mazda

Ford Motor Company and Mazda are getting a boost in the Asian market with production of electric power-steering systems (EPS) from TRW in China.

TRW announced Tuesday it will add production equipment and manufacturing space, over the next 18 months, to its facilities in Anting, China.

"Electric Steering is a rapidly growing technology globally due to the many advantages it can provide," said Peter Lake, executive vice president, sales and business development for TRW. "Creating a regional production base for our Asian customers will provide a cost-effective source for these fuel-saving and emission-reducing technologies as we expand … Read more

Fans of Farmville have a new option on Facebook, Driverville. Mazda sponsored Driverville to create publicity for its new Mazda2 small car. Although sold around the world since 2007, the Mazda2 is only now coming to the U.S.

In Driverville, players earn Driverbucks by completing missions in the game, useful for buying items and customizing their cars. The first set of three missions, which include talking to Mazda Mike at the virtual Mazda dealership and collecting flags around Driverville, earn players a Mazda2 in the game.

Locations in Driverville include an arcade, a movie theater, and the Mazda Laguna … Read more

A Japanese town near Tokyo is about to become a test community for cars that run mainly on solar energy, several companies announced Wednesday.

Through a partnership with Mazda, Think Global, EnerDel, and Japanese conglomerate Itochu among others, Tsukuba City will be testing cars that rely on solar-generated electricity for their batteries, which will be rapid-charged at stations at local FamilyMart stores.

Mazda2 vehicles (known as the Mazda Demio in Japan) have been outfitted with all-electric drive trains made by Think containing EnerDel lithium ion batteries.

Solar panels attached to stationary grid-storage units designed by EnerDel will also have rapid-charging … Read more

Toyota Motor and Mazda Motor announced a deal under which Japan's top automaker will supply its hybrid technology under license to Mazda, in the latest linkup within the fast-changing auto industry.

Japan's No.1 and No.5 carmakers have been discussing the possibility behind the scenes since last spring as the popularity of gasoline-electric cars surged in Japan with the help of generous government subsidies.

Hybrid cars, which improve fuel efficiency by twinning internal combustion engines with electric motors, are seen as crucial for automakers to boost sales in the coming years as governments introduce stricter environmental regulations. … Read more

HIROSHIMA, Japan--Mazda Motor is bumping up the North American launch of the 2011 Mazda2 by about two months to meet dealer demand for the five-door hatchback.

U.S. and Canadian dealers now will get the car in early summer instead of late summer as originally planned, said spokesman Garett Carr. He did not give a specific launch date.

"Since the Mazda2 made its debut at the Los Angeles auto show last December, we have had a tremendous response from consumers and dealers," Mazda Motor Corp. President Takashi Yamanouchi said at the Canadian International Auto Show last month.

The … Read more

We prefer racing sports cars through the mountains to lumbering around suburban streets in an SUV, but if we absolutely had to get a vehicle that could hold seven people plus cargo, the Mazda CX-9 would rank high on our list of choices. Although large, the CX-9 drives more like a car. And its unique, modern design looks good. It reads as the quintessential crossover, combining the best of cars and SUVs.

On the down side, in Touring trim, such as the one we reviewed, navigation isn't available, forcing a move up to the Grand Touring trim, plus buying … Read more

For the last five years, Mazda showed concept cars on the auto show circuit featuring what it calls Nagare styling, and we finally get to see a production car that embodies this new design. Nagare is a Japanese word meaning flow, denoting how wind and water flow around objects in nature.

The new Mazda5, which Mazda says is its first car to fully realize this design language, exhibits an almost bulbous front end, with lines that contour the sides of the car. The Mazda3 showed a similar front end, but didn't follow through on the rest of the car. … Read more

The problem with big cars with lots of horsepower is that, unless you live near the Utah Salt Flats, you never get to actually use all that potential. And going fast in a straight line isn't lasting fun. But a small car with good handling and a torque-y engine can lead to hours of enjoyment on winding roads. That's where the Mazdaspeed3 comes in.

This hot hatchback offers tight, quick handling appropriate for tackling mountain roads with switchbacks, while its small, turbocharged engine pours on the twist. The tech features in the cabin are only moderate, but Mazda … Read more

Remember when the bottom dropped out of the economy and everyone was screaming for small, inexpensive, and fuel efficient cars? Well, they're here; and they're in Los Angeles.

Small cars ruled the roost at the 2009 LA Auto Show, with marquees such as the Ford Fiesta, the Mazda Mazda2, and the VW Up Lite attracting a lot of attention and stealing the spotlight from bigger more powerful cars.

Check out our gallery of small cars at the 2009 LA Auto Show for a closer look.