2023 Mazda Cx-5 2.5 S Premium Package on 2040-cars

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More head-up displays are coming to a dashboard near you

With the exception of Apple products — $1,000 for a freakin' smartphone? — one great thing about tech is you typically get more for your money with each passing year. This is particularly true with automotive tech: Features like driver assists and surround-view cameras that were once exclusively available in luxury vehicles now come standard even on some economy cars. The same thing is slowly happening with head-up displays (HUD). For example, the 10-inch HUD in the 2018 Toyota Camry is one of the largest and best HUDs I've seen in any car. And a big improvement on the much smaller HUD in the latest Toyota Prius. Mazda is another mainstream brand that offers HUDs in several of its vehicles. But instead of embedding expensive components in the dash and using a special windshield, the HUDs in the Mazda3 and Mazda6 use a thin plastic lens that folds down when not in use. MINI has a similar solution, but this low-cost approach has limits in terms of size and position of the images compared to traditional HUDs that use the windshield as a screen. We're also starting to see similar lens-based aftermarket options that can be added to any car. Last year I tested a portable HUD called Navdy that taps into a car's OBD-II port to provide info on speed and RPM and uses built-in GPS and Google Maps to show the surrounding area, display speed limits and route you to your destination. Navdy also connects to an Android or iOS smartphone via Bluetooth to display data from phone calls, texts and music playing on a connected device, and it's simple to use and easily visible in almost any lighting condition. While Navdy is still available online, late last year the company ran into financial difficulties, and product support has been halted. I recently tested a new portable HUD called Hudly that's not quite fully baked and falls short of Navdy because it doesn't tap into an OBD-II port. Since a companion smartphone app for Hudly isn't scheduled to launch until next month, for now it only mirrors what's on a smartphone. So it can be used for nav and other apps, and its features are very limited. Between automakers adding HUDs in more reasonably priced cars and the aftermarket filling in the gaps for existing vehicle owners with add-ons, the technology is becoming more prevalent and affordable. And it's also getting better.

So, just how different are the Fiat 124 Spider and Mazda MX-5 Miata?

"We leveraged a great platform." That's how Bob Broderdorf, Jr., Fiat's North American director, summarizes the creation of the 124 Spider. We all know Fiat's new roadster shares its underpinnings with the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata, but there are a lot of key differences to keep them separate in the eyes of consumers. Mazda may have engineered the platform, but Fiat added many of its own touches. Here, we'll take a closer look at the spec sheets of the two cars, and summarize the major differences between the Japanese and Italian roadsters. If you need a refresher, read our full First Drive of the 2016 MX-5 Miata, and glance at all the Fiat 124 Spider details in this post. Design Fiat Chrysler design lead Ralph Gilles is super excited about this car. "I think it's going to change lives," he told the assembled media at an event in Auburn Hills, MI, earlier this month. Yes, it's definitely exciting to add a small roadster to any lineup, especially one that uses such a proven platform. But we're not sure people are going to get all that jazzed about it from a design standpoint. You'll either love it or hate it, and we're kind of leaning toward the latter. Every single body panel is new, and the design is "100 percent Italian." There are a number of creases and angles throughout the exterior, with a squared-off rear end and rectangular taillamps. Fiat trusts you'll be able to spot the similarities between the new 124 Spider and the original, but we're not so sure. We can see a bit of the old car's grille on the new car's face, and the dual hood blisters are a nice throwback touch, but that's about it. Trust us when we say that this car looks way better in photos. In person, it really didn't wow us. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One colleague told us his wife, a long-time Miata owner, hates the look of the new one but will absolutely adore the Fiat. Good for her, and good for Fiat. But based on design alone, we'll take the Mazda every single time. What about you? Dimensions When Broderdorf said Fiat leveraged the Miata's platform, that means the Italians took it as-is. The two cars ride on an identical, 90.9-inch wheelbase. The front and rear tracks lengths are the same, at 58.9 and 59.1 inches, respectively. But that's where the similarities end.

Mazda Koeru concept forecasts next CX-9 in sleek form

Mazda rolled in to the Frankfurt Motor Show this year with the Koeru concept you see here. The showpiece is the latest embodiment of the Japanese brand's Kodo design language, applied with dramatic effect to a large crossover shape. Could this preview the next CX-9? The Koeru takes its name from the Japanese verb for "going beyond," and the reason is plain to see: though created by a mass-market brand, the concept could easily belong to an upscale marque like Infiniti (which offers a range of crossovers), Jaguar (which just revealed its first), or Maserati (which is preparing to get in on the action as well). It strikes us as aggressive as it is elegant, with taut lines and sporty details from the sharp lights to the muscular wheel arches. Few technical details as to what lies underneath it all were made available. And these show cars often lack working underpinnings to speak of anyway. But Mazda says that, beyond the styling, it optimized the aerodynamics over the upper body as well as underneath it to reduce turbulence and "enhance vehicle stability when driving at speed." It's also said to encompass the company's latest Skyactiv, i-Activesense, and Mazda Connect technologies. Which is all well and fine, but we're looking forward to seeing what innovations the company might incorporate if and when the Koeru (hopefully) transitions from concept to reality. In the meantime you can scope it out in the live and stock image galleries above and below. MAZDA KOERU The all-new crossover concept proposed by Mazda Mazda Motor Corporation is unveiling the all-new crossover concept Mazda KOERU for the world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year. The Mazda KOERU demonstrates Mazda's unique and daring interpretation of a crossover vehicle, proposed for the fast-growing crossover market. Featuring the full suite of Mazda's new-generation SKYACTIV technologies and designed under the KODO—Soul of Motion design language, the concept offers sporty yet delightfully refined styling and driving performance. The name "KOERU", which literally means "exceed" or "go beyond" in Japanese, comes from Mazda's aspiration to deliver value that goes well beyond the existing category norms and standards. As the latest incarnation of Mazda's new-generation products, the Mazda KOERU crossover concept offers styling that exudes power, vitality and a new level of polished refinement.