Mazda lent the team at Consumer Reports a CX-5 so their auto engineers could take a first look.

Big thanks to the team for helping Joan to get her daughter the perfect Christmas gift!

" Mr. Sugiharto made buying a used car a very pleasant experience. By the time I found Russell & Smith I was exhausted with bad experiences from other dealers so my guard was up; I was tired of running around Houston to find things not as other dealers had described them. I explained my "wish list" of things I needed in a used car, which was to be a surprise Christmas present for our daughter, to Mr. Sugiharto and my price. I was not playing games and I expected the same from whomever I was doing business with, just tell me if you can do it or not. That's exactly what I got AND MORE! Mr. Sugiharto was honest, knowledgeable, prompt, maintained excellent communication (without being a pest). When I looked up reviews on Russell and Smith Mazda I knew I had made the right choice. Not to mention even our salesman, Mr. Sugiharto, had awesome reviews! When we arrived to pick up our new "used" car all the paperwork was in order and the process was quick (less than 30 minutes). We are so pleased to have done business with Russell and Smith Mazda and would highly recommend them!" -Joan M.

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We would like to thank our team for always making our guests feel comfortable.

‎"I'm so glad I came to this location. Kenny was friendly, personable, and informative. At no time was he pushy, like the common car sales man but instead very calm. He was also very patient with me because I was always on a time limit. Love love love, this location and the staff!!!"- Cassy

Mazda Going to Show Off Their Vehicles At The Tokyo Auto Salon

The Tokyo Motor Show is a stage that is intended for the world’s manufacturers of vehicles to show off their production models of vehicles, but the Tokyo Auto Salon gives designers and engineers the ability to stretch out their legs and show off some custom hardware. This year, Mazda will be taking 10 special models to the Tokyo Auto Salon, including a custom version of their recently released CX-5.

The custom CX-5 will come wearing a special paint, a lowered ride height and unique wheels, which will make for a much sportier appearance. Likewise, the company’s Demio has also received some attention, and visitor at the show can expect to see the Demio 13 Skyactiv Smart Styling bow alongside of the CX-5. The pint sized hatch will make use of a few aero treatments including a front underspoiler, side skirts and a rear underskirt.

The new Axela Skyactiv will also be put on display, which will have a body kit of its own, along with a sharp looking set of wheels. Visitors will also be able to get a closer look at a pair of customer Roadster models, as well. I am definitely liking the sound of this.

Courtesy of automotivediscovery.com

Long-Term Test: 2012 Mazda 3 Skyactiv

With its logical interior, standout looks and best-in-class driving dynamics, the Mazda 3 has been a longtime favorite of the Inside Line staff. We've recommended it to family and friends and even put our own money down on a few.

In a review of the 2010 Mazda 3 s Five-Door Grand Touring we let you in on a little slice of our personal lives. "Three chest-thumping, horsepower-hungry car guys who test-drive new cars for a living here at Inside Line all choose the economical Mazda 3 Five-Door hatch to park in their own driveways."

Unfortunately, not all is perfect in the land of the 3. Both the 2.5- and 2.0-liter engines made good power, but they were crude and returned substandard real-world fuel economy. The car's five-speed automatic wasn't helping anything either.

Mazda's solution to this problem is a new family of engines and transmissions it's calling Skyactiv. In our first drive of the 2012 Mazda 3 Skyactiv-G Grand Touring we wrote, "The fuel mileage is for real with the new drivetrains, and unlike most other approaches to maximizing mpg, they don't put a damper on the fun. Instead, it's quite the opposite. The Mazda 3 has never been better."

The fuel economy is real? The Mazda 3 has never been better? We knew right then we had to add one to our long-term fleet, and now we have in the form of a 2012 Mazda 3 i Five-Door Grand Touring.

What We Got
There are two engine options available for the 2012 Mazda 3 and for perhaps the first time, we didn't get the big one. A 2.5-liter, 167-horsepower inline-4 is available in the S trim and it is, admittedly, the one we want. It is not, however, the volume seller, nor is it the one that is set to take on the 40-mpg club head-on.

No, that motor is the 2.0-liter 155-hp inline-4 that currently sits in our Mazda 3 i. With the new six-speed automatic transmission (finally), this engine earned an EPA-estimated 39 highway and 28 city mpg. For comparison, that's 4 mpg better city fuel economy than the 2012 Mazda 2 with a manual transmission. This powertrain returns 40 mpg in the 2012 Mazda 3 sedan, but sedans are boring and less functional. We'll gladly give up 1 mpg for more cargo space and better looks.

Our 2012 Mazda 3 Grand Touring comes pretty loaded from the factory with a tilt-and-telescoping wheel, leather steering wheel, leather seats and door panel inserts, eight-way power driver seat, heated front seats, 16-inch wheels, 60/40-split folding seats, a 265-watt Bose stereo with 10 speakers, Bluetooth audio and phone and a full-color compact navigation system. Total price for all that plus the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine and Skyactiv-Drive six-speed automatic came to $23,595.

Beyond that we opted for an interior lighting kit for $200, an auto-dim rearview mirror for $275 and the Technology package for $1,400. That last one lumps together blind-spot monitoring, Sirius Satellite Radio, adaptive automatic bi-xenon lights and rain-sensing front wipers. It's hardly a necessary option, but we figured we wanted to see how good a Mazda 3 can get.

All together, this 2012 Mazda 3 i Five-Door Grand Touring in Indigo Lights Metallic with Dune interior stickers for $25,520. Mazda provided us with the vehicle for this test.

Why We Got It
When recommending the Mazda 3 to friends, the conversation frequently ended with just one question. "Seems nice, but does it get good gas mileage?" Our response was always, "Sort of." Now we have a chance to see if that weak point has been fixed without neutering the Mazda 3's other more interesting features.

We expect it will get better mileage, but can the 2012 Mazda 3 with Skyactiv technology deliver on the near 40-mpg promise? That will be a tough number to hit, although our most recent long-term test of the Mazda 2 confirmed that it delivered exactly what the EPA rating said it would.

We'll be tracking that story over the next 12 months and 20,000 miles to find out. Follow along on our Long-Term Road Test blog.

Current Odometer: 1,148
Best Fuel Economy: 41.7
Worst Fuel Economy: 23
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 33

Courtesy of Inside Line

We would like to thank the authors of these four shining reviews for their great feedback.

" I am a repeat customer bought my second car and was extremely happy with the whole process. I had a pleasure to work with Fleet Manager Adil Khan. He helped me with the purchaseof my last car and my new civic. I love this place not only they treat you well but also they have a huge selection. Our family bought 6 cars from this place in the past 3 years. I will definitely recommend friends and family to this place."- Eskober

 

Read more reviews on Google Maps here

Top 100 Most Played Holiday Songs

This is a list of the most played holiday music, provided by Mediaguide, a group that monitors radio airplay.

 

There may be 100, there may be more, there may be less. It's so long I didn't count.

 

But scroll down it to see where your favorite songs are included.

 

The number to the right is the number of times it has been played on the radio between late Oct. and early Dec.

 

I cite the list today in my story on whether all holiday radio formats have killed holiday music, by making it almost impossible for a new song to become a holiday classic. 

 

The last new song to crack the list of classics is "All I want for Christmas," by Mariah Carey, which was introduced in 1994.

 

 

 

"Jingle Bell Rock","Bobby Helms","782342"

"The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)","Nat King Cole","734256"

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (w/ The Harlem Community Choir)","John Lennon","697605"

"White Christmas","Bing Crosby","686384"

"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year","Andy Williams","681122"

"A Holly Jolly Christmas","Burl Ives","572909"

"Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree","Brenda Lee","555458"

"Do They Know It's Christmas?","Band Aid","550233"

"Feliz Navidad","Jose Feliciano","541174"

"Wonderful Christmastime","Paul McCartney","495519"

"Blue Christmas","Elvis Presley","487023"

"All I Want For Christmas Is You","Mariah Carey","447760"

"Please Come Home For Christmas","The Eagles","409856"

"Sleigh Ride","Leroy Anderson","403791"

"Happy Holidays","Andy Williams","391774"

"Winter Wonderland","Eurythmics","376578"

"Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer","Gene Autry","375342"

"Christmas Canon","Trans-Siberian Orchestra","357417"

"Jingle Bell Rock","Daryl Hall & John Oates","343294"

"It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas","Johnny Mathis","340512"

"It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas","Bing Crosby","332352"

"Do You Hear What I Hear?","Whitney Houston","330936"

"Merry Christmas, Darling","The Carpenters","328290"

"Sleigh Ride","The Ronettes","322878"

"Little Saint Nick","The Beach Boys","300396"

"Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24","Trans-Siberian Orchestra","296694"

"The Christmas Shoes","Newsong","292300"

"Deck The Halls","Mannheim Steamroller","290751"

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus","John Mellencamp","254097"

"Carol Of The Bells (Instrumental)","David Foster","248778"

"Santa Baby","Madonna","244020"

"The Little Drummer Boy","The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra","238620"

"O Holy Night","Josh Groban","238158"

"The Little Drummer Boy","Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band","235260"

"Do You Hear What I Hear","Vanessa Williams","226674"

"Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane)","Elvis Presley","223392"

"Frosty The Snowman","The Ronettes","222069"

"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)","The Chipmunks","222006"

"Someday At Christmas","Stevie Wonder","221892"

"The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)","Celine Dion","210528"

"Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)","Gene Autry","204530"

"Santa Baby","Eartha Kitt","195579"

"(There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays","The Carpenters","195294"

"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year","Johnny Mathis","195020"

"(There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays","Perry Como","182676"

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus","The Jackson 5","180846"

"Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer","Dean Martin","169488"

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus","The Ronettes","168369"

"Last Christmas","Wham!","168354"

"Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy","Bing Crosby & David Bowie","166620"

"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!","Dean Martin","163914"

"We Need A Little Christmas","Percy Faith & His Orchestra & Chorus","159800"

"O Holy Night","Celine Dion","159468"

"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year","Amy Grant","158324"

"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)","U2","155862"

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas","The Pretenders","155357"

"Christmas Time Is Here","Vince Guaraldi","155274"

"O Tannenbaum","Vince Guaraldi","153908"

"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town","Bruce Springsteen","147997"

"Winter Wonderland","Amy Grant","146558"

"Believe","Josh Groban","140306"

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen","Mannheim Steamroller","139080"

"I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas","Gayla Peevey","138405"

"Step Into Christmas","Elton John","133990"

"Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer","Dr. Elmo","133797"

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas","The Carpenters","133224"

"Let It Snow (w/ Brian Mcknight)","Boyz II Men","133029"

"Caroling, Caroling","Nat King Cole","131352"

"Frosty The Snowman","Jimmy Durante","130994"

"Do You Hear What I Hear?","Bing Crosby","129588"

"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow","Aaron Neville","129396"

"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (w/ Cyndi Lauper)","Frank Sinatra","128292"

"Snoopy's Christmas","The Royal Guardsmen","128172"

"Please Come Home For Christmas","Aaron Neville","124296"

"Sleigh Ride","The Carpenters","123938"

"Christmas Through Your Eyes","Gloria Estefan","123200"

"What Christmas Means To Me","Stevie Wonder","123153"

"Sleigh Ride","Air Supply","122512"

"Jingle Bells (The One Horse Open Sleigh)","Barry Manilow","120684"

"Frosty The Snowman","The Beach Boys","119602"

"Mary, Did You Know","Kenny Rogers","119018"

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas","Kenny Loggins","118443"

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen","Barenaked Ladies","117454"

"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow","Gloria Estefan","114675"

"My Grown-Up Christmas List","Kelly Clarkson","113877"

"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow","Michael Buble","112822"

"All I Want For Christmas Is You","Vince Vance & The Valiants","112521"

"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!","Andy Williams","112420"

"You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch","Thurl Ravenscroft","112058"

"Sleigh Ride","Johnny Mathis","111984"

"Where Are You Christmas?","Faith Hill","111362"

"Winter Wonderland","Jewel","111258"

"Joy To The World","Mannheim Steamroller","110940"

"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)","Darlene Love","110700"

"The Gift","Jim Brickman & Collin Raye","110344"

"Linus And Lucy","Vince Guaraldi","109698"

"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town","The Jackson 5","109278"

"We Need A Little Christmas","Johnny Mathis","106434"

"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!","Harry Connick, Jr.","106092"

"Silver Bells","Anne Murray","106002"

"Winter Wonderland","Darlene Love","104412"

"Silver Bells","Martina McBride","104184"

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing","Amy Grant","101722"

"I'll Be Home For Christmas","Amy Grant","101019"

"Christmas In Dixie","Alabama","100988"

"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)","Mariah Carey","99826"

"Mary's Boy Child (Oh, My Lord)","Boney M","99186"

"Sleigh Ride","Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops Orchestra","98394"

"Merry Christmas Baby","Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band","97304"

"Run Run Rudolph","Chuck Berry","96648"

"Deck The Halls","James Taylor","96603"

"The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)","Al Jarreau","96310"

"Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree","Amy Grant","96250"

"First Noel","Karla Bonoff","95456"

"Do You Hear What I Hear","Martina McBride","93246"

115 winners of 2012 Top Safety Pick

Stronger roofs lead to another record year for award

ARLINGTON, VA — The list of winners of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award is longer than ever this year, with vehicles in nearly every size category the Institute evaluates earning accolades. From minicars to sedans to pickups, consumers have a record number of choices among 2012 models.

In all, 69 cars, 38 SUVs, 5 minivans, and 3 pickups earn Top Safety Pick. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute evaluations. The ratings, which cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes, help shoppers pick vehicles that offer the highest levels of crash protection. Because the federal government now requires all 2012 and later passenger vehicles to have electronic stability control to help drivers avoid loss-of-control crashes, ESC no longer is a requirement to win as it was in prior years.

The winners' circle includes 18 new recipients for 2012, while 97 models that previously qualified for the 2011 award carry over to 2012.

"For the second year running a record number of models qualify," says Institute president Adrian Lund. "It's tough to win, and we commend auto manufacturers for making safety a top priority."

That commitment to protecting people in crashes is evident in the fast pace of design improvements automakers have made during the past year. Initially 66 vehicles qualified for last year's award as less-than-perfect rollover ratings held back many contenders. Later the number climbed to 100 as manufacturers redesigned roofs to make them stronger or introduced new models to win. The Institute's rolling test schedule allows for recognition of additional winners throughout the year, so many 2012 models qualified for a 2011 Top Safety Pick.

Again this year every major automaker has at least one winner. Subaru remains the only manufacturer with the distinction of earning awards for every model it builds. Subaru picks up 5 awards, including one for the redesigned Impreza, a small car.

Toyota/Lexus/Scion has 15 winners for 2012, more than any other auto manufacturer. General Motors is next in line with 14, followed by Volkswagen/Audi with 13, and Ford/Lincoln and Honda/Acura with 12 awards apiece.

Honda improves: Ten of the 18 new additions are Honda/Acura models, including the midsize Accord sedan, which hasn't earned Top Safety Pick since the Institute toughened criteria to win the 2010 award by adding a test to assess roof strength in a rollover crash.

Vehicles rated good for rollover protection have roofs more than twice as strong as the current federal standard requires. The Institute estimates that such roofs reduce the risk of serious and fatal injury in single-vehicle rollovers by about 50 percent compared with roofs meeting the minimum requirement. A new federal standard for roof strength will phase in beginning with 2013 models.

Roofs on the 2009 Honda CR-V and 2010 Pilot scored marginal ratings in prior Institute tests, while earlier models of the Accord, CR-Z, Fit, and Insight rated acceptable. Now all of these 2012 models earn good ratings and Top Safety Pick.

"Honda/Acura deserves credit for most-improved status," Lund says. "The automaker buckled down and upgraded roofs on 10 models that missed winning last year because of rollover protection. Now, the automaker has winners in the minicar, small car, midsize car, small SUV, midsize SUV, minivan, and large pickup categories."

Another midsize sedan, the Toyota Camry, earns its first-ever Top Safety Pick. Last year, the Camry missed the mark because of a marginal rating for seat/head restraints. The Toyota Yaris also earns its first Top Safety Pick award. Toyota upgraded the roof and seat/head restraints of the 4-door hatchback model to win. Good ratings secure the Yaris a spot alongside 3 other minicars, the Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, and Honda Fit, as 2012 winners.

"It's great to see the Accord and Camry, 2 of the top-selling midsize cars in the U.S. market, join the Top Safety Pick ranks this year," Lund says. "The Accord previously won the 2009 award but has been missing from the list since then."

With fuel efficiency and reduced emissions on many buyers' wish lists, the winners' circle includes more green choices. Toyota's all-new Prius v is among them. Roomier than the original, the v hybrid brings to 15 the number of winners available as hybrids. The plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, winners in 2011, also earn this year's award.

For drivers who need to haul loads, the Ford F-150, Honda Ridgeline, and Toyota Tundra are good choices in the large pickup category. Small pickups continue to be shut out. None the Institute has evaluated qualify for the award.

"When we launched Top Safety Pick in 2005, consumers had 11 models to pick from. Six years later, finding a winner that fits most budgets and lifestyles is easy," Lund says. "It's a testament to the commitment automakers have made to going above and beyond minimum safety standards."

About the award: The Institute awarded the first Top Safety Pick to 2006 models and then raised the bar the next year by requiring good rear test results and ESC as either standard or optional equipment. In 2010, the Institute toughened criteria by adding a requirement that all qualifiers must earn a good rating for performance in a roof strength test to assess protection in a rollover crash.

The Institute groups winners according to vehicle type and size. Lund advises consumers to keep in mind that size and weight influence crashworthiness. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford better occupant protection in serious crashes than smaller, lighter ones. Even with a Top Safety Pick, a small car isn't as crashworthy as a bigger one.

How vehicles are evaluated: The Institute's frontal crashworthiness evaluations are based on results of 40 mph frontal offset crash tests. Each vehicle's overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures recorded on a 50th percentile male Hybrid III dummy in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the test.

Side evaluations are based on performance in a crash test in which the side of a vehicle is struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph. The barrier represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures recorded on 2 instrumented SID-IIs dummies representing a 5th percentile woman, assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle's structural performance during the impact.

In the roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a displacement rate of 0.2 inch per second. To earn a good rating for rollover protection, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio.

Rear crash protection is rated according to a 2-step procedure. Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint geometry — the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man.

Seat/head restraints with good or acceptable geometry are tested dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph. Seats without good or acceptable geometry are rated poor overall because they can't be positioned to protect many people.

ALL 115 WINNERS (red indicates newly-announced winners for 2012)

Minicars
Fiat 500 built after July 2011
Ford Fiesta sedan and hatchback
Honda Fit
Toyota Yaris 4-door hatchback

Small cars
Chevrolet Cruze
Chevrolet Sonic
Chevrolet Volt
Ford Focus
Honda Civic 4-door
Honda CR-Z
Honda Insight
Hyundai Elantra
Kia Forte sedan
Kia Soul
Lexus CT 200h
Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback
Mini Cooper Countryman
Mitsubishi Lancer except Ralliart and Evolution
Nissan Cube
Nissan Juke
Nissan Leaf
Scion tC
Scion xB
Scion xD
Subaru Impreza except WRX
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf 4-door
Volkswagen GTI 4-door

Midsize moderately priced cars
Audi A3
Buick Verano
Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler 200 4-door
Dodge Avenger
Ford Fusion
Honda Accord
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Optima
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Toyota Camry
Toyota Prius v
Volkswagen Jetta sedan
Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen
Volkswagen Passat
Volvo C30

Midsize luxury/near luxury cars
Acura TL built after September 2011
Acura TSX sedan and hatchback
Audi A4
Lincoln MKZ
Mercedes C-Class
Volkswagen CC except 4-wheel drive
Volvo S60

Large family cars
Buick LaCrosse
Buick Regal
Chrysler 300
Dodge Charger
Ford Taurus
Toyota Avalon

Large luxury cars
Audi A6
BMW 5 series except 4-wheel drive and V8
Cadillac CTS sedan
Hyundai Equus
Hyundai Genesis
Infiniti M37/M56 except M56x 4-wheel drive
Lincoln MKS
Mercedes E-Class sedan
Mercedes E-Class coupe
Saab 9-5
Volvo S80

Small SUVs
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Tucson
Jeep Patriot with optional side torso airbags
Kia Sportage
Subaru Forester
Volkswagen Tiguan

Midsize SUVs
Chevrolet Equinox
Dodge Durango
Dodge Journey
Ford Edge
Ford Explorer
Ford Flex
GMC Terrain
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Kia Sorento
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Venza

Midsize luxury SUVs
Acura MDX
Audi Q5
BMW X3
Cadillac SRX
Infiniti EX35
Lexus RX
Lincoln MKT
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes GLK
Mercedes M-Class
Saab 9-4X
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC90

Large SUVs
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
GMC Acadia
Volkswagen Touareg

Minivans
Chrysler Town & Country
Dodge Grand Caravan
Honda Odyssey
Toyota Sienna
Volkswagen Routan

Large pickups
Ford F-150 crew cab models
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra crew cab model

From IIHS

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Big thanks to the author of this review for their kind words about their experience.

‎"I just bought a Mazda from Sutoyo at Russell & Smith. It was pleasant experience to work with Sutoyo. He is very friendly and honest on the price. I highly recommend Sutoyo @ R&S to buy your next car!"- Liu

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Team, great job in receiving this outstanding feedback!

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Next Mazda Miata to lose weight, possibly gain a turbo

The 2012 Mazda Miata is one of the great bantamweights of the automotive industry, but even it has gained more than a few extra pounds over the years.

If reports from British car publication What Car? are to be believed, it would seem that the right folks at Mazda's R&D department have taken notice.

When asked about the next Mazda MX-5 Miata, Hirotaka Kanazawa, Mazda's senior managing executive officer in charge of R&D, told What Car?, "'We will return to the original. It will be lightweight and the cost will be lightweight too. It will be easy to handle and fun to drive."

The original Miata weighed a scant 2,100 pounds, so the next Miata will need to shave over 300 pounds from the current generation to make weight. And Mazda will need to do that without getting too far from the current roadster's $23,190 starting price, which rules out most lightweight exotic materials, so we're expecting the next Miata to simply be smaller than the third-generation model and perhaps closer to the overall dimensions of the first or second generation.

However, the most interesting tidbit is that the next Miata, which is expected to arrive in 2014, could be powered by a small-displacement turbocharged engine taking advantage of Mazda's Skyactiv suite of efficiency technologies rather than a naturally aspirated one. This would be a Miata first. However, before you go shouting "MOAR POWA," remember that this is a return to form for the roadster, so expect a rev-happy and high-efficiency mill displacing about 1.3 liters. Mazda will, no doubt be placing an emphasis on "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom" here, so expect it to be a tire burner. (Although, Mazda could still switch gears and decide to offer a high-output version for enthusiasts. 2014 Mazdaspeed MX-5, anyone?)

Tips for Holiday Travel

Planning to visit Grandma's for Thanksgiving or spend Christmas in Paris? Traveling over the holidays can be notoriously busy, expensive and stressful, but the news isn't all bad. There are still deals to be found, provided you shop carefully and plan ahead. Check out our 10 tips for holiday travel and find some joy this holiday season. Avoid peak travel dates. At Thanksgiving, Wednesday is the critical outbound "avoid" day as a rule. Traveling on Thanksgiving day proper is often a breeze and more affordable; there are often cut-rate airfare deals on Thanksgiving day. On the return, Friday morning isn't bad at all, with each successive day getting a little busier, more difficult and more expensive through Sunday evening. The bottom line: If you are looking for a deal, you won't find one on the peak travel days. Travel off-peak whenever possible. Christmas and New Year's Day fall on Sundays this year, which means that the Friday before and the Monday after will be extremely busy. Book early. Haven't booked your holiday travel yet? It's time to stop waiting and start booking. Fares are only rising as Thanksgiving approaches, so those who hold out in hopes of a late-breaking sale are likely to get left out in the cold or pay a very steep price for their procrastination. The same goes for the Christmas holiday; book sooner rather than later, particularly if you require very specific travel dates or times. With the current state of the airline industry, it is never too early to book your holiday travel flights. While many of the best deals are probably already gone, keep an eye on our holiday travel deals for any last-minute bargains. Be prepared to be flexible with dates and flight times. Holiday Travel Ideas and Advice Shop around. Whether you're using booking sites like Travelocity, bid or auction sites such as Priceline, aggregator sites, or our very own travel deals, comparison shopping has never been easier than it is right now. During peak travel season, casting the net as wide as possible will help you understand all of your options. For many travelers, price isn't the only or even the most important factor, especially during the holidays. Thoughtful, deliberate use of the "search adjacent days or airports" features found on many Web sites may also surrender greatly improved fares and travel times. For more help, see our Tips for Finding Cheap Airfare. Having trouble finding a hotel? Don't miss No Vacancy? No Problem. Know your airports. Checking alternate airports is a pretty standard tactic, but at this time of year it can really make a difference. At no time can the alternate airport gambit pay off better than during the holiday crush. You can score on almost every front -- parking, rental cars, traffic to and from, nearby hotels -- and save both time and money. For example, a recent flight to Hanscom airport outside Boston dropped me right into Thoreau and Minuteman country near the peak foliage season, offering a very different experience than flying into Logan. Upon my return, the car rental agent informed me that my flight might be running late and let me hold onto the car keys until we were sure that the flight would take off, with no additional fee. Only at a small airport can you get that kind of treatment. Also, keep in mind that smaller airports see fewer flights and, typically, fewer delays -- not a minor consideration during the busy holiday travel season Plot connections carefully. When booking flights, check your search results carefully for sufficient time during layovers, and build in some time for flight delays and weather woes. Particularly during the winter months, peak travel times often bring peak travel delays, and your connection is more likely to be jeopardized. Avoiding really tight connections may save you a sprint through the terminal or a missed flight. Also, it is best if you can muscle your flight path into position so that connections are in places less likely to experience delays -- specifically, airports in warmer climates. For more advice, see our Winter Travel Tips. Leave early. During peak travel times, much of the trouble you'll face lies on this side of the security check-in, from traffic jams and full parking lots to absent shuttles and long lines. Rather than striving to "arrive at the airport early," you may want to try to "leave for the airport early" to anticipate all the peripheral delays you may encounter. Pack wisely. In the past, you may have been able to fit everything into your carry-on without having to check any baggage -- a strategy we still recommend. However, the TSA rules about liquids and gels make this a trickier proposition. For the record, you may bring liquids and gels in 3.4-ounce or smaller containers, packed within a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. You're also allowed to bring any liquids (such as coffee or water) or gels purchased after you go through a security checkpoint onto your plane with you. If you want to bring more than the 3.4-ounce amount, you'll have to pack the items in your checked luggage.

Mazda Takeri Carries the Kodo Standard Forward

By PHIL PATTON Courtesy of the New York Times

 

Kimimasa Mayama/Bloomberg NewsMazda Takeri concept, in Tokyo on Wednesday.

At the Tokyo auto show this week, Mazda unveiled the Takeri concept car, the clearest indication yet from the automaker of the future shape of the Mazda 6 midsize sedan.

While the Mazda 3 has persisted and evolved as an attractive and stylish alternative to rivals of the same size, the Mazda 6 has stood out less and been overshadowed, particularly in the American marketplace, by big sellers like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, as well as the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima.

Mazda intends to make the new car a rival for eye and checkbook using the automaker’s new Kodo design language. After the CX-5 crossover, which grew out of the Minagi concept, the Mazda 6 is expected to be the next vehicle to carry the new look.

 

Kodo was originally articulated by the Shinari concept car, shown in Milan in August 2010. The Mazda design chief Ikuo Maeda defined Kodo as “soul of motion.”

The Kodo theme involves muscular forms and flowing profiles, conveying a sense of compressed energy and power. By contrast, the earlier, more passive and natural language, called Nagare, was based on waves.

Mr. Maeda has said that Kodo evoked the power of a crouching feline predator, like a panther or leopard, and Mazda’s description of the Takeri referred to the shoulder of a cheetah, poised to pounce.

The more muscular and biological shapes of the new car, as well as the evocations of fierce cats, might be raising eyebrows at Jaguar.

That said, Kodo has been dialed back a bit from the more sensuous Shinari, but the elements are there. A bold metallic band links the bottom of the Takeri’s angular, six-pointed grille with the centers of the headlamps. The piece, which Mazda calls a signature wing, radiates the energy of a quick stroke of calligraphy. It makes the lamps appear to be aggressive eyes. The raised fenders are joined by a narrowed, Coke-bottle waist, in a wedge shape.

The Takeri evokes, but also moves beyond, the exaggerated front fender theme of the discontinued RX-7 sports car, which was suggestive of an open-wheel racecar. Though no such news came out of the Tokyo show, a successor to the RX-7 was a priority for Mr. Maeda, he has said. He is the son of Matasaburo Maeda, who designed the first generation of the RX-7 in the 1970s.