Mazda Concept Foreshadows Next Sedan

The Takeri concept (shown above and in more photos below) is Mazda's sneak peek at its next midsize sedan. The design style builds off the current Mazda6, especially in terms of the front fender flares, and adds a new style of grille and a sculpted rear that reminds us of recent BMWs.

It's the grille that will likely get the most notice. While it's not the smiley face seen on the Mazda3, it is large and rests under a domed hood, which is similar to the Infiniti M sedans.

Otherwise, the design looks stylish and aggressive but so does the current Mazda6, which didn’t sell as strongly as the company or journalists expected.

The Takeri concept will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in late November and might be on display at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show in January.

Ford Drops; Lexus, Mazda and Jeep Improve in Latest Consumer Reports Survey

Ford's dashboard doldrums persist. The automaker's buggy MyFord Touch multimedia system, rolled out in summer 2010, contributed toward a steep decline in J.D. Power and Associates' 2011 Initial Quality Study. Now it has become a sore spot for Ford owners responding to Consumer Reports' latest reliability surveys.

Problems with the dual-clutch automatic transmission in the Fiesta and Focus also tarnished the brand, which tumbled 10 spots in overall reliability to 20th among 28 major carmakers. Ford's Lincoln division, whose MKX SUV uses a variant of MyFord Touch, improved one spot to 14th place. Other movers included Lexus (up seven spots to second place), Mazda (up eight spots to third) and Jeep (up seven spots to 13th).

The survey, based on responses from the magazine's 1.3 million subscribers, covered cars from the 2002 to 2011 model years, from which Consumer Reports predicts reliability for 2012 models. Consumer Reports says other Ford models, most notably the Fusion Hybrid sedan, remain as reliable as ever. And Ford appears committed to MyFord Touch, with plans to introduce it in the 2013 Taurus.

Cars.com's $37,000 SUV Shootout

Cars.com's editors continue to dissect some of the most popular car segments in the country. We've tackled midsize sedans, compacts and small crossovers, but what about the vehicles of choice for people needing three rows of seats? The three-row crossover/SUV segment is booming with the entry of the redesigned Ford Explorer and Dodge Durango. However, tried-and-true picks like the Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot and Chevy Traverse held their own in our competition. We even threw in the smaller Kia Sorento. Oh, and they all had to be priced under $37,000 as-tested.

See which one wowed our editors and our real-life test family.

Cars.com $37,000 SUV Shootout

2012 Mazda2 Fuel Economy Improves

We’ve already outlined some of the major changes coming to Mazda’s lineup for the 2012 model year, including the refreshed Mazda3 and the discontinuation of the Mazda RX-8 and Tribute. Most other models are carryovers, with one minor exception.

When it goes on sale, the 2012 Mazda2 with an automatic transmission will see its fuel economy improve 1 mpg in city and highway driving, to 28/34 mpg city/highway and 30 mpg combined. Fuel economy for the Mazda2 with a manual transmission remains the same at 29/35 mpg and 32 mpg combined. 

There's no word yet on pricing or a release date for the updated 2012 Mazda2.

New 40 mpg 2012 Mazda3 To Start at $18,450

Mazda is in the midst of redefining the 2012 Mazda3, giving it a more fuel-efficient powertrain option and a less animated front-end look. Today, we learned that the new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, also known as the SkyActive-G, will have a starting price of $18,450 for the sedan. Mazda also has changed the prices on the rest of the 2012 Mazda3 lineup, which could confuse shoppers when confronted with two different prices for essentially the same model on dealer lots. 

The SkyActive engine will be available on the Mazda3 i Touring sedan with either a six-speed manual ($18,450 sedan) or six-speed automatic transmission ($19,300 sedan) or the i Grand Touring trim with just the automatic transmission ($22,300 sedan and $22,800 hatchback). The i Grand Touring trim is new and includes a moonroof, power driver's seat, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a Bose 10-speaker audio system and a navigation system. The i Sport trims now come standard with remote keyless entry.

Cars.com Reviews the 2011 Mazda RX-8

The 2011 Mazda RX-8 is certainly a rare breed, and it’s going extinct fast because Mazda recently announced that the model has been discontinued. The RX-8 is the last car powered by a rotary engine, an odd engine that has captured the hearts of many enthusiasts for decades. Still, oddity isn’t necessarily a good thing: The RX-8’s small-yet-powerful engine doesn’t make the car feel fast, and its fuel economy is about as poor as some full-size trucks and SUVs, says Cars.com editor Mike Hanley.

2011 Mazda RX-8 Review

Mazda RX-8 Officially Discontinued

The 2011 Mazda RX-8 will be the last model year for this iconic sports car, according to Mazda spokesman Jeremy Barnes. He said production of the model has already ceased, meaning whatever is left at dealerships is likely what’s left of new RX-8 inventory. (We count 219 new RX-8s nationally on Cars.com.)

There’s no word on whether Mazda will bring an RX successor; the RX-8 replaced the RX-7 here in 2002. Along with the Miata, the RX played a key role in forming Mazda’s “Zoom-Zoom” identity. The RX-8 featured a standard high-revving rotary engine — the only car in the U.S. that had such a configuration.  If the RX-8 is not replaced, that could very well mean the end of Wankel rotary engines in this country. The automaker has been building rotary-powered cars since the 1960s.

The RX-8 was certainly a rare breed here. The car had a low-slung appearance, but it was rather accommodating with its hidden rear-hinged doors. Unfortunately, the rotary engine had pretty odd characteristics that might put off some car buyers. And its fuel economy was lousy.

Mazda has only sold 544 RX-8s so far in 2011, down 20.8% from 2010.

Related
2011 Mazda RX-8 Video

It's Time To Buy 2011s, But Incentives Are Hard To Find

Around this time every year, dealers are hard at work trying to sell the remaining cars on their lots as new-model-year vehicles start to roll in. This year is no different, and while some 2012s haven’t arrived yet, it’s still the best time to buy a 2011 … as long as you know what to look for. That’s where we come in.

We diligently report on even the slightest changes between model years as soon as possible. Sometimes this means a car will look the same but get an all-new engine and transmission like the upcoming 2012 Mazda3 sedan that’s expected to get 40 mpg highway. Other times, nothing significant has changed between model years, and then there are the all-new cars that have been redesigned from the ground up.

You’ll find the best deals in that second group of vehicles that go from 2011 to 2012 without much change. It’s been a challenge this year to find bargains because manufacturers are making more significant model-year changes and incentives for these older models just aren’t that alluring.

Here are some of the best deals we could find:

Production Mazda CX-5 Unveiled

Mazda’s long-overdue Tribute replacement, the CX-5, has finally taken production-ready form, shown above.

Overall, the exterior stays true to the form of the Minagi Concept, which we saw last March. The interior has assumed a more conventional look and feel.

The Mazda CX-5 sports a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that the automaker calls SkyActiv. The engine combines direct injection, along with other fuel-saving measures, to boost power and fuel efficiency by 15%. The engine is also going into the 2012 Mazda3, and that car is expected to return 40 mpg on the highway. The press release also mentions a diesel engine, but it’s doubtful that it will come to the U.S.

The CX-5 will make its official debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September and is expected to go on sale in the U.S. next year.

Reader Review of the Week: 2011 Mazda CX-9

There are two interesting things to take away from Fast Freddy’s review of his Mazda CX-9. The first is that this is his second CX-9, so it already got his dollars once. The second time around, he cross-shopped it against the new Ford Explorer and still went back to the Mazda.

The second piece of info we found interesting was Freddy’s golf club requirements. We get questions sometimes about why we always photograph a car’s trunk or an SUV’s cargo area loaded with golf clubs, and here’s a perfect example. They also serve as an illustration of any big, bulky item.

Check out Fast Freddy’s full review below, and write a review of your own car here.