Mazda Shows Off Macho SUV That Sips Gas

By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY

Mazda is showing off a fairly macho crossover SUV concept at the New York auto show that has a fairly economical powertrain.

It's being called the Minagi, a concept SUV that will be produced as the CX-5. It was given Mazda's latest design direction, one that will apply to all of its future vehicles. it's supposed to remind you of a cheetah, fastest animal on earth.

"I felt a compact SUV was the perfect vehicle to express agility and focused movement; the flexibility of four limbs moving in unison, and in an upright posture," said Masashi Nakayama, Chief Designer of the concept.

The concept also has the latest in Mazda's fuel saving technology -- SkyActiv. The goal is try to squeeze more mileage out of convention gasoline engines without having to go hybrid, with the expense and complexity.

The engines gets better gas mileage through better compression, more than a Formula One race car. The engine is more efficient, with a 15% increase in torque and 15% reduction in fuel consumption compared to the current 2-liter gas engine.

Weight of the vehicle is reduced by 10%, which also helps fuel economy. Engine friction is reduced by 30%.

Customer Service...What does it mean to YOU?

I love this video of Ross Shafer's and have used it often in training. I am about to use it again, but this time I got to thinking..."why in the world don't we make our own?" (No offense Ross!)

This little dealership I work for is awesome. We do all the right things. We're nice, we're friendly, we like you. Or do we? Well, yes indeed we like you, but do we like you the way you want us to?

Put your consumer hat on for a minute and think of two things. 1) the worst buying experience you ever had. 2) the best buying experience you ever had. Ahh...the stories, right?

But is it always about worst and best? Is there more to it? Is it that a "person" was responsible for the worst or best experience, or was it the entire company? People come and go. Companies hang around. So, now I wonder if every time I go to my dry cleaners will I always get amazing service? Or is only that when I go, I'm always helped by the owner's wife? Is it because we're about the same age, have kids the same age, she's just really a nice person? What happens when she goes on vacation? Will the dry cleaner sitter be my age, be nice, know my name, let me pick up today and pay next time? Does my dry cleaner have a Customer Service Statement? Customer Service Philosophy? Customer Service Promise? Customer Service Procedure? And if they do, are all the employees trained in how to deliver it?

If you, the consumer wanted to help me make a video about customer service for our little company, what would you want to see in it? I think a lot of companies assume they have great customer service because they are really happy about adding you to their data base and to their bottom line. Being happy promotes great service, right? (Yes, that would be sarcasm dripping from my words...)

Customer Service is my passion. I don't know why...it just is. My family thinks I'm nuts, because I really don't mind if a customer yells at me. Really, I DON'T MIND. It means my customer is passionate, too. Passionate about the way he wants to be treated. As a consumer, I happen to be every company's worst nightmare. I'm the consumer that quietly walks out, and never tells the company why. No second chance, no letter of complaint. I just take my money somewhere else. So, when a customer is unhappy and wants to talk to me, I can't wait! That means we can fix it, because WE FIX PROBLEMS HERE. I get to be the VP of Yes where I work. It means that he just might give us a second chance. It means that he's about to give our company very valuable feedback, and I just want to hug him for it. I get to say thank you for telling us what's broken. Thank goodness he's not like me!

I think Ross is saying more in his video than just a lovely story about Maria....I think he says the company she works for promotes great customer service, because they promoted an employee that gives it. When you're the customer, what do you want from the company? I'd love to know! I'll even put your name in the credits when I make our own company video. I'm thinking the title might look something like this..."Customer Service, the OC Auto Team way, as presented by our Customers".

I'm hoping for tons of feedback, please share...don't be me!! Lynda Nelson, Director Customer Affairs (aka VP of YES!) OC Auto Team lnelson@ocmazda.com lnelson@ochyundai.com http://www.ocmazda.com

Latest news from Mazda...a CX5! http://www.mazdainthenews.com/

http://www.ocmazda.com

What Do You Drive?

If you watch Grey's Anatomy or The Office tonight you will see our cool new ad.

10 Things Happening Right Now at OC Mazda

1. Someone is getting their car serviced with tender loving care. TLC? Yup we not only check the things you may forget to check, but we don't charge you for it and we wash your car for free when it's all done. By the way, our owner John Patterson has been know to do the washing!

2. Someone is being offered $8,000 off MSRP. Yes, that much. We work hard to find the cars that make sense for your lifestyle and budget and keep them on our lot. Once in awhile we get some incredible deals like this one.

3. Someone is emailing Jim Feinstein to get a quote and Jim is responding pretty darn close to immediately. Jim heads up our Internet Sales Team and in addition to be a super nice guy, he is Type A when it comes to staying in touch. Be careful, you might close a deal via text message!

4. Lynda Nelson is coming up with another fantastic and fun promotion like this month's GAS CARD GIVEAWAY. Just visit our Facebook Page and tell us why we need to give YOU a $200 Gas Card.

5. Speaking of promotions, someone right now is creating the jingle for the OC Auto Team Social Media Songwriters Challenge. They are wondering how they are going to spend the $2,000 Grand Prize and what their friends will think when they hear the jingle on TV, Radio and Internet promotions all year long!

6. Someone is asking their friend why other car dealerships don't service all makes and models like OC Mazda does. And the friend is answering him, "Because it's hard!"

7. Owner John Patterson is asking himself just how far he can take this whole servant leadership thing so that it permeates every square inch of Tustin Mazda, Huntington Beach Mazda and Tustin Hyundai. "Where else can we serve?" "How else can we lead?"

8. Salesman Extraordinaire Jeff Lezniak is wondering why so many books on sales are written when sales is simply being yourself, being persistent and being passionate about your product.

9. Someone just left OC Mazda and said to themselves..."Well, that wasn't your typical car dealer experience."

10. Someone just went to DealerRater, saw our reviews and said to themselves, "OK I know where to get my next Mazda."

Orange County Register Promotes our New Jingle Contest

Nothing thrills us more than when a fun new idea gets propelled along by a great partner like The Orange County Register. They are helping us promote our Social Media Songwriters Challenge on Facebook to local schools through their Register in Education program.

The OCR's Register in Education program is part of a national effort called Newspapers in Education (NIE). Newspapers across the nation, including The Orange County Register, have been working collaboratively with local schools for decades to provide teachers, students, and parents with innovative teaching tools and the opportunity to use the newspaper as a living textbook.

Learning programs allow students to delve into subjects like math, science, politics, health, geography, and much more using up-to-the-minute information found only inside the daily newspaper. These programs are provided FREE to Orange County schools, thanks to generous donations from corporate sponsors and individual contributions from people like you.

Our Social Media Songwriting Challenge comes with a $2,000 Grand Prize which any school can use toward reaching their fundraising goals. Register in Education and Tustin Hyundai both know how much talent there is in Orange County and that our next catchy jingle (We like "buying a car's a dream with the OC Auto Team", but you can submit anything) will probably be submitted by a student!

Just create a catchy jingle and upload at least a 60 second video to our Facebook page here.

Five top nominees will be selected and all runners-up will receive $250.

All winners will have donations made on their behalf to Musicians on Call, which brings music to the bedsides of patients in treatment facilities.

Autoweek Review of 2012 Mazda 5

From AUTOWEEK Editor Wes Raynal comes this review of the 2012 Mazda 5:

"The 2012 Mazda 5 is a nice little minivan. I like the swoopy new look, though I understand Mazda has already dropped this design look from the Nagare concept after getting a new chief designer. The 5 is spacious and flexible, and the dual sliding doors make for easy entry and exit.

The 157 hp felt like enough to me, and though five-speed transmissions seem so yesterday, out on the freeway I didn't find myself crying out for a six-speed gearbox.

The car feels more solid than the old model and for being based on the 3 platform, it is a zippy handler around town."

EXECUTIVE EDITOR--AUTOWEEK.COM BOB GRITZINGER: I'm not sure Mazda wants to hear this, but I could see growing old in a vehicle like this. Not that it is stodgy and soft--on the contrary, it looks quite sporting with its Nagare-inspired side strakes. It's just that it is quite comfortable and practical in every way, with easy straight-in seat height, convenient sliding rear doors and a size that makes it easy to maneuver in parking lots and in traffic lanes.

The little I4 seems somewhat overmatched at times with just a driver on board, so performance must be truly tested with a load of passengers or gear. But it's not too noisy and runs smoothly to speed, so for most driving it'd be enough to handle to work. There is some roll in the suspension, especially at the rear, so it's good that the vehicle sits low to the ground to offset that tendency. Steering is direct and steady and the brakes seem adequate.

Inside, four captains' chairs provide the bulk of the seating; two more seats fold up to create a third row. Comfort is good, and controls are all well-placed for easy operation.

Overall, this is a minivan a lot of people could live with, providing just enough space and seating in a nice tight package.

2012 Mazda 5 Grand Touring

Base Price: $24,670

As-Tested Price: $24,920

Drivetrain: 2.5-liter I4; FWD, five-speed automatic

Output: 157 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 163 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

Curb Weight: 3,457 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 24/25.6 mpg

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110407/CARREVIEWS/110409923#ixzz1IrFvtGqV

OC Auto Team's John Patterson Named Entrepreneur of the Year Semi-Finalist

Tustin, April 5, 2011 – OC Auto Team (Tustin Mazda, Huntington Beach Mazda and Tustin Hyundai) today announced that President, John Patterson is a semi-finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year^® 2011 Award in Orange County. According to Ernst & Young LLP, the awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. John was selected as a semi-finalist from nearly 60 nominations by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced at a special gala event on June 11 at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year. The program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 140 cities and over 50 countries throughout the world.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 12, 2011.

The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies, and is held from November 9-13, 2011.

Mazda USA Posts OC Mazda Video

We were thrilled this weekend when not only Mazda USA, but also Mazda Canada and Mazda Australia posted a video made by one of our happy car buyers!

Be a Happy Car Buyer

We love our ads...fun and playful and not taking ourselves too seriously. Because buying a car should be something that makes you HAPPY!