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Mazda planning not one but two new crossovers for U.S.

Mazda has already announced plans to unveil a brand new crossover at the Geneva Motor Show, but it turns out there's another one in the pipeline set to satiate the appetites of a crossover-mad U.S. market. Speaking at the Chicago Auto Show, Mazda North America CEO Masahiro Moro told reporters the brand has another model planned for production at the $1.6 billion plant under construction with joint-venture partner Toyota in Huntsville, Ala. It'll be "a new crossover SUV which is exclusively designed for the North American market," Automotive News quoted Moro as saying. While it'll be a different product from the one debuting next month in Geneva, the two vehicles will share some architecture. The company is reportedly still finalizing the concept for it. Currently, Mazda sells three crossovers in the U.S.: the subcompact CX-3, the compact CX-5 and the larger CX-9. Together, the three vehicles, which constitute half of the tiny automaker's vehicle lineup, posted sales of 195,778 for 2018, up 15.8 percent from 2017. They accounted for nearly two-thirds of the brand's total vehicle sales of 300,325. Production is expected to start at the new Alabama plant in mid-2021, Moro said, and add capacity for 150,000 units of crossovers. The plant is expected to employ up to 4,000 workers with a total capacity of 300,000 vehicles a year. Toyota plans to build the Corolla there alongside Mazda's crossovers. Mazda last week released the teaser pic shown above of its forthcoming new crossover headed for Geneva. It could be the next and slightly larger version of the CX-3, which will use the Skyactiv Vehicle Architecture that also supports the new Mazda3. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2019 Mazda CX-5 Turbo Drivers' Notes Review | More power, more love

The second-gen Mazda CX-5 has been on sale since 2017, but the big news for this year is the addition of a new turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four. The engine — dubbed Skyactiv-G — is shared with the Mazda6 and the Mazda CX-9 three-row crossover and makes 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque on regular gas and up to 250 hp when running premium fuel. Fuel economy for the new engine is rated at 22 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined. The engine is only available with all-wheel drive, but the extra grunt means fuel economy is down from the naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four (24 city, 30 highway and 26 combined). The new engine is wrapped in the same familiar package we've seen for the past couple of years, but is exclusive to the range-topping Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trim levels. This particular test car was a Signature, which starts at $37,935 before options. For reference, a base, front-wheel drive CX-5 Sport starts at $25,395. Standard features on the CX-5 Signature include 19-inch wheels, LED lighting, rain-sensing wipers, leather seating, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, proximity entry and push-button start, and a Bose audio system. Options on this Soul Red ($595) model are restricted to accessory items: $70 for a cargo mat, $125 for all-weather floor mats, $400 for illuminated door sills, $125 for a rear-bumper guard and $250 for a retractable cargo cover. The final MSRP comes in just below $40,000. Our contributor Ben Hsu had high praise for the CX-5 turbo in our recent first-drive review. Now the rest of us have had a crack at it. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I love the CX-5's looks and driving dynamics. It's a sporty Mazda tailored to the crossover segment. This one, done up in Soul Red Crystal Metallic (what a name) and Signature trim with smokey 19-inch wheels, looks great. The Skyactiv-G four-cylinder with 227 hp (on 87 octane) and 310 pound-feet of torque makes for a brisk driving experience. In Sport mode, it's almost more eager than I want it to be. The main downside is the interior. The materials are just fine, and the infotainment is a little clunky to use. It takes a few more moves than I'd like to change the radio station. Also, major demerits for not being able to put a rear-facing car seat in the middle. Considering young families are a target market for this, that is not ideal.

Monterey Car Week recap, 2025 Lincoln Navigator and more | Autoblog Podcast #845

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. They look back on Monterey Car Week, and pick their favorite highlights from the event, including the new Lincoln Navigator, the Ruf Rodeo, Cadillac Opulent Velocity concept and more. In the news, Ford has abandoned its three-row EV in a pivot to hybrid. Our hosts review recent cars in the fleet, like the Mercedes GLC Coupe, long-term Mazda CX-90 and the three-wheel Can-Am Ryker. They also compare the Jeep Gladiator with the Wrangler. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #845 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Monterey Car Week recap 2025 Lincoln Navigator Ruf Rodeo Cadillac Opulent Velocity concept Lamborghini Temerario Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years Ford-Ghia Probe I prototype burns to a crisp Ford cancels electric three-row SUV, pivots to hybrid Cars we're driving 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 Coupe 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV long-term update 2025 Can-Am Ryker 2024 Jeep Gladiator vs. Wrangler Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video:  Corvette ZR1, Honda Civic Type R and Mercedes-AMG SL 63 | Autoblog Podcast 843 This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.