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The line of Mazda, that sporty "Zoom-Zoom" brand from Japan, presents a diverse collection of vehicles for 2008. Heading Mazda's line are two souped-up crossover utility vehicles -- CX-7, a five-passenger wagon packing a turbo-charged engine, and CX-9, a seven-passenger CUV with trappings of luxury. Sport-tuned vehicles from Mazda include best-seller MX-5 Miata roadster, the high-tech RX-8 sports coupe and Mazdaspeed3 turbo-charged sports sedan.
The CX-7 has sharp styling pattered after racy RX-8 applies to Mazda's five-door and five-seat CUV. It possesses the spirit of a sports car and divides into three trims with front-wheel-drive (FWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction. Motivation comes from a turbo-charged and inter-cooled 2.3-liter four-in-line engine spiked to 244 hp and tied to a six-speed Sport automatic transmission with manual shift mode. Stock features range from 18-inch alloy wheels to power controls for windows and door locks, curtain-style air bags, anti-lock brake system (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), dynamic stability control (DSC) and traction control system (TCS) with roll-over sensors.
The Mazda CX-9 is a mid-size CUV with stretched wheelbase and a cabin containing three tiers of seats for seven passengers. Powertrain is a new 3.7-liter V6 which works with a six-speed Sport automatic transmission. Like CX-7, Mazda's larger crossover offers FWD or AWD traction. The luxurious cabin features top-quality materials and options for premium gear like a Bose audio system with ten speakers and a ceiling-mounted DVD entertainment system for backseat riders. Standard safety equipment includes Roll Stability Control (RSC) and curtain-style side air bags. Newest option for 2008 is a blind spot monitoring system (BSMS).
Mazda's Miata MX-5 two-seat and open-top roadster is the perennial best-selling sports car. Driving the MX-5 is a strong 2.0-liter in-line four-cylinder engine with dual cams and variable intake valve timing. It produces 166 hp and combines with three different transmission choices -- a five-speed manual, six-speed manual or six-speed Sport automatic with shifter paddles on the steering wheel. The convertible top works manually with a single latch handle. A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is standard gear now on all MX-5 trims for 2008.
Mazda enhances the year-round comfort and security of the MX-5 Miata by offering a power retractable hard top (PRHT). The MX-5 PRHT the quickest-closing power top in the business, as the push-button conversion from hardtop coupe to airy convertible consumes only 12 seconds. Just touch a toggle switch and watch the roof pleat at two seams and fold in three sections to stack behind the cockpit in the same space where the soft top stows. Unlike other folding hard tops which tuck into the trunk, Miata's PRHT does not consume any space in the trunk.
The Mazda5 multi-activity vehicle -- a miniature minivan -- features a wedge-shaped body and a big cabin with room for six. There's a broad sliding door on each flank and a low floor deck for easy entry to rear quarters, plus a one-touch mechanism for second-tier seats to move away when accessing the third row. Powertrain is Mazda's 2.3-liter four-cylinder plant for 153 hp, working through a five-speed manual transmission or new-for-2008 five-speed Sport automatic. Mazda5 trims in Sport, Touring and Grand Touring, the latter with leather-trimmed heated seats, xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps and a security alarm.
The RX-8 high-tech sports car packs a high-revving rotary engine. It's a two-door sports coupe with four-door functionality and seats for four. A twin-rotor engine displaces only 1.3 liters but makes 232 hp with a six-speed manual gearbox or 212 hp with the six-speed automatic. Mazda loads RX-8 with equipment like power windows, cruise control and a six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio kit. RX-8 Sport trim stocks xenon HID headlights, Touring brings a moonroof and Bose audio kit, and Grand Touring adds leather upholstery. A limited-edition 40th Anniversary RX-8 debuts in 2008 with Metropolitan Gray exterior and Cosmo Red leather interior.
Mazda's sporty mid-size cars skew as Mazda6 the four-door sedan and Mazda6 5-Door a hatchback. Engines include a 2.3-liter four-cylinder with 160 hp or 3.0-liter V6 with 215 hp. A spacious cabin contains front buckets and a rear bench with split folding seatbacks. Standard safety equipment ranges from ABS and TCS to side air bags for front seats and curtain-style air bags for outboard seats. All 2008 Mazda6 models tote a new TPMS, while Touring trim adds a Bose audio system and 17-inch alloy wheels go to Mazda6i Sport. Latest paint shades are Volcanic Red and Silver Metallic.
The Mazda3 Compact cars from Mazda look muscular in the promise of spirited performance. And they bring optimal space in a five-seat cabin plus lively throttle action from a four-cylinder engine. Mazda3 4-Door skews as a four-door notchback sedan packing a 156-hp 2.3-liter engine. Mazda3 5-Door is a five-door hatchback also using the 2.3-liter plant. Standard equipment on Mazda3 5-door is a sport package with front and rear fascia, side skirts, 17-inch alloy wheels and foglamps. A TPMS is also stock on all Mazda3 models, as side air bags plus curtain-style air curtains go into Sport models.
Zoom and zip go with the turbo-charged Mazdaspeed3 sports sedan. It features a compact and lightweight body design and a kicker engine stuffed below the hood. The turbo-charged and inter-cooled 2.3-liter direct-injection four-cylinder plant generates more than 250 hp and teams with a six-speed manual transmission. Big-diameter four-wheel disc brakes work on this sporty car, along with four-wheel ABS, EBD and DSC, plus 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels. The sport-tuned cockpit carries bolstered bucket seats up front with seat-mounted side air bags and curtain-style air bags tucking into headliners.
Mazda promotes the Tribute sport utility wagon as raised by a family of sports cars. With its unitized structure, Tribute rides on a FWD chassis and has independent suspension elements and crisp rack and pinion steering to forge a nimble CUV. It's new for 2008 with fresh exterior styling, more on-board electronic hardware for safety, and revamped trims of Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. Either FWD or AWD traction is available with powertrain choices of a four-pack or six-pack. Standard equipment across the board ranges from front foglamps and 16-inch alloy wheels to electronic controls like DSC, TCS and RSC.
Compact B Series trucks from Mazda for 2008 appear with two cab configurations and two powertrain choices. The two-door Regular Cab works for B2300 issues, and a CabPlus4 with twin rear-hinged back doors applies to all B4000 models. Top truck B4000 with four-wheel-drive (4WD) also has a husky V6 that ripples with 207 hp. B2300 stocks a 2.3-liter four-in-line worth 140 hp. Special edition Dual Sport carries the raised suspension of a 4WD truck but rear-wheel-drive (RWD) format.
