It’s a dangerous world out there. Buying a new vehicle has more perils and pitfalls than the Atari game of nearly the same name. Instead of swinging from vines or jumping over obstacles, car shoppers can skip the aerobic workout by simply visiting AutoGuide.com. We’re here to help and we’re glad to do it.
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, fans of hot hatches are getting their fix with AutoGuide‘s video pitting the 2013 Ford Focus ST against the 2013 Mazdaspeed3.
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SEE ALSO: 2013 Ford Focus ST vs 2013 Mazdaspeed3
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SEE ALSO: 2014 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2013 Toyota RAV4
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SEE ALSO: 2013 Toyota Camry vs 2013 Honda Accord
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Mazda is hoping its new CX-5 and Mazda6 models will help pave the way for bigger and better things, and at the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon, the Japanese automaker wanted to show off the customizing capabilities of both models.
With the V8 engine is losing its foothold, it seems like the V6 engine may suffer the same fate.
The new Mazda6 will be the star of the Japanese automaker’s booth at the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon, with three modified concept versions already confirmed.
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As 2012 comes to an end, AutoGuide has decided to take a look back at the most watched videos from our collection.
SEE ALSO: 2013 Ford Escape Review – Video
Kicking off the top 10 list is the 2013 Ford Escape video review, where Editor-in-Chief Colum Wood puts the new crossover to the test, admiring its sleek new looks and its handling.
Mazda revealed the next generation CX-5 at the 2012 LA Auto Show, giving the crossover more power and a new set of safety features.
Being a famous TV and movie star might be enough to earn you a regular rotation on TMZ, but mere celebrity status won’t get a car named after you. So what did Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey do to deserve this honor?
Testing is underway for 2013 model year vehicles, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) putting the new and redesigned vehicles through its crash tests.
Known for making some genuinely engaging cars in the past, with its new SkyActiv technology Mazda is looking to hang its hat on combining fun-to-drive with fuel-efficiency.
Crossovers continue to be one of the most competitive new car segments in the industry, and that’s a good thing for car buyers. With more and more entries into the market, prices have dropped across the board. Here’s a quick look at the top 10 cheapest crossover vehicles.
From in-car technology to turbocharging, there is perhaps no other trend that’s fundamentally changing new cars more than the move to dramatically reduce the weight of modern vehicles.
Fuel efficiency is quickly becoming one of the most sought after elements in a new car. However finding a car with good fuel efficiency usually means you have to make a few compromises.
Crossovers have pretty much taken over the Sport Utility Vehicle market, thanks to lower prices, better fuel efficiency and the handling that comes part-in-parcel with being based on a car platform versus truck architecture. Continue Reading…
The Mazda CX-5 is now launching in worldwide markets, and the company is taunting producers of EVs with some tongue-in-cheek roadsigns.
The all-new Mazda CX-5 is shaping up to be an attractive crossover option for buyers (read our review here) and those who placed their orders will be happy to know it was just named a Top Safety Pick by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The CX-5 achieved a “Good” rating (highest possible) on all four tests conducted by the IIHS: front, side and rear impact crash tests, and a roof strength test.
The Mazda CX-5 Sport starts at $20,695 and boasts an EPA rating of 26-mpg city, 35-mpg highway. Standard is a Skyactiv six-speed manual transmission, though an automatic is available as an option. The CX-5 is built on the Japanese automaker’s new Skyactiv-Body and Skyactiv-Chassis, helping ensure it has a reinforced vehicle structure that is as quiet as it is rigid and secure.
Other standard safety equipment includes six airbags, four-wheel disk brakes, ABS, daytime running lights, Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Control, fold-away brake pedal assembly, front and rear crumple zones, three-point safety belts for all seating positions, front seatbelt pretensioners, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
Earning a ‘Top Safety Pick’ distinction from the IIHS further exemplifies Mazda’s dedication for creating products that offer the best of everything that consumers want: fuel economy, performance, handling and, most importantly, safety,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO of Mazda North American Operations.
Watch the Mazda CX-5 earn a “Good” on its 40-mph frontal offset test after the break.
Mazda has a lot riding on its new CX-5, discontinuing the CX-7 to make way for it. But according to the Japanese automaker’s president, Takashi Yamanouchi, initial demand for the model is strong and he even went so far as to “hope to sell near 200,000 units.”
According to Mazda, it received 8,000 CX-5 orders in Japan where the target was a mere 1,000 units. Russian consumers already ordered 5,000 units and even in America, where dealers tend to have larger inventories, a few orders have been placed. It’s worth noting that American dealerships just began receiving CX-5s to their dealerships a few weeks ago, while other global markets have had it on sale for a few months.
The CX-5 actually proved to be a decent performance machine, as crossovers go, during out review which took place partially on Mazda’s Laguna Seca Raceway. With a class-leading 35 mpg highway when mated to the six-speed manual transmission, it seems likely that the CX-5 will catch on in the U.S. too.
The new Mazda CX-5 will replace the CX-7, at least in the American market according to Mazda USA. Even though the CX-5 is slightly smaller than the outgoing CX-7, it has more cargo capacity and overall interior volume.
“[The] CX-5 has a clearer competitive set, unlike CX-7, which was in the middle of two segments,” said Mazda product communications specialist Beverly Braga.
The new CX-5 also sports Mazda’s new 2.0-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder engine (155-hp) that has much better fuel economy than the 2.5L four-cylinder (161-hp) found in the CX-7. The CX-5 boasts 26/32 mpg city/highway compared to the CX-7′s 20/28 mpg city/highway. In 2007, CX-7 sales peaked at 41,653 units but in 2009 the Japanese automaker only sold 20,583. Updates were scarce through the vehicle’s production, with a front-end redesign being the only major change.
The CX-7 will be discontinued in America after the current 2012 model year as the company plans to refocus its goals to better compete with Honda and Ford.
[Source: Motor Trend]
Mazda has been having some financial troubles recently and need something new to help them recover. The company hopes that this savior is a mini sized CX-5 (shown above) SUV offering. A miniature CX-5 is now under development, a Mazda insider told car advice, and is looking to capitalize on the current boom in small SUV sales.
The pint sized CX-5 will likely be called the CX-3, and will aim to take on the Ford Ecosport and the Opel Mokka on the global markets.“It is common sense [to build it]. We have to develop this vehicle, whether we call it CX-2, CX-3 or CX-4,” said a Mazda spokesperson. The CX-3 will share its platform with the Mazda2 city car.
The baby Mazda will be designed primarily for the European market, although Americans have shown that there is a demand for this type of vehicles on our shores as well. “We are now developing a more compact SUV [than the CX-5] – more for Europe and we must imagine emerging markets … Eastern Europe, South America, India,” said Mazda. The CX-3 may make its way to the US, but it will start its sales in Europe.
A small company like Mazda needs to be very pro-active in its vehicle market placement, and because of its recent economic downturn, there is no margin for error on this newest small SUV venture.
[Source: CarAdvice]
Mazda has found a clever way of co-branding with a Hollywood blockbuster this year, teaming up with the children’s themed, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. While Acura has teamed up with the new Avengers movie, the Mazda CX-5′s appearance in The Lorax is not only more believable, but will surely have kids asking their parents why they don’t own a CX-5.
Mazda has launched a “Seuss-ified” advertising campaign to promote its partnership with Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s upcoming film which is set to hit theaters on March 2nd. The big selling point for Mazda with the partnership is its new Skyactiv Technology, geared towards increasing fuel economy without sacrificing performance.
In the new ad spots, the CX-5 is seen traveling through “Truffula Valley” and is “Truffula Tree Certified” as main characters in the movie talk about the new Skyactiv Technology, including Danny DeVito who voices The Lorax in the film.
“The Lorax character’s view of the environment fits in exactly with Mazda and SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY, so the two were a perfect match for a commercial,” said Illumination Entertainment founder and CEO Chris Meledandri. “By staying true to who the Lorax and other Truffula Valley animals are we were able to create a fun and engaging spot.”
This won’t be the only marketing we’ll see with Mazda and the upcoming film, as Garage Team Mazda will be creating a custom graphic icon of the “Truffula Tree Seal of Approval” to be used on stickers, buttons, and other collateral marketing material.
Mazda will also be donating up to $25 per test drive, up to $1-million in total to the National Education Association (NEA) from February 20th to April 2nd, as part of the organization’s Read Across America Program.
Watch the Dr. Seuss digitized version of the Mazda CX-5 after the break.
Mazda has announced that the all-new 2013 CX-5 Sport compact crossover will start at $20,695. While the CX-5 is priced well below the segment sales leaders, the new compact crossover will still feature the latest in Mazda SkyActiv Technology.
Paired with the SkyActiv-MT six-speed manual transmission and the SkyActiv-G 2.0-liter engine, the CX-5 produces 155 horsepower at 6,000 rpm is capable of delivering 35 mpg highway or 29 mpg combined. This figure represents the best highway fuel economy of any non-hybrid SUV sold in North America.
Competitively priced and frugal at the tank, the CX-5 offers luxurious amenities as well. Featuring the SkyActiv-Body and SkyActiv-Chassis, Mazda ensures a rigid structure that is both quiet and impact-absorbing. In automatic transmission trim, the CX-5 will start at $22,095 while Mazda’s active torque-split AWD system will start at $23,345. A Bluetooth Audio Package featuring hands-free phone and audio connectivity, HD radio, and a 5.8-inch infotainment monitor, is available for an additional $400.
The CX-5 Sport also offering 17-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth audio package along with fog lamps, upgraded cloth seats, adjustable driver’s seat, rearview camera, leather-wrapped steering wheel with mounted audio button controls, and a Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system.
A step above, the CX-5 Touring pulls out all the stops. The Technology Package offers an in-dash TomTom based navigation system, auto-dimming mirrors with Homelink, auto-leveling and pivoting xenon headlights and rain-sensing wipers. The Moonroof/Bose audio package adds a moonroof plus a 9-speaker surround sound Bose system. The Touring FWD starts at $23,895 while the AWD is priced at $25,145.
For the creme de la creme, the CX-5 Grand Touring features 19 inch wheels, automatic xenon headlights, and heated outside mirrors. Inside, find a leather appointed interior with heated, eight way adjustable seats with lumbar support and dual-zone climate. The Grand Touring FWD starts at $27,045, and $28,295 for the AWD.
Mazda North America announced official fuel economy numbers today for its new CX-5, with the compact crossover besting all other crossovers and SUVs.
Mazda’s Skyactiv technology is the brand’s fuel saving setup which is setting industry standards for non-hybrid vehicles. Front-wheel-drive CX-5 model equipped with the standard Skyactiv-MT six-speed manual transmission are EPA rated with an estimated fuel economy of 26 city/35 highway/29 combined mpg. All-wheel-drive CX-5 models will get 25 city/31 highway/28 combined mpg. The CX-5 front wheel drive comes with a 14.8 gallon fuel tank while the all wheel drive comes with a 15.3 gallon tank which are both capable of 500 miles of drive range.
The Skyactiv setup gives the CX-5 the highest compression ratio of any of any mass produced vehicle at 13:1. This fuel compression ratio combined with being the lightest SUV in its class, weighing in at 3,208 for entry level models and 3,426 for premium trim levels, gives the CX-5 its best in class non hybrid fuel economy.
