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2023 Honda Pilot and the promise and pitfalls of PHEVs | Autoblog Podcast #766

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd for a chat about the new 2023 Honda Pilot and its beefed-up TrailSport model. After that, we get a winter-weather long-term update on the BMW 330e care of Greg. Then, it's on to news. The big headlines this week were the brand-new Mazda CX-90 crossover and word that Genesis plans to build its outrageous (and expensive) X convertible concept. Is the world ready for a Bentley fighter from Korea? Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #766 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2023 Honda Pilot 2022 BMW 330e xDrive  News 2024 Mazda CX-90 three-row SUV revealed, with your choice of inline-6 or PHEV The ravishing Genesis X Convertible Concept is going into production Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2018 Mazda CX-5 gets cylinder deactivation, more standard features

Mazda recently announced its new Mazda6 would feature two engines, one of which would be a naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with cylinder deactivation. Now the company has revealed the 2018 Mazda CX-5 will also get cylinder deactivation on its sole 2.5-liter four-cylinder. For those curious, the system shuts off the cylinders on the ends of the engine to save fuel. Mazda also says that the engine has been updated in a number of other small areas to reduce friction and further improve efficiency. The company hasn't provided fuel economy numbers for the new engine, though. The updates for the CX-5 go beyond the powertrain, as all trim levels get more standard features. The base-level CX-5 Sport now comes with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic warning. The mid-level CX-5 Touring now has the i-Activsense safety feature suite standard, which includes automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assist. This suite of features is also available as an option for the first time on the Sport model. The top-level CX-5 Grand Touring gets seat memory for two settings, as well as a power-adjustable passenger seat. These updates bring very minor increases in price. The Sport trim adds another $140 over the 2017 version. The Touring jumps the most, up $335. The Grand Touring model increases $285. You'll be able to find 2018 CX-5s soon, as Mazda says they'll be arriving at dealers December 2017. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Mazda CX-5: First Drive View 25 Photos Image Credit: Mazda Green Mazda Crossover SUV mazda cx-5

China's FAW now building all three Mazda6 generations

The Chinese auto market is one of the most interesting in the world to look at. Its automakers appear to still be figuring things out and remain open to experimentation. For example, at this moment, you can buy new copies of all three generations of the Mazda6 from showrooms there.
Mazda joint-venture partner FAW recently introduced the latest generation to China as the Mazda6 Atenza, according to Just Auto. Yet buyers still have the option of getting the previous generation as well, which is sold as the Mazda6 Ruiyi. Obviously, that isn't too remarkable - companies in the US have briefly sold two generations of the same nameplate simultaneously for brief points in the past, and the practice is much more common in developing markets. However, Chinese consumers still have the third choice, too - the first-generation model that dates back to the early 2000s, is still on offer, known simply as Mazda6.
While it would be hard to imagine selling three generations of the same models at once in the US, the idea is an interesting one. We enjoyed our long-term test of the latest generation, and the previous models weren't bad cars either, so provided there's a healthy difference in pricing and marketplace confusion is limited by differing names, we can see it working. If nothing else, it's a fascinating illustration of how broad China's developing auto market really is.