1985 Mazda Rx-7 Gs Coupe 2-door 1.1l on 2040-cars

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2016 Mazda CX-3 scores 29/35 mpg EPA ratings

Looking for a subcompact crossover that won't cost you too much at the pumps? Your best bet is now the new Mazda CX-3, according to fuel economy figures released by the EPA. Mazda's new baby crossover has been rated by the US government agency at 29 miles per gallon in the city, 35 on the highway, and 31 on the combined cycle. That's in front-drive spec, giving the CX-3 better fuel economy than anything else in its class (at least, that is, with an automatic transmission.) Option it with all-wheel drive and you'll take a slight penalty at 27 mpg in the city, 32 on the highway, and 29 combined. According to Mazda that still "makes it among the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive vehicles available in the US." Whichever drivetrain option you go for, the CX-3 packs a 2.0-liter inline-four with direct injection (Skyactiv-G in Mazda-speak) good for 146 horsepower and just as much torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The first examples will begin reaching American showrooms later this summer. Related Video: 2016 Mazda CX-3 Scores Class-Leading[1] EPA Fuel Economy Ratings - New Subcompact Mazda Crossover Has EPA-Estimated Fuel Economy of Up to 35 MPG Highway - IRVINE, Calif., June 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The all-new 2016 Mazda CX-3 subcompact crossover utility vehicle has been rated with an EPA-estimated fuel economy as high as 29 mpg city/35 mpg highway[2], which positions CX-3's fuel economy as class-leading1 among all 2015 and 2016 subcompact crossover utility vehicles. As Mazda's first foray into the quickly burgeoning subcompact crossover class of vehicles, CX-3 provides those seeking a purposeful, stylish and sporty vehicle option that bucks convention. CX-3 offers standard keyless ignition and backup camera, and is available with features that are unrivalled in its class like Mazda Radar Cruise Control, adaptive LED headlights and Mazda's signature driving experience. Front-wheel-drive models have EPA-estimated fuel economy of 29 mpg city/35 mpg highway/31 mpg combined, while models equipped with Mazda's predictive i-ACTIV AWD have EPA-estimated fuel economy of 27 mpg city/32 mpg highway/29 mpg combined. That makes it among the most-efficient all-wheel-drive vehicles available in the U.S. "SKYACTIV Technology means we don't have to compromise when it comes to performance, efficiency and fun-to-drive dynamics," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations.

Mazda CEO says rotary not viable, so don't look for a new one

We have some very sad news to report, rotor-heads fans: Don't expect a new rotary-powered vehicle anytime soon. This comes straight from Masamichi Kogai, the CEO of Mazda, which is the only company to ever market a commercially successful rotary-powered automobile in the world. The issue, as it has pretty much always been, is environmental.
While the Wankel rotary engine does indeed make a lot of power in a small, lightweight package, it does so while burning lots of fuel and emitting lots of noxious gases into the atmosphere, at least when running on gasoline. And that means the rotary engine will likely only ever be able to power niche vehicles. And that, in turn, means that it is very difficult to turn a profit on vehicles with rotary engines, particularly for a small automaker like Mazda.
"It has to be a viable commercial proposition. If we are going to adopt it, it has to be a product that can generate at least sales of 100,000 units a year. We have to be able to achieve a profit," said Kogai in an interview with Automotive News. Mazda sold 56,203 RX-7 models in the United States (the automaker's biggest market) in 1986. Sales of the RX-8 peaked in 2004, its first full year on the market, with just 23,690 units.

2014 Mazda3 Sedan

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We're not going to beat around the bush: for the kind of person who willfully chooses to take longer, windier and more scenic routes to get to Point B, the 2014 Mazda3 is the new compact car measuring stick by which others will be judged. That doesn't, of course, make it the right choice for every buyer.
We'll spend the next thousand words or so explaining the whys and hows that make our opening statement a fact, but for now, suffice it to say that Mazda has engineered its latest crop of vehicles - namely the CX-5, Mazda6 and its smaller sibling and subject of this test, the Mazda3 - from the ground up. Absolutely everything about the Mazda3 is refined for 2014, from its chassis to its engines and everything in between, and it was done in a completely new and holistic way. Every component, subcomponent and stamping required to bolt and weld together an automobile was rethought to ensure the Mazda3 has what it takes to compete with such established benchmarks as the Honda Civic and Ford Focus.