mazda

It's no secret the Mazda MX-5 Miata has always been one of my favorite cars. It's light and nimble, it's simple, and it's one of the purest driving experiences I've ever had. But the thing that I love the most about the Mazda Miata is that it's sort of an anti-poseur car. You're not going to impress many people from behind the wheel of the unassuming roadster. So, if you see someone driving a Miata of any generation, you can know that they doing it because they truly love this car. Not many … Read more

Summer is upon us, which means that it's officially open-air motoring season. However, not all cabriolets are created equal; there are actually many different types of convertibles to choose from. We've rounded up seven of the most obvious convertible classes and the best examples of each. … Read more

Take a moment and mentally process all of the hype surrounding the launch of the 2013 Subaru BRZ. Go on, I'll wait. Now take that hype and dial it back to 80 percent. That's how good the Subaru BRZ is. It's not the second coming or the messiah for performance driving -- it's not perfect -- but it is quite good.

The B in BRZ should stand for "balanced" because that's exactly what Subaru's new rear drive coupe is. This car is all about balance with a near 50-50 weight distribution between … Read more

For some reason, hatchbacks don't sell as well as sedans in the United States.

It is a mystery that confounds automakers, as hatchbacks, which are popular in Europe, offer practical interior room and can also be quite sporty. But among those here who appreciate the hatchback, the Mazda Mazda3 is held in high regard. And this practical compact gets an important update for 2012.

Mazda fits it with a new 2-liter direct-injection engine, and although it's not as powerful as the 2.5-liter port-injection engine that's also available, fuel economy that averages around 30 mpg is a big point for practicality.

The model CNET reviewed came in Grand Touring trim, with all the cabin tech that Mazda can bring to bear, which is not much. And Grand Touring meant the car was stuck with an automatic transmission, which was not as fun as the manual available in the lower, Touring trim.

As Mazda's compact navigation system is more frustrating than usable, we would certainly look at the lower trim with a manual transmission, and aftermarket cabin tech.

Read our review of the 2012 Mazda3 i Grand Touring.… Read more

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) today named its Top Safety Picks--115 vehicles in all. The list includes 15 vehicles from Toyota, Lexus, and Scion, 14 vehicles from General Motors, and 13 each from Volkswagen and Audi.

The winners' circle includes 18 new vehicles for 2012, and 97 models that qualified for the 2011 award carry over to 2012.

"For the second year running, a record number of models qualify," IIHS President Adrian Lund said in a press release. "It's tough to win, and we commend auto manufacturers for making safety a top priority.&… Read more

The 2012 Mazda Miata is one of the great bantamweights of the automotive industry, but even it has gained more than a few extra pounds over the years.

If reports from British car publication What Car? are to be believed, it would seem that the right folks at Mazda's R&D department have taken notice.

When asked about the next Mazda MX-5 Miata, Hirotaka Kanazawa, Mazda's senior managing executive officer in charge of R&D, told What Car?, "'We will return to the original. It will be lightweight and the cost will be lightweight too. … Read more

As the car industry recovers, crossovers are one of the first sectors to come back.

So that brings us to the world premiere of Mazda's CX-5, a crossover with an interesting engine that puts the emphasis on efficiency. And, like the new Ford Escape, it takes on a high-style sculpted look that says "car" all the way.

(CNET's full coverage of the 2011 Frankfurt auto show)

LAS VEGAS--If I told you that a performance car manufacturer has developed a lightweight version of a popular roadster with a tent-style fabric roof, dubbed "Spyder," you might assume that I'm months late with my Porsche news.

However, I'm talking about Mazda, not Porsche, and the car in question isn't the Boxster Spyder, but the Mazda MX-5 Spyder.

The MX-5 Spyder starts with the MX-5 Miata and ditches the retractable roof in favor of a single-panel grenadine-red soft top made by Haartz. Additional weight savings come from the swapping of the lead acid battery for … Read more

Mazda takes a stab at wrapping its new "Kodo: Soul of Motion" design language around the lithe proportions of a sporty sedan in December, when it will debut its Takeri concept at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.

The inverted, pentagonal grille and angry eyes of the Kodo style, which debuted first on the Shinari concept and will hit the road on the CX-5 small crossover, seem particularly suited for the Takeri sedan. From the looks of the photos, this could eventually manifest as the next incarnation of the Mazda6 midsize sedan. The Takeri isn't just a pretty … Read more