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Mazda recalls 2019-2020 Mazda3 for errant activation of emergency braking system

The newly redesigned Mazda3 has been subject to numerous recalls since it went on sale for the 2019 model year. Today brings news of another such occurrence, as Mazda recalls 35,390 2019-2020 Mazda3s (sedans and hatchbacks). This recall is related to the automatic emergency braking system equipped to certain models. According to Mazda, affected vehicles may “unexpectedly stop while driving due to inadvertent activation of the Smart Braking System automatic emergency braking system.” The programming of the systemÂ’s software could cause the Mazda3 to “falsely detect an obstacle in front of the vehicle while driving.” In response to that detection, the software may automatically apply the brakes despite no collision being imminent. We donÂ’t have to explain how dangerous that could end up being for the driver and those around them. Your car slamming on the brakes for no reason could easily be the cause of an accident. As of now, Mazda says no injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of the defect. In case you havenÂ’t experienced the system in your Mazda3 yet, there is something to look out for. Mazda says a warning alarm will sound and a warning message will appear in the instrument cluster and head-up display when the car is about to perform an emergency stop. Mazda said that itÂ’s reported the defect to the NHTSA, but it hasnÂ’t been posted on the website yet. The fix is easy for some, but more difficult for others. Vehicles with early build dates will need the whole instrument cluster replaced or reprogrammed, as these cars have a different procedure for "temporary manual deactivation of the Smart Braking System." These early build cars will also receive a new owner's manual to reflect the revised procedure of temporary manual deactivation of the system. Later cars will only need the Smart Braking System software reprogrammed with an improved version. Mailings to owners for notification purposes should be completed on or before February 17 next year.

Driving classic Mazdas to experience the weird and wonderful rotary's triumph

AUGSBURG, Germany — Everything weird and wonderful about Mazda's relationship with the Wankel rotary engine is embodied in the delightful 110S Cosmo Sport of 1967. Just shy of 1,200 were built and, for most of its life, it remained a Japanese curio. Driving one is a rare privilege, and yet here I am, leading a convoy of owners through Bavaria away from a private museum holding the most extensive collection of Mazdas outside of Japan. Created by local franchise holder Walter Frey, what started out as a business relationship in the 1970s has blossomed into a lifetime love affair. Whether the residents of Augsburg are quite so enamoured is another question. As I leave the museum I pass a sign proclaiming my entry into an "umwelt zone" for low-emissions vehicles. The oil-tinged plume of smoke in my wake rather makes a mockery and underlines one reason there are no rotary engines in the current Mazda product range. Created by a German but perfected by the Japanese, it seems appropriate to celebrate the association with the Wankel engine here. Mazda may have gone on to sell nearly 2 million rotary-engined cars to the world — the U.S. included — but 50 years ago it brought two Cosmos to the Nurburgring and entered them into the grueling Marathon de la Route as a proof of concept. After 84 hours of continuous running and a fourth-place overall finish, Mazda had demonstrated to the world a rotary could stay the distance. I have a slightly less grueling schedule but look forward to following the instructions to rev the hell out of the Cosmo to clear the smoke out of its system. Those following me will certainly be hoping this does the trick. A thirst for oil as well as gasoline isn't the only rotary trait. The two chambers of its motor displace 491 cc apiece, equivalent to about 2.0 liters in a regular reciprocating design. In this second-series car, it delivers around 128 horsepower, which drives the rear wheels through the transmission's five gears. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of progress in any of them, truth be told, the characteristic lack of torque making for more noise than meaningful acceleration. It's a small car and weighs just more than 2,000 pounds, with a power-to-weight ratio not far off that of an original NA Miata. But it's one for carrying speed, not building it. The wood-rimmed Nardi wheel is one piece of luxury in an otherwise functional, vinyl-trimmed cabin, and through it the Cosmo has a nice blend of stability and agility.

Mazda CX-30 crossover will have its U.S. debut at L.A. Auto Show

After debuting at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, the Mazda CX-30 is ready to relocate to the U.S., and is now preparing to meet its future compatriots at the LA Auto Show. The small crossover — whose name is a workaround due to the Chinese-market CX-4 crossover — is five inches longer than the new Mazda3 hatchback and five inches shorter than the CX-5 crossover. Its appeal is intended to be a mix of high maneuverability and roominess for occupants and cargo, not to mention being the second vehicle in the lineup to adopt the evolved Kodo design language first expressed on the latest Mazda3.  In Europe, the CX-30 offers buyers a range of engines from a Skyactiv-D 1.8-liter diesel to the new Skyactiv-X engine with gasoline compression ignition. Last month, Motor Trend dug up a California Air Resources Board document listing the two engines and two transmissions for the North American market. Our continent gets the 2.0-liter four-cylinder mated to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder mated solely to a six-speed auto. The smaller engine and manual transmission are expected to be reserved for Canadian and Mexican buyers. The U.S. likely gets the 2.5-liter, the engine that makes 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque in the Mazda3 and 187 hp in the CX-5.  Mazda's i-Activ all-wheel drive is predicted from launch, and safety features should include front cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and driver monitoring linked to a Smart Brake Support system that cuts the reaction time to issue a the driver a brake warning. The CX-30 will share the Mazda stand with the 2019 Mazda MX-5/Miata RF, refreshed 2020 CX-5 and 2020 CX-9 crossovers, the 2020 Mazda 3, and Mazda3 TCR racer. Anyone with some free time at 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time on November 11 is welcome to stream the press conference at Mazda's YouTube channel.