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This CX-50 Meridian Edition reinforces and diversifies the CX-50's perch on the throne 2024 Mazda CX-50 Meridian review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman For the money, Mazda's CX-50 is the best driving everyday crossover. While the price is very much not premium, the CX-50 does a brilliant job in still providing a premium experience; Toyotas are dour and dreary in comparison when the CX-50 exists. The Meridian is more or less a style and appearance package for the majority of consumers, but it's a utilitarian look that will appeal to those who have only ever considered Subaru in the past. In all frankness, some of the inclusions of the Meridian actually make it worse for me, but this is an achingly good car despite some minor annoyances. What do you mean by annoyances? Mazda is the bread winner now when it comes to beeps and bongs galore, blaring like an alarm for any reason possible. Door locks are odd, too, unable to unlock an exterior door while the engine is running, even with the key right in your pocket or by pressing the buttons on the remote, not to mention the outside door handles feeling too hollow in operation. Some of the infotainment can be annoying and is reliant on you setting up favorites/presets, which is not just recommended but mandatory with its operation. Gas mileage could some improvements, drinking gas to the tune of 22 miles for every gallon, which is worse than the larger and more powerful CX-90 even. You might also have noticed the aggressive, all-terrain tires this Mazda is wearing, and while they do lend a hand to off-roading ability, they do lessen efficiency. And while the roof rack looks cool on here, it creates a vortex of wind noise. Oh well, we can't all be perfect. Pros? Many, chiefly the swell driving dynamics of this attractive, AWD crossover. With talkative and direct steering, the CX-50 has the bones of an enthusiast's car. In other words, it's easy to tell this comes from the same people that make the MX-5. Despite such accomplished control over its chassis and eagerness for corners, the ride quality is never uncomfortable either. There's few other ways of saying this: the CX-50 drives sweet. And this is done despite having an 'archaic' live rear axle, which gives it extra towing capacity (3,500 pounds here) over its CX-5 stablemate and other chief rivals. Even with its older rear suspension layout and those tires that give up grip in exchange for off-road performance, the CX-50 handles possessively well and runs rings around its direct competitors. Paired to that tight chassis is a turbocharged, 2.5L inline-four that makes 227 horsepower on regular 87, but can churn out 30 more if you fill up with premium. Torque is a towering 310 lb-ft, making this a highly flexible and satisfying mill in daily driving. 0-60 MPH also blitzes most all other contemporaries, taking a shade over six seconds. Yeah, it's thirsty, but the power is fun and the CX-50 has the handling to utilize and take advantage of its inherent pace. I do, however, wish the six-speed automatic were both quicker shifting and had two additional gears, which would hasten it further and likely improve the fuel economy. What many will find unexpected is the relative luxury of its interior. Sumptuous leather and other soft-touch materials adorn the cabin and makes for a classy and hospitable environment. Again, think your RAV4 is nice? It's a dungeon compared to the Mazda. Granted, this does bring another point of concern: price. At $44,010 as-tested, I wouldn't exactly call it affordable, but given the luxurious nature and gifted dynamics, you could go so far as to call it decent value if you compare it more to the glamor end of the market, like Mercedes and BMW. Would I recommend the Meridian Package? Only if you live in a climate that frequently gets snow or mud, as that's where those all-terrain tires will pay dividends. But for the most of us, the Meridian sacrifices function for form, and especially the (optional) noisy roof rack above. If you care about driving and want a modern and quality cabin, any flavor of CX-50 ought to be at the top of your shopping list for consideration. Comparison to CX-5 You might be wondering what the differences are between this new CX-50 and the older CX-5. Don't worry, you're likely not alone. The CX-50 is longer, wider, and lower by a couple inches in each direction for better looks, but apart from the exterior, they are difficult to tell apart. Both have luxurious interiors, the same engines, same deft handling properties (despite the CX-5 having independent rear suspension and the CX-50 missing this modernity), but the CX-50 can tow 3,500 pounds vs 2,000 pounds thanks to that stronger rear end. Further, the CX-50 has increased versatility thanks to its subtle capabilities when you venture off fresh pavement. After trying both in close proximity, I would lean to the newer CX-50 without a doubt, if anything for just the looks alone. 2024 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition As-teste price: $44,010 Pros: Nice interior and excellent performance/dynamics Cons: Not the most spacious; Power requires fuel unfortunately

Friday photo highlights from the paddock and pits of the Fanatec GT World Challenge America at Sonoma Raceway. Though the first official day of the race weekend featured little on-track action due to track repairs, the paddock was full and flourishing on a gloriously sunny spring day. See our Friday photo highlights for the 2024 edition of the Sonoma SRO GT World Challenge America race weekend. All photos by Mitchell Weitzman

My love for the Mazda3 has waned with this 2024 model's surprising faults 2024 Mazda3 Hatchback review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman What is it? It's no secret I have a love for Mazda products, being everyday vehicles that have a real sense of fun as well as upscale interiors that outshine rivals. The 3 sedan and hatchbacks have been no different in past experience, but this 2024 model has me scratching my head as to what has gone wrong. Did I get a bad test unit? I hope so. Buy it for.. With a window sticker for this fully-equipped AWD turbo model reaching a steep $38,410, the quality better be there for this compact hatch, but Mazda delivers again on this front, furnishing this 3 with a bona find luxury interior that matches some German offerings. Seating features comfortable leather, but what's more impressive is the lush, soft-touch materials covering the doors and dash. It's tightly wrapped and styled in a simplistic yet swooping architecture that says more about class rather than solely a visual stimulant. Switchgear impresses, too, and it's after spending just a minute in this 3 Turbo Premium Plus that you realize just how much nicer of a car on the inside it is than any competing compact car from either Honda or Toyota. Then again, it also costs quite a bit more than either, but this is also equipped with luxuries like a panoramic sunroof and 360-degree parking cameras, items you will not find available on a Civic or Corolla. Overall, for a mainstream and still-affordable car, this is an elevated luxury experience. Mazda has outfitted this turbo model with their familiar 2.5-liter inline-four that's good for 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque on regular 87 gasoline. If you have access to 93, those numbers will swell to 250 and 320. Even on lowly 87, this Skyactiv engine scoots this svelte hatchback from 0-60 MPH in just under 6 seconds. What's more is this four-banger is uncharacteristically smooth and has a decent if artificial growl, without much of the harshness commonly associated with this cylinder configuration. The transmission might only feature six forward gears, but it's transparent in operation and perfectly serviceable due to the strong and wide powerband. Skip because... This hurts to write, but while Mazda has typically produced the best-driving vehicles one each of their respective classes, this particular example had appalling steering. A hallmark trait of Mazdas before, the steering in this AWD hatchback had zero feel and a dead spot in the middle that made for wandering at speed. Slight adjustments were met with skepticism as the wheel provides no feedback, but what's worse is the dead spot then quickly builds up weight like a tensioned spring, resulting in a lack of confidence. I've driven this exact same configuration of Mazda3 before and it was brilliant in this regard, so I'm uncertain what's wrong besides a possible alarming alignment issue. Trust me, I'm not enjoying writing these negatives, and I do sincerely hope the car was out of whack. Mazda has successfully taken the crown now for the most annoying beeps and bongs in the industry, with not the standard five beeps upon entry, but now eight, and by default they are set to bullhorn volume levels. Luckily, these can be adjusted, but there are beeps constantly each time you get in and exit the car. I also had numerous audible warnings for leaving things in the back seat, except there was never anything actually left behind. Even more annoying was that I would get the same warning when I entered the car. What? And still, nothing - the seats were empty. I also encountered, on each and every drive, a warning that the rear safety sensors had problems, always after about 10 minutes into a drive, so that's worrying. The electronic parking brake randomly decides to automatically disable itself when you select drive, and other times it stays on. Again, with zero consistence or pattern to follow, I can't trust it. Either it turns off automatically every time, or never at all; intermittently is not acceptable today. For a small car, fuel mileage isn't all that great, returning 24 MPG over the course of a week. 24 might not sound bad, but a Golf R, an AWD pocket rocket with 90 more horsepower got better mileage during my test. A BMW 330i with AWD and similar power also achieves better mileage. In fact, until I drove the 3 on a longer freeway drive to Sacramento and back, I was averaging a paltry 23 in mixed driving. Shoot, even a manual transmission and 382-horsepower Toyota GR Supra averaged over 26 MPG in the same conditions; its just a bit of a thirsty four-cylinder in this Mazda. And also, even with big horsepower and torque numbers, the 3 Turbo just never feels all that quick. It's not slow by any means, but for those expecting a proper hot hatch will be disappointed. I o reckon an eight-speed transmission would help both performance and fuel mileage. And, to further my suspicion about this 3 being a problematic example, there was a low-frequency and cyclical rumble at speed. Honestly, it sounded like a subwoofer on the freeway, with each one second interval having a roaring boom coming from somewhere in the car. I turned the radio off, climate off, and still this noise persisted, and it's not quiet either. I pointed it out to passengers and they immediately became aware of it. This is a problem that would result in me taking the car straight back to the dealership. And it couldn't have been tires, because again, it would only happen about every second, of which tires spin much faster. I'm so confused When I saw a Mazda3 turbo hatchback on my list of upcoming test cars, I was excited. However, after just the first drive in this handsome hatch, I knew something was up. "What happened?" I thought, and then the rumbling sound, safety system warnings, the beeps and fake you-left-your-belongings notifications, all had me shaking my head in a shock disappointment. Despite the horsepower rating, it also just never feels that quick, as a VW GTI (rated for 241 horsepower) is miles quicker in the real world. A hot hatch this is not, leaving me with sadness. Hope to try another one and see if it improves upon this Soul Red example. 2024 Mazda3 Hatchback Turbo Premium Plus As-tested price: $38,410

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2023 Monterey Motorsports Reunion recap and photos 2023 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance: All show, no sport 2023 Toyota Prius review: Shockingly good (and sexy) Professional automotive reviews and photography of the latest new cars, SUVs, and trucks 2023 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance: All show, no sport 2023 Toyota Prius review: Shockingly good (and sexy) 2023 Toyota Crown Review: Give me back the Avalon 2023 VW ID.4 Pro S review: a taxing affair 2023 Toyota GR86 Auto Review: Not aging well enough 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid review: improvements all around all reviews The lens behind The Road Beat | Mitchell Weitzman Photography view portfolio Photographer with accredited experience photographing the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, SRO GT World Challenge, NTT IndyCar, MotoAmerica, and historic racing. contact IndyCar IMSA & SRO MotoAmerica The Road Beat | Professional Car Reviews and Automotive Photography

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