September. Additionally, nominees on the Car and Driver list consist of all new cars, 2016 10 Best winners, cars not available for the 2016 competition, and those with significant

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2017 Mazda6: Major family sedan rival for Honda, Toyota

As the best-selling vehicle in the manufacturer’s lineup, the Mazda6 is part of arguably the most competitive car segment — family sedans. For 2017, the 16th year of the vehicle, the Mazda6 continues its strong market position. It’s a performance-oriented option among iconic more tradition rivals like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion and Nissan Altima. The Weekly Driver Text Drive Equipped with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower, the 2017 Mazda6 has a six-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration seems peppier than the car’s specs, largely because of the sport-oriented tuning and responsive steering. While technically a family sedan, the Mazda6’s sporty persona is further exemplified by its cornering precision and lack wind and road noise at all speeds.

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2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata: One size fits all for iconic roadster

The tall, lanky guy getting into the car parked next to mine contorted his frame into a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. I unfolded my body to exit another MX-5, the same year and color. Both vehicle’s rag tops were down. “You’re a tall guy for a small car,” I said during the parking lot exchange. ”Yeah, I’m 6-4, but it’s worth every second of it,” he said, as we both smiled while acknowledging our twin vehicles. And so it is for enthusiasts of the little, lightweight sports car that can. Like aficionados of muscle cars, pick-up trucks and minivans, MX-5 fans are as passionate as the owners in any car segment. For the past quarter century or so, no vehicle

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2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Top roadster keeps getting better

In April this year, worldwide sales of the Mazda MX-5 Miata surpassed one million since the two-seat roadster debuted in 1989. The 2017 MX-5 Miata continues the tradition of the little sports car that can. The MX-5 Miata was re-designed for 2016, but exterior and interior tweaks for 2017 keep the roadster’s current competitors (including offerings from Nissan, Mini, and BMW) searching for ways to infiltrate the little wonder’s dominance. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata advances via a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with 155 horsepower. After losing about 200 pounds from the 2015 model to last year, the Miata’s acceleration improved. It now achieves the standard 0-60 mph test in 6.2 seconds. Offered in Sport, Club

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2016 Mazda CX-3 debuts well in tough small SUV field

Among the newer car industry segments, the subcompact crossover is chock full of worthy vehicles, including the new 2016 Mazda CX-3. It’s the younger stablemate of the still-toddler CX-5 and it joined an expanding, diverse field that also features the new Honda HR-V, Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade. The 2016 Mazda CX-3 ideally helped define the segment. It featured the maneuverability of a hatchback with the expanded (but not too large) size of a crossover SUV. The Weekly Driver Test Drive As per the manufacturer’s lineup-wide signature, the 2016 Mazda CX-3 has a long list of standard features, all offered in three trims. My weekly driver was the top-line Grand Touring trim, which, of course, featured the standard equipment of

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2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Lighter, faster, more fun

A guy in a shopping center parking lot looked over at me and said, “Nice car.” He then pointed to his identical 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata parked about 50 feet from my test vehicle. “You’re taller than I am,” I replied. “Is it hard for you to get in and out of the car?” “I’m 6-4 and it is, but it’s worth it,” the guy responded. And so it is for Mazda MX-5 enthusiasts. The best-selling roadster in history has a new generation for 2016 and it’s among the most talked about vehicles in the industry. The Weekly Driver Test Drive With its new lighter and slightly less powerful approach, the 2016 Mazda MX-5, a two-seat roadster, is powered by

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2016 Car of the Year? Chevrolet, Honda, Mazda?

The Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Civic and Mazda MX-5 Miata, three longstanding vehicles with loyal followings in vastly different new and used car markets, have been named finalists for 2016 North American Car of the Year. The Honda Pilot, Nissan Titan XD and Volvo XC90 were name finalists for Truck of the Year in the recent announcement the Automotive Press Association in Detroit. The 2016 North American Car and Truck of the Year will be announced in January at the Detroit Auto Show. The finalists were chosen from short lists of 10 cars and 12 pickups and SUVs created by a jury of 53 automotive journalists. Chevrolet Has Two Cars Considered For Car of the Year The BMW 7 series, Cadillac

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Honda, Mazda, Tesla among 2016 Best Cars of the Year

The perennial best-selling Honda Accord, the innovative Tesla Model S 70 and the iconic Ford Mustang are among the 10 Best Cars for 2016, according to Car and Driver. And there’s a surprise: Mazda is the only manufacturer with two cars on the list. The authoritative automotive magazine announced its annual list Nov. 18 on the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show. The list features a diverse group of vehicles, all priced between $18,000 and $80,000, the maximum price in the publication’s guidelines. Eddie Alderman, the publication’s editor-in chief, said “10 Best involves more than drawing up lists of our sub-$80,000 favorites. Every year we enter our weeklong evaluation looking for new and improved combinations of virtues: value and

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2016 Mazda CX-5: Versatile, sporty, fuel efficient

The Mazda CX-5 replaced the Mazda Tribute and Mazda CX-7 in 2012 as a 2013 model, and it has succeeded quickly in the popular compact SUV segment. For 2016, the Mazda CX-5 has been refreshed with minor interior and exterior upgrades, including improved materials quality, additional insulation and an improved technology interface. There’s also improved and additional equipment in option packages. Some former options, including Bluetooth and audio connectivity, are now standard to keep up with improved compact SUV offerings from other manufacturers. The Weekly Driver Test Drive With its new features and options and its availability in three trims with either all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive, it’s likely the Mazda CX-5 will continue is impressive upward sales trend. The

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2016 MAZDA CX-3

With its release about a month away, Mazda has announced the price of the 2016 Mazda CX-3 subcompact crossover will start at $19,6000. As a $1,250 upgrade, buyers can select CX-3 Sport with Mazda’s predictive i-Activ all-wheel drive that takes temperature, road conditions, steering-angle and weather into account. It will also help optimize to which wheels engine power is routed for maximum performance and stability. “We wanted to send a strong statement that new buyers, early adopters, empty-nesters and right-sizers can get everything they want in a crossover that fits their needs,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. “CX-3 offers the same technologies and thrilling driving experience seen across the rest of Mazda’s award-winning lineup that we believe will

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