Nik J Miles

Posts Tagged ‘Mazda’

For the past 50 years, Mazda designers have explored the concept of ‘motion’ in their designs.  Starting with their first passenger car, the Mazda R360 Coupe in 1960, the designs have evolved and have become more athletic and sporty.

In September, Mazda revealed the latest iteration of the ‘motion’ theme, ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’.

“In our work to further evolve the expression of motion, Mazda Design has focused on the strength, beauty and tension found in the instantaneous movement seen in animals. This motion that is so full of vitality that it stirs the emotions of those who see it. We have named it ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’, and our aim is to express movement with forceful vitality and speed as the design theme for Mazda’s upcoming models.” Explained Ikuo Maeda, the head of Mazda’s Design Division. Read the rest of this entry »

Critically rated one of the better cars in this tough midsize segment, the Mazda6 had always been a little smaller and sportier than the pack, but that all changed in 2009, when the 6 was redesigned.  The new larger and more refined Mazda6 now competes with all the big names like Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion and Hyundai Sonata on a more level playing field.

We liked the old Mazda because it was a little different than the crowd, but the new 6 has a strong appeal with its unique styling and driver orientation. Read the rest of this entry »

I was one of the first journalists in the world to drive the original MAZDASPEED3 back in 2007, and it was a classic case of love at first sight. “This is your next Mazda,” is what I wrote at the time. In the years since then, I’ve never found a reason to revise that opinion. For me, having the new 2010 MAZDASPEED3 to drive for a week was a chance to rekindle an old love affair.

Sports car enthusiasts the world over owe a debt of gratitude to Mazda. This company is serious about providing a sports car experience at an economy car price. Read the rest of this entry »

When we were growing up the V-8 powered Chevys, Fords, Pontiac and Oldsmobiles were the popular cars. While we still appreciate the brute force, deep-throated rumple and straight-line performance of those machines, we understand the appeal of the today’s popular cars.

Today Hondas, Mazdas, Subarus and Volkswagens are the cool cars driven by the 20 and 30 year olds.  With their massive exhaust pipes spewing a more high-pitched whine, these high-revving four-cylinder cars are fast, agile and fun to drive. Read the rest of this entry »

She – Since Mazda pulled the wraps of its CX-9 crossover in 2007, it’s received top ratings including the prestigious North American Truck of the Year for 2008, a Consumer Reports “Recommended” rating, five-star government safety ratings for front and side crash safety along with critical acclaim from the automotive press.

Even with the proliferation of crossovers since then, the Mazda remains a leader in the category.

He – We have often thought of Mazda as the Japanese equivalent of BMW, only at a more reasonable price and not quite as fast.   The main characteristic is they are both fun to drive.  The CX-9 is a good example of that premise.  Here is a three-row crossover that carries seven passengers in style, but is still exciting to drive thanks to its quick acceleration and precise handling. Read the rest of this entry »

When admiration is mutual, and partnerships are made among good friends, it’s easy to make fun things happen quickly.  In this case, what’s happening is a fantastic reunion of a classic racing team. Racing legends Peter Brock and John Morton will fly their famous #46 red, white, and blue pattern on a classic Japanese roadster at Road Atlanta later this month.

Peter Brock was the driving force behind Brock Racing Enterprises, aka BRE. In the 1970s, BRE was famous for Trans-Am successes driving the hot Nissan sports cars of the day – the Datsun “Fairlady” Roadsters, Datsun 510 and Datsun 240Z.  The difference this time is that the new car will be a current model, and it will be the most popular roadster ever sold or raced: the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

“It’s been some 37 years since a factory supported car in BRE livery sat on a racing grid.  Seeing the new MX-5 in our traditional colors almost brings tears to my eyes. It’s wonderful that Mazda, a company that really loves, understands and supports racing of all kinds, has seen fit to honor our team’s great racing history with this new spirit of competition,” Brock says.

For many years, the annual Walter Mitty Challenge has been a favorite vintage race weekend on the East Coast.  Mazda teamed up to sponsor the event with Classic Motorsports/Grassroots Motorsports and HSR in 2006.  To add a dash of the new and modern, Mazda brought its popular SCCA Pro Racing Playboy MX-5 Cup series to the vintage race weekend.

Read the rest of this entry »

Consumer Report magazine announced its Top picks for 2010, and the list includes six new models.

Consumer Reports’ Top Picks are the best all-around models in their categories and must meet the non-profit organization’s stringent road test, reliability, and safety requirements. Each Top Pick scores at or near the top of its category among the more than 280 vehicles Consumer Reports recently evaluated at its Auto Test Center; has average or better predicted reliability (based on the problems subscribers reported on more than 1.4 million vehicles in Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Survey), and performed adequately in overall safety if tested by the government or insurance industry. In addition, each model must offer electronic stability control (ESC), a proven lifesaving safety feature as standard equipment or as a readily available option. All of this year’s Top Picks provide standard ESC and curtain air bags. Read the rest of this entry »