Don't Make a Mistake, Shop at the Lake! | Mazda of Lake Lanier

Mazda roadster in Guinness World Records | Mazda of Lake Lanier

Driving the 2015 Mazda MX-5 Miata roadster is like letting loose of heavy burdens.

The smartly styled, 13-foot-long two-seater is so efficient in design, there's not a lot of room to carry extra baggage.

The car, itself, weighs less than 2,600 pounds and is energetic and eager to dash down the roads in a lighthearted and sprightly manner.

Heavy thoughts and responsibilities go out the windows as the Miata, with close to 50-50 front-to-rear weight balance, takes curves as if it's on rails.

Put down the Miata's soft- or hard-top roof and the drive can be a tonic — full of sun, warmth and energy.

No wonder the rear-wheel drive MX-5 Miata, now in its 25th year, is in the Guinness World Records as the best-selling two-seat roadster on Earth. More than 900,000 of the cars have been built. U.S. models come from Mazda's Hiroshima auto manufacturing complex.

The Miata isn't just a record holder or therapy for driving enthusiasts. It is practical, too.

It's a recommended buy of Consumer Reports, where its reliability is rated at average.

The combined city/highway fuel mileage rating by the federal government is as high as 28 miles per gallon for a 2015 Miata with manual transmission. This figure isn't farfetched, judging by the test car with six-speed manual and power hard top that averaged 27 mpg in city/highway travel.

With a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $24,765 for a base 2015 Miata Sport with soft top and manual transmission, the Miata is one of the most affordable 2015 convertibles in the United States.

2016 Mazda CX-5 keeps it simple | Mazda of Lake Lanier

Take a long, hard look, folks. This is the refreshed 2016 Mazda CX-5, which makes its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show today. And if you're thinking, "Say, that looks just like the old one," you really aren't alone. The visible updates certainly aren't major – Mazda has instead focused on giving the already-good CX-5 some thoughtful upgrades to make it a more attractive package than ever.

Outside, there are some slight changes to the styling, including new LED light signatures at the front and rear, as well as redesigned foglamp housings. Uplevel models also ride on attractive new 19-inch alloy wheels, with a dark finish.

Under the hood, it's all the same. Mazda's Skyactiv 2.0- and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines carry over, with 155 and 184 horsepower, respectively. Front-wheel-drive, 2.5-liter models get a small bump in fuel economy, too – the CUV is now rated at 26 miles per gallon city and 33 mpg highway, up from 25/32. Models equipped with the automatic transmission now benefit from different drive modes, as well.

Moving inside the cabin, the biggest news is the upgrade to the newer Mazda Connect infotainment system that debuted in the Mazda3. It uses a larger screen, with a cleaner, better-designed interface. This is an update that couldn't come soon enough. Additional interior improvements include more sound deadening, a new electronic parking brake, as well as some improved material and trim finishes. There's a host of new active safety features available, too, including radar-based cruise control with auto-brake support, lane-departure warning, and so on.

2016 Mazda CX-3 is a 2 cute ute | Mazda of Lake Lanier

 By Brandon Turkus
Mazda has finally lifted the veil on its 2016 CX-3 crossover, giving us our very first glimpse at the Mazda2-based entry into the rapidly expanding world of subcompact crossovers.

Mazda's KODO design language is once again on display, presenting some increasingly familiar styling touchstones including a five-point grille that integrates neatly with the front headlights to present an almost protruding snout that's both clean and complex. Like previous KODO designs, the CX-3's profile features swoopy character lines that highlight the wheel arches and a higher beltline. Mazda has cleverly chosen to black out the CX-3's D-pillar in favor of a floating roof look, a design decision that adds to the model's fashionable styling. It's the rear of the design that borrows most heavily from the Mazda2, largely in the shape of the headlights and rear hatch.

Globally, under that fashionable sheet metal sits Mazda's 2.0-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder that can be mated to a six-speed manual or automatic. Unfortunately, in North America, it looks like we'll only get the automatic. Regardless of gearbox, power can be sent to an optional next-gen all-wheel-drive system that uses the active torque control system found on the Mazda CX-5. Like the Mazda2, front-drive is standard.

Further mechanical details remain in short supply, but we can discuss Mazda's efforts in the cabin. Like the Mazda2, the CX-3 shown here boasts a pretty red, white and black color scheme. The interior isn't a fussy place, displaying a minimum of buttons and knobs. Driver interfaces include a small-diameter steering wheel that looks like a lot of fun to work, and a (likely optional) head-up display and larger pop-up infotainment screen strike us as very high-end features for what will likely be a rather affordable vehicle.