2003 Mazda Protege Gas Saver No Reserve on 2040-cars

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Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes also under diesel emissions scrutiny

The controversy over Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal isn't limited to the US. In Europe, where diesel engines are far more popular, the issue is shining a harsh light on the NEDC emissions test. As already known, the evaluation does a poor job of reflecting real-world production of NOx, and it appears a significant number of automakers are affected. The Guardian in the UK has been reporting on real-world test results from a company called Emissions Analytics. After the latest round of checks, vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi were found to generate far more NOx than they should. The newspaper also published similar results for Renault, Nissan, Hyundai, Fiat, Volvo, Jeep, Citroen, VW, and Audi. On average, the figures are about four times over the limit of producing the pollutant. Unlike VW and its defeat device, these automakers aren't actually breaking the rules. The vehicles perform up to the NEDC lab test for emissions, but those results simply aren't translated to the street. "The VW issue in the US was purely the trigger which threw light on a slightly different problem in the EU - widespread legal over-emissions," Nick Molden from Emissions Analytics said to The Guardian. A big fight to decide the future of this issue appears to be on the horizon. Automakers claim that they can't meet the next round of tightening emissions regulations and are asking for compromises. Although, spokespeople for Mercedes and Honda told The Guardian that the brands would be in favor of the stricter rules. Meanwhile, some European governments began backtracking their support of diesels well before this scandal came to light. The added scrutiny certain hasn't helped the future of the oil-burner. Related Video:

2018 Mazda6 2.5T First Drive Review | Smooth operator

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — We like driving Mazdas, even if it's not the Miata, because they've always got an underpinning spirit of enthusiasm that makes even the slowest Mazda3 or the heaviest CX-9 at least somewhat entertaining. So when Mazda announced the refresh of the Mazda6 for the 2018 model year, we perked up. A new engine and some other refinements are exciting, sure, but maybe more important is the redesigned interior. Mazda's interiors haven't always impressed, but over the years they've improved — and this generation of the Mazda6 up until now has been an example of that improvement. Fortunately, because they're fun to drive, we've been able to overlook some interior foibles. Much attention was paid to noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). The company says it made 70 changes, from tires to suspension geometry to sound deadening materials, in order to make the car more comfortable going down the road, while maintaining its fun driving dynamics, and none of them include active noise cancellation. Of course, the turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G engine should help with the fun. We got behind the wheel of the 2018 Mazda6 2.5T, in top-tier Signature trim, to drive it on some of our favorite Michigan roads. We were especially interested in figuring out whether the interior lived up to the hype, and whether the other refinements would dull the car's driving dynamics. Mazda seems like it's laying the groundwork to pushing its brand upmarket. With exterior design nailed down — the Mazda6 is a handsome sedan, and receives minor tweaks for 2018 to make it more so. In fact, this car is laden with the automotive equivalent of sex appeal (which some would just call sex appeal). It's absolutely magnetic. If you're not feeling it, check it out from a different angle; it'll change your mind. As we mentioned, the company has turned its attention to the experience inside the car, and in addition to new materials inside, it has a new top-tier Signature trim level, which Mazda refers to as "aspirational" — but at $35,640, it's not exactly out of reach. It's rare that we get into any sub-$40k car and start caressing the interior with both eyes and fingertips. It happens rarely – the last one was the Honda Clarity PHEV, which was a real surprise. The 2018 Mazda6 marks the second occasion. Both times we were taken completely off guard by it. The Mazda, though, has the exterior charm to match. The new seats are fantastic, too.

Evo blasts around in a Spa 24H-winning Mazda RX-7

Think of the Mazda RX-7 today, and your thoughts likely turn to the turbocharged third-generation version of the '90s that's an icon among the tuning and drifting communities. Many years before that swoopy coupe was hanging the tail out, the first model of RX-7 was also quite a track star, though. Evo's Richard Meaden has gotten ahold of a race-prepped version that counts a victory in the 1981 Spa 24 Hours to its name – the first Japanese car to claim that honor – for a fantastic video. With 225 horsepower and weighing around 1,984 pounds, this RX-7 doesn't look like a giant killer on paper. However as Meaden illustrates, the coupe puts those rotary-powered ponies to very good use. Driving it requires constantly keeping things on the boil because the muscle is essentially absent below 7,000 rpm. Once in the sweet spot, things start progressing quickly, though. As a wonderful cap to the wall of noise from the engine, little licks of flame also shoot out of the exhaust on downshifts. Thankfully, Evo's video team captures all of the mechanical noises quite well, and the clip is a treat for those with a good pair of headphones. Despite the race-winning pedigree, Meaden has no problem grabbing the little coupe by the scruff of the neck. He chucks it through the corners to get the tail loose, and the little wisps of smoke from the rear tires prove the original RX-7 knows how to drift too. These early cars definitely worth being remembered in the pantheon of Mazda performance.