Mazda To Show MX-5 Miata Special Edition at Chicago Auto Show

Chicago holds a special place in Mazda's heart where the MX-5 Miata is concerned. The automaker unveiled its first version of the popular roadster at the show in 1989. This year, Mazda is using the 2012 Chicago Auto Show to debut a special-edition version of the compact droptop.

More 2012 Chicago Auto Show Coverage

The limited-production 2012 MX-5 Miata Special Edition will feature a black-only power-retractable hard top, a first for Mazda's convertible. So far, only a body-colored top has been offered. Other specific features include 18-inch black-gunmetal alloy wheels, black exterior accents, heated seats in black leather and piano-black interior trim. 

2013 Mazda CX-5 Priced at $20,695

The all-new 2013 Mazda CX-5 goes on sale this month with an attractive entry price of $20,695, excluding a $795 destination fee.

That price beats competitors like the 2012 Ford Escape ($21,440) and 2012 Honda CR-V ($22,295), but it is more expensive than 2012 Hyundai Tucson ($19,145) and 2012 Kia Sportage ($18,500).

The CX-5 comes better equipped than all the above models, however. Standard features on the CX-5 include 17-inch alloy wheels, push-button start, cruise control, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and a USB port. The CX-5 is available in base Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trims.

Cars.com Reviews the 2012 Mazda3

Between new engines and the model's hatchback and sedan body styles, the 2012 Mazda3 now comes in 11 versions. Cars.com Industry Analyst Kelsey Mays put many of them to the test, including the 40-mpg SkyActiv engine variant and the zoom-zoom Mazdaspeed3.

Does the refreshed compact car have what it takes to beat strong sellers like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Chevrolet Cruze?

2012 Mazda3 Review

Recall Alert: 2001-2002 Mazda Tribute

Mazda is recalling more than 50,000 Tribute compact SUVs to address a brake fluid leak, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The master brake cylinder reservoir could leak, leading to the corrosion of the antilock braking system’s electrical components, and a fire could result, NHTSA says.

Mazda says the recall affects 52,390 vehicles. They were built from April 20, 2000, to July 19, 2002. You can find the vehicle's build date on a label affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.

Mazda has already begun the process to notify owners. Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder reservoir cap and assess any damage to the ABS. Dealers will perform the services for free. As a precaution, Mazda directs owners of affected vehicles to park outside until the fix can be made. For more info, owners can call Mazda at 800-222-5500 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv: Real-World Mileage

Small cars and 40 mpg are quickly going hand in hand. Of the 30 sedans, coupes and hatchbacks that start under $18,000, more than a dozen have a 40-mpg non-hybrid variant — and most of them are selling well. Not to be left off the bandwagon, Mazda gave its Mazda3 a mileage makeover for 2012.

Called SkyActiv, the car's new 155-horsepower drivetrain — a direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a six-speed manual or automatic — builds on aerodynamic tweaks to eke out competitive mileage: 28/40 mpg city/highway in the automatic Mazda3 sedan, 27/39 mpg with the stick. Aerodynamic shortfalls and a few extra pounds dock 1 mpg highway off the SkyActiv hatchback with either transmission.

How does the Mazda do in the real world? I took a stick-shift Mazda3 SkyActiv hatchback from our Chicago offices to the Detroit auto show to find out.

Reader Review of the Week: 2012 Mazda3

Mazda made a big change to the Mazda3 for the 2012 model year by adding a more efficient engine that's rated at 40 mpg highway. Called SkyActiv, it's only available on the sedan's top trims, which seems to be what Joey from Orange County, Calif., purchased and reviewed on Cars.com. He reveals his real-world mileage in his review below. You can write your own review here.

2013 Mazda CX-5 Trim to Get 35 MPG Highway

The Mazda Tribute’s compact SUV replacement, the new-for-2013 CX-5, gets best-in-class fuel economy, according to Mazda.

The CX-5 is the second product in Mazda’s lineup (after the 2013 Mazda3) to use the automaker’s SkyActiv engine platform — the company’s new fuel-efficient 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual and automatic transmissions. In the CX-5, it makes 155 horsepower and 150 pounds-feet of torque.

The EPA rates front-wheel-drive CX-5 models with a six-speed manual at 26/35 mpg city/highway for a combined rating of 29 mpg. Six-speed automatic models achieve 26/32/29 mpg. All-wheel-drive versions should see 25/31/28 mpg. In comparison, the 2012 Honda CR-V gets 23/31/26 mpg and the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox gets 22/32/26 mpg.

Front-wheel-drive CX-5s have a 14.8-gallon tank, giving it a driving range of around 500 miles. Previous EPA fuel economy estimates had the CX-5 getting 26/33 mpg with the stick shift to 25/30 mpg for the all-wheel-drive automatic.

Also helping in the fuel economy department is that the CX-5 is the lightest vehicle in the compact-SUV class, with base models starting at 3,208 pounds. According to Mazda, the EPA’s numbers mean that the CX-5 offers non-hybrid best-in-class fuel-economy.

Year-End Deal Reality Check: Mazda

The end of the year means dealers are trying to move old product to make room for next year’s new cars, trucks and SUVs; it also means more deals for new-car shoppers. According to Mazda, ‘Tis the Season of Saving. The automaker’s annual year-end sale program offers well-qualified shoppers 0% financing and no payments for 90 days on select 2011 and 2012 Mazda vehicles.

Model-year 2011 vehicles that qualify include the Mazda2, Mazda3 hatchback and sedan, Mazda6, CX-7 and CX-9. Also eligible are 2012 versions of the Mazda2, Mazda5, Mazda6 and CX-9. For example, qualified shoppers can purchase the redesigned-for-2012 Mazda5 small minivan for $19,345 and get 0% financing for 60 months and forgo payments for 90 days.

The sale ends Jan. 3.

Which Cars Fit Three Car Seats?

Parents are often searching for the automotive holy grail: a car that's not a minivan and can fit three child-safety seats across the backseat. It's a short list. In the nearly two years that Cars.com editor Kelsey Mays, Cars.com photographer Ian Merritt and I have been installing car seats into test vehicles, we've come across only a handful of cars that can hold three car seats across a backseat.

We recently tested the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class and it fit three car seats in it. To be considered a fit, there must be enough room between the booster seat and infant-safety seat for a child's hand to reach the seat belt buckle.

Most Popular Car Seat Checks

Parents, grandparents and caretakers know what a pain it can be to install child-safety seats into a car. Imagine doing it over and over and over again. That's what our Car Seat Check team does nearly every week as it tests new cars to find out how easy it is to use the Latch system.

Car Seat Checks are performed by Cars.com editor Kelsey Mays, Cars.com photographer Ian Merritt and Cars.com editor and certified car-seat technician Jennifer Newman.