Mazda, most fuel-efficient automaker in US - EPA

[97tbird]

...and proud to own the car pictured at top of the link!
This while also being the most driver-oriented in its class, is a double bonus...

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/12/17/epa-says-mazda-most-fuel-efficient-automaker/

Wife's 2014 Mazda 6 still averaging around 37-38 MPG (mixed, majority hwy)

 

[JC1]

Mazda's may be good on gas, but the are terrible when it comes to keeping rust at bay.

http://www.autonet.ca/en/2013/10/09/top-10-best-and-worst-rust-resistant-cars

Regards, JC.

 

[dparm]

Very impressive for Mazda considering they don't do hybrids and have almost no diesel offerings. Then again, they don't build any huge vehicles to suck down the average.

Maybe this will be a nice kick in the pants to the other manufacturers to step up their game.

 

[John_K]

Actually it's Hyundai but they got left out because of the issues they had with calculating their numbers earlier.

John

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: JC1
Mazda's may be good on gas, but the are terrible when it comes to keeping rust at bay.

http://www.autonet.ca/en/2013/10/09/top-10-best-and-worst-rust-resistant-cars

Regards, JC.

Rust testing requires time. This Mazda6 that the OP bought is too new to have any valid data on. While in the past Mazdas did have rust issues, is it possible these new ones are better in that department?

 

[97tbird]

Don't have any experience with past Mazdas of our own (Current one is our 1st).

Know 2 friends and 1 fam member who own Mazdas from 2002 (1 friend in DC) and 1998 (fam member in SC) respectively. Neither of those have any rust, and still look pristine (Last saw 2 of those cars about a yr ago at a gathering).

I haven't seen the other (3rd) Mazda ever, but it's also in DC and *think* it's a 2006-ish Mazda 6. No data on that one.

 

[SLATRON]

yea my 1 ton mazda dually quad-cab 5th wheel tower gets great mileage, oh wait its a ford

Mazda's not a full line manufacturer imo

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: SLATRON
oh wait its a ford

Mazda's not a full line manufacturer imo


you are misinformed - Mazda IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH FORD ANYMORE !
They 'broke up'- It's all and only Japanese now.
There are NO Ford-Mazdas anymore.

http://www.carscoops.com/2011/06/report-mazda-to-cut-ties-with-ford-and.html

 

[dishdude]

Of course they are the most fuel efficient - they don't make trucks, minivans or even full size cars!

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
- they don't make trucks, minivans or even full size cars!

What's an example of a full size? Most of today's "mid-size" cars are what used to be full sized, I think...

Mazda 6 dimensions:

And This is a Mazda Mini Van: (in current line-up and available to buy in the US)

 

[dareo]

So why are Mazda's sales still so low? I like the cars. We ultimately bought an Accord instead but they have cool stuff.

 

[jrustles]

Originally Posted By: SLATRON
yea my 1 ton mazda dually quad-cab 5th wheel tower gets great mileage, oh wait its a ford

Mazda's not a full line manufacturer imo


Because of no light duty trucks?

I dunno, they've been producing pickups since '61 as I understand it. With the only exception of the '93-EOL North American only b-series badged ranger trucks, all Ford pickups worldwide have been Mazda designed and built.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_B-Series

The only reason Mazda used the Ranger in North America is because of the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax which made it prohibitively expensive to import their own Japanese light trucks here. It's also why other Asian makes built truck plants here.

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: dareo
So why are Mazda's sales still so low? I like the cars. We ultimately bought an Accord instead but they have cool stuff.

They never have/had the volume that Hon/Toy/Niss. have and it's not a "volume seller" - too little of an appliance like most other makes. So you don't see a following/sales like the big 3, which is what makes owning a Mazda so good - a bit of exclusivity - you don't see them everywhere you turn, and even in a mid-size 4 door, you see and feel the sportiness - hence the huge European following comp'd to the big 3 Japanese makers.

They're more focused on offering more sporty, handling oriented cars and are OK with keeping numbers low I think:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-dri...article4604138/

Quote:
“We’re recognized as a Japanese brand that’s different than other Japanese brands,” says Koreeda, noting that Toyota, Honda and Nissan compete for customers across the board – many of whom want nothing more than a transportation appliance, a commuting machine that is means to go from A to B. Mazda wants buyers who bring some enthusiasm, even passion to their time behind the wheel. The long-term goal is to move Mazda slightly upmarket, but not as far into premium territory as BMW. At least not yet. That would be zooming away from the company’s base.

 

[RamFan]

Love my CX-5 in all aspects.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Of course they are the most fuel efficient - they don't make trucks, minivans or even full size cars!


Right. Their main competition is probably Honda, Toyota, GM, and Ford. Honda makes V6 SUVs, Toyota makes trucks, and the American ones have numerous large SUVs with both V6 and V8 power. Mazda is not a "full line" automaker any more than Ferrari. Their largest car is a mid-size, not a full-size, and they do not have any larger SUVs or trucks. That puts them at a strong advantage when it comes to claims like "most fuel efficient automaker".

 

[97tbird]

Well, in our personal case, we were concerned with mid-size sedans, and this is certainly good news to us (although we sort of knew anyway, at least in the mid-size 4 dr segment).
We could care less about SUVs trucks etc, but I do see the point cchase makes. (Mazda does make a pretty large SUV with 3 rows of seats - the CX9, AND a mini van)

why do you think CX9 is a small SUV? The CX5 is the small one - the current CX9 is freaking huge!
and AGAIN, Mazda DOES make a full size mini van! are people blind ???

But I think if all other makers were compared EXCLUDING their trucks, Mazda would still win, or come very close.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird

We could care less about SUVs trucks etc, but I do see the point cchase makes. (Mazda does make a pretty large SUV with 3 rows of seats - the CX9, AND a mini van)


Without knowing the qualifications of the actual numbers in the report linked, it's hard to say.

Certainly Honda at 27.0 mpg second, if the numbers use all possible combinations of drivetrains, would probably be #1 without the Pilot and Odyssey or V6 Accords. Mazda doesn't have any competition to those vehicles. You could just as easily argue that its Hondas choice to offer V6 engines in those models, but the sales are clearly on their side so I would hardly call it a mistake on their part.

 

[97tbird]

Yeah I guess the best way to treat this article is probably be happy if you own a Mazda and still be happy if you own one of the other makers. After all, I am sure each company offers something for everyone.

(as for v6 Accord I have driven it, and the Mazda 6 with its 4-banger still felt quicker in curves and sportier in handling dept, but I guess it's lighter too; its a/t sure put 4-banger Accord's CVT to shame, and of all 5 cars we test drove Mazda's AT felt and shifted fastest)

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird

(as for v6 Accord I have driven it, and the Mazda 6 with its 4-banger still felt quicker in curves and sportier in handling dept, but I guess it's lighter too; its a/t sure put 4-banger Accord's CVT to shame, and of all 5 cars we test drove Mazda's AT felt and shifted fastest)


Of course the 4-cylinder Mazda felt better in curves than the V6 Accord, it's hardly apples to apples. I'm not sure why people buy the V6 Accords anyway, but it's certainly not because they handle better. They are, however, absolute rockets, especially compared to the Mazda 6. The 0-60 time for a Mazda 6 is is 7.6 seconds and 15.7@88 mph in 1/4 mile. A V6 Accord is 6.2 to 60 and 14.3 @ 100 mph for 1/4 mile. The fact that the V6 Accord can do that and pull off 34 mpg highway only makes it that much more impressive.

Either way, there's no denying that the Mazda 6 has been the darling of the automotive media recently. And even with that, the Accord will still outsell it 10-1.

 

[97tbird]

Yep, of course if not 15-1.

And that (sales numbers) was never anything that Mazda or its buyers much cared for, I think, Which is exactly why Mazda just has a very different type of image, which is fine with me.
(see the quoted part in red in one of my previous posts above)

Toy/Hon have had their own share of car rag darling treatment too, for decades mostly because of reputation build in the past, and at times undeserved - Mazda has only recently gotten some publicity. Mazda was almost always hated by car rags, and I have seen reports where some magazine would bash the old Mazda 6 but praise the heck out of a Fusion, which was pretty much the same darn car! : LOL !

No one ever bought Mazdas for fuel economy figures, or because it has any impressive sales figures, but it just adds a bonus to its small niche of loyal fans to see such good MPGs with the new SkyActive line, I guess. It has something for the MazdaSpeed crowd AND something for the one who looks for DD with some added fun.

And you're right - when it comes to straight line 0-60, it's unfair to compare a v6 to a i-4 (and vice versa in curves, which i mistakenly did - but I personally can enjoy a lower powered car which handles better in curves than a higher powered car in straight line)

All comes down to personal preference in the end. I am sure they both have their own exclusive strong points.