2012 Mazda Mazda3

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The Mazda3 has long been one of the most fun-to-drive compacts on the market, combining flamboyant styling with crisp handling and a little more eagerness and sports-car attitude than most other small cars. But for shoppers putting a priority on gas mileage numbers, too, this model used to disappoint.

For 2012, Mazda has made good to both enthusiasts and the eco-conscious with a new Sky-G engine, paired to either an all-new six-speed automatic transmission or a new six-speed manual. This engine makes a respectable 155 horsepower and feels very refined and responsive, yet it goes about 20 percent farther on a gallon of gas—with fuel economy ratings of up to 40 mpg highway.

Beware, however, that if you want these new powertrains, you'll have to go for the Mazda3i Touring or Grand Touring models; base 3i SV and Sport models still get the old base 2.0-liter engine, while 3s versions get the 167-horsepower, 2.5-liter engine that's somewhat more torquey but much thirstier (we really don't consider it worth the extra money).

No matter which model, handling is the Mazda3's key to delivering 'zoom-zoom' behind the wheel. The suspension tuning is firm, and the overall feel of the Mazda3 is athletic, without sacrificing too much comfort. Brakes are strong four-wheel discs (unusual in this class), and the steering is surely the best among small, affordable cars—thanks to a sure-feeling electro-hydraulic setup rather than the iffy electric units that rival models now have.

Inside, you'll find generous, supportive front seats and a reasonably accommodating back seat—plus a low, flat cargo floor with the seats folded down. However, in addition to somewhat difficult rear-seat entry, the 3's downfall remains road noise.

Outside of the new powertrains, the Mazda3 gets a few other relatively minor changes for 2012. The instrument panel lighting has changed, and display screens are now a cool blue. Most notably, Mazda has redone the front and rear airdams, added more body-color trim, and toned down the look of the 3's front end, which was not well received on introduction a couple of years ago; it's now a smirk, rather than clownish grin. Inside, the cockpit is sophisticated and plush, but some will find fault with all the rather drab, hard plastic trim within.

Base cars are surprisingly well-equipped for around the $16k mark, but it's some of the tech features available in the Grand Touring—including bi-xenon adaptive lighting, three-position memory power seats, rain-sensing wipers, ten-speaker Bose surround sound, and (new for 2012) a blind-spot monitoring system—that really set this model above most of the competition, all for around $26k loaded.

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2012 Mazda Mazda3 Skyactiv: First Drive

2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv - First Drive

Newsletter Stay up to date on car reviews, buying guides, articles and more In less than a couple of years, 40 miles per gallon has gone from a lofty goal, met by only a few select high-mileage machines (almost entirely hybrids and diesels), to, almost the small-car highway norm.

Now even Mazda is laying claim on 40 mpg in the 2012 Mazda3, with a new-generation engine and all-new transmissions that all fall under the ‘Skyactiv’ badge—that's Mazda's engineering-based initiative for efficiency, eco-friendliness, and safety.

At the same time, Mazda has a 'zoom-zoom' reputation to uphold. And with the Mazda3 a long-time best-seller, making up nearly half of Mazda's U.S. sales, the automaker says that it's kept this a top priority.

Does the Skyactiv version of the Mazda3 maintain the more enthusiastic driving feel that's characterized this lineup, despite going more than 20 percent farther on a gallon of gas? That's the reality check we tried to make earlier this week, in a first drive of refreshed 2012 Mazda3 models with the new technology.

The 'eco' choice that doesn't drive like one

And the answer, without hesitation, is a solid 'yes.' From the first impression on, it's clear that the new Sky-G 2.0-liter engine isn't as strong and torquey as the 2.5-liter 'MZR' engine, which remains available at the top of the lineup (along with the base MZR 2.0-liter); but in short, it's the eco-conscious choice that doesn't feel like an eco-conscious one—and yes, it's zoomy.

Skyactiv, as we’ve learned from Mazda, is more than new engines and transmissions (even though that's all the 3 gets for now); it’s an initiative that looks at body structures and design philosophies as well, and we’ll see some of these ideas showing up in stronger and safer yet lighter next-generation vehicles—like the 2013 Mazda CX-5.

For 2012, all Mazda3 models get a resculpted front airdam and fascia that turns the Mazda3’s freakshow clown smile into more of a relaxed grin. We like the look, as it seems to flow more smoothly anyhow through to the flared front fenders. To match the somewhat different look, there's a new rear fascia as well, with two new wheel designs to complement. And throughout, what you might notice more than anything else is that there's more trim that's body-color than ever—no more dark molded plastic. Through those few subtle changes—mainly those to the front end—Mazda has cut its coefficient of drag to 0.27 for the sedan, 0.29 for the five-door.

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Mazda hits 3 million mark for Mazda3

Just under eight years into its lifespan, the 3 millionth Mazda3 compact car rolled out of the automaker’s Hofu Plant in Yamaguchi, Japan, yesterday.

Although the plant was spared damage during the earthquake that rocked northern Japan in March, Mazda has nonetheless dramatically cut back on domestic production. As a result, the 3 millionth Mazda3 happened a few weeks later than Mazda intended – but the automaker is still happy to celebrate.

Mazda also builds Mazda3s at two joint-venture plants in Nanjing, China, and Rayong, Thailand, although the 3 millionth car was officially built in Japan.

The automaker says that the 3 millionth Mazda3 was a Japanese-specification Axela, as it is known in Japan, five-door hatchback with the company’s 2.0-liter MZR four-cylinder engine and i-Stop, the automaker’s start/stop system.

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What’s the deal with Mazda? [Op-Ed]

A few days behind the wheel of a 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata was enough to restore my faith in an automaker’s ability to build a genuinely fun-to-drive car.

After all, a recent week’s worth of mileage in a 2011 BMW 528i had me questioning just why the Ultimate Driving Machine had become the Ultimate Fuel Economy Machine. For sure, the 528i’s 32 mpg on the highway is impressive for a big luxo-sedan, but it seemed as though BMW took all of the fun out of the driving experience.

Luckily, Mazda is still around. I wouldn’t be the first to refer to Mazda as Japan’s BMW – after all, there are plenty of parallels, both historical and present day. Both got off to similarly auspicious interwar starts and, more recently, both have been working to shake off questionable designs by controversial designers. Even their most popular models’ naming scheme is similar – 3-Series and Mazda3 – although the Germans took the lead.

Milestones aside, these two brands have both long focused on driving dynamics above all else. Aside from the lame duck Ford-designed Tribute, any new Mazda should put a smile on the most hardened enthusiast’s face – even the surprisingly sporty Mazda5 mini-minivan. Mazda’s zoom-zoom marketing is a rare case of accurately product-inspired advertising.

You’d think that the buying public would be crawling all over Mazda the way that we, the enthusiast-oriented media, are generally wont to do. But if you’ve been paying attention to news out of Hiroshima, Japan, and Flat Rock, Michigan, you know that’s not the case.

Nearly all of Mazda’s products are seeing declining sales, even in a market that’s up about 15 percent through the first five months of 2011.

Pony up, enthusiasts
Drive almost any new Mazda back-to-back against the competition and you’ll see what I mean. These are enthusiast’s cars, from the itty-bitty Mazda2 up to the three-row CX-9. Perfect this grinning lineup is not, but as enthusiasts, aren’t we willing to accept a few compromises in exchange for the soul and character endemic to a car that provides a modicum of driving enjoyment? No other non-premium brand can say that virtually all of its lineup is genuinely fun to drive.

But the Mazda6, the car that should be Mazda’s highest volume model, is floundering. Sales have flatlined at about a third of what they were in 2005, when the previous Mazda6 was as far into its product cycle as the current one is.

The 6 was designed from the ground up to appeal to American audiences, unlike its global market predecessor.

Although a Mazda6 is offered in Europe, Asia and elsewhere, the global market version is smaller and comes primarily in wagon and hatchback bodystyles with different powertrains. Mazda chose to launch its second generation 6 in the North America back in 2009 with a design aimed at mainstream American tastes. Designed to take on the heavy hitters like Toyota and Honda, it grew substantially, with an emphasis on trunk and back seat space. Its sporty moves were watered down in favor of a cossetting ride. Its six-speed stick was dropped from the most powerful model. Its three-bodystyle lineup was chisled down to just one happy-to-see-you sedan with a trunk.

Mazda’s beancounters thought it would be a hit, a stylish design with all the right features to steal some sales from Toyota.

That happened, but it required a Hyundai badge. Something didn’t quite jive with mainstream buyers and the 6, which walks a line between zoom-zoom sporty and everyday people anonymity.

Maybe it would be best for Mazda to focus on its niche rather than to branch out for the mainstream. Especially in the family sedan market, we’ve seen almost every automaker try to emulate Toyota’s Camry – at least in one way or another.

This Americanization is taking the fun out of commuting by making one of the industry’s least-exciting segments even less… exciting. Come on, Mazda, we know you can spice things up.

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Mazda, Sumitomo to form joint production facility in Mexico

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Biggest Loser? Mazda Wants Next Miata To Shed 720 Pounds

The original Mazda MX-5, like the British roadsters that inspired it, was a small car. Less than 156 inches long and under 66 inches wide, the first Miata had a curb weight of just 2,178 pounds.  Drivers soon rediscovered the joys of a car with low weight and modest power; you couldn’t go very fast in a straight line, but the tradeoff was that you could carry a significant amount of speed into corners. The scant horsepower from the car’s 1.6-liter in-line four made the Miata an economy car in the eyes of insurance agents, adding to its affordability and forever labeling it a "chick car" in the eyes of the uninformed.

By the time the third generation was released in 2006, the MX-5, like many of us, had picked up a few extra pounds. Dimensionally larger (to the joy of drivers over six feet tall) the new car measured nearly 158 inches in length and 68 inches in width. It got a bigger, more powerful engine, too: the 2.0-liter Mazda MZR engine now made 170 horsepower, moving the MX-5 from the “underpowered” category to the “sufficiently powered” category. Despite Mazda’s focused efforts to reduce weight (shaving grams off the rear view mirror, or using thinner floor mats to save ounces), the 2006 Mazda MX-5 tipped the scales at 2,510 pounds, some 332 pounds heavier than the original MX-5.

For the next generation MX-5, Mazda is said to be going back to basics. The design goal for the car is to shed 720 pounds from the 2011 MX-5’s curb weight of 2,480 pounds, which would yield a flyweight roadster that tips the scales at only 1,760 pounds. Getting there will require significant weight savings from the engine, which may shrink to as small as 1.4 liters. Equipping it with a turbo, direct injection and variable cam timing will ensure that performance improves (or at least stays on par) compared to the current MX-5.

A lighter engine won’t save 720 pounds, so Mazda is expected to make the new car narrower and to strip out content like an owner’s manual (which can be replaced by a flash drive) and a glove box (replaced by storage molded into the rear bulkhead, perhaps).  Impact protection standards will still need to be met, so it’s likely that the next generation car will see increased use of high-strength steel in key areas, perhaps in conjunction with an increase in aluminum body panels.

Whether or not Mazda will get the next MX-5 down below 1,800 pounds remains to be seen, but it’s clear that they haven’t lost sight of the original car’s goal. Build an affordable, entertaining and reliable sports car, and the buyers will come.

[InsideLine, via MotorAuthority]

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Update: Mazda confirms end of Mazda6 production in the U.S.

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Mazda targeting 720 pound weight reduction for next-gen Miata

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Going Green in Geneva: The Mazda Minagi

Going Green in Geneva: The Mazda Minagi the latest crossover concept vehicle with Mazda's SkyActiv design plan.

A crossover may seem like an odd thing to debut your company's new look. What's even odder is previewing the future of that company with a vehicle that is neither electric nor a hybrid when even Bentley is packing lithium ion cells into their cars. Yet Mazda is doing just that in a bid to separate themselves from the rest of the auto world with the Minagi.

The concept uses Mazda's new Kodo design language which the press release says gives the car "the expression of energy pulsing throughout the vehicle with the keen agility to move about freely and nimbly."

That's not a statement you would normally associate with a crossover, but the design manages to come off as somewhat less bulbous than most vehicles in its segment, especially compared with the CX-7 and CX-9.

The vehicle is a preview of Mazda's SkyActiv design plan. While everyone else is moving toward hybrids and electric cars, Mazda is trying to squeeze as much as they can out of traditional technologies. The company has already announced the following technical improvements:

A gas engine that has a compression ratio of 14:1 on pump gas with an expected 15% increase in fuel economy and maximum torque over current engines.

A diesel engine that has a compression ratio of 14:1 that delivers 20% better fuel economy and doesn't require urea injection or other nitrogen-capturing technology to pass emissions requirements. (In diesel engines fuel ignites using compression instead of a spark. A typical compression ratio would be between 17 and 18:1.)

Advanced automatic and manual transmissions that reduce weight and internal friction.

Lightweight body and chassis components that use new design techniques and plenty of high-strength steel to reduce weight by 8% and 14% respectively.

How much of a change can we expect to see with these cars? When Mazda first announced their plan in 2008 they targeted a 30% increase in fuel economy across the board by 2015. It's rumored that the next MX-5 will weigh 2,200 lbs, 200 lbs. less than the current model.

Aside from the usual tiny mirror and giant wheels seen on concepts you can expect to see something very similar to the Minagi going into production, replacing the current CX-9 or Tribute. The first vehicle to use the technology will be next year's 3, which will receive the SkyActiv gas engine and SkyActiv transmissions. Chassis improvements will follow as models are redesigned.

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Going Green in Geneva: The Mazda Minagi

Going Green in Geneva: The Mazda Minagi the latest crossover concept vehicle with Mazda's SkyActiv design plan.

A crossover may seem like an odd thing to debut your company's new look. What's even odder is previewing the future of that company with a vehicle that is neither electric nor a hybrid when even Bentley is packing lithium ion cells into their cars. Yet Mazda is doing just that in a bid to separate themselves from the rest of the auto world with the Minagi.

The concept uses Mazda's new Kodo design language which the press release says gives the car "the expression of energy pulsing throughout the vehicle with the keen agility to move about freely and nimbly."

That's not a statement you would normally associate with a crossover, but the design manages to come off as somewhat less bulbous than most vehicles in its segment, especially compared with the CX-7 and CX-9.

The vehicle is a preview of Mazda's SkyActiv design plan. While everyone else is moving toward hybrids and electric cars, Mazda is trying to squeeze as much as they can out of traditional technologies. The company has already announced the following technical improvements:

A gas engine that has a compression ratio of 14:1 on pump gas with an expected 15% increase in fuel economy and maximum torque over current engines.

A diesel engine that has a compression ratio of 14:1 that delivers 20% better fuel economy and doesn't require urea injection or other nitrogen-capturing technology to pass emissions requirements. (In diesel engines fuel ignites using compression instead of a spark. A typical compression ratio would be between 17 and 18:1.)

Advanced automatic and manual transmissions that reduce weight and internal friction.

Lightweight body and chassis components that use new design techniques and plenty of high-strength steel to reduce weight by 8% and 14% respectively.

How much of a change can we expect to see with these cars? When Mazda first announced their plan in 2008 they targeted a 30% increase in fuel economy across the board by 2015. It's rumored that the next MX-5 will weigh 2,200 lbs, 200 lbs. less than the current model.

Aside from the usual tiny mirror and giant wheels seen on concepts you can expect to see something very similar to the Minagi going into production, replacing the current CX-9 or Tribute. The first vehicle to use the technology will be next year's 3, which will receive the SkyActiv gas engine and SkyActiv transmissions. Chassis improvements will follow as models are redesigned.

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Mazda reveals race-ready MX-5 GT

Wednesday, Mar 23rd, 2011 @ 1:09 p.m.

Aston Martin, Porsche, BMW, Lotus and Mazda. One of those names seems to be out of place, but those five marques will be competing against one another in the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship 2011.

Although the Mazda MX-5 has long been considered one of the best sports cars on the planet, it has never really been mention in the same breath as the Aston Martin Vantage and Porsche 911. However, Mazda has just pulled the sheet on the MX-5 GT, which promises to give the biggest names in motor sports a run for their money.

The MX-5 GT is powered by a 275 horsepower engine, backed by a six-speed sequential gearbox. That power combined with a curb weight of just 1,875 pounds means the MX-5 GT can accelerate from 0-60 in 3 seconds flat and hit a top speed of 160mph.

“The MX-5 production race car’s modest power output, bullet proof reliability and nimble handling demonstrated last year how the MX-5 can be competitive against some of the purpose-built Lotus, VW and BMW race cars. With a higher power output combined with the durability, reliability and handling attributes that the MX-5 is renowned for; the MX-5 GT race car will be strong contender against the more powerful race cars in its class,” said Graeme Fudge, PR Director, Mazda UK.

Set to be piloted by Mark Ticehurst and Owen Mildenhall, the MX-5 GT will compete in its first race on March 26.

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Mazda Minagi Concept: 2011 Geneva Motor Show

Source: MotorAuthority.com

With its latest concept car, the all-new 2011 Mazda Minagi, Mazda is essentially giving us a preview of its replacement for the Tribute compact SUV. The aging Tribute is long overdue for an update and reports of a sharper and more dynamic compact crossover from Mazda date back to early 2007, so it’s not at all surprising to see the Minagi at this week’s 2011 Geneva Motor show.

We’ve known about the Minagi for some time now but today we have the first official images and details of the new concept.

The Minagi is the latest iteration of the Mazda’s ‘Kodo’ Soul of Motion design theme. We first saw Kodo on the stunning 2010 Shinari Concept and now we get to see it in crossover form. Its styling has clearly been derived from the Shinari, which we all know will influence the automaker’s future models. We got that confirmation from Mazda chief designer Ikuo Maeda last September, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see Mazda launch a new model, possibly labeled CX-5, resembling the new Mingai.

Mazda describes the vehicle as a “unique crossover SUV for urban explorers which fuses emotional design with outstanding performance”.

Additionally, the Minagi also combines Mazda's SKYACTIV technologies, which consists of the automaker’s next-generation powertrain, vehicle body and chassis designs. In the case of the new Minagi, the concept is equipped with a SKYACTIV engine and SKYACTIV transmission fitted to a SKYACTIV-Body and chassis that merge comprehensive weight reduction with ample safety features.

For our complete coverage of the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, click here.

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2011 Geneva Motor Show Preview: Mazda Minagi Concept

Source: MotorAuthority.com

Just hours after today’s earlier leak of the new Minagi Concept, Mazda has released full details for its latest concept and confirmed that it will be appearing for the first time at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March.

The concept is said to be a preview of a brand new compact crossover from Mazda but it’s also the latest iteration of the automaker's ‘Kodo’ Soul of Motion design theme. We first saw Kodo on the stunning 2010 Shinari Concept and now we get to see it in crossover form.

The Minagi's styling has clearly been derived from the Shinari, which we all know will influence the automaker’s future models--we got that confirmation from Mazda’s chief designer, Ikuo Maeda, last September.

The Minagi also combines Mazda's SKYACTIV technologies, which consists of the automaker’s next-generation powertrain, vehicle body and chassis designs. In the case of the new Minagi, the concept is equipped with a SKYACTIV engine and SKYACTIV transmission fitted to a SKYACTIV-Body and chassis that merge comprehensive weight reduction with ample safety features.

The aging Mazda Tribute is long overdue for an update and reports of a sharper and more dynamic compact crossover from Mazda date back to early 2007, so it’s not at all surprising to see that the Japanese automaker is working on just such a model with the new Minagi.

Any new compact crossover from Mazda will likely be called the CX-5 and go up against vehicles like the Volkswagen Tiguan, Toyota Rav4 and possibly even the upcoming BMW X1. To keep it as fuel efficient as possible, the crossover is expected to feature a partial all-wheel drive system, with drive being sent to the front wheels in most situations and the rears only kicking in during loss of traction.

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2007 Mazda CX-9

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2007 Mazda CX-7

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