Mazda has joined the slew of automakers that have been chipping in cash and cars to help the victims of a massive tornado that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma. 

The Japanese brand is donating $25,000 to the American Red Cross, while the Mazda Foundation Board of Trustees is also donating $25,000 for a total of $50,000.

In addition, Mazda is offering $500 cash towards the purchase of a new Mazda vehicle for those people who had their vehicles damaged or destroyed. A 90 day grace period for the first payment is also part of the deal.

SEE ALSO: Detroit Three Donate for Tornado Relief

Existing Mazda customers based in Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma and Pottawatomie counties will have their late fees and insufficient funds fees waived by the brand as well, if they missed their payment this month due to the tornado.

“The tornado that touched-down in Moore has had an unprecedented impact on those located far outside the actual impact area, including our own employees, dealers and customers,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO.

Discuss this story at mazdaworld.org

Each week, we recap the most popular videos from AutoGuide‘s YouTube channel just in case all seven days passed you by and you missed out. This past week, AutoGuide had a little fun putting two hot hatches in a shootout – the Ford Focus ST and the Mazdaspeed3. Which one prevailed?

2013 Ford Focus ST vs 2013 Mazdaspeed3

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2013 Ford Fusion vs 2014 Mazda6

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2014 Chevrolet Silverado Review

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Mazda is looking to set a new world record for the “largest parade of Mazda cars” with its MX-5 Miata.

Hoping to gather up 800 Miatas in Lelystad, Netherlands on June 13, 2013, the automaker wants to best the current record of 459 MX-5s that gathered in Essen, Germany in 2010. Close to one million Miatas have been sold since it first hit the market, making it one of the most popular sport cars in the world.

Those interested in joining the meet in Netherlands and the world record attempt can register here - cost is 30 euros ($38) and includes lunch and drinks for two people.

Discuss this story at ClubRoadster.net

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened two separate investigations into older Chrysler and Mazda vehicles for different issues.

NHTSA is investigating 2006 model year Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Magnum vehicles equipped with the automaker’s 5.7-liter or 6.1-liter V8 HEMI engine. 192,067 vehicles in total may be affected as 54 complaints have been filed where those vehicles have stalled while driving after refueling. Of those 54 complaints, 48 of them reported multiple problems with their vehicles. More than 50 percent of those reports were filed in the last eight months.

As for Mazda, the 2009 Mazda6 is under investigation after complaints have been reported where the doors on the sedan fail to properly latch when closed. In one instance, a passenger door opened while the vehicle was in motion. The cause, according to some of the reports, are missing door latch mounting screws.

Discuss this story at HemiForum.com

Each week, we recap the most popular videos from AutoGuide‘s YouTube channel just in case all seven days passed you by and you missed out. This week, AutoGuide travelled out to Texas to check out and review the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado.

2014 Chevrolet Silverado Review

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2013 Ford Fusion vs 2014 Mazda6

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2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302 vs. 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR

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Now that Mazda is back in the black turning its first profit in five years, the automaker has appointed Masamichi Kogai to succeed current CEO Takashi Yamanouchi.

The promotion will go into effect pending the approval of the automaker’s June 25 annual shareholders’ meeting. Kogai, a production and purchasing specialist at Mazda, has played a big role in reshaping Mazda to be a more efficient automaker. Yamanouchi will retain his title of chairman.

Kogai, 58, joined Mazda in 1977 and has spent the majority of his career in R&D, logistics, cost improvement, and information technology. He became the head of production and purchasing in 2011 and helped navigate Mazda through rough times after the earthquake in Japan.

Yamanouchi on the other hand, took over the CEO position in 2008 and was the first Japanese president of an independent Mazda, free of Ford’s controlling stake. He spearheaded the Japanese automaker’s SkyActiv line of vehicles and was able to deliver a global net profit of $364.3 million after four years of losses.

[Source: Automotive News]

Discuss this story at MazdaWorld.org

Next to don the KODO Soul of Motion skin, the new Mazda3 is expected to debut during this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, but new spy photos are previewing the cabin today.

Mazda made a point of improving its Mazda6 flagship sedan’s styling both inside and out, and the smaller Mazda3 will follow suit. In fact, it looks like the smaller car might actually make strides beyond its larger sibling. A thin display stands out of the dashboard and looks a little like the screen in Mercedes and Audi products.

2014 Mazda6 Review

The shift knob also looks thicker and the center console takes on a new design compared to the CX-5 and Mazda6. Despite that, the same rotating knob is in place.

GALLERY: 2014 Mazda3 spy photos

With 47 corners across almost 6.5 miles, the Crown Range in New Zealand is the country’s highest paved roadway at an elevation of 3,530 feet.

So why wouldn’t it be the perfect place for Red Bull Motorsports to take its driver, Mike Whiddett, and his Mazda RX-7 drifting? Known as “Mad Mike” within the drifting community, Whiddett is a New Zealand-based international drifter that got the opportunity of a lifetime when the road was closed across three sections – all for a unique filming opportunity.

With 750 hp on tap, Mad Mike was able to hit 144 mph in his RX-7 on the second section of the roadway while sliding sideways throughout the Crown Range.

“I think drifters have an innate ability to slip from reality when driving up a road like the Crown Range in normal circumstances,” said Whiddett. “We imagine drifting through the turns, the gear changes, the footwork, the hand brake and of course stomping on the gas. So for me, having the opportunity to get behind the wheel of my machine, push it to the limit and conquer the Crown is a dream turned into a reality.”

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GALLERY: Mad Mike Drifts Crown Range

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Each week, we recap the most popular videos from AutoGuide‘s YouTube channel just in case all seven days passed you by and you missed out.

2013 Porsche Cayenne Review

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2013 Mazda2 vs Mazda2 B-Spec Race Car

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2014 Lexus IS Review

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Mazda has announced the launch of its”Game Changers” North American ad campaign, which begins this month.

“This is the largest advertising campaign for Mazda in the last 13 years, but more importantly, it is the most far-reaching and significant campaign in our history,” said Russell Wager, vice president of marketing, Mazda North American Operations.

The campaign will revolve and showcase several historically significant people who found a new way to excel at their respective disciplines, something the Japanese automaker takes pride in doing itself.

In its own view, Mazda has changed the game in the automotive world “to develop not just a suite of environmental and dynamic technologies, but a philosophical thought behind manufacturing a vehicle that has erased the proverbial line between efficiency and driving dynamics.”

The new ad campaign will be seen throughout North America in movies, television, print, and digital media. Much of the advertising campaign will center around the automaker’s SkyActiv technology which has allowed Mazda to build vehicles with excellent fuel efficiency, low emissions, and stellar driving dynamics.

“Game Changers will be the unifying advertising campaign to tell the story of Mazda’s rich heritage in developing new and different ways to build outstanding vehicles, both for the immediate future and the launch of the 2014 Mazda6 sedan, but also to support the ongoing development of our strongest-ever product onslaught,” Wager said.

GALLERY: Mazda “Game Changers” Ad Campaign

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It’s Friday and another work week is slowly…  drawing… to… a… close. Like Andrew Lloyd Webber’s epic musical CATS, this string of five days feels like it’s never going to end. At least people aren’t prancing around the AutoGuide offices in leotards and leg warmers. Meow!

The sweet aroma of freedom is wafting through the air as Saturday beckons from the other side of midnight. Normal business hours may be dwindling but like a Nevada brothel the Oracles never sleep. They on call ‘round the clock to provide car shoppers in distress with desperately needed assistance. A pitcher of espresso and a fistful or NoDoz are their only companions. Yeah, it’s lonely work but nobody said being an expert was easy.

This week Pat is in search of an affordable vehicle for her teenage daughter. Basic transportation is the order of the day but of course her offspring wants something with a little pizzazz; the girl’s been eyeing a Jeep Wrangler but momma says no. A high-riding four-by-four is verboten, just like access to the liquor cabinet or that high-school quarterback from the adjacent cul-de-sac.

Pat is considering a six-to-eight-year-old used vehicle, something reliable, safe and cheap to insure. An example she gave is the Honda Civic. That’s a fine choice but like a second-hand EpiPen pre-owned cars can be risky. Even with a CARFAX history report and a thorough inspection from a trusted mechanic they can still harbor hidden problems.

The Oracles have insisted on a new vehicle for Pat’s daughter who they’ve been referring to as “Abby.” They cannot be swayed on this issue. Attempted bribery with cream-cheese Danishes didn’t even work.

SEE ALSO: Need Advice Buying Your Next Car? Just “Ask AutoGuide!”

Factory-fresh vehicles feature numerous benefits over their used counterparts. They’re backed by impressive warranties, they’re equipped with all of the latest safety and convenience features plus they’ve never been slept in by a pack of weather-beaten drifters. Of course affordability is important and AutoGuide’s experts believe they can deliver a list of new vehicles that won’t break the bank. Here are some of the most inexpensive cars available today.

Suggestion #1: Nissan Versa 1.8 S Hatchback – $15,460

When price is the No. 1 priority it’s hard to beat the Nissan Versa. This B-Segment offering from the Japanese archipelago is a grand-slam value. The sedan version starts at just $12,000; most people probably have more loose change in their couch cushions than that.

The entry-level model is equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers a strapping 109 horsepower. It’s matched to a five-speed manual transmission. Of course value is important in this week’s episode of Ask AutoGuide but driving like a pauper is not. The entry-level Versa is about as stark as the menu at a Soviet gulag.

Stepping up from there the Oracles are actually suggesting the Versa hatchback, specifically the 1.8 S. The lowest price for this car is about $15,500, which is still a steal by today’s standards.

Even with such an affordable base price the car is equipped with some surprising standard features including power windows and door locks, air conditioning with an in-cabin microfilter as well as a thumpin’ four-speaker sound system. Really, it’s everything you need in a car… and little else.

Under its nondescript hood the Versa hatch is powered by a 1.8-liter four-banger that delivers 122 horsepower. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, but an abjectly antiquated four-speed automatic is an extra-charge option. The audacity! Higher-end Versas (that’s an oxymoron if we’ve ever heard one) are offered with Nissan’s fuel-saving but annoying Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT).

SEE ALSO: 2012 Nissan Versa Review

In the economy department Versas equipped with a manual gearbox deliver a recession-busting 26 miles per gallon in city driving and up to 31 on the highway. That’s ok fuel economy, but not great.

The Versa also comes with a “Good” safety rating, literally. The danger watchdogs at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the vehicle an overall “Good” rating in their rigorous offset crash test, which isn’t too shabby for a small car.

Suggestion #2: Toyota Yaris 3-Door L – $15,165

Toyota’s Yaris hatchback is the only vehicle on the road today that makes you talk like a pirate, yarrrr matey! Park one in your garage and everyday can be September 19^th.

Starting price for the three-door version of this salty cur is 15,165 buckaroos out the door, including destination and delivery fees. It undercuts the municipal-grade Versa by a couple hundred dollars. Clearly Toyota’s chumming the waters to attract ravenously value-conscious shoppers.

Still, even at that price the Yaris comes with some nice features. Air conditioning is standard as are fabric-trimmed seats (hopefully they’re not covered in burlap); power door locks, nine air bags and a fold-down back bench for extra luggage space are also included

Curiously, power windows are not offered on the base model, so limber up your wrists for a whole lot of crankin’. It’s like starting a Model T every time you head to the drive through.

Powering the Yaris is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and it only puts out a measly 106 horsepower. If Abby has ADHD this is the perfect vehicle for her as there’s nothing to get overly excited about. It’s the automotive equivalent of the Dewey Decimal system, functional and nothing more.

The Yaris L features a five-speed manual transmission for shift-yourself engagement. If three pedals are as off limits as a Jeep Wrangler then a four-speed autotragic gearbox is also available for an additional fee. Dig up your buried treasure chest because it’s $725.

SEE ALSO: 2012 Toyota Yaris Review

Like the Versa this little Toyota also earned a “Good” rating from the IIHS folks, but pushing the envelope one step further the car also drove away with “Top Safety Pick” honors, meaning it’s an even better choice if you have too much grog and drive off the gang plank.

Additionally fuel economy is a Yaris strong point. The car delivers 30 miles per gallon in the city and up to 37 on the highway.

Out and about the Yaris handles like a car, meaning it accelerates, stops and steers. Don’t expect driving excitement in any of these half-pint hatchbacks because you won’t find it. It’s a fruitless quest akin to searching for Amelia Earhart or trying to purchase booze from a Vatican City vending machine. At the end of the day just remember one thing about this Toyota: The Yarrrris is a carrrrr!

Suggestion #3: Hyundai Accent GS 5-Door – $15,590

If Nissan’s Versa is the DMV and the Toyota Yaris is a Social Security Administration branch office what low-level governmental building would the Hyundai Accent be? Answer: The post office, because stuff is always in motion. This spunky little five-door brings a healthy dose of passion and emotion to the segment without going totally off the deep end by bringing a scattergun to work.

Where the Versa and Yaris are strictly business the Accent is stylish and fun; it’s an attractive vehicle that a young person shouldn’t be embarrassed to drive. It beats the crap out of a hand-me-down ’94 Chevy Lumina.

Trouncing its Japanese competitors every Accent ships with 138 horsepower courtesy of a 1.6-liter inline-four. It’s postage-paid and insured; the car even clears customs without a hitch. The GS trim is delivered with a standard six-speed manual gearbox but an automated six-shooter is $1,200 extra.

As for creature features the Accent comes with much the same stuff its competitors do. Air-con is standard, as are luxurious body-colored exterior door handles. Protecting what matters most – its occupants – the car also earned a “Good” rating from the safety zealots at the IIHS. It’s not a “Top Safety Pick+” but an A- on the final exam is nothing to sneeze at.

SEE ALSO: 2012 Hyundai Accent GLS Sedan Review

Like a first-class letter arriving at its destination for a measly 40-something cents the Accent is equally thrifty at moving its cargo. Passengers and their parcels may not be hand-delivered by a uniformed representative of the U.S. federal government but you could do a lot worse than this South Korean subcompact. With a manual transmission the Accent should be able to stretch a gallon of unleaded 28 miles in the city and 37 on the highway.

Suggestion #BONUS ROUND: 2013 Mazda2 – $15,515

Betcha didn’t think of Mazda, didya? The company’s offering in the B-Segment is the Mazda2, a smiling little pumpkin-seed of a car. It’s competitively priced compared to its rivals and offers similar fuel economy and safety ratings.

Behind that toothless grin is perched a 1.5-liter engine that turns out just 100 horsepower, less than the asthmatic Yaris and far behind the athletic Accent. Transmission choices include a five-speed manual or a four-speed autobox that’s shorter on gears than Verne Troyer is on inches. Heel, Mini-Me! Heel! A feather-light curb-weight of right around 2,300 pounds makes up for a lot of that power deficit. Now if only Mazda would make a Mazdaspeed version of the Mazda2.

Standard features are more bountiful than the first Thanksgiving. Power mirrors, windows and locks, air conditioning, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat plus a USB port are all included in the base price, which is right around $15,500.

Joyless insurance mongers even like the car. At the risk of sounding like a sounding like a sounding like a sounding like a broken record the Mazda2 also earned a “Good” overall rating from the IIHS.

SEE ALSO: 2013 Mazda2 Touring Five-Point Inspection

If there’s any one particular downside to this vehicle it’s fuel economy. The 2 is not particularly thrifty, even with pitiful horsepower and a trim waistline. Uncle Sam says the car will do 29 miles to the gallon around town and just 35 on the highway when equipped with the manual transmission.

Suggestion #HONORABLE MENTION

So far the AutoGuide Oracles have started something of an Asian offensive by only recommending Japanese and South Korean cars. To be fair that’s a bit skewed but it’s still better than an offensive Asian.

For some home-grown flair the Oracles decided to briefly touch on a couple other vehicles before pushing their final recommendation. First up is the Chevy Sonic. Base MSRP for a five-door model is $15,595.  For mechanicals it offers a 1.8-liter engine and a five-speed stick. A 1.4-liter turbo with tons of torque is optional. Fuel economy is 26/35 for an average of 30. The Chevy Sonic feels sturdy like a big car and that’s a good thing.

The Oracles can’t mention the Bow-Tie brand without bringing up its archenemy, the Blue Oval. Ford vs. Chevrolet is a classic rivalry that dates back more than a century. Today the Sonic and the Fiesta face off in the B-Segment. Ford’s festive hatchback starts at $14,995 and comes with a 1.6-liter engine and a five-speed row-it-yourself trans. Other than that there’s not much to say. According to the EPA Fiestas of this configuration should deliver 29/39 MPG, which makes for an average of 33. As always your mileage will vary, probably significantly.

And then there’s the Honda Fit, the third of this trio of add-ons. They’re all of the sportier sort and generally a better buy if you want to spend a bit more.

IN CONCLUSION…

So, what’s the right new vehicle for Pat’s daughter “Abby”? Well, a Jeep Wrangler of course, but since that’s not in the cards, here are her options.

The Versa is affordable and that’s about it. Nissan’s subcompact offering feels decidedly like something generic and that’s never a good thing. It’s safe and solid but about as dreary as waiting in line for jury duty. Next!

Aye-aye, it’s Yar-us versus them, matey! Toyota’s B-Segment car is arguably a step up from the Versa; at least it has a small dash of personality. Additionally it’s significantly more efficient and comes in a quasi-sporty three-door configuration. But ultimately crank windows and pirate talk are enough to keep the Yaris from running aground.

Of this quartet the Mazda2 is easily the most fun to drive, after all it has “Zoom-Zoom” DNA. It’s light, scrappy and offers a rather nice interior for the class. Unfortunately it’s not as efficient as some of the others, meaning there’s one other vehicle that’s a better overall choice… the Jeep Wrangler…

This week the AutoGuide Oracles are recommending the Hyundai Accent. It’s pretty, powerful and efficient, plus it’s a great value. It’s an automotive jack of all trades, which makes it the perfect vehicle for a budget-minded young driver. And if there are any doubts about longevity, the car is backed by a 5-year, 60,000-mile new-vehicle warranty as well as 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain coverage. Cha-ching!

As always, good luck in your quest for a new car and thanks again for taking the time to Ask AutoGuide.

If you need a little assistance shopping for your next vehicle feel free to do the same. Send a short message to ask@AutoGuide.com. Let us know the basics of what you’re looking for. How many seats do you need? What size of vehicle do you want? How much are you willing to spend? With some of those fundamentals out of the way we’ll get busy to come up with two or three must-see vehicles that you’ll have to put on your test-drive list.

Hatchbacks have a ton of versatility and use, and they’re also quite affordable, not to mention fuel efficient.

When it comes to the most affordable hatchback, there’s quite a few options out there. Unlike the Honda GEAR concept pictured above (which could preview a new affordable subcompact for the Japanese brand) all the cars on this list are easily attainable, and are competitively priced. Our top ten is seperated by a slim $4,000 margin from cheapest to most expensive. Check out the whole list, and see which cheap hatchback is the right choice for you!