The Auto World

Mazda’s four Large Platform SUVs missed their combined global sales target last year. Exterior, interior and powertrain changes are planned on an “unprecedented” scale. Mazda wants the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90 recognized as true flagships. Mazda spent years pushing upmarket with a new rear-drive-based platform, inline-six engines, and a quartet of increasingly large SUVs. That’s great for enthusiasts, but it appears the company isn’t entirely satisfied with the results. Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro says major changes are coming to the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90, and he isn’t describing them as your typical mid-cycle nip-and-tuck. Speaking with Japan’s Chugoku Shimbun , Moro said Mazda intends to make substantial changes to the exterior, interior, and powertrains of its four Large Platform SUVs. “We will make changes to the exterior, interior and powertrain, and implement upgrades on a scale u...

Unifor members have approved a new contract with GM. The next-generation GMC Sierra HD will be built in Canada. Workers will also build a new transmission starting in 2029. Unifor members have voted in favor of a new contract with General Motors. The move comes roughly one week after a tentative agreement was struck and the Canadian union considers it a big win “under challenging circumstances.” Like the earlier agreement with Ford, blue collar employees will receive annual wage increases of 3% for the next three years. This will eventually increase the pay to $50.20 CAD ($36.22 USD) per hour for full-rate production members and $62.71 CAD ($45.25) per hour for skilled trade workers. More: Ford’s New Canadian Agreement Calls For More V8s On top of that, the Cost of Living Allowance has been renewed and many workers will receive a $10,000 CAD ($7,214 USD) productivity and quality bonus in October. Some employees will a...

Renault has updated the Kwid urban hatchback in Brazil. The Dacia Spring sibling gains larger screens and a new face. Brazilian model starts at $16k, more than triple its price in India. Renault has given the Kwid a comprehensive facelift for South America, reworking the design of its smallest hatchback and filling the cabin with more screen real estate. The gasoline-burning sibling of the Dacia Spring EV comes away looking current and better equipped inside, though Renault left the mechanical package alone entirely. More: Renault’s $7K SUV Just Got Sharper And Smarter Without Raising Prices Much Welcome as the changes are, what caught our eye is the stark price gap between two markets selling the same basic car. The Brazilian-spec Kwid kicks off at R$ 82,790 ($16,000), more than triple what its Indian counterpart asks at Rs 4.53 lakh ($4,700). The update marks the second major facelift of the Kwid since its int...

PROS ›› Premium feel, spacious, quick, good range CONS ›› Obtrusive TC, price unknown, heavy Most legacy brands gave up building wagons and Shooting Brake models years ago, no doubt realizing that most new-car buyers are only interested in an SUV. As a company that’s barely five years old, you’d expect Zeekr to do the same, focusing purely on the segments of the luxury market where sales are the strongest. The 7GT, also badged as the 007 GT in China, proves that Zeekr is willing to take risks and offer a competitor to the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo, a vehicle which itself hasn’t exactly been selling well. Based on the 007 sedan from a few years ago, it’s perhaps Zeekr’s most promising new model. Review: We Drifted Zeekr’s Lineup On Ice, And The Cheapest One Surprised Us Sales of the 7GT have been ongoing in China since last year, and it’ll soon launch in Australia and Europe...