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Autoblog Minute: VW Q3 financial woes, 2015 Tokyo Motor Show

Consumer Reports pulls its Tesla recommendation, the U.S. Copyright Office offers a ruling affecting car owners, VW gets hit hard with third-quarter losses, and lots of exciting news from Tokyo. Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Consumer Reports pulls its Tesla recommendation, the U.S. copyright office offers a ruling that affects car owners and gear heads, VW gets hit hard with third-quarter losses, and lots of exciting news from Tokyo. I'm senior editor Greg Migliore and this is your Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. After a week away testing vehicles for Autoblog's Tech of the Year award, we're back in the office to recap the week in automotive news. [00:00:30] One of the things you might have missed was Consumer Reports pulling its recommendation of Tesla's Model S sedan. The blemish for Tesla comes after a tally of reviews from customer surveys. The most common problem areas for the Model S as cited by survey takers included: the drivetrain, power equipment, charging equipment, body and sunroof squeaks, rattles, and leaks. So lots of stuff. Though they could not ignore a score of "worse-than-average", Consumer Reports still [00:01:00] highlighted the fact that the Model S was "the best performing car" they've ever tested. Telsa CEO Elon Musk took to social media to defend his sedans saying: "Consumer Reports reliability survey includes a lot of early production cars. Already addressed in new cars." And, "Tesla gets top rating of any company in service. Most important, CR says 97% of owners expect their next car to be a Tesla (the acid test)." In Financial news, Volkswagen took a hit and reported an operating loss of [00:01:30] $3.84 billion. This is the first such loss for VW in 15 years. Toyota reclaimed the crown as the world's largest automaker as well. It's important that it's not all doom and gloom for VW though in Q3. Sales revenues were up and the company's automotive division boasts $30 billion dollars in liquid assets. It's a sizable war chest that will no doubt come in handy, as the company has yet to feel the full brunt of the diesel emissions scandal. Good news for gear heads. The US copyright office [00:02:00] ruled in favor of mechanics and car owners by granting an exception to existing copyright law. The law was originally meant to prevent software pirating and bootlegging of Hollywood movies.

2019 Mazda CX-5 Review and Buying Guide | The driver's choice

The 2019 Mazda CX-5 stands out in an ever-expanding field of similarly sized compact crossovers. There are several good options for shoppers looking to replace the traditional family sedan with something that sits up a little higher and offers some added utility via a reasonably sized open cargo area instead of a closed-off trunk. But if you really enjoy spending time behind the wheel, there isn’t a small crossover that can match the Mazda CX-5Â’s blend of excellent driving dynamics, practicality and affordability. For that reason, weÂ’d suggest that everyone shopping in this segment should take the CX-5 for a test drive. WhatÂ’s new for 2019? The CX-5 gets its first significant update since being completely redesigned for 2017. There are two new engine choices. A 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is the more powerful option the CX-5 has always needed, while the new 2.2-liter diesel engine is the answer for those who want better fuel economy. Every CX-5 benefits from a retuned suspension setup and MazdaÂ’s G-vectoring Control Plus system, which are intended to improve the 2019 CX-5Â’s handling. A revised infotainment system loses its touchscreen capability but now offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability (it is not, however, the all-new and greatly improved system found in the Mazda3). Also new for 2019 is a top-spec Signature trim level that adds a layer of wood and chrome trim to the interior to go along with attractive brown leather upholstery and a 360-degree camera monitor. A set of 19-inch Dark Silver aluminum wheels and unique badging round out the noteworthy Signature upgrades. WhatÂ’s the CX-5's interior and technology like? The CX-5 boasts a handsome, upscale design with materials to match. The cabin conveys the more premium vibe that Mazda is increasingly shooting for – it also makes a more emotional connection than the typical cardboard box on wheels. Its top two trim levels, Grand Touring Reserve and Signature, boast seats that are heated all around and ventilated up front, covered in high-quality leather with contrast French stitching. There's stitching on the dash too, though it goes through rubbery stuff. The padded and stitched pleather on the doors and center console are a nicer touch, as is the subtle dark wood and alloy trim – especially the air vents that seem to jut out from within the dash.

Mazda reportedly to be fully electric and hybrid by 2030s

TOKYO - Mazda plans to make all of its vehicles electric-based, including gasoline hybrids, by the early 2030s, Japanese media reported on Friday, as more automakers shift strategies to meet tightening global emission regulations. The Japanese automaker plans to use electric motors in all of its models by that time, Kyodo News reported, without citing sources. A Mazda spokeswoman declined to comment on the report. At the moment, Mazda's lineup does not include any all-battery electric vehicles. It does offer a hybrid version of the Mazda3, but it's only available in Japan. The company has also experimented with a range-extended electric Mazda2, which used a tiny rotary engine to produce electricity. The move is consistent with the company's Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 plan, which lays out the launch of various green powertrains. Among them are electrified models coming out in 2019. That same year will include the launch of the company's new SkyActiv-X engine, a compression ignition gasoline engine, which promises fuel efficiency improvement of 20- to 30 percent over comparable spark-ignition gas engines. This engine could hypothetically be combined with hybrid technology for even greater gains in efficiency, or even performance if the company so chooses. Mazda's recent partnership with Toyota also means Mazda could be able to quickly develop hybrids and electrics using Toyota's existing technology. This news that Mazda will begin primarily focusing on electric powertrains does seem contrary to Mazda CEO Masamichi Kogai's statement that its gasoline, diesel and electric vehicle technologies would "co-exist" in the future. Mazda on Thursday also launched a new CX-8 three-row crossover for the Japanese market, which is currently only available with a diesel engine. The company also plans to finally introduce a diesel engine to the United States in the CX-5 crossover. Assuming that Mazda's move to fully electrified vehicles is true, it will join a couple of other automakers planning to do the same. Volvo Car Group in July said that all of its new models from 2019 would feature some amount of electrification, and Jaguar-Land Rover will follow suit starting in 2020. Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu. Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips. Additional words from Joel Stocksdale.Related Video: Image Credit: Toru Hanai / Reuters Green Mazda Electric Future Vehicles Hybrid mazda hybrid mazda electric car