Possible reason, and already mentioned by Tom in the write-up, sedan sales are soft now (because of consumer preference towards CUVs). This means competition is stiff as all of the manufacturers are competing for a smaller pool of would-be sedan buyers.

It’s coming. Do not know if it will be in the ‘18 Mazda6 but AA is definitely coming to Mazda. The Mazda logo is now listed on the official AA page on apple.com. It wasn’t before.

You’re missing a turbo and the extra power the Mazda6 sorely needed.

Google and Apple both require licensing agreements and fees. Mazda is a small company with limited resources. It has to prioritize. As a company that is more focused on driving dynamics, it’s pretty obvious why infotainment systems have received less attention. AA is definitely coming. Mazda was not listed as a…

Did you think AA and AC are free to manufacturers? No. They require licensing agreements and fees. Mazda is a small car company with limited resources (just 2% of global marketshare). They have to prioritize between development good driving chassis, efficient and reliable drivetrains, the latest in safety and the…

It’s coming in the not too distant future. Proof? Go to https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/. Mazda is now listed as one of the supporting manufacturers. It wasn’t before. 

Tom,

Hyundais are compelling if I only paid attention to the features list. For the money, they pack a lot of features. And the quality is there, at a glance (which is really the depth of most at-dealer shopping experiences). To me, their styling is getting better, but still a bit off—borrowed elements from other brands.…

I believe it. I personally had a new-ish CLA dealer loaner for a day and it was complete shit compared to even the CX-3 I sampled last year. For work, I got some seat time in the entire Mazda line up. The latest of current [6th] generation cars (all of the CXs) were noticeably improved compared to the rest. The CLA…

My problem with the Civic-R is exactly what Chris Harris said in TG. A younger me would’ve thought it’s great, but that younger me wouldn’t have been able to afford it either. So that leaves two types of potential owners... spoiled kids and that middle aged guy who never grew up.

Not only that, it puts a big giant blinking neon sign on the front saying “this is all plastic”. While true, it’s just not something you want to call attention to when the price tag is north of $28k.

I have no say in the matter (a hint)... But, I personally think that Mazda should start a customer-order program similar to the other premium brands (except Lexus; I don’t think they have one).

Yet they exist.

Yes... because crossover offerings from the competition are built and drive like appliances. The difference is much more noticeable.

Employees can only say so much (obviously).

It’s been reported that AWD is coming.

You’ve not shopped for a car for several years have you? $30k has been the average cost for a typical car for quite some time.

That’s been the challenge for Mazda. It takes a drive (and not just your typical dealership around-the-block test drive) to realize why Mazda is the better choice. A 10 minute spin is just not enough for anyone to really notice the attention to details and engaging driving dynamics.

2018 interior is a leap forward.

Let you in on a secret (and this is true of just about any car company): the social media presence is not manned by the people who make product decisions. Basically, you bitched to the people who have no say in the matter.