2008 Mazda Mx-5 Miata Grand Touring Convertible 2-door 2.0l Leather on 2040-cars

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Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Luggage Test | How big is the trunk?

The Mazda Miata would not be my first choice for a road trip car. Would probably be in the bottom 10, in fact. The interior fits me like a coffin, the seats pinch my back and the amount of passenger legroom is laughable. It's not exactly the most serene car, either.  But hey, there are sadists out there who may want to venture somewhere in it. I work with some of them. So, as they were the ones who requested this, here is the answer to the question: how much luggage fits in the Miata's trunk? Alright, so on paper, the Miata RF has 4.48 cubic-feet of trunk volume. The regular soft top Miata, the one you should absolutely get instead, has 4.59. Does that different matter? Probably not. However, when talking about trunks in this diminutive size range, the shape is the ultimate factor. For instance, the Porsche 911's 4.6-cubic-foot frunk is basically the same as the Miata's, yet it's narrower and deeper. My BMW Z3's trunk is 5 cubic-feet, yet it's wider, longer and much shallower. On paper, they'd seem to be the same, but you can't fit the same items within them.  Usually, I'd now list all the bags I have to test, but dude, in the words of Jay Mohr in "Go" ... This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Go (8/8) Movie CLIP - It's a Miata (1999) HD   Here's what I could fit ...     This bag is 26 inches long, 16 wide, 11 deep and you'd have to check it in at the airport (remember those?!?). It BARELY fit inside the Miata. The ever-so-slightly larger gray version of this bag I have did not fit.   By contrast, it slid very easily into my Z3 and as you can see (below left), the remaining area was far more easily accessed due to the wider trunk opening. However, this bag wouldn't fit at all in the 911's frunk as the space isn't wide or long enough.      Alternatively, shown above, I could stack two carry-on roller bags (one 24L x 15W x 10D, the other 23L x 15W x 10D). This time, the tight fit came from height.    By contrast, these two would fit with room to spare in the deep 911 frunk as Zac Palmer discovered with his similarly sized bags (below left). They also fit in my Z3 (below right), but were side-by-side and just BARELY fit due to the trunk's much shallower depth. Basically, the Z3 was worst here.

Mazda still really wants to bring diesels to America

Mazda's Skyactiv program has delivered much of what it promised for the brand's latest crop of products, namely great fuel economy and excellent driving dynamics. However, the Skyactiv diesel engine has yet to reach our shores. It's been promised ever since the new Mazda6 showed up here for the 2014 model year. According to a new report from Automotive News, Mazda's CEO Masamichi Kogai said that the Mazda Skyactiv D diesel powertrain is still set to make an American appearance. He told Automotive News that there is an internal timeline to get it to the States, and while he didn't reveal the timeline, he said he wants it to come here before he steps down as CEO. The powertrain is offered elsewhere, so it fits in the company's current vehicles, but the US has specific regulatory hurdles, and the engine's extra cost has to make sense from a sales and volume perspective. We doubt VW's diesel scandal helped the engine's sales pitch, either. Automotive News also reports that the next generation of Skyactiv designs and engines are also on their way and will advance and improve on the current generation's strengths. Engineers revealed to Automotive News that they expect a 30 percent improvement in efficiency and are developing an engine with the sky-high compression ratio of 18:1. This impressive ratio could be a further indication of Mazda's pursuit of homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines. Mazda has had plenty of success with its strategy of making very efficient internal-combustion engines, but there are some concerns that the company can only improve so much. The main worry comes from the company's lack of investment in hybrid and electric powertrains. Even Mazda's North American CEO Masahiro Moro expressed concern about meeting a 54.5 mpg mandate for 2025. That mandate will no longer take effect, but increasing fuel economy requirements will always be an issue. Related Video:

These are the cars being discontinued for 2024 and beyond

While we get new and updated car models every year, its inevitable that we'll need to say goodbye to some nameplates as well. This time around, it feels like we have confirmation or reports of an unusually large number of vehicles being discontinued in 2024 and the coming years.  We shouldn't be surprised. A large number of automakers are approaching their various target dates for electrification of their fleets. As such, some beloved internal combustion cars are going away, sometimes with appropriate fanfare like special editions. Others are slinking away quietly, killed by slowing sales and changing consumer trends. Of course, the end of production doesn't necessarily mean permanent death. Some of these models could be resurrected in later years ... and probably as an EV. With that in mind, here are the vehicles that are being discontinued in 2024 and beyond.   Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Stelvio Quadrifoglio Alfa Romeo ended the production of its combustion-only Quadrifoglio models in April 2024 as the Italian automaker moves toward an electrified future. This isn't the end of the Quadrifoglio entirely, though, with Larry Dominique, Alfa Romeo senior vice president and head of North America, writing, "I look forward to presenting the next chapter in the four-leaf clover’s journey."   Chevrolet Camaro GM is ending production of the Chevy Camaro after 2024, but is sending it off in style with a CollectorÂ’s Edition. WouldnÂ’t it be cool, though, if Chevy brought it back as an EV?   Chevrolet Malibu Rumors of its demise have been around for a while, but now itÂ’s official. GM will end production of the Chevy Malibu in November of 2024. The assembly line in Kansas will be retooled to build the replacement for the Chevy Bolt.   Dodge Durango The three-row Durango is slated to be replaced by the Stealth nameplate after 2024. The Durango name could make a comeback later, according to rumors, on a body-on frame SUV based on the Jeep WagoneerÂ’s platform.   Ford Edge This is the last year for the Edge in the U.S., with the final unit rolling off the assembly line in April. On sale since 2007, the Edge topped 100,000 sales in all but three full years of production.   Ford Escape Newly refreshed for the 2023 model year, FordÂ’s popular Escape compact SUV is reportedly taking its leave in 2025 in order to usher in — you guessed it — an EV in its place.