Category: Mazda

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MAZDA MX-5 1989 – 2014

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2005 Mazda MX-5

Mazda MX-5 totally changed the thinking in the automotive world when it was introduced to a surprised world in 1989. Prior to that most car makers felt that ever stricter safety regulations meant it was all but impossible to make a car safe unless it had a roof. Mazda proved it could be done and the MX-5 has since become the biggest selling roadster of all time. The rest of the world’s car makers took a close look at the engineering (and sales) of the little Mazda – and today… Read more

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2014 MAZDA CX-5 AKERA REVIEW

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Mazda’s CX-5 is a runaway sales success. They’re everywhere, bought by young ‘uns and not-so young ‘uns in vast numbers. But chart success is not always a hallmark of quality as a brief glance at what passes for a music chart will attest. The CX-5, though is different. Along with its cheery sales numbers comes handsome looks, some clever tech and a reputation for ride and handling. The top-spec Akera though is a test – priced where the Germans start (Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes GLA), it has to fight… Read more

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MAZDA2: AN UPMARKET SMALL CAR

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Mazda has been running hot in Australia for several years, often topping the overall sales list with its midrange Mazda3. The ‘3 is being offered in an ever increasing number of models to suit more and more buyers, the most recent being the addition of a high-performance diesel to the import list. Now an all-new Mazda2 has joined it big brother and is an impressive small car that feels a size larger than it really is. Unmistakably a new generation Mazda in its shape, the latest Mazda2 has a strong… Read more

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MAZDA3 IS HIGH-PERFORMANCE DIESEL

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Other than using less fuel we haven’t seen any real need to buy turbo-diesel engines in small or midsize cars – until now. That sudden change of mind happened within seconds of us getting behind the wheel of a Mazda3 with a 2.2-litre SkyActive-D diesel engine. The engine is smooth, has minimal lag and revs far more readily than diesels from all other marques. A sports diesel? Yes, it certainly is. STYLING The big-grille that’s such a feature of Mazda’s latest styling theme plays a major part in its sales… Read more

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MAZDA DIESEL TURNS OUT AN UNLIKELY HERO

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How things change. Touting a turbo-diesel as a halo hot-hatch a decade ago would have been unthinkable but Mazda has done just this with the new Mazda3 XD Astina, planting the flag on the latest Everest for oil burners. This Mazda3 sets out to combine performance with fuel efficiency, with the new 2.2-litre SKYACTIV-D diesel engine, mated with either a six-speed SkyActiv manual or a six-speed SkyActiv automatic transmission, the auto diesel being a first-time offering on a Mazda3. The new turbo-diesel shows an improvement of up to 12 per… Read more

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MAZDA2 2002 – 2013

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2010 Mazda2

The launch of an all-new Mazda2 in a few months makes this a good time to check out older models of this quality small car from Japan. Introduced to Australia in December 2002 the Mazda2 DY Series was a replacement for the Mazda 121, the latter a car that chopped and changed in its shape over the years, but generally enjoyed sales success downunder. Smoothness and comfort in the Mazda2 are as good as in many cars that are a full size up. Meaning it can be used as a… Read more

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MAZDA 323 1994-2003

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2002 Mazda 323

Mazda3 has been at the top of the sales races in Australia many times in the last few years. Today we take a look at how honourable ancestor, the Mazda 323, fares in the used-car market. The 323 was offered with a full range of bodies: four-door sedan, four-door hardtops, five-door hatch and station wagon. While the station wagon was withdrawn in 1989, the five-door hatchback from 1998 was almost wagon-like in its styling and practicality. Many owners say these later hatchbacks made a perfectly acceptable family car. The sedan… Read more

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MAZDA3 2.0-LITRE WILL WORK WELL FOR MOST

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We recently reported on the sporty version of the new Mazda3, the SP25, which was covered by Derek Ogden. Now we have come down a notch to the Mazda3 with the 2.0-litre engine, not the big 2.5 unit fitted to the SP25. Australians buy an amazing one tenth of all Mazda3s sold globally so it’s certainly worth reporting on the car again. STYLING The big-grille that’s such a feature of Mazda’s latest styling theme plays a major part in its sales success on every model on which it’s used. The… Read more

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MAZDA PHILOSOPHY COMES UP WITH CLASSY COMPACT

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The ‘3’ has been a Mazda mainstay for several years. With the arrival of the third generation in Australia, it’s easy to see why. An even dozen variants tap in to technology usually found in vehicles at the luxury end of the premium market to offer generous specification at sharp prices. Offered in sedan and hatchback versions, the new Mazda3 comes with a choice of two engines: the 2.0- or 2.5-litre SkyActiv petrol engine, mated with either SkyActiv six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Some familiar names turn up among… Read more

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MAZDA3 2004 – 2013

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2004 Mazda3

By EWAN KENNEDY CAPTIONS:     A. B. C. 2011 Mazad3 SP25 BODY COPY Mazda3 topped the overall sales race in 2011 and 2012 and already has a huge lead in the early days of 2014. Meaning there is a wide choice in the used-car scene, so take your time to find the best of the hundreds on sale at any one time. Mazda3 first went on Australia in April 2004, replacing the long-running Mazda 323. An all-new Mazda3 was introduced in April 2009 and the third generation arrived here in… Read more