Posts Tagged ‘midsize sedans’
A standout in a crowded segment.
by Joseph Szczesny on Feb.05, 2013
Mazda's new 2014 Mazda6 sedan.
It’s a great year for consumers looking to buy a midsize sedan. The market is awash with brand new offerings from manufacturers like Ford, Chevrolet Honda and Nissan, never mind still-fresh entries from Toyota and the Korean makers.
Imagine the challenge for a smaller brand, like Mazda, just to get noticed. But the Japanese maker has come up with the sort of package that should guarantee it some attention from smart shoppers looking for a mix of striking design, solid mileage and spirited driving.
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Handsome, economical and fun to drive, the 2014 Mazda6 doesn’t disappoint, we discovered during our first drive of the new sedan,
Simply put, the exterior styling is gorgeous, delivering a refined and sophisticated interpretation of the maker’s aggressive new styling language first seen on the well-reviewed Takeri concept vehicle revealed at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show – which itself borrowed heavily from Mazda’s so-called Kodo, or Soul of Motion, design language.
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Tags: 2014 mazda6, 2014 mazda6 review, auto news, car news, joe szczesny, mazda news, mazda reviews, mazda6, mazda6 review, midsize sedan reviews, midsize sedans, thedetroitbureau
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More punch from a midsize package.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jan.11, 2013
A show car for now, the Volkswagen Passat Performance Concept may yet return in production trim.
Like many of its competitors, Volkswagen has a handful of offerings to share with the media and mainstream masses next week but while it’s keeping a reported new SUV under wraps for now the German maker has decided to pull the covers off another new entry.
And the Passat Performance Concept suggests we’ll be getting a little more punch out of the maker’s midsize mainstay in the near future, even though VW is only suggesting the show car is meant to “explore this practical four-door’s sportier side.”
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The overall look is still that of a practical sedan. While some makers have been emphasizing show over go – witness the new Dodge Dart GT – Volkswagen appears to be downplaying the visual excesses. The only real upgrades to the exterior include larger bi-xenon headlamps, LED taillights, 19-inch Luxor alloy wheels, a dual exhaust system, two-tone leather seats and carbon fiber interior accents.
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Tags: 2013 north american international auto show, auto news, car news, german sedans, midsize sedans, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau, volkswagen news, volkswagen passat, volkswagen passat performance concept, vw detroit auto show, vw news, vw passat vw passat performance concept
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New sedan launching with SkyActiv gas package.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.29, 2012
Mazda will offer both a small gas engine and a new diesel for the 2014 Mazda6 sedan.
Mazda will launch a diesel version of its new midsize Mazda6 sedan during the second half of 2013, the maker confirmed during an LA Auto Show news conference – and while the maker won’t release official figures until closer to launch, a well-placed source said the maker is looking to match hybrid-level fuel economy numbers with the package.
Mazda is the latest manufacturer to announce plans to enter the diesel market, a niche largely populated by European makers, such as Audi which earlier announced plans to add four new diesels to its U.S. line-up next year.
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The new Mazda6 itself was earlier previewed during an introduction in, of all places, Moscow over the summer. The sedan is an example of the Japanese maker’s aggressive new Kodo design language which features a low-slung nose and aggressive wheel bulges intended to deliver a sense of power and agility.
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Tags: 2012 LA auto show, 2014 mazda6, auto news, car news, diesel engines, diesels, mazda diesel, mazda la auto show, mazda news, mazda skyactiv, mazda6, midsize sedans, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Fusion marketing campaign is very visible - but invisible, too.
by Marty Bernstein on Nov.06, 2012
Ford Fusion launches sales with a creative new series of ads.
Few automotive segments are more crowded than the midsize sedan market. So, despite months of hype, hoopla and hope, the official sales debut of the striking new 2013 Ford Fusion might have been underwhelming if traditional ad campaign launch methods were followed.
Global Ford marketing czar Jim Farley clearly wasn’t going to settle for the same-old same-old, it turns out, Ford choosing to follow its own and less traveled road. In doing so, it has created some stunning, provocative and compelling graphics in broadcast commercials and print ads that are amplified with succinct copy that is both persuasive and convincing.
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I was able to preview major elements of the new campaign, including elements of the company’s overview from Amy Marentic, Ford’s group marketing manager. And the ad agency perspective from Toby Barlow, Team Detroit’s chief creative director, who revealed the artsy back-story, the agency overview and divulged intricate and elaborate production methods that were used.
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Tags: 2013 ford fusion, Jim Farley, auto news, car news, farley fusion, ford fusion, ford fusion marketing, ford news, liu bolin, liu bolin ford fusion, midsize sedans, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, team detroit, team detroit fusion, thedetroitbureau
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“Aiming for the sweet spot.”
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Sep.19, 2012
Celeb pitchman Ryan Seacrest will step up his efforts on behalf of the 2013 Ford Fusion.
If you’re hoping to measure the importance of the new Fusion sedan to Ford’s future just consider the efforts the automaker has gone to this week to give the newly redesigned midsize model a strong send-off. The maker notably trotted out CEO Alan Mulally and other senior executives for a series of high-profile previews in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and, of course, Detroit.
It’s understandable. The new Fusion is Ford’s most important launch of the year. Some might contend it’s the most significant in several years. Among other things, it repositions the Detroit maker as a viable contender in the hotly contested midsize sedan segment for the first time in years.
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The last time Ford dominated it was selling the original version of the Taurus, a quarter-century ago. But after shifting focus to its SUV line, that once-heralded sedan lost its momentum and eventually turned into little more than a rent-a-car option. The Japanese took over in the midsize market, a dominant position they have held ever since.
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Tags: 2013 ford fusion, Alan Mulally, Chevrolet Malibu, auto news, car news, ford fusion, ford news, midsize cars, midsize sedans, nissan altima, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau, toyota Camry
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Gunfight in the Midsize Corral.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Sep.10, 2012
Honda hopes to land back on top of the midsize segment with the 2013 Accord.
Be prepared for one of the nastiest gunfights the auto industry has seen in years. The 2013 model-year will bring the launch of an assortment of new entries into the always-competitive midsize sedan segment, including an all-new Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu and Nissan Altima. And now comes the new 2013 Honda Accord.
Once the dominant player in the midsize market, Honda has had to settle for second, for much of the last decade, chasing the Toyota Camry. But with all the new sheet metal, leadership is up for grabs. Nissan has openly declared its desire to topple the midsize king-of-the-hill. And you can bet that’s Honda’s goal, as well.
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“It’s playing out like an arms race,” Honda product planner Vicki Popponi said during a media preview of the new Accord. And Honda is going to need to deliver the big guns. The maker took a critical drubbing when it launched an all-new Accord, two years ago, and has had some serious sales setbacks with other recent models including the Insight, CrossTour and CR-Z. So, there’s little room for error with the 2013 Honda Accord.
Honda initially will offer three new powertrain packages with the 2013 Accord - a fourth to follow.
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Tags: 2013 Honda Accord, 2013 honda accord review, Honda Accord Coupe, auto news, car news, honda accord hybrid, honda accord phev, honda accord review, honda news, honda reviews, hong accord plug-in hybrid, midsize sedan reviews, midsize sedans, nissan altima, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau, toyota Camry
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But settles for silver in mileage race.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Sep.05, 2012
Honda will offer an array of new powertrains for the 2013 Accord, including a first-ever hybrid.
Honda has finally lifted the covers on its all-new Accord sedan, a vehicle that is likely to be the Japanese brand’s most important product in decades. And Honda officials insist they won’t make the same mistakes they made when they introduced the all-new, and oft-criticized Civic model two years ago.
The 2013 Honda Accord, nonetheless, enters a crowded midsize market that is experiencing a glut of new and seriously competitive entries from Detroit, European and Asian makers, and Honda will have little room for error.
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So, as it goes for the gold, will the new Accord suffer having to settle for silver when it comes to fuel economy? Its new 4-cylinder powertrain – part of the brand’s new Earth Dreams technology – will deliver an impressive 27 miles per gallon in the city, 36 on the highway, and 30 mpg combined – but that’s one mpg behind the new Nissan Altima, another all-new-for-2013 midsize sedan.
“We have the opportunity to invent our future” with the launch of the 2013 Accord, Honda’s top American executive, John Mendel, told TheDetroitBureau.com.
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Tags: 2013 Honda Accord, 2013 honda accord mileage, 2013 honda accord pics, auto news, car news, honda accord, honda accord mileage, midsize sedans, nissan altima, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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by Paul A. Eisenstein on Aug.29, 2012
The 2013 Mazda6 zoom-zooms into Moscow.
The long-awaited new Mazda6 has made its debut – in Moscow. The Japanese automaker turned to the annual Russian car show to reveal the new sedan, the latest in its line-up to migrate to Mazda’s new SkyActiv technology.
The new 2013 Mazda6 will be entering a crowded field, what with makers including Honda, Ford, Chevrolet and Nissan all updating their own midsize entries. Mazda is hoping to stand out from the crowd by delivering a sedan that is bigger, roomier, more stylish – and notably more fuel-efficient – than the model it replaces.
Among the most distinctive new technologies introduced on the 2013 Mazda6, the sedan will use an ultracapacitor, rather than a battery, to help recapture energy that would normally be lost during braking or coasting.
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The look of the new model is likely to be one of the big draws, however, styling chief Akira Tamatani proclaiming, “We have created a design in which the wild and dynamic expressions of motion artistically realize a powerful presence.”
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Tags: 2013 mazda6, auto news, car news, mazda 6, mazda moscow, mazda news, mazda6, midsize sedans, moscow motor show, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, review 2013 mazda6, thedetroitbureau
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Shorter, roomier, more fuel-efficient.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Aug.08, 2012
Honda releases the first images of the production 2013 Accord sedan.
After an unexpectedly long wait, Honda is finally giving the world a first look at the completely updated, 2013 Accord sedan.
Until now, Honda had provided only a hint of what was coming in the form of a coupe concept that debuted all the way back in January at the Detroit Auto Show — generating mixed reviews for its relatively conservative looks largely unchanged from the previous coupe.
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The production sedan revealed today “doesn’t scream and shout,” said Honda’s U.S. product chief Vicki Poponi, though she also insisted the 2013 Honda Accord is “the most sculpted and the most dynamic Accord yet,” following Honda’s design dictum, “man maximum, machine minimum.”
The design is sleeker and less extreme than some past updates, with a more coupe-like roofline that reflects today’s industry vogue. The maker also claims the 2013 Honda Accord will be notably more fuel-efficient than the model it replaces.
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Tags: 2013 Honda Accord, auto news, car news, honda accord review, honda accord sedan, honda news, honda sedan, midsize sedans, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, pics 2013 honda accord, thedetroitbureau
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Is this Mazda’s make-it-or-break-it car?
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jul.11, 2012
Mazda does a slow striptease with its critical new, 2014 Mazda6 sedan.
Every so often, a carmaker’s future comes to depend upon the success – or failure – of a single product. The original, 1986 Ford Taurus is one of the best examples. Could the next-generation Mazda6 fall into that group? Here’s a first teaser image of the new sedan.
While the Japanese maker does have a number of other important offerings none feeds a more important segment of the market. And no product will mark a more critical transition for Mazda, which has abandoned its long-running joint venture with Ford in Flat Rock, Michigan, moving production of the next Mazda6 back to Japan.
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The third product to share the maker’s new SkyActiv technology, the 2014 Mazda6 will also face the challenge of coming to market right after the launch of updated entries from key competitors – starting with the 2012 Toyota Camry remake and running through 2013 with the new Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Chevrolet Malibu and, from former ally Ford, an all-new Fusion.
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Tags: 2012 LA auto show, 2014 mazda6, Tokyo Motor Show, auto news, car news, mazda midsize, mazda news, mazda sedan, mazda skyactiv, mazda takeri, mazda6, midsize sedans, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, skyactive, thedetroitbureau
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