1994 Mazda Miata Base Convertible 2-door 1.8l on 2040-cars

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MotorWeek checks out two sides of the '90s Japanese car scene

MotorWeek's Retro Reviews let you feel nostalgic about a huge range of classic cars, and the latest two releases offer a look at two very different sides of the Japanese car market in the 1990s. The video above shows off tuned examples of the Mazda RX-7 and Nissan 300ZX. Check out the clip below to remember the 1997 Honda CR-V, if you want to reminisce about something a little more utilitarian. The RX-7 and 300ZX were among the era's best Japanese sports cars, and these examples' suspension and engine overhauls gave them an extra boost. Peter Farrel Supercars tunes the Mazda, and the vibrant yellow paint and body kit make it look ready for an episode of Initial D. The updated powertrain stands up to the mean styling and gets the RX-7 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds. The Stillen 300ZX GTZ sports a giant wing, and new turbos take the output to 465 hp. It sprints to 60 in 4.9 seconds. The CR-V sits on the opposite end of the automotive spectrum as the tuned RX-7 and 300ZX, but it's even more important in a historical sense. The Honda (along with the Toyota RAV4 and others) was among the progenitors of today's mega-popular compact crossovers. These early examples set the foundation for offering buyers a utilitarian vehicle in a comfortable package with good fuel economy at an affordable price. The CR-V had some quirky charm, too, like the removable picnic table hidden in the cargo floor. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Kia Telluride takes World Car of the Year honors

The Kia Telluride has been named 2020 World Car of the Year, an award that recognizes the most significant new-vehicle introduction as determined by an international jury of automotive journalist judges. The Telluride adds to its string of honors by beating out the Mazda CX-30 and the Mazda3, the previously announced finalists for the WCOTY award. The organization also announced the winners of additional awards: The Porsche Taycan was recognized as World Performance Car of the Year, beating out its siblings, the 911 and the 718 Boxster Spyder/Cayman GT4. The Taycan further took top honors as World Luxury Car of the Year, besting the 911 and the Mercedes-Benz EQC in that category. In a second win for Kia, the Kia Soul EV was named World Urban Car of the Year. The Soul beat out the Mini Cooper SE and the Volkswagen T-Cross. Finally, the Mazda3 was honored as World Car Design of the Year. The Kia Telluride follows last year's WCOTY, the Jaguar I-Pace. Previous honorees include the Volvo XC60 in 2018, the Jaguar F-Pace in 2017, and the Mazda MX-5 in 2016. The WCOTY team consists of 86 jurors from 24 countries, and the organization is independent and not tied to any publication. This is the 16 th year for the awards. Related Video:    

The 2020 Mazda CX-30 will start at $22,945 with 2.5L power

We saw the CX-30 debut in Geneva earlier this year, and now Mazda has made its U.S. specification and pricing official. To get right down to it, the new crossover that splits the small end of the company’s crossover lineup will start at $22,945. We also have some solid information about spec and trim levels for our market, with some notable differences to how it can be equipped in Europe in particular. For one, like the latest Mazda3, it can only be equipped with a 186 horsepower 2.5-liter engine (naturally-aspirated, to be clear). Europeans can get a range of engines, and our neighbors in Canada and Mexico can get a 2.0-liter gas engine. A six-speed automatic is similarly our only transmission choice. All trims are available with front- or all-wheel drive. No word on whether the (somewhat underwhelming) Skyactiv-D diesel or (rather incredible) Skyactiv-X compression-ignition engines will be available. The materials Mazda provided us ahead of the CX-30Â’s U.S. debut focus heavily on the vehicleÂ’s standard equipment, including the now standard Mazda Connected Services — offering a variety of remote functionality and monitoring via the MyMazda app. Nothing you wouldnÂ’t expect from this sort of connectivity feature, including remote start and lock/unlock, as well as a WiFi hotspot (via Verizon, which is the parent company of Autoblog) and emergency assistance calls. Note that itÂ’s a three-year free trial; after that it becomes a subscription service, with a price weÂ’ll share with you once we learn it. There are four trims for the CX-30. The base model has some decent standard equipment: an 8.8-inch infotainment display, automatic headlights and the standard i-Activsense safety suite including driver inattention alert, radar cruiser control, lane departure warning with lane keeping assist, emergency braking assist and automatic high beams. Notably, blind spot monitoring is not available in the base model; buyers will have to step up to the next trim, Select, to get that safety feature. WeÂ’re disappointed that itÂ’s not standard across the board. So too with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, also only available on Select and above. The Select trim is $24,945, and provides those features mentioned above as well as leatherette seats, keyless entry and 18-inch wheels. The Preferred trim ($27,245) provides upgraded audio, heated front seats, a power driver seat, a black gloss grille and a SiriusXM trial.