Standard equipment level was high: air conditioning, cruise control, power door locks, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls
Overhauled, restyled and re-engineered in 2009, the 2010 edition of the Mazda6 was also on the receiving end of refinements and various upgrade of a comparatively minor nature. Some models got a push-button start feature, while others featured a blind spot monitoring system. But for all intents and purposes, the 2010 and 2009 Mazda6s were…
The CX-7 was a cut above competitors, but it had less cargo space and was not available with a V6 engine or manual transmission
Available with front-wheel or all-wheel drive, the Mazda CX-7 got a bit of a facelift in 2011, continuing as a steady, if not spectacular, performer for the company. This vintage of the mid-size SUV is essentially a carryover from 2010. While the CX-7 didn’t share its platform with any Ford products, it featured an interesting…
Sometimes it seems like every other vehicle on the road is a Mazda. Specifically, one of the CX models: 3, 5 or 9. These are very popular SUVs and I’ve driven most of them at one time or another. The CX-5 is the sixth most popular compact SUV sold in Canada, behind perennial leaders Toyota…
Recycled batteries and other components, plus new models and partnerships
It’s time for a few odds and ends in the automobile business. Acura has a new, fourth generation 2022 MDX set to go on sale later this month. The flagship SUV will feature a new exterior redesign that the company describes as “bold and athletic,” new front suspension and revamped interior layout, among other things.…
The RF excels at point-and-squirt city handling, and can carve corners with the best of them
Mazda doesn’t often get it wrong. Over the years, it has produced some very well designed – and successful – cars and trucks. Models like the Mazda5, Mazda3 and, going back, the B2200 pickup have really struck a chord with buyers. They have cemented the company’s reputation as a thoughtful, astute manufacturer that knows how…
For 2021, Mazda has built in so many nanny features that it renders the car almost undriveable – or, at the very least, a pain in the butt
Sometimes an automobile can be just right – on paper. It can look half-decent, perform well, offer a reasonable level of comfort and hold its own through the corners. But when you slide behind the wheel, it just doesn’t come together and driving it is almost a chore. Take the 2021 Mazda3 Turbo. Please. This…
This sport cute may be a little shy on power but it’s a pleasure to drive as an urban runabout
For the first time in a long while, I went to a social event last week. Just a few people getting together to play a little music and socially un-distance for a while. It was all COVID-19-proof, of course, and a good time was had by all. But what struck me as I pulled up…
It offers hell-for-leather performance, yet idles like a purring cat at stoplights and is perfectly civilized on the highway
In the spirit of social distancing and stay-at-home isolation, here’s a look at a nearly forgotten classic and one of my favourite cars. One that got away from me and I really wish I’d kept: the third-generation Mazda RX-7. In the 1990s, sales were brisk for this Japanese company. Its motor sports division was basking…
This is a nice little car that’s fun to drive, nimble and nice looking
The phrase, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” can apply in spades to automobiles. We could also toss in “leave well enough alone” or “don’t mess with success.” Car makers have an annoying habit of taking a perfectly good model and altering or ‘refining’ it just because … well, just because. But with the…
This lovely automobile has a nice sense of balance, plenty of get-up-and-go, is comfortable and easy to get along with
Maybe it’s because the price of diesel has crept up. Maybe it’s because Volkswagen got busted for a massive fuel economy scam a few years ago. Maybe it’s because people stopped caring about fuel economy. But whatever the reason, diesel-engined cars have decreased in popularity to the point where they’re almost unavailable. For a while,…
Overhauled, restyled and re-engineered in 2009, the 2010 edition of the Mazda6 was also on the receiving end of refinements and various upgrade of a comparatively minor nature. Some models got a push-button start feature, while others featured a blind spot monitoring system. But for all intents and purposes, the 2010 and 2009 Mazda6s were…
