Loving the 80s: Mazda CX-80 SP Hybrid Review
Mazda certainly seem to have all their bases covered these days for those in the market for a premium feeling SUV. The current CX range have been instrumental in this and what started with the CX-30 and grew to include the CX-60 and flagship CX-90, now includes the CX-80. The new CX-80 presents itself as […]
Mazda Spirit Racing teases us with the Ultimate Roadster
Mazda has done it again: they crafted an MX-5 so enticing that enthusiasts worldwide are left yearning. Meet the Spirit Racing Roadster 12R, a special edition of the beloved roadster limited to just 200 units and exclusive to Japan. This isn’t just another limited-run Miata with a new badge; it’s a machine honed with motorsport […]
An 80-Year-Old Grandma’s Mazda RX-7 FD: A Heartwarming Farewell to a Legend
In an automotive tale that feels straight out of a feel-good movie, 80-year-old Naoko Nishimoto from Nagasaki, Japan, has made headlines for her touching connection to her 1997 Mazda RX-7 FD. After 25 years of loyal ownership, Nishimoto recently bid an emotional farewell to her beloved sports car, a silver beauty she affectionately called “Seven.” […]
Utter Joy – 2024 Mazda MX-5 GT Review
It seems like just about every year we get a refreshed Mazda MX-5. This is certainly not a bad thing, as every time this happens, we are reminded just how good the MX-5 and has been since the first edition, the NA, first turned a wheel in 1989. Where do we start? Its mechanical simplicity, […]
Prefect but not perfect – Mazda CX-30 SP25 review
In some of the more posher schools, although it may be across all levels of academia, there are certain students that act as role models to other students, aka prefects. Prefects are not perfect, but are expected to do the right thing, look the part (often with badges), and stand out amongst their peers, and […]
Last of the Breed – Mazda RX-7 FD Spirit R Type A Review
Confession time. Up until recently, I never really “got” the obsession some have with a Mazda-built Rotary engine. Sure, the promise of big turbo power from an engine a fraction of the size of something with conventional cylinders has always piqued my interest, but its never really been my favourite sort of internal combustion. This […]
Wild Thing: Mazda MX-30 AWD Wild Hybrid Review
The Mazda MX-30 is a fine car which ever way you look at it. However, what you could never accuse the standard MX-30 of being is a bit wild. That was until Blackwells Mazda in Christchurch had an idea. Take a regular MX-30 Mild-Hybrid and turn it into something crazy different. “The idea came about […]
Getting Activ – 2022 Mazda CX-5 Activ Review
This year the Mazda CX-5 celebrated its 10th anniversary. Having been with us for a decade, it has managed to carve out its own niche within the vastly competitive mid-sized SUV market. A mix of premium cabin surroundings, refined power units and a price tag not completely out of reach for most has made the […]
Back in Black – 2022 Mazda CX-30 MHEV Blackout Edition Review
The Mazda CX-30 has only been with us for two years, but already this midway step between the CX3 and CX5 has emerged as one of the most popular cars in Mazda’s range. There is a good reason for this too, it happens to be a very good package on many levels. Now Mazda have […]
Electric Lite: Mazda MX-30 Mild Hybrid Review
Everyone seemed to ask the same thing, “Isn’t this electric?’ My response was “yes, but not this one.” Mazda’s MX-30 has been getting much praise as the Hiroshima based company’s newest foray into BEV mass production. However, the version you see here is the entry level MX-30 Mild Hybrid. So, what exactly is this version […]