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Range Rover Sport SVR, Mazda CX-3, this week's news | Autoblog Video Podcast #533

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Reese Counts. We'll talk about the latest news and discuss a couple of the cars we've had in the office, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR and the Mazda CX-3. We also have a look behind the scenes of a video we shot in Iceland. And of course, we'll help choose a new vehicle for a listener in our "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #533 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown This week's news Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR Mazda CX-3 Iceland behind-the-scenes look Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Podcasts Land Rover Mazda Crossover SUV mazda cx-3

Will Mazda sell diesel hybrids in Japan in 2016?

Could the "Zoom Zoom" automaker start making hybrids that go "glug glug glug"? Mazda, known for its fuel-efficient Skyactiv engine line, will be the first Japanese automaker to make a diesel-hybrid vehicle for Japan and Europe. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, Mazda may start making its oil-burning hybrids as soon as 2016, and the powertrain may reach fuel efficiency levels of as much as 95 miles per gallon (one the more lenient Japanese driving cycle). That'd make such a vehicle line about 30 percent more fuel-efficient than standard diesels and about eight percent more fuel efficient that the Toyota Prius C compact hybrid (known as the Aqua in Japan). Mazda has been dismissive of hybrid and electric powertrains, instead focusing on Skyactiv technology to maximize fuel efficiency from conventional gas-powered engines. Diesel powertrains account for about half of the light-duty vehicles sold in Europe each year, while Japan's diesel sales of 76,000 vehicles last year were about three times as many as were sold there in 2012. In January, Mazda said that it would delay the introduction of its Skyactiv-D diesel engine from what was to be a spring 2014 debut. The reason was to fine-tune the engine's performance/fuel economy balance. Mazda representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from AutoblogGreen about the diesel hybrids.

Five automakers now being investigated by NHTSA for airbag woes

It appears that Toyota's renotification to owners of recalled vehicles from last year is just the tip of the iceberg for what could potentially be a much larger industry-wide recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a preliminary evaluation investigation into roughly 1.1 million vehicles from Chrysler, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota and parts supplier Takata regarding faulty airbag inflators in several models.
NHTSA has received six reports - three directly, two from Takata and one from Toyota - of vehicles with ruptured airbag inflators from 2002-2006, which resulted in three injuries. So far, all six incidents have occurred in high humidity areas like Florida and Puerto Rico. According to Toyota's latest recall announcement, the inflators may have an improper propellant that could cause it to rupture in a crash and the bag to deploy abnormally.
This new investigation follows a previous recall from April 2013 of about 3.4 million vehicles worldwide for the airbag inflators from Takata. As Autoblog reported, Toyota jumpstarted the new situation when it found that the original list of serial numbers for the faulty part was incomplete and discovered more cars in need of replacement. Honda and Nissan told us that they were investigating whether further models would need called in again as well. Mazda told Autoblog: "Regarding the current Takata situation, we're working closely with NHTSA and investigating the situation, but nothing else to report at this time." Chrysler Group responded to us with the statement: "Chrysler Group engineers are conducting the appropriate analysis. The Company will cooperate fully with the National Highway Traffic Administration."