Aurelia Butler

Mazda will launch a new two-row mid-size SUV, the CX-70, in the U.S. sometime next year.Based on the same platform as the CX-90, the CX-70 was originally supposed to arrive this year.It will offer a hybrid powertrain and is likely to also have Mazda’s new 3.3-liter inline-six.Now that Mazda has launched the three-row CX-90 SUV, we’ve been waiting for its smaller sibling to arrive. Called the CX-70, this two-row mid-size crossover was originally slated to go on sale by the end of this year, but Mazda’s North American CEO Tom Donnelly told Automotive News that this new model will now launch sometime in 2024.The addition of the CX-70 is part of Mazda’s goal to grow its U.S. sales by offering more models to America’s SUV-hungry buyers. The company’s lineup will soon include the CX-30 subcompact, the CX-50 and CX-5 in the compact segment, and the CX-70 and CX-90 in the mid-size segment.We already have an idea of what to expect from the CX-70, as Mazda already said that it will essentially be a widebody version of the CX-60 (pictured), an SUV that’s already on sale in Europe. The CX-70 will have a shorter wheelbase than the CX-90 but will use the same longitudinal-engine platform and is likely to share powertrains with its larger sibling. Donnelly also confirmed that the CX-70 will be offered with a hybrid powertrain, almost surely the same setup as the CX-90 PHEV that uses a 2.5-liter inline-four gasoline engine. The CX-90’s turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six, which produces either 280 hp or 340 hp depending on trim level, should also make its way into the CX-70.More information on the CX-70 is surely coming within the next few months, although Mazda has not provided a specific timeframe for when it will debut.More on Mazda SUVsSenior EditorDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More

It’s that time of year again! October means a chill in the air, chili in the Crockpot, and Window Shop arguments over winter beaters and how much to spend on one. Our last two winter challenges set the budgets at $5000 and $7500, and our “Most Reliable Used Cars for $5000” challenge was a de facto winter beater episode. This year, the panel got to spend a whopping $12,000 to survive three months of whatever’s going on with the climate (and inflation). Given a full roster of six contestants, we’re proud to admit almost none of them used the money wisely.Road & Track senior editor John Pearley Huffman applied his laser focus to the word “beater,” then went to Colorado to find one. We’re not sure why so many cars in that state look like they’ve been dragged out of the Grand Canyon, but we’re pretty sure Pearley would have done better with one of the Grand Canyon mules. The mule would have been a nicer shade of brown than the car, and at least as reliable. Senior editor Joey Capparella, whose nose for older Japanese economy cars is unmatched, hooked up an unmolested Subaru WRX. The plain black wagon spoke so deeply to executive editor K.C. Colwell that Colwell did all the speaking for Capparella’s presentation.Senior editor and SoCal dweller Elana Scherr might not even believe in snow. She was so put off by the concept of winter that she didn’t read her listing carefully and ended up buying half an Argo. Don’t try to understand that sentence, just watch the video and let her explain.Contributor Jonathon Ramsey went for luxury, because Ramsey going for luxury is even more reliable than winter of late. His calculus: A bulletproof German engine surrounded by potentially dodgy German electronics that only have to last three months? Isaac Newton, the inventor of calculus, would approve. Colwell, rested from his Subaru presentation, returned to the speaker’s lectern to show an English rectangle with a German engine, making it doubly dodgy—unless it isn’t, which is always possible with English cars. And editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga emerged from left field with another automotive marsupial. He won huge style points. But the car might do as well in a real Michigan winter as a mammalian marsupial would. (Hint: Not well.)Your wonderland awaits, and it includes the line, “The windows only suck when you want to use them.”More Window Shopping More

Opportunities to purchase a genuine Ford GT40 don’t come up that often. Ford built just over 100 examples of the iconic sports racer across its four iterations, with the majority serving as competition cars. That’s not the case for this particular example offered for sale by PistonHeads, which happens to be an original press car from Ford’s U.K. fleet. Chassis P/1069 is one of a few Mk I GT40s that was commissioned in “road trim” specification, built to order by Ford in the United States. The car was initially finished in opalescent Silver Blue paint and came equipped with a 289-cubic-inch V-8, wire wheels, and map pockets like other roadgoing GT40s. Annals of HistoryAfter the car was complete, Ford loaned it to a Swiss company associated with Scuderia Filipinetti, which displayed the car at the 1967 Geneva auto show. The GT40 was resprayed green before its debut at the show. The car would receive coverage in a few of the British auto rags at the time before ultimately being sold into private hands in 1971, and resold in 2007. P/1069 has lived a relatively public life in the years since, including a number of stops at historic races and events. You might have even caught a glimpse of the car at this year’s Goodwood festivities. PistonHeadsWhile there isn’t a ton of public information about the car beyond that, the seller will surely have a treasure trove of tales for any interested parties. There is no asking price attached to the listing, with PistonHeads suggesting that any buyers come prepared with nearly eight figures. That shouldn’t be too surprising; every bit of GT40 history carries a dedicated fan base. The less affluent among us can always look to one of the many kit car companies for a “cheap” alternative. PistonHeadsBorn and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.  More

Honda has announced that it will launch a hybrid version of the Civic compact car for the 2025 model year.The company says the Civic hybrid will be offered in both sedan and hatchback body styles and will be powered by a version of the powertrain in the larger Accord hybrid.Hybrid models will not replace the gasoline ones currently offered but will be sold alongside them when they hit the market in 2024.UPDATE 10/19/23: Honda now says that the Civic Hybrid will arrive for the 2025 model year, not 2024 as was previously announced. Production of the hybrid sedan will start in spring 2024, and the hybrid hatchback will follow after that.The next step in Honda’s plan to hybridize its lineup will come in the form of the 2025 Civic Hybrid, which will be offered both as a sedan and a hatchback. The company’s electrification plans include shifting to an entirely electric lineup by 2040, but increasing its hybrid offerings in the meantime is meant to bridge that gap.We reported last April that Honda had launched a hybrid version of the Civic hatchback in Europe, and speculated that the car would also come stateside to replace the discontinued Insight sedan. We’re not sure yet exactly how Honda will adjust the European car’s powertrain, which consists of a 2.0-liter inline-four and two electric motors that combine for 181 horsepower, for the U.S. market. But we can only hope that its output comes closer to the 204 horsepower offered by the closely related hybrid setup in the 2023 Accord hybrid.HondaWhile consumer interest has moved from cars to light trucks and SUVs, Honda still sees sedans and hatchbacks as important parts of its business. “The market has shifted away from passenger cars, but cars still matter to Honda,” said Mamadou Diallo, vice president of automobile sales for American Honda. “The cars bring in younger, more multicultural buyers to the brand.”Our Latest Honda TakesThe introduction of a hybrid powertrain to the Civic lineup is part of Honda’s plan to keep those younger buyers coming. Honda plans to open the order books for its all-electric Prologue SUV this year as well, which will be its first step toward the broader electrification of is lineup within the coming years.We expect to find out more about the Civic hybrid closer to the car’s on-sale date, which should be in early 2024. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This story was originally published January 25, 2023.Managing Editor, Buyer’s GuideDrew Dorian is a lifelong car enthusiast who has also held a wide variety of consumer-focused positions throughout his career, ranging from financial counselor to auto salesperson. He has dreamed of becoming a Car and Driver editor since he was 11 years old—a dream that was realized when he joined the staff in April 2016. He’s a born-and-raised Michigander and learned to drive on a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. His automotive interests run the gamut from convertibles and camper vans to sports cars and luxury SUVs.       More