Nik J Miles

Posts Tagged ‘Mazda’

“Mazda’s 2011 MX-5 Roadster: If it ain’t broke…”

The Mazda MX-5 Miata, after more than 20 years, continues to, provide sports car enthusiasts with a pure and simple, fun-focused roadster at an affordable price. The experts at the Guiness Book of World Records, proclaim the MX-5 to be the most popular two-seat convertible sports car in the world, with more than 900,000 produced. Is Miata by any other designation still a Miata? Definitely! The latest generation of the popular roadster now referred to as the MX-5, literally revived open-air motoring on our shores, and now happens to be better than ever. Did it make sense to drop the Miata name reference that has built such positive brand equity? Probably not, but in the final analysis, true aficionados will still revert to using the Miata name when talking about the MX-5 anyway.

Read the rest of this entry »

When it comes to vehicle usefulness, it’s impossible to find a vehicle with the capacity, comfort and capabilities of a minivan.  Unfortunately, minivans have been painted with the “soccer mom” stigma that has turned many trendy families away in favor of sport utes or more recently crossovers.

Well, it’s time to re-think buying the minivan.  There are some great values on the market from Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Kia, but the one that stands out from the herd, is the Mazda5, because it’s so different and so much fun to drive. Read the rest of this entry »

 Over the years, Mazda has been the innovator in breakthrough technology producing revolutionary new engines like the rotary and the Miller Cycle engine.  While neither those engine efforts have produced a significant marketing success, they have questioned conventional engine design.

Mazda’s next new technology will debut in September at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, with the introduction of the all-new CX-5 compact crossover SUV.  Joining the Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 crossovers the CX-5 will be the first vehicle to adopt the full range of Mazda’s latest and greatest SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY and new design theme, ‘KODO – Soul of Motion.’ Read the rest of this entry »

Mazda confirmed production of the current midsize sedan, the Mazda6, will be pulled from the U.S. at the end of the current model cycle which could be sometime in 2012.

U.S. model production of the Mazda6 is currently at the AutoAlliance International, Inc. (AAI) plant operated jointly with Ford in Flat Rock, Mich. The joint operation with Ford was started in 1985, and the Mazda6 has been built there since 2002.  The Mazda6 was the first of the brands products to personify the Zoom-Zoom brand message; however the sales of the largest Mazda sedan have declined recently. Read the rest of this entry »

San Diego – Remember when a minivan was actually small, and not the largest product in a brand’s lineup?  Mazda does, and the all-new 2012 Mazda5 takes the concept to a whole new level with maximum utility and a total Zoom-Zoom treatment.

There are several things that set the Mazda5 apart from other so-called minivans, but the most obvious is its demur size.  At 180-inches long, it is about the same length as a Toyota Corolla and Honda CR-V.  It’s nearly two feet shorter than the iconic Chrysler Town and Country van and weighs about 1,300 pounds less. Read the rest of this entry »

Mazda announced it will add a new compact crossover SUV to its lineup for the 2012 model year.  It will be called the CX-5 fitting at the bottom of the current naming scheme which already includes the larger CX-7 and CX-9 model.

The CX-5 is derived from the Mazda MINAGI concept shown at the Geneva Motors Show in March and the New Your International Auto Show in April. Read the rest of this entry »

“Mazda5 features new Nagare design”

The first thing that you’re likely to notice about the latest 2012 iteration of the Mazda5 is its innovative and unique design. The Mazda5 is categorized as a multi-activity vehicle, with an exceptional level of versatility, class-leading performance attributes and credible fuel efficiency. It actually defies specific classification – it’s kind of a mini-minivan, but in reality, it’s really much more. Let’s just refer to it as a MAV for the sake of simplicity.

Read the rest of this entry »

900,000 Miatas in 262 Months

The Mazda MX-5 continues to be the world’s “Best selling two-seater sports car” as production rolls pas the 900,000 mark in February 2011.  This significant milestone was achieved 21 years and 10 months after mass production of the first-generation MX-5 commenced in April 1989. The MX-5 was initially certified by Guinness World Records as the when production reached 531,890 units in May 2000. Guinness updated the record when production passed 700,000 and, later, 800,000 units. Currently, Mazda is reapplying to Guinness World Records to have the record updated to 900,000 units. Read the rest of this entry »

“Red rover, red rover, send Mazda2 over.”

With U.S. subcompact sales expected to double in the next two years, Mazda is finally bringing their littlest car to the U.S. after a very successful three-year run in Europe and Asia.

Originally launched in 2007, the Mazda2 has won 48 automotive awards, including “Car of the Year in Japan, New Zealand, Chile, Bulgaria and Greece along with being named the “2008 World Car of the Year” at the New York International Auto Show. Read the rest of this entry »

NWAPA

Imagine driving a very cool new car for a distance between 9 to 25 miles, getting out and then into another very cool car for another 9 to 25 mile leg and then repeating the same routine through 23 cars in a two day period.

NWAPA

Welcome to the 2010 NWAPA (Northwest Automotive Press Association) Run to the Sun held recently in western Washington.  After 23 cars and more than 450 miles of smiles, here are our quick impressions of the MazdaSpeed3 Sport. Read the rest of this entry »