March 2011 ~ Monroeville Kia Mazda

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mazda Plans To Shut Down Japanese Plants

Posted by Monroeville Kia Mazda on 3:03 PM

Mazda has decided to temporarily shut down plants in Japan. Because of this the company has had to suspend U.S. dealer orders. The Mazda2, Mazda3, MX-5 Miata, RX-8, CX-7, CX-9, and Mazda5 are all imported from Japan.

“We’re fairly comfortable at the moment,” spokesman Jay Amestoy said. “We have a good supply and mix of models, trims and colors.”

Other Japanese automakers have also suspended plants, resulting in suspended U.S. dealer orders for specific models imported from Japan.

Read more: http://www.mazdainthenews.com/mazda-plans-to-suspend-japanese-plants/#more-570

2011 Mazda3 Earns ‘Top Safety Pick’ Status

Posted by Monroeville Kia Mazda on 12:57 PM

Safety is assured with the 2011 Mazda3, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Mazda’s popular compact model has received the organization’s highest possible crash safety rating of “Good” in all four tests conducted and was recognized as a “Top Safety Pick.”

All 2011 Mazda3 and models are equipped with an array of safety features including six airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with a Traction Control System (TCS), front and rear stabilizer bars, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), a “crushable” brake and accelerator pedal assembly and collapsible steering column, three-point safety belts for all seating positions, front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters as well as Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH).

IIHS testing includes front, side and rear impact crash tests as well as a roof strength test (implemented in 2010), which measures occupant protection in the event of a rollover. To be evaluated, all vehicles must be equipped with an Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system.

“Nearly half of all Mazdas sold in the United States are Mazda3s, so we are justifiably proud of the 2011 Mazda3 earning the distinction of the IIHS ‘Top Safety Pick,’” said Jim O’Sullivan, President and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). “Both the sedan and hatchback models are recognized with this award, examples of Mazda’s dedication not only to producing engaging and fun-to-drive vehicles but those offering the utmost quality and safety.”

2011 Kia Optima Named to Inside Line’s “Most Wanted”

Posted by Monroeville Kia Mazda on 2:54 PM

The auto industry is home to a wide range of awards and recognitions, based on a wide range of different criteria. But the team at Inside Line—the enthusiast-oriented website from the noted auto experts at Edmunds—decided to make things simple. For the inaugural Inside Line Editors’ “Most Wanted” Awards, the choices were “the cars, trucks and vans that we like the best … the cars we would buy for ourselves, the ones that we remember even after getting behind the wheels of hundreds of vehicles throughout the year.”

Now, as you’d expect from a site dedicated to high-performance driving, the winners included such heavy hitters as the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. But there was one mainstream mid-size sedan on the list: The all-new 2011 Kia Optima.

“It’s an affordable family car that looks, feels and drives a class higher,” said the Inside Line editors, who added that what they look for in this kind of sedan “are a comfortable cabin, excellent mileage and plenty of features,” and “the Optima delivers on all counts.”

The Optima also was noted as having “plenty of power for daily driving” and turning up almost 40 mpg on the highway for Inside Line’s editors.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted by Monroeville Kia Mazda on 3:29 PM

Check out these fun facts and may the luck of the Irish smile upon ya!

Fun Facts about St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is believed that he died on March 17 in the year 461 AD. It is also a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and history. St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in Ireland, and a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The actual color of St. Patrick is blue. Green became associated with St. Patrick's Day during the 19th century. Green, in Irish legends, was worn by fairies and immortals, and also by people to encourage their crops to grow.

St. Patrick did not actually drive snakes out of Ireland; the snakes represent the pagans that he converted to Christianity.

The very first St. Patrick's Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in Boston in 1737.

In Chicago, on St. Patrick's Day, the rivers are dyed green.

In Seattle, there is a ceremony where a green stripe is painted down the roads.

Most Catholics attend mass in the morning and then attend the St. Patrick's Day parade.

Shamrocks are worn on the lapel on this day.

In Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, people traditionally wear a small bunch of shamrocks on their jackets or caps. Children wear orange, white and green badges, and women and girls wear green ribbons in their hair

Many young people dye their hair green for the special day.

Many people wear green on this holiday to avoid being pinched.

The phrase, "Drowning The Shamrock" is from the custom of floating the shamrock on the top of whiskey before drinking it. The Irish believe that if you keep the custom, then you will have a prosperous year.

Many bars in the United States, and abroad, serve green beer to celebrate St. Patty's Day.

Fun Facts about the Irish

34 million Americans have Irish ancestry, according to the 2003 US Census. That’s almost nine times the population of Ireland, which has 4.1 million people.

Nine of the people who signed our Declaration Of Independence were of Irish origin, and nineteen Presidents of the United States proudly claim Irish heritage -- including our first President, George Washington.

Some American towns have “Irish” names. You could visit: Mount Gay-Shamrock, West Virginia; Shamrock Lakes, Indiana; Shamrock, Oklahoma; Shamrock, Texas; Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio.

The harp is the symbol of Ireland. The color green is also commonly associated with Ireland, also known as “the Emerald Isle.”

The Irish flag is green, white and orange. The green symbolizes the people of the south, and orange, the people of the north. White represents the peace that brings them together as a nation.

The name “leprechaun” has several origins. It could be from the Irish Gaelic word “leipreachan,” which means “a kind of aqueous sprite.” Or, it could be from “leath bhrogan,” which means “shoemaker.”

Fun Facts about Clovers

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest number of leaves found on a clover is 14.

One estimate suggests that there are about 10,000 regular three-leaf clovers for every lucky four-leaf clover.

Legend says that each leaf of the clover means something: the first is for hope, the second for faith, the third for love and the fourth for luck.

Why So Many Customers Are Opting For The Optima

Posted by Monroeville Kia Mazda on 1:10 PM

Ever since the all-new 2011 Kia Optima made its big splash at the recent 2010 Los Angeles Auto Shows, the sleek and stunning mid-size sedan has seen a wave of good news come its way.

First, right after the event, the highly regarded experts at Edmunds.com reported that the completely redesigned Optima saw the biggest jump in consideration by online shoppers of all the vehicles exhibited at the show. In fact, the number of people who researched the Optima at Edmunds’ website shot up by more than 450 percent after Kia’s L.A. press conference.

Then, early in December, Kia introduced the Optima Turbo, featuring the automaker’s first turbocharged engine. This advanced 2.0-liter I4 boasts cutting-edge technology like a twin-scroll turbocharger and gas direct injection, which results in some serious power—but without sacrificing fuel efficiency. The official numbers on the Optima Turbo: 274 hp, 269 lb-ft of peak torque and an EPA line of 22 mpg city/34 mpg highway.

Next, the editors of Consumer Guide Automotive, after evaluating more than 150 vehicles in terms of price, features, performance, accommodations, fuel economy, reliability and resale value, chose the Optima as one of their Best Buys for 2011. It’s a notable honor, as the evaluations are designed specifically to reflect the typical car buyers’ real-world driving experiences.

Daylight Savings Time Begins March 13th

Posted by Monroeville Kia Mazda on 8:51 AM

Daylight savings time is coming up this weekend. Don’t forget to set your clocks forward!

Every year, daylight savings time seems to take people by surprise. In the United States, daylight savings time begins on March 13 at 2 a.m. local time except in parts of Arizona and Hawaii. As the popular saying goes, clocks need to "spring forward" to observe the change. In other words, clocks need to be set ahead by one hour when the clock strikes 2 a.m.

Daylight Savings Time Begins on March 13 in the U.S. - Yahoo! News

2012 Mazda3 to feature SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine and automatic transmission

Posted by Monroeville Kia Mazda on 8:06 AM

Making its debut is the 2012 Mazda3, the Mazda’s new SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine and SKYACTIV-Drive automatic transmission went on display at the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show. The new Mazda3 will mark the first application of the technology, which is expected to find its way into numerous vehicles throughout Mazda’s lineup.

Fuel efficiency is the main goal behind the SKYACTIV powertrain. But Mazda enthusiasts can rest assured knowing that higher torque at low- and mid-range engine speeds has been achieved in order to produce better drivability.

By 2015, Mazda wants to reduce its fleet-wide fuel economy average by a margin of 30 percent. That’s a big improvement that Mazda believes it will achieve, thanks to new gasoline and diesel engines, transmissions and vehicle architectures.

For 2012, the Mazda3 will get other improvements as well, including a redesigned front grill, fog bezels and front headlamps, and new 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels.

NHTSA gives 2011 Kia Optima Five-Star Rating

Posted by Monroeville Kia Mazda on 2:51 PM

The 2011 Kia Optima has already made a splash in the midsize sedan market with its far-from-bland looks. It turns out that Kia’s midsizer has some substance to its style: it was already rated a top safety pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and has now received a five-star overall crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The Optima earned a five star rating in each of NHTSA’s frontal impact, side impact, and rollover tests – the highest possible score from the government agency. This marks the first time a Korean-built car has received the top rating under NHTSA’s more stringent testing methods that went into effect for the 2011 model year. Joining the 2011 Honda Accord and 2011 Mazda 6, the Optima now sits at the top its class in terms of safety.