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Mazda delays US launch of Skyactiv-D engine

Japanese automakers haven't lead the charge towards diesel power in the same way as, say, the Germans have. But Mazda is out to change that. It has been following Audi's lead on the racetrack with oil-burning racecars right here in America, and will soon translate that excitement to the road by introducing its Skyactiv-D engine in North America. It just won't happen as soon as we expected.
Mazda announced today that, while its diesel engine meets current emissions requirements, the company has decided once again to push back an introduction originally slated to kick off in the Spring. According to the brief statement below, Mazda wants to take more time to find "the right balance between fuel economy and Mazda-appropriate driving performance."
In other words, the Zoom-Zoom brand apparently thinks its diesel engine doesn't deliver the zoom-zoom American drivers would expect, so we'll have to wait just a little bit longer. Details to follow closer to launch, whenever that will ultimately take place.

2018 Mazda3 gets low-speed automatic braking across the board

Though the Mazda3 is mostly carry-over for the 2018 model year, Mazda has sweetened the deal on all trim levels ever so slightly with more standard equipment. Most notable is the inclusion of low-speed automatic emergency braking on the base Sport trim. That makes the feature standard on every version of Mazda3, and it's also included on manual transmission models. Touring's big change is the inclusion of the 184-horsepower 2.5-liter engine as the standard powertrain. This means you'll only be able to get the 2.0-liter engine on the Sport trim. Finally, Grand Touring gets a lighting upgrade with self-leveling LED lights up front along with LED taillights and running lights. Mazda also supplies these additional features while barely changing prices. The Sport trim level increases by $250. The Touring trim actually drops in price by $355 for the sedan, and an impressive $1,555 for the hatchback (when compared with the existing Touring 2.5 trim level). Grand Touring pricing remains the same as the 2017 model year. Related Video:

Mazda books first yearly profit in half-decade, NA still a drag

Automotive News reports Mazda has posted its first annual profit in five years. The company made $364.3 million in the last fiscal year, following a $1.14 billion loss the year prior. Operating profit also jumped up by $91.3 million to $572.8 million, thanks in part to a revenue increase of 8 percent to $23.42 billion.
But the news isn't all rays of sunshine. North America continues to be a problem for Mazda where the automaker posted yet another loss. The manufacturer lost $519.1 million last year, up from $427.8 million the year prior. While the launch of the CX-5 helped see US sales increase by 2 percent to 273,000 vehicles, the region as a whole bought up 372,000 units. Mazda had predicted closer to 380,000 units.
Even so, Mazda says it should have North America back in the black by next year, with the company forecasting a sales increase of 11 percent to 415,000 units in the region. That's thanks in part to a boost from the redesigned Mazda6 sedan.