Mazda is Giving Its Entire Line-Up the 100th Anniversary Treatment

With Mazda celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, everyone was waiting as to what special edition model the carmaker would come out with. Well, we know that right now. And in a (pleasant but unexpected plot twist), the entire line-up is getting the treatment.

Available for pre-orders now in Japan, but to be rolled out globally (the photos reflect left-hand drive models, actually), the 100th Anniversary Special Edition series encompasses the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-3, CX-30, CX-5, CX-8, MX-5, and MX-5 RF.

It’s purely an aesthetics package that hark back to Mazda’s first passenger car, the R360 Coupe. With that, it adopts a two-tone interior color scheme in white and burgundy. Moreover, it has various components such as the headrests, floor mats, key fob, wheel center caps, and special exterior emblems all emblazoned with the special 100th Anniversary logo. The sole color is the Snow Flake White Pearl.

In Japan, the 100th Anniversary Special Edition Mazda2, Mazda3, and CX-3 go on sale first with a target date of June, followed by the CX-30, CX-5, CX-8, MX-5, and MX-5 RF in July, and finally the Mazda6 in September.

With Mazda already confirming global availability of these models, it’s highly likely that Philippine distributor Bermaz Auto Philippines would be bringing in a handful as well. That said, it’s likely they’ll concentrate on the likes of the MX-5 and MX-5 RF, though enthusiasts will surely like to see them give the 100th anniversary treatment to more mainstream models.

No Fog Lights? No Worries. Mazda Cited for Good Headlights as 5 Models End Up as Top Safety Picks

When Mazda first came out with the all-new Mazda3 and refreshed Mazda6, one of the complaints lashed out on these two vehicles is the lack of front fog lights. Though engineers did manage to tuck the function into the headlights, it still was a concern for those who’re used to seeing additional set of driving lights mounted closer to the ground.

Well, worry no more, because the U.S.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) confirmed what Mazda was telling everyone all along: their headlights are okay. True enough, the 2020 Mazda3, Mazda6, and even the CX-3, and CX-5 were awarded with the highest Top Safety Pick+ award. Meanwhile, the Mazda’s CX-9 earns an additional Top Safety Pick for 2020 (when equipped with the ALH headlights).

This means Mazda earned more awards than any other automaker from IIHS, beating even the likes of safety-minded Subaru and Volvo.

To qualify for the 2020 Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards, Mazda vehicles earned good ratings in each of the IIHS’s six crashworthiness evaluations: moderate overlap front, driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraints & seats. Mazda vehicles also earned advanced or superior ratings for front crash prevention in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations. Additionally, Mazda achieved good or acceptable headlight ratings, with the “plus” awarded to its models that come exclusively with good or acceptable rated headlights (this discounts the locally-speced 2020 CX-3 which comes with just halogen headlights).

Also helping Mazda achieve this high safety rating is its umbrella of advanced driver assist technologies that make use of milliwave radars and cameras. Called i-Activsense, it’s available in certain Mazda3, CX-30, and CX-8 models in the Philippines.

They include active safety technologies that support safer driving by helping the driver to recognize potential hazards, and pre-crash safety technologies which help to avert collisions or reduce their severity in situations where they cannot be avoided. These technologies include Smart City Brake Support, Smart Brake Support with Collision Warning, Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning System with Lane-Keep Assist, Driver Attention Alert, High Beam Control, and Adaptive Front-Lighting System.

Mazda is the Best-Selling Diesel Passenger Car Brand in Japan

If you want to know what the best-selling diesel-powered car brand is in Japan, you’ll be surprised to know that it’s Mazda. And the carmaker has celebrated a very important milestone: it has sold more than 500,000 cars equipped with Skyactiv-D there.

Opting for an unconventional approach to diesel engines, the Skyactiv-D uses a low compression ratio to greatly improve driving performance, fuel efficiency, and environmental performance. Since its introduction in Mazda vehicles in February 2012, it has sold 500,558 vehicles equipped with this cutting-edge engine. This accounts for about 52 percent of all diesel-powered cars sold in Japan (total cumulative sales of diesel-powered cars from 2012 to 2019 stands at 961,683).

Mazda says its Skyactiv-D powertrain has garnered a strong following due to its “overwhelming torque, and economy that makes you happy every time you refuel.” It’s also been recognized for its outstanding quietness.

In the Philippines, the 2.2-liter Skyactiv-D is offered in both the Mazda CX-5 AWD Sport and the Mazda6 Signature.

2020 Honda Accord EL vs Mazda6 Skyactiv-Turbo vs Toyota Camry 2.5 V

With the launch of the 2020 Honda Accord, the Japanese executive sedan “big three” has now seen either a substantial re-fresh or a full-blown model change. Eschewing a large displacement normally-aspirated engine, the Accord has now adopted turbocharged power, following the same path laid down, at least locally, by the Mazda6. Naturally, a spec brawl beckons.

Priced at P 2,288,000, the all-new, tenth-generation Accord is now the most expensive in this trio, with the Mazda6 2.5 Turbo coming in as the next most expensive (P 2,250,000), and surprisingly, the Camry now becoming the most affordable (P 2,007,000) of the lot.

Despite some complaints about the Camry’s carryover powertrain, the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder manages to withstand the test of time, almost matching the Accord’s new fangled 1.5-liter VTEC Turbo in power (184 horsepower vs 190 horsepower). It does gain an advantage in torque with its 231 Nm to the Accord’s 260 Nm. The biggest winner here though is the Mazda6’s 2.5-liter turbocharged engine which gives 38 percent more torque and 17 percent more horsepower.

The Mazda6’s strength continues with its impressive array of standard creature comfort features with its larger 19-inch rims, 11-speaker Bose sound system, ventilated front seats (with memory), and sunroof. It’s also the only executive sedan in this group to offer a 360-degree camera on top of the front and rear proximity sensors which are offered on both the Camry and Accord.

While the Accord does lose in way of luxury features, it makes a major comeback in terms of interior dimensions. With the exception of front hip and rear head room, it trounces these two. Furthermore, it’s got the largest trunk capacity.

In terms of safety features, Honda’s done well to embrace safety by making its Honda SENSING as standard equipment. This bundles things such as Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow (LSF), Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), and Auto High Beam. That said, the Mazda6 offers lane keep assist and automatic high beam control on top of blind spot indicators with cross traffic alert and a 360-degree camera—features that aren’t found in the Accord.

Which one makes for the most convincing case? Perhaps a head-to-head is needed to settle this debate.