Thank you for the excellent feedback!

"I worked with Jose Molina and Gilton Huggett to purchase my new Mazda 3i Touring. Jose and Gilton were both a pleasure to work with and were very professional. Jose Molina is a new Sales Manager at Russell & Smith. I negotiated with Jose over the price of the car, and I can assure everyone that he is a straight shooter. He offered me the best price I could find in the Houston area, and the price he quoted me over the phone was the same price I bought the car for. There were no hidden fees at all. Gilton was knowledgeable and helpful. I would recommend this dealership to my friends." - CastleZ

Check out the behind the scenes footage from Mazda's 'Better. Smarter. Stronger.' commercial!

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Take a look as the Mazda 5 receives an in-depth review!

My wife and I recently undertook that most dreaded of tasks, buying a new car. Her old wheels, a wheezing, green (where it wasn’t rusted) minivan had served us well for a decade, but its days were numbered. Things have changed a bit since we bought that vehicle and we went into this round with some very clearly defined requirements. When all was said and done, we came away with a Mazda 5. I thought I’d share our experience with it so far, since many of you are right in its target demographic and tends to get overlooked in its odd position somewhere between minivan and wagon.

Shopping for a car is both easier and more complicated than it used to be. There is a lot more information out there than ever, thanks to the web — which puts the buyer in a stronger position than ever. The downside is that so much information can be a little overwhelming. There are plenty of really useful car buying guides online, and what we started out with on this exercise was a list of requirements. Among them:

• Seating for a family of five. Real seating (suitable for long drives).
• Safety. My family will be in this thing. Enough said.
• Fuel economy. While it would be used as a family hauler on occasion, its primary purpose is daily commutes. While $4/gallon gas appears to be causing freakouts in the US, here in Canada, I’ve been paying $5 a gallon all year and that’s before the annual summer price spike.
• Compact enough for urban driving and parking; flexible enough to hold everyone when needed.
• Reasonably priced (ideally under $30k).

We went through the usual list of suspects: all of the minivans, the wagons and some crossovers. Everything we tried out represented a compromise of one key requirement or another. We test drove a Mazda 5 and kept coming back to it. As a vehicle for a family of five, it hit all of our key requirements pretty much spot on.

The 5 uses three rows of two seats, for a seating capacity of six. The middle row slides back and forth, to adjust leg room within the various rows and to ease access to the back row. Unlike many third rows that are crammed in afterthoughts, this one is actually useful; at six feet and two hundred and (mumble mumble) pounds, I can sit back there. I wouldn’t want to be in the third row for an all day road trip, mind you, but it’s comfortable enough for short hops. The Grand Touring model we went with includes a flip down tray that adds a nice degree of separation between the two middle row seats, which is ideal for minimizing fights during long hauls. Minivan-like sliding rear doors make loading kids in much easier than other 3-row vehicles while eliminating the threat of banging doors off neighboring cars in tight parking spaces. None of the seats are removable, but they all individually fold flat. We keep one of the rear seats down at all times for additional storage space, while folding both rear seats opens enough space to transport the dogs. Mazda utilized any spare space available to create small areas to stash electronics and the like — in the extra deep glove compartment (seriously, it feels like you’re reaching through to the engine compartment), and under seats.

Safety features include ABS brakes, dynamic stability control, traction control, a tire pressure monitoring system, three point seat belts at all positions, whiplash-reducing front seat headrests and a whack of airbags, including side impact curtains. The crash test results, safety features and other insurance-related variables were significant enough that the difference between insurance coverage on the Mazda 5 and the ten-year-old vehicle it replaced was negligible. That was a pleasant surprise from my insurance broker.

Fuel economy is rated 21 city/28 highway. What really set this car apart from the minivan we left behind is how much fun it is to drive. It’s only a 4-cylinder engine, but it’s peppy, even with all the kids in the car. If you’re so inclined, it’s even available with a six speed manual transmission; good luck finding that option in a minivan. It has a smaller footprint than a minivan, it’s lower to the ground and Mazda’s tuned it to drive more like a car than a hauler. The GT version we ordered also came with lots of toys — heated front seats, Bluetooth hands-free phone and stereo integration, leather seats (easy to wipe off), a sunroof and Sirius satellite radio, among others — while still coming in on budget.

Courtesy: Wired.com

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Come take a look as Mazda brings you a crossover without compromise in the all-new CX-5

 

Weekly Wednesday Car Care Tip

Happy Wednesday, fans! It’s time for your weekly car care tip. Ditch the junk in your trunk: No hip-hop reference here -- just clean out your car. The more you haul, the more fuel you burn. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your mpg by up to 2%.

2013 Mazda CX-5 Named to Ward's "10 Best Interiors" List

The all-new 2013 Mazda CX-5 today was named to WardsAuto World's 10 Best Interiors list, as chosen by the publication's editors.  A newcomer to the compact crossover SUV segment, at 35 miles per gallon (mpg), CX-5 boasts the best highway fuel economy of any SUV sold in North America - including hybrids - thanks to SKYACTIV®  TECHNOLOGY, the brand's innovative engineering philosophy on fuel-saving technologies.

"To separate itself from the competition, the 2013 CX-5 had to offer not just the same features and options as other compact crossover SUVs, but be better, stronger and smarter than those other offerings," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO).  "For CX-5 to be honored with such a distinct award is a testament to Mazda's passionate attention to every detail - from dynamics and engineering to safety and design."

All new or significantly changed production vehicles are eligible for review by the editors of WardsAuto.  Interiors are rated based on material selection, ergonomics, driver information, safety, overall value, touch points/comfort, fit and finish as well as aesthetics/design harmony.  There is no price cap for vehicle entries.  The 2013 CX-5 Grand Touring was entered this year.

Previously known as "Auto Interiors of the Year" as part of the Automotive Interiors Show held annually in Detroit, WardsAuto became the title sponsor in 2005, renaming the awards to Ward's 10 Best Interiors in 2011.  The Mazda5 and MAZDASPEED3 were selected for the prestigious list in 2008 and 2010, respectively.

The 2013 CX-5 starts at $20,695 and features high-level standard interior equipment such as a SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission, cloth seat upholstery, power windows with a driver's side one-touch auto open/close, push-button start, a tilt-and-telescopic steering column, steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls as well as auxiliary and USB connection ports.

As tested, the CX-5 Grand Touring adds standard luxury cabin amenities in the form of a SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic transmission, leather-trimmed seat upholstery, heated front seats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 5.8-inch in-dash color monitor with rearview camera, a power moonroof, 40/20/40-split fold-down rear seats, Bluetooth® hands-free phone and audio connectivity with steering-wheel-mounted controls, a Bose® Surround Sound System, HD Radio^TM Technology and Sirius Satellite Radio. 

A Technology Package is available for the Grand Touring model and includes an in-dash TomTom-based navigation system, bi-xenon auto-leveling headlights with a pivoting Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), an auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink®, an anti-theft alarm and Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry.

CX-5 Grand Touring models start at $27,045.  The CX-5 Touring mid-level model starts at $23,895.

Recently named a "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), all

CX-5 models boast best-in-class fuel economy.   Front-wheel-drive (FWD) models equipped with SKYACTIV-MT are EPA-rated with an estimated fuel economy of 26 city/35 highway/29 combined.  When equipped with SKYACTIV-Drive, FWD models receive an mpg rating of 26 city/32 highway/29 combined.  SKYACTIV-Drive is standard on all-wheel-drive (AWD) models, which return an estimated EPA fuel economy rating of 25 city/31 highway/28 combined mpg.

 

Courtesy of Mazda USA.

Get an oil change today for just $22.95!

Get an oil change today for just $22.95!

Meet the people behind one of the most talked-about automotive stunts on the web today!

Interview with Mazda Design Director Derek Jenkins: 2012 New York Auto Show

The Mazda Takeri Concept made its North American debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show last week. And for the first time, the Takeri Concept featured Mazda's SKYACTIV-D clean diesel powertrain, possibly a hint of what's to come. We spoke with Design Director for Mazda North America, Derek Jenkins, regarding the new KODO design language.

Speaking with Jenkins, he told us the bladed front end design on the new 2013 CX-5 crossover is just the first step in the KODO design language. The Takeri's bladed front end has a much more three-dimensional shape featuring more depth. This gives the vehicle a more aggressive look, and upmarket feel. This is all part of Mazda's new corporate face, which gives the vehicle a more aggressive, confident look.

KODO is a uniform design language that can be spread across the Mazda lineup. While it won't be cookie-cutter, it will show family resemblance throughout all future vehicles.

A lean, clean, light look is all part of KODO design according to Jenkins. Detailing, machined materials, and stance will all evolve as time goes on, but Derek really pushed proportions, as Mazda wants the KODO styling to age gracefully, and not be trendy.

The front end design also incorporates aerodynamics for better fuel economy. This plays large part in the SKYACTIV equation as Mazda will be using lightweight materials in both future powertrains, and future vehicle structures. This is in an effort to meet and exceed new CAFE regulations.

 

Courtesy of Motor Authority.

Save on your next tire rotation at Russell & Smith Mazda.

We deeply appreciate this great feedback.

"My wife and I would like to praised the extra efforts made by Sutoyo (Internet Sales Manager), Ben (Used Car sales manager) and Roy (Finance Manager) for going out of their way just to help us out in trading back our car and replacing it with a much beautiful and much better vehicle that would fit our budget. These gentlemen truly defined what customer service is all about! Russel and Smith is lucky to have these guys on their side! Thanks guys!" -John

This Mazda 2 defies convention, and gravity.

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Take a look at the latest Mazda lease incentives to save big!

We have got some amazing lease offers for you this April, like $232/month AND $0 due at lease signing for a 2012 Mazda3 i Sport Automatic Transmission.

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National Car Care Month Tip

April is National Car Care Month and we want to share a tip with you to keep your vehicle running smoothly year round: Consolidate your short driving trips. Most of the wear and tear - as well as the pollution your car generates - takes place in the first few minutes of driving. Doing several errands at once, during low traffic hours if possible, will keep your engine happier longer.