2008
MAZDA NEW VEHICLE MODEL GUIDE
 The
line of Mazda, that sporty "Zoom-Zoom"
brand from Japan, presents a diverse collection
of vehicles for 2008. Heading Mazda's
line are two souped-up crossover utility
vehicles, the five-passenger, turbo-charged
CX-7 and the luxurious, seven-passenger
CX-9. Sport-tuned vehicles from Mazda
include the best-seller MX-5 Miata roadster,
the high-tech RX-8 sports coupe and the
Mazdaspeed3 turbo-charged sports sedan.
 CX-7
Mazda's five-door, five-seat CUV offers
sharp styling pattered after the racy
RX-8. The CX-7 possesses the spirit of
a sports car and divides into three trims
with front-wheel-drive (FWD) or all-wheel-drive
(AWD) traction. Motivation comes from
a turbo-charged, inter-cooled 2.3-liter
four-in-line engine spiked to 244 horsepower
and tied to a six-speed Sport automatic
transmission with manual shift mode. Stock
features for the CX-7 range from 18-inch
alloy wheels, to window and door power
controls, curtain-style air bags, anti-lock
brake system (ABS) with electronic brakeforce
distribution (EBD), dynamic stability
control (DSC) and traction control system
(TCS) with roll-over sensors.
 CX-9
This Mazda is a mid-size CUV with a stretched
wheelbase and a cabin containing three
tiers of seats for up to seven passengers.
The powertrain is the new 3.7-liter V6,
which works with a six-speed Sport automatic
transmission. Like the CX-7, Mazda's larger
crossover offers both FWD or AWD traction.
The luxurious cabin features top-quality
materials and the option for premium gear
like a Bose audio system with 10 speakers
and a ceiling-mounted DVD entertainment
system for backseat riders. Standard safety
equipment includes Roll Stability Control
(RSC) and curtain-style side air bags.
The newest option for 2008 is a blind
spot monitoring system (BSMS).
 MX-5
/ Miata
Mazda's two-seat and open-top roadster
is the perennial best-selling sports car.
Driving the MX-5 is a strong, 2.0-liter,
in-line four-cylinder engine with dual
cams and variable intake valve timing.
It produces 166 horsepower and combines
with three different transmission choices
— a five-speed manual, six-speed
manual or six-speed Sport automatic with
shifter paddles on the steering wheel.
The vehicle's convertible top works manually
with a single latch handle. Additionally,
a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
is now standard on all MX-5 trims in 2008.
 MX-5
PRHT
This Mazda enhances the year-round comfort
and security of the MX-5 Miata by offering
a power retractable hard top (PRHT). It's
the quickest closing power top in the
business, as the push-button conversion
from hardtop coupe to airy convertible
consumes only 12 seconds. Just touch a
toggle switch and watch the roof pleat
at two seams and fold in three sections,
stacking behind the cockpit in the same
area where the soft top stows. Unlike
other folding hard tops that tuck into
the trunk, Miata's PRHT does not consume
any space in the usable trunk.
 Mazda5
This multi-activity vehicle, a miniature
minivan, features a wedge-shaped body
and a cabin large enough for six. There's
a broad sliding door on each flank, a
low floor deck for easy entry to the rear
quarters and a one-touch mechanism for
moving second-tier seats and accessing
the third row. The powertrain available
is Mazda's 2.3-liter, four-cylinder plant
for 153 horsepower, working through a
five-speed manual transmission or the
new five-speed Sport automatic. Mazda5
trims in Sport, Touring and Grand Touring
— the latter offers leather-trimmed
heated seats, xenon high intensity discharge
(HID) headlamps and a security alarm.
 RX-8
This high-tech sports car packs a high-revving,
rotary engine. The RX-8 acts like a two-door
sports coupe, with four-door functionality
and seating for four. A twin-rotor engine
displaces only 1.3 liters, but creates
232 horsepower with a six-speed manual
gearbox or 212 horsepower with a six-speed
automatic. Mazda loads the RX-8 with equipment
like power windows, cruise control and
a six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio kit. The
RX-8 Sport trim stocks xenon HID headlights,
while the Touring brings a moonroof and
Bose audio kit and the Grand Touring adds
leather upholstery. A limited-edition
40th Anniversary RX-8 will debuts in 2008,
featuring a Metropolitan Gray exterior
and Cosmo Red leather interior.
 Mazda6
Mazda's sporty mid-size cars comes as
the Mazda6 four-door sedan and the Mazda6
5-Door hatchback. Engines include a 2.3-liter,
four-cylinder with 160 horsepower or a
3.0-liter V6 with 215 horsepower. Its
spacious cabin contains front buckets
and a rear bench with split folding seatbacks.
Standard safety equipment ranges from
ABS and TCS, to front-seat side air bags,
to curtain-style air bags for outboard
seats. All 2008 Mazda6 models tote a new
TPMS, while the Touring trim adds a Bose
audio system and the Mazda6i gets 17-inch
alloy wheels. The latest paint shades
available are Volcanic Red and Silver
Metallic.
 Mazda3
Compact cars from Mazda look muscular
with the promise of spirited performance.
The Mazda3 bring optimal space inside
a five-seat cabin, along with lively throttle
action from a four-cylinder engine. The
Mazda3 4-Door is available as a four-door
notchback sedan packing a 156-horsepower
2.3-liter engine. The Mazda3 5-Door is
a five-door hatchback also using the 2.3-liter
plant. Standard equipment on the Mazda3
5-door is a sport package with front and
rear fascia, side skirts, 17-inch alloy
wheels and foglamps. A TPMS is also stock
on all Mazda3 models, while side air bags
and curtain-style air curtains go into
Sport models.
 MazdaSpeed3
Zoom and zip along with the turbo-charged
Mazdaspeed3 sports sedan. It features
a compact and lightweight body design,
with a kicker engine stuffed below the
hood. The turbo-charged, inter-cooled
2.3-liter direct-injection four-cylinder
plant generates more than 250 horsepower
and teams with a six-speed manual transmission.
Big-diameter, four-wheel disc brakes work
on this sporty car, along with four-wheel
ABS, EBD, DSC and 18-inch aluminum alloy
wheels. The sport-tuned cockpit carries
bolstered bucket seats up front with seat-mounted
side air bags and curtain-style air bags
tucking into headliners.
 Tribute
According to Mazda, this sport utility
wagon was raised by a family of sports
cars. With its unitized structure, the
nimble Tribute rides on a FWD chassis
and has independent suspension elements
and crisp rack and pinion steering. It's
new for 2008 with fresh exterior styling,
more on-board electronic safety hardware,
and revamped trims of Sport, Touring and
Grand Touring. Both FWD or AWD traction
are available with powertrain choices
of a four-pack or six-pack. Standard equipment
across the board ranges from front foglamps
and 16-inch alloy wheels, to electronic
controls like DSC, TCS and RSC.
 B
Series Truck
2008 compact trucks from Mazda appear
with two cab configurations and powertrain
choices. The two-door regular cab works
for the B2300 models, and a CabPlus4 with
twin rear-hinged back doors applies to
all B4000s. The top truck, B4000, with
four-wheel-drive (4WD) offers a husky
V6 that ripples with 207 horsepower, while
the B2300 stocks a 2.3-liter, four-in-line
worth 140 horsepower. The special edition
Dual Sport carries the raised suspension
of a 4WD truck, but in rear-wheel-drive
(RWD) format.
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