2002 Mazda Protege 5 Vivid Yellow Custom Leather 5 Speed Manual on 2040-cars

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At least 15 states jockeying for Toyota and Mazda factory jobs

Just a few weeks ago, Mazda and Toyota announced a partnership that would lead to an all-new $1.6 billion plant here in the United States. The plant will build EVs and is expected to employ roughly 4,000 people directly while creating thousands of indirect jobs through suppliers, shipping and more. The Detroit Free Press reports that as many as 15 Midwestern and Southern states are understandably interested in striking a deal with the automakers. Most of the states already have ties to the auto industry. While the Midwest has traditionally been home to auto manufacturing in the United States, in the past 25 years or so, the South has made a big push, offering tax incentives and a union-free workforce. Alabama alone is home to facilities from Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota. Others house a burgeoning tech or manufacturing industry ripe for the picking. Freep breaks down the pros and cons for each state, with much of the focus being on supply chains and a reliable and plentiful workforce. The latter is of particular concern in states like Alabama and Michigan that already have a big auto industry. Toyota may feel those areas have already been tapped for talent. Most of the states are along or adjacent to Interstate 75 and its extended roots, so others like Texas and Iowa will have to fight hard if they want this facility. It's only been a few weeks, though. With manufacturing jobs in such great demand and elected officials eager to show they're seeking them for their states, it wouldn't be surprising if a few more joined the fray. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Detroit Free Press Green Plants/Manufacturing Mazda Toyota

Cars we're thankful we drove in 2019

We drove a lot of cars in 2019, and there's still a month to go. We drove them in our home office in Michigan, at our remote offices in Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Columbus, Ohio, and throughout the globe on myriad press launches. We could count them, but hey, that seems boastful.  Instead, we want to be thankful. Not only for the opportunity to do this wonderful task some might describe as a "job," but for the new, shiny cars that brighten our days (and most hopefully yours). We asked our fellow editors which car they were most thankful to drive in 2019 ... here are our answers. 2019 Hyundai Veloster N Performance Senior Editor Alex Kierstein Every once in a while a car comes along that changes the narrative on a company or its segment, and everyone scrambles to experience it for themselves. This year, for me, that car’s the Veloster N Performance, perhaps the most transformative car the companyÂ’s ever built. Everyone whoÂ’s driven it, here and elsewhere, says it captures all those intangibles that make great driving hatchbacks great. And IÂ’m thankful that I got a go in it before all of them left the fleet, because it does. It upends the segment long dominated by the GTI, a car that nails its brief. The N is rowdy and loud, sure, but it also has some of the most deftly tuned suspension IÂ’ve come across in a front driver. My advice: if youÂ’re in the market for something fun and unique, go test drive a Veloster N. I think youÂ’ll be thankful you did. 2019 Hyundai Veloster N View 47 Photos 2019 Audi E-Tron Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder IÂ’m pleased that I got to drive the Audi E-Tron. ThatÂ’s high praise for a year in which I also drove the stellar Jaguar I-Pace. The E-Tron, while not as sporty as the Jaguar, is excellently executed, and feels like a more refined, polished offering. ItÂ’s quick, whisper-quiet, comfortable, stylish inside and out, and incredibly sturdy. Some may lament that it doesnÂ’t do much to stand out from ICE vehicles, but I donÂ’t think it needs to. What it does need to do is win over the electro-skeptical, and I think Audi put its best foot forward with a crossover that can do just that, and more. So, yeah, not only am I thankful that I got to drive it, IÂ’m glad that itÂ’s compelling enough that itÂ’ll hopefully make potential customers feel the same. 2020 Audi E-Tron View 13 Photos 2013 Peugeot 508 West Coast Editor James Riswick My choice totally sucks.

2021 Mazda CX-3 gets a few more features, costs same as in 2020

The Mazda CX-3 is still down there at the foot of the Mazda lineup, chugging into 2021 and its seventh year on sale. The subcompact hatchback hasn't been overhauled since its debut and in 2020 had its three trims rationalized to one trim, so it gets denied the attentions paid to the Mazda3 and the CX-30. Those with an eye on the CX-3, however, will pay the same amount in 2021 as buyers did in 2020. Mazda announced a base price of $20,640 for the sole CX-3 Sport model, for a total of $21,740 after the $1,100 destination charge. Going from a Sport FWD to the Sport AWD adds $1,400, coming out to $23,140. Mazda's littlest crossover is powered by a Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 148 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque, shifting through a six-speed automatic. The nicer, newer, larger CX-30 is powered by a Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter inline-four that it shares with the Mazda3, producing 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque and mated to a six-speed auto. The front-wheel drive CX-30 starts at $23,000 after destination, $1,260 above the CX-3, the AWD CX-30 maintaining the same price gap at $24,400.    Related: Least expensive vehicles to insure in America   New for the 2021 CX-3, the i-Activsense suite has been updated with night pedestrian detection for the low-speed forward collision alert and avoidance system, and the LED headlights are self-leveling with enhanced auto on/off activation. The standard driver safety systems also include adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, and lane departure warning. There's a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Mazda Connect, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay, and remote keyless illuminated entry thrown in, too. The Sport trim goes with a louver-styled grille, roof spoiler, and 16-inch alloys. In fact, other than the cost-extra colors Machine Gray Metallic, Snowflake White Pearl Mica, and Soul Red Crystal Metallic on the eight-strong exterior palette, and some minor cosmetic options, the basic CX-3 is the only CX-3. It will reach dealer lots next month. Related Video: