2010 Mazdaspeed3

I am a huge believer in the Mazda3, it's a great handler, has (or should I say had) nice styling and can be well equipped. Everything remains the same with the 2010 model--top notch equipment levels and from all the specs we have seen, a great performer. That leaves one fly in the ointment: styling.

Sadly, Mazda has decided to plaster the Joker's grin on every grille of its future lineup. Blech. This treatment is over-styled and really detracts from an otherwise fine looking ride. Don't get me wrong, I'd still drive this car (heck, I drove a bug-eyed WRX for several years) but I'd feel better if it had a less offensive mug.

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2010 Mazda3 Hatch

I love the Mazda3! It's my top pick when folks ask me for recommendations in the sub-twenty thousand dollar range. Its a tremendously fun car to drive and up until now quite attractive. This 2010 model tries to hard to be stylish. It's not Acura TL ugly, but I had hoped for more. Regardless, the hatch is still the model to buy. Enjoy!

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2010 Mazda3 Hatch

Looking kind of Vibe-ish, the Mazda3 hatch looks a little better than its sedan sibling, but that's not saying a whole lot. My issues are mostly with the front of the car. Especially from the side, I don't see how that front fender's sculpting fits in with the rest of the design.

Regardless its appearance, the Mazda3 is a tremendously accomplished vehicle and it will continue to ride a wave of success whether or not it is the best looking in its class. From an equipment level, the 3 improves upon its predecessor with available features like dual zone climate control and adaptive bi-xenon headlights. I just wished the darn thing looked better.

My all time favorite small Mazda hatch has to be the European 323f circa 1993-1996.

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Mazda3: I'm Going to Make this Redesign Disappear

Sadly, I can't actually make the redesigned 2010 Mazda3 actually disappear, but I wish I could. I simply adore the current Mazda3 and I'm sure that dynamically this new model will only improve upon the outoing car. However, when it comes to the 2010 Mazda3's outward appearance, let me be clear: I AM NOT A FAN.

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Mazda3 Hatch Spy Shot + Interior Bits

Motor Authority posted a gallery of a next generation Mazda3 MAZDASPEED mule undergoing testing, so I thought I'd show a shot of the car plus some interior shots just for the heck of it. The last picture is an official photo that Mazda released in advance of the sedan being revealed at the Los Angeles show. The Mazda3 is my top pick from a dynamics standpoint in this class and I have high hopes that the new model will only enhance upon the current model's capabilities.

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Mazda3 Interior Shot

Making the rounds this morning is a spyshot of the next Mazda3's interior. It certainly would seem that Mazda is aping a few dashboard styling queues from the Civic's playbook. One thing Mazda has found out with the current 3 is that it can collect a premium for higher end materials and options and the next 3 isn't backing away one iota. I'm just waiting for the hatchback shots, but first we've got to get the sedan reveal out of the way at the Los Angeles show.

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Yum, Yum: Mazda3 Sales. Would Mazda2 Eat Its Sister?

Some Mazda officials are concerned that the Mazda2 would cannibalize sales of the larger Mazda3 and that is leading to hesitation by the company to bring the smaller car here. Essentially this duo is the Mazda equivalent of the Ford Fiesta and Focus, a lineup that Ford itself cannot wait to offer here in the States.

We're hearing lots of excuses as to why the Mazda2 is not here. The above concerns are one reason, but Mazda has also stated that the engine it has certified for the U.S. market cannot be shoehorned into the Mazda2’s engine bay and that is also holding things up.

You can probably guess my opinion: of course Mazda should offer the car here! I think we will see the car arrive here eventually, but there isn't any rush. Mazda is launching the Mazda6 this year and the new Mazda3 next year, so we'd probably see the Mazda2 arrive in 2011 if market conditions stay the same.

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Buying a Mazda...The Hard Way

The following dealership experience was sent my way and I thought I'd relate it on to you. I've removed the name of the dealership since I haven't verified any of this. Every story has two sides and we're only hearing one. Normally I don't like to repeat gossip, but I will tell you that I have been to this dealership and I found them a bit shady myself, so this story is pretty believable. Below is an accounting of the events as it was sent to me. My favorite part of the story is where the "fired" salesman calls two days later and tries to sell them the same car.

When I have a positive experience with a company, I'm often moved to share it with others. When I have a negative experience, I often blow it off. However, when I have an experience like I had with xxx Mazda this past weekend I am compelled to share it so that others do not have to endure a similar experience. In a nutshell, we had been negotiating on a new car with xxx Mazda for several hours on Sunday. Finally, we came to an agreement, we signed the papers, wrote the check, exchanged keys and were waiting patiently with our two children (ages 3.5 and 1.5) for our new car to come out of detailing. When it did, it was not our car!!! Okay we thought, we've been here for several hours and we'll have to wait a bit longer until they detail the right car. No, actually they sold us the wrong car. Then, when we pointed out that it was not the car we had wanted or been negotiating, they said they couldn't sell us the car we wanted at the price we had negotiated!!! They actually refused to sell us the car that we had identified seven hours earlier in the day, the car we had been negotiating on for the past several hours, the car that we had spent the past two hours signing papers on while our two small kids ran around the dealership. Then they blatantly lied and told us the car salesman had been fired as a result. How do we know this was a lie? Because the salesman called us two days later and said he had not been fired and he wanted to try to sell us the car again!!! Unbelievable. Seriously folks, these people have no morals or ethics. There are a dozen other Mazda dealers in the Bay Area. Go to them and do not waste one minute at xxx Mazda. They do not deserve your business.

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Mazda2: Not A Shoo-In For U.S. Market

Another unfortunate pun on my part, but one of the reasons that the Mazda2 will be making a delayed entry into the U.S. market is the fact that four cylinder engine Mazda has certified for the U.S. market cannot be shoehorned into the Mazda2’s engine bay and the smaller engine that will work hasn’t passed U.S. emissions tests. Automotive News is reporting that the Mazda2 will finally debut for model year 2011. It’s important to note that Mazda hasn’t even officially confirmed the Mazda2 for the U.S., let alone given a timeline for its arrival. The 2011 model year intro would make sense because Mazda is busy launching the new 2009 Mazda6 right now and then the Mazda3 for model year 2010.

Since the Mazda2’s platform mate, the Ford Fiesta, will also be on sale here in the U.S, I’ll be interested to see how Mazda differentiates itself. In the past, Ford has been the value leader and Mazda the zoom-zoom, sporty option with better equipment levels. However, now that Ford has tasted the profit making “option Kool-Aid,” I’m sure that many Fiestas will be cranked out with high levels of content. I suppose that the Mazda2 will still be the sportier of the bunch, but because Ford and other manufacturers need to make profits from smaller cars now that the cash cow SUVs have gone out to pasture, the difference won’t be as obvious. It may come down to which car’s styling you like better and some slight performance/equipment variations.

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Mazda Expands Measures to Improve Employee Work-Life Balance: No 'Happy Endings' Included In Plan

I'm not sure what other automotive companies offer in the area of "work-life balance" but this improved plan from Mazda sounds impressive. Now, why did I include a protest song rated as one of the "Ten Terrible Records by Great Artists," "111 Wussiest Songs of All Time" and "50 Worst Songs Ever?" Because I'm a sick and twisted individual, that's why.

Mazda has announced that it will implement 10 policies to enhance its employees’ work-life balance beginning in August. The enriched personnel system offers more flexibility through measures to address the balance between an employee’s work and childcare and/or care for family members. These measures will enable Mazda to actively support the development of its employees’ careers.

1. Holidays available to pregnant employees who feel ill.
2. Five consecutive working day holidays are available (both male and female employees) until a child turns one year old.
3. Extension of leave period available until an employee’s child turns three years old. (Previously, the policy covered children up to one year old, and one-and-a-half years old in some cases). The leave period can be divided.
4. Special working hours granted for childcare. The current applicable period (to the second grade of elementary school) has been extended through to graduation from elementary school.
5. Provides an opportunity for former employees who left the company due to marriage, childcare, or family care reasons to return the company
6. Introduce a work at home option for a more flexible working style for employees who are taking care of children and family at home. (Up to 25% of regular monthly working hours.)
7. Leave time is available for family-related nursing care, volunteer activities, children’s school events and fertility treatments.
8. Provide the opportunity for employees to invite his or her family members to the workplace so that they can deepen their understanding of his or her work.
9. Provide female employees with networking opportunities to communicate and exchange information with each other to energize their work.
10. Supports female employees in creating a long-term career plan

complete shiny, happy press release can be found here

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Mazda Zoom Zooming Away From Ford With Powertrain Position

Speaking in Sydney, Australia recently, Mazda Chief Hisakazu Imaki admitted that his company does not see eye to eye with its partner Ford when it comes to powertrains. "Yes, it's true we are heading in a different direction [to Ford]," Mr Imaki said, "but we do work together on some things." Mr. Imaki questioned the run-up in energy prices, stating "Oil won't run out in my lifetime. Soaring petrol prices are not due to demand but financial speculation. America is the country most affected by petroleum prices." According to the article, Mazda won't be developing any plug-in hybrids of its own but will instead focus on improving the fuel efficiency of its gasoline motors. Mazda has stated previously that it wants to cut fuel consumption of its vehicles by 30 percent by 2015. The company is also working on hydrogen powered vehicles, but like everybody else these vehicles would only be offered in very limited numbers.

Does Mazda have it right? With oil prices beginning to cool and gasoline falling back under the $4 threshold for many drivers, one has to wonder how much of this energy hangover Americans are going to remember next year. Certainly the shock waves of $100+ oil are going to ripple through our economy for some time to come and I believe we'll see staples continue to rise in price as producers finally pass on cost increases. For many folks, that will mean less driving or swapping out gas guzzlers for more thrifty steeds. However, my co-worker was back in his Suburban today and when I asked him why he said "Stocks are up and oil is down" and then he sped away on his solo commute home. How many other folks are following that same logic?


Still a future for petrol-driven vehicles: Mazda chief - National News - National - General - The Canberra Times

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How is the Mazda CX-7 Selling?



I don't have the sales numbers for this vehicle, but I have to admit that I haven't see that many on the road. There have also been quite a few lease deals available, which can sometimes infer that they are trying a little harder to move the metal. The offer above is particularly interesting in that it requires no money for drive off. Now, it only allows for 875 miles/mo but usually an extra $10 or $20/mo will get that limit raised up enough to make it liveable. So many leases require a down of $2,500, $3,000 or sometimes much more which when divided by the number of months in the lease easily adds hundreds to the payment.

I took a short spin in the CX-7 and found it quite sporty for the size and I like its styling. For me it's in a strange place where it's not small enough to be a personal car and not big enough to be a family ride. Never the less, I'm a big fan of Mazda and its lineup of cars.

Speaking of leases, I read an article the other day about wear and tear insurance for leased vehicles. This insurance would protect the shoppers from huge bills when they turn in cars with some nicks and scratches that are over the allowable limits. I've always taken excellent care of my leased cars, but I have to admit until the deal is done I'm always biting my nails. This kind of insurance may become standard just like gap insurance for leased vehicles is pretty much standard today. I know I'd pay for it.

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