7 Secrets that Make Mazda SUVs and Sedans Fan Favorites — and 1 Common Complaint

Soul Red Crystal Metallic. I’ll just start here. It’s so deeply reflective you can use it to touch up your makeup. The color is so pensive you can look at it all day. I’d plaster my walls in it if I could What makes it, as well as other colors on the Mazda palette, so beautiful?

Mazda’s paint process layers pigment with translucent color and clear coat until the finish is almost foil-like, deep and reflective. The sinuous panels and simple creases in the body of each model further reflect the depth of the color.

And it’s mesmerizing. Mazda SUVs and sedans are largely thought to have the best red paint in the auto biz.

Read: Navigating the Great Outdoors in the 2024 Mazda CX-50

‘Do you really need premium fuel? Or can you use regular’ is a debate car enthusiasts and fearful motorists have all the time. Many car makers *recommend* premium fuel, but aren’t clear why. Others just recommend regular.

Mazda tells you up front exactly why: You can generate more power using premium in its models dubbed “turbo.” In the Mazda CX-30 Turbo for instance, you’ll generate 227 HP using regular gas but 250 HP using premium. In the CX-90 Turbo you’ll produce 280 HP with regular gas but 332 with premium. Check the engine specs to be sure the model you’re looking at will get a boost from using premium before loading up on it.

Isn’t that clever? And transparent?

Read: A Torque Story Part Deux: The Mazda CX-30 Turbo SUV Will Make Your Soul Soar

We can’t love this little detail more. Mazda wanted to fast track a hybrid to the market so it partnered with the top hybrid maker, Toyota. The hybrid system found in the Mazda CX-50 is the same found in the Toyota RAV4 hybrid. The similarities pretty much end there. The RAV4 then follows its own adventurous spirit down the trim trail, while the Mazda SUV goes upscale with leather, tailored details and a competitive price.

Read: Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Vs. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid: Which is Better?

Mazda was the first carmaker to offer head up displays to drivers of small, sporty but affordable cars. That’s because it’s as much a safety feature as it is a luxury. Back in the day, Mazda’s HUD systems were clever little screens that sat on top of the dashboard; today they are fully integrated into the dash and as sophisticated as any on the market with turn by turn directions, radio information and road signs.

Where Mazda still differs from the rest of the market, however, is that nearly all its models offer a HUD and it can be had at almost every level. The MX-5 Miata is the exception, but you can’t have everything.

This is another Mazda principle we can get behind: everyone should have leather, or it’s nearly indiscernible cousin, leatherette. In fact, only a few base models even offer cloth trim; the rest offer leather or its alternative. But better than those options, leather isn’t a budget-buster. It’s a standard of quality.

And all who have had sweaty footballers, spilling toddlers or drooling dogs in the rear seat know: Cloth seats, once soiled, will never be redeemed.

If you’re like me, you love a manual transmission. It’s a driver’s treasure, putting you at one with the machine, making you work for the fun and rewarding you with the feeling of accomplishment.

And, it’s just pure fun and how (many say) a car should be driven. But going with the wisdom of the masses, most car makers have given up on the stick shift, adding paddle shifters or maybe, ambient lighting and louder sound systems to make us forget that being behind the wheel should be fun.

Not Mazda. The company will never, so they say, give up manuals in the MX-5 Miata or the Mazda 3. Arigatō.

Many drivers struggle to find the right seat position, risking poor visibility, or worse, from a sore back and neck to lack of control over the car. But no amount of lumbar support or neck-craning can improve your control when you can’t see the road.

So, Mazda created a Driver Personalization System for the CX-90 and CX-70. This system takes just a few minutes to set up using in-car cameras and prompts on the multimedia system to adjust the seat position, height and mirrors so that your eyes are perfectly aligned to your ideal field of vision. Then, it records the settings to your driver profile so you’ll always be perfectly situated for your drive.

Read: 6 Driving Mistakes You’re Making — and 6 Minutes to Being a Better Driver

And that’s just the start of complaints with the multimedia system: Even fans of Mazda complain that the system feels dated; its graphics haven’t changed much over the years, and it offers has limited features, lacking things like voice activated assistance. Also, Mazda has continued to use a dial controller on the center console to operate the system because it helps to keep the driver’s eyes focused on the road, which of course, is safer.

There is one little work-around, however, which might be secret #8: the screen is touch-sensitive in newer models when Apple CarPlay is in use. Maybe drivers who know this are the ones who don’t complain; they simply hop in and zoom-zoom. The rest don’t care enough to abandon Mazda.

Which is not a surprise. The entire lineup, top to bottom, is filled with delight.