Mazda MX-5 Miata Once Again Races onto Car and Driver's Annual 10Best List

BALTIMORE, MD (12/18/2012)(readMedia)-- Precise handling and affordability have long made the Mazda MX-5 Miata a rapidly selling favorite of driving enthusiasts, and those same attributes helped land the 2013 model on Car and Driver's 2013 10Best Cars list. This year marks the eighth year in a row that the publication has honored the roadster, and the 14th time the Miata has been on the list since it first drove onto the scene for the 1990 model year.

Editors at Car and Driver praised the Miata's balanced chassis, which contributes to a nearly 50:50 weight distribution, as well as its superior engineering and responsiveness. Nominees for the influential award included models that are all-new or substantially updated, 2012 10Best winners and last year's eligible cars that were unable to be tested at the time. Vehicles also had to be on sale by January 2013 and cost less than $80,000.

"Experts and customers alike have taken to the Miata for so long not because of its horsepower or torque, but because it delivers in the small details that are actually more important than raw performance," said Greg Ryland, general manager of Russel Mazda, a Baltimore, Maryland Mazda dealer. "Mazda recognizes that driving is about more than just specs on a page, and the Miata embodies that outlook, giving motorists a supremely gratifying driving experience without needing outrageous power outputs."

Reflecting the Miata's continued popularity, new models of the car saw a 26-percent sales increase in November compared to the same month last year. Even with the colder months approaching, the roadster, which features a soft or retractable hard top, moved 369 units last month for its best November since 2009.

Mazda's sales were strong across its lineup last month, with its overall tally equaling 21,691 units for its best November since 1994. The Mazda2 and volume-leading Mazda3 each reported a record November, selling 2,495 units and 9,841 units, respectively. Meanwhile, the Mazda5 posted its best November since 2008, moving 1,284 models for an increase of 31 percent year-over-year.

With the upcoming January release of the 2014 Mazda6, Mazda hopes to receive an added boost to its sales momentum. Recently making its North American debut at the LA Auto Show, the redesigned sedan takes on Mazda's KODO, or Soul of Motion, design language, as well as the automaker's new fuel-efficient SKYACTIV technologies, which span the engines, transmissions and chassis. In addition to a 2.5-liter gasoline engine estimated to produce 184 horsepower, the Mazda6 will feature a 2.2-liter diesel option that will be available in the second half of 2013.

"The new 2014 Mazda6 is the best-looking generation ever, with swept-back lines and sleek sheet metal that convey the responsive performance underneath," added Ryland. "With the addition of a diesel engine and other SKYACTIV technologies, it will be the most fuel-efficient iteration as well."

About Russel Mazda:

A respected Baltimore, Maryland Mazda dealer for many years, Russel Mazda strives to provide nothing but the best Mazda buying experiences, one family at a time. Their wide inventory of new and pre-owned Mazda models is backed up with stellar customer service that is sincere, informative and hassle-free. Russel Mazda also provides top-notch automotive service performed by factory-trained and certified technicians with genuine Mazda parts. Browse their entire inventory online at www.russelmazda.com or in person at 6624 B Baltimore National Pike in Baltimore. They can also be contacted by phone at 866-851-5047 or found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RusselMazda.