2016 Mazda Mazda5 Reviews

Yes, this is yet another story about the 2023 new-car sales data - but this one is different, I promise.

The Mazda6 was once the most popular Mazda in Australia, but SUVs have taken away buyers to the point that Mazda look likely to axe the model

Mazda has a sporty sub-brand again with the Japanese carmaker showing off track-ready concept versions of its Mazda3 and MX-5 at the Tokyo Auto Salon, while announcing the creation of its factory-backed Spirit Racing team.The announcement comes as a welcome surprise given Mazda made it clear back in 2020 that it didn’t intend to revive its in-house Mazdaspeed high-performance division or MPS as it was known in Australia.The press conference at Tokyo Auto Salon saw Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro and chief designer Ikuo Maeda reveal the concepts and the intentions of the Mazda Spirit Racing division.“ As part of our branding we have created a sub brand called Mazda Spirit Racing and this time for the first time in 25 years since Mazdaspeed we have established a factory motorsports division,” Mr Moro said.Mazda has continued to participate in Motorsport over the past four years but Mazda Spirit Racing will provide a fully supported manufacturer-backed effort to enter cars in the Super Taikyu racing series in Japan.More than just a race team, Mazda Spirit Racing has an entire merchandising wing selling everything from watches to jackets and umbrellas, and then of course there’s the sporty production cars which were shown in concept form.It's unclear if it will be a full fledged sports sub-brand like Toyota's Gazoo Racing, or what Mitsubishi promises will be Ralliart again in the future.The Mazda Spirit Racing 3 Concept adds a savage aero kit complete with enormous front splitter and roof top-mounted wing to the small hatch. The upgrades are more than just for looks though.“Compared to the previous model, the new model aims to provide more control on the circuit and a high-quality ride in everyday life,” Mazda press statement reads. “We have refined the suspension and aerodynamics that we have cultivated through our Super Taikyu racing activities, as well as the interior and exterior appearance to match these developments.”Joining the high-performance Mazda3 was also the Mazda Spirit Racing RS Concept - a low slung and even more aggressive looking MX-5.As for what will power the high-performance version for the MX-5, we’re expecting a tuned version of the 135kW/205Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine used in the current roadster.The sporty Mazda3 will most likely use the turbocharged 2.5-litre four cylinder petrol unit found in some US-market grades.The 2013 Mazda3 MPS was the last car out of Mazda’s performance division for Australia and produced a whopping 190kW and 390Nm  - a big output even by today’s standards.

After years of waiting, rotary engine fans might finally have something to look forward to again as Mazda's CEO confirms a team is being put together to develop the company's next-gen rotary engine.

Badge-engineered cars. It’s been happening almost as long as the industry itself. Some pull off the disguise so convincingly you’d never know their true identities, like John Travolta’s face-switcheroo with Nicolas Cage in 1997’s immensely silly/fun Face/Off. Others, meanwhile, are about as convincing as donning a Groucho Marx nose and glasses.

The Berry family gives all its long-term test cars names but if any of them really needed one it's the Mazda CX-60 D50e GT Vision which has just finished its first month living with them.

In line with ANCAP’s six-year lifespan for its new vehicle safety assessment ratings, more than 25 vehicles currently on sale in the Australian new car market were reclassified as ‘Unrated’ on January 1, 2024, many previously carrying a maximum five-star rating.

We already know what will be the biggest-selling vehicles in 2024. The usual suspects like the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Toyota RAV4. But what about the most important models for each of the biggest brands? The new additions that will either become the next best-seller or represent a new avenue for our biggest carmakers. Here they are.

What car are you most excited for in 2024? Each new year brings hotly anticipated new models and this year is no different. Some of the biggest names in the business have something to get your heart racing, either with its performance, its ability to adventure or its technology. We’ve compiled a list of the most exciting incoming new cars for 2024 from Australia’s best-selling brands.

Another year means another fleet of vehicles sent to the big scrapyard in the sky, with flagging sales, a change in company direction or, in one potential case, too much popularity, all contributing to the end of times for some of the country's most well-known nameplates – and a few of the lesser-known ones, too.