4dr Sdn Auto I Sport New 2.0l 4 Cyl Engine Blue Reflx Mica on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Mazda6 diesel engine delayed over low performance, still coming

Oh Mazda... we had many hopes for the promised diesel four-cylinder in the Mazda6, but those have remained largely unfulfilled, as the oil-burning powerplant has failed to appear on dealer lots following its 2012 LA Auto Show announcement. Despite engineering issues that forced the company to announce that the program was delayed back in September 2013, Mazda remains adamant that the 2.2-liter Skyactiv-D is still coming to our shores. "We're still very much committed to diesel," Mazda's North American CEO, Jim O'Sullivan, told Automotive News. "We are still working on getting the performance aspects up to where we want them, and we do have a plan – an engineering road map – to get it done." According to AN, Mazda's initial plan with the 2.2-liter diesel was to build an engine so clean it could get by without an aftertreatment system, which generally accounts for the price premium of diesel engines versus their gas counterparts. The new system has come with performance issues, though, necessitating the delays. "If [we were] a commodity brand and didn't care about that, it would be on the market right now," O'Sullivan told AN. "But I know the people were expecting something from us, expecting certain drive characteristics and performance, and I didn't want to disappoint them." While O'Sullivan's defense of the diesel Mazda is admirable, the exec stops short of giving us an indication of when the new engine will finally arrive.

Mazda teases CX-4 for the Beijing Motor Show

Mazda will unveil the CX-4 crossover at the Beijing Motor Show in late April, and the company's single teaser image (above) suggests the CUV might borrow styling cues from the larger Koeru concept. Mazda kept details about the CX-4 light for now but says in the announcement, "this is a new type of crossover SUV designed to help customers live more creative lives." The teaser photo offers some hints about the design. For example, the rear pillar comes to a point and features chrome accents, which are elements from the Koeru and production CX-9. The arching roof rail suggests a coupe-like shape because it arcs downward to the hatchback. The name also hints that this model slots between the CX-3 and CX-5 in the lineup, but the CX-4 appears to prioritize style over utility. We can't wait to get a better look because this picture doesn't offer much detail. The company will also show versions of the Mazda3 and Mazda6 for the China Touring Car Championship at the Beijing show. Related Video: Mazda to Debut New CX-4 Crossover SUV at Beijing Motor Show - Twelve models on display including new-generation Mazda3, CX-5 and Mazda6 - HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation will debut the all-new Mazda CX-4 crossover SUV at the Beijing Motor Show.*1 The automaker's stand at the show will feature twelve vehicles, including new-generation models such as the Mazda3, Mazda CX-5, Mazda6, and race cars prepared for the Mazda-sponsored MZ Ruisi Racing Team competing in the China Touring Car Championship (CTCC). The CX-4 is the latest addition to Mazda's new-generation lineup of models featuring the full range of SKYACTIV Technology and KODO-Soul of Motion design. With a striking presence that sets it apart from other SUVs, the functionality modern users expect and Jinba-ittai driving thanks to Sustainable Zoom-Zoom, this is new type of crossover SUV designed to help customers live more creative lives. In addition to the CX-4, Mazda will display other vehicles and technologies that represent the brand. Mazda aims to enrich people's lives through a variety of touch points and become a brand that maintains a special connection with customers. *1 Also known as 2016 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition. Press days are April 25-26. Special invitation days are April 27-28. Open to the public from April 29 through May 4.

Finalists for 2014 Green Car of the Year announced

The list of finalists for the 2014 Green Car of the Year has been announced, and in a genuinely bizarre twist, there's only one hybrid and no electric vehicles among the five contestants, despite the arrival of cars like the BMW i3 and Tesla Model S. Taking the place of the EVs are a pair of diesels, repping a technology that last won a Green Car of the Year award in 2009, when the Audi A3 TDI took the title. No diesel was in the running for last year's award.
Naturally, both of the diesel finalists are fielded by the Germans - with BMW's 328d and Audi's A6 TDI getting the nod. In the case of the 3 Series, BMW installed a 2.0-liter, turbodiesel, capable of delivering 180 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, while returning 45 miles per gallon on the highway. Audi and its larger, 3.0-liter, V6 turbodiesel produce quite a bit more grunt, with 240 hp and 428 lb-ft of grunt, but net a very impressive 38 mpg on the highway in the A6.
Finalists for this year's awards include two diesels, three gas-powered cars and a plug-in hybrid.