Archive for the ‘MAZDA3’ Category

Three new sets of crash-test results released late this week by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) appear to leave very little, if any, room for improvement. All three of these vehicles—the 2010 Dodge Journey, 2010 Lincoln MKT, and 2010 Mazda Mazda3—achieved top ratings in all the major categories and were named Top Safety Picks by the IIHS.

The Dodge Journey, a crossover vehicle that had been introduced for 2009, hadn’t yet been tested by the IIHS, so results apply to both 2009 and 2010. And they’re pretty much perfect across the board. The Journey SXT all-wheel-drive model tested got top ‘good’ scores in all three primary...

We've told you a few times about the 2010 Mazda Mazda3 (redundant? Ask Mazda and Chrome Data about model names) and published our hallmark Bottom Line and Full Review, too. But a trip to southern California gave us a perfect excuse to seek out the "other" Mazda3, the less powerful base car that will be filling out the sales figures while enthusiasts wet themselves over the high-line Mazdaspeed3 versions yet to come.

From its grinning front end to its pert little rear, the base Mazda3 is close kin to the pricier models. It gets the same four- and five-door body styles as the uppity 2.5-liter version. There are key differences, though:...

If you’re looking for a new set of wheels despite the recession, you’re in for a surprise. New cars can be far more expensive than you recall from your last trip to the showroom. According to figures from Comerica Bank, which compiles an annual study on affordability, the average new car sold in America cost $28,715 last year–hardly affordable for lots of shoppers who need reliable, safe, and inexpensive new cars.

Which cars sit at the bottom of the pricing ladder? It may be surprising that there are dozens of cars below the $16,000 price mark. Some well-styled cars, with plenty of room and strong five-star ratings from the National Highway...