2011 Mazda Cx-7 I Sv on 2040-cars

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2014 Mazda3 2.0L Hatchback officially rated at 40 mpg highway

The Environmental Protection Agency has spoken, and these are the miles per gallon numbers it has officially bestowed on the 2014 five-door Mazda3 hatchback with the SkyActiv-G 2.0-liter engine: 29 city, 40 highway, 33 combined when fitted with the six-speed manual; 30 city, 40 highway and 33 combined when equipped with the six-speed automatic.
Those numbers exactly match the fuel economy targets that Mazda had set for the car when optioned with the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G with 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. For comparison to other cars in the segment, the EPA numbers for the 2013 Honda Civic sedan are 28 city, 39 highway, 32 combined when its 140-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder is paired with the five-speed automatic. The Hyundai Elantra GT gets 27 city, 37 highway and 30 combined according to the EPA when its 148-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder is paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The numbers for the 2014 Ford Focus aren't out yet.

Mazda and Clemson collaborate on Deep Orange 3 concept

There are school projects, and then there's the Mazda Deep Orange 3 Concept Car, a one-off built by Clemson University automotive engineering students and designed by Frederick Naaman from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Clemson students unveiled the chassis at the 2012 SEMA show in Las Vegas, although this is the first showing of the car fully clothed.
Sporting a unique hybrid powertrain that can automatically switch between front-, rear-, and all-wheel drive. A gas-powered engine handles the fronts, while the rears are powered by an electric motor and a battery pack. The Deep Orange 3 also has an unusual three-plus-three layout, making it a much cooler version of your parent's old Vista Cruiser. The exterior sheetmetal clearly follows Mazda's established design language, and looks like it could easily pass for a five-door version of the Shinari Concept. It really is a great looking vehicle.
The Deep Orange 3 was part of Clemson's graduate-level auto engineering program, and is a regular partnership between the east coast school and the Pasadena-based design college's students. Clemson, Art Center and Mazda will be showing the Deep Orange 3 at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, MI, from August 5 to August 8. Click through for a press release from Clemson University.

2017 Mazda CX-9 Prototype First Drive

If you read our coverage from last week's Los Angeles Auto Show, you'll note that we were extremely fond of the new Mazda CX-9. We like the look of the thing, inside and out, and it promises to be the best-driving entry in the three-row crossover class. We agree wholeheartedly with that claim. You see, we already drove it. Full disclosure: Our test of the camouflaged CX-9 prototype you see here was short, and while we were able to get a good handle on the CX-9's basic driving dynamics, it'll take more than a 30-mile session around the outskirts of LA to uncover the finer details. What's more, these vehicles are not production ready. In fact, according to our handlers at Mazda, the CUV we tested was actually at the stage before pre-production – so basically, a pre-pre-production car. That said, all the details about the engine, transmission, suspension, and steering are "largely final." As you can see in the gallery, the cars we tested were heavily camouflaged both inside and out. As for styling, we love it – see the undisguised pictures from the LA show for more views. And as for inside, we can say leather seats of our Grand Touring model were comfortable and supportive, and the smallish steering wheel felt natural in the hand. Even in pre-pre-production state, the CX-9 was impressively quiet. An extra 53 pounds of under-floor sound deadening, thicker windows, and active noise cancellation all contribute to what Mazda claims will be "among the quietest vehicles in its class." It's worth noting that the good sounds, like the throaty, whooshy noises of the turbocharged engine, found their way into the cabin just fine. The 2.5-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine – Mazda's first force-induced Skyactiv engine – is an excellent piece. The 2.5-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine – Mazda's first force-induced Skyactiv engine – is an excellent piece. It uses a variable geometry turbocharger, which the company calls a Dynamic Pressure Turbo. Here's how Mazda explains it: Imagine a normal garden hose. Put your thumb over the nozzle, and the force of the water increases dramatically. That's the DPT at low rpms. It features three small exhaust ports to direct exhaust gases into the turbo, making for 17.4 quick-spooling PSI at low rpms. As the revs climb, a flow control valve opens up, redirecting the gases to a trio of larger ports – removing your thumb from the hose, if you will – and keeping the boost up.