1985 Mazda Rx-7 33k Mi on 2040-cars

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2020 Mazda3 hatchback starts at $24,620, a $100 increase

Car and Driver got the scoop on some 2020 Mazda3 pricing, and anyone waiting for the new model year had better bring more money. The Mazda3 sedan goes up by $500 to $21,500. After the $920 destination charge, that's a total of $22,420. On the sedan, however, the extra dosh pays for extra equipment. Every sedan trim gets Mazda's i-Activsense driver assistance tech, meaning adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. The i-Activsense suite had been an option the sedan's entry-level trims. The Mazda3 sedan in Select guise, one step above the entry-level model, increases $100 to $23,620. Starting price for the front-wheel drive 2020-model-year hatchback comes in at $24,620 after destination. C/D says that's a $1,020 bump, but we believe that figure is an error. Based on the fact that Mazda's U.S. pricing rounds off to the nearest hundred and destination is $920, it seems more likely the $24,620 price includes destination. In that case, the 2020 Mazda3 hatch only goes up by $100. The five-door models don't get any more equipment, but Mazda say's there's a new finish for the wheels on the top-tier Premium trim. All other trims hold steady. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a square 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque remains the sole engine option, a six-speed automatic is the standard transmission on all trims, the hatchback in Premium form offering a six-speed manual option. Buyers of the entry-level sedan are stuck with front-wheel drive, while every other trim offers all-wheel drive for $1,400. The sedans should hit dealerships this month, and the hatchbacks will roll in come September.

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.

Mazda's mission for the 2017 CX-5: Smooth out the NVH

NVH: the dreaded noise, vibration, and harshness. According to current Mazda CX-5 owners, as well as those who decided against becoming owners, NVH was its biggest area of need. Traveling in the CX-5 was just too loud, so Mazda's engineers made sure that the redesigned, second-generation model would offer its occupants a more serene environment in keeping with quieter competitors. To reduce wind noise, more aerodynamic parts were strategically placed about the exterior, while extra efforts were made to reduce low-frequency noises on coarse surfaces. According to Mazda engineer Dave Coleman, the new CX-5 is nearly as quiet as its platform-mate, the 2016 CX-9. Actually, to be very accurate, all Mazdas apart from the CX-3 and 2 (aka Toyota iA) now share that platform. Another reason compact SUV buyers opted to skip the CX-5 was its comparatively firm ride. So, while the CX-5 remains "head and shoulders above the segment for handling," according to Coleman, the ride was improved. One of the primary ways of achieving that was the adoption of rigid steering mounts, which allowed for the suspension to be less stiff without a loss in handling precision. View 12 Photos Of course, handling remains a key reason to buy the CX-5, and it's improved for 2017 courtesy of an increase in body rigidity, the adoption of liquid-filled front suspension bushings, and Mazda's G-Vectoring Control. Under the hood, every CX-5 now comes standard with the 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G four-cylinder, with output figures to be announced at a later date. The 2.0-liter, previously standard on the Sport trim, has been exiled to other markets. However, finally making its appearance on these shores is Mazda's 2.2-liter Skyactiv-D diesel engine. Although Mazda did its darndest to make it certifiable in the United States without a urea injection system, it was ultimately unable to do so without resorting to an ultra-sluggish throttle response that engineers deemed was anathema to what was expected of a Mazda. Therefore, the diesel-powered CX-5 will indeed have a DEF tank that will need to be periodically topped off to not run afoul of emissions regulations. Otherwise, the 2017 CX-5 is very much an evolution of the SUV it replaces. Customers thought its size was just right, so its passenger and cargo area remain in the same ballpark.