MX-5 gets the Coupe-Cabriolet treatment

Better late than never, so the saying goes, and this is the case with Mazda and its first foray into the SUV segment in Singapore. Getting in later allowed Mazda to find out what people really wanted from their SUVs, and the conclusion is quite clear with the stylish CX-7. “No” to bulky, truck-like 4x4s, and “yes” to sleek, stylish SUVs, that are as fun to drive as sports cars. This very much sums up the CX-7 – it really looks good, and going by its reception at the car’s launch last Friday, it will be a hit in the marketplace as well. Under the bonnet there is a turbocharged 2.3-litre 4-cylinder engine that puts out an impressive 174kW and 350Nm of torque. The only transmission available is a 6-speed automatic and permanent all-wheel drive. Looking more like a raised 5-door coupé than an SUV, the CX-7 will definitely send all other 4x4s back to the drawing board. The CX-7 will be up against the new Honda CR-V and Nissan’s new Qashqai in the 5-seater SUV category at the upcoming Singapore Motorshow. Look out for Oneshift.com’s review of the show, and the opportunity to vote for your favourite new models - including the new Mazda CX-7.

Mazda is certainly making bold design the mainstay of its product line up, the most recent being the sensational CX-7. And we can expect even more exciting designs from the Hiroshima-based company if the Nagare is anything to go by.

Mazda Motor announced Thursday that it will recall more than 12,000 vehicles from the Japanese domestic market to replace faulty airbags. The recall covers the JDM Premacy, Atenza and Ixion models (branded as Fords in Japan) manufactured between March 1999 and July 2002. Three accidents have apparently been attributed to the faulty airbags, which can abruptly open. Not a very fun surprise. About 19,000 of the affected vehicles were sold in export markets during the period, but the company has yet to issue a recall overseas.