Latest Mazda6 to have lower CO2 and higher MPG with no compromise on performance

• CO2 reduced to 104g/km from 108g/km with no compromise on performance
• Economy improves to 72.4mpg
• Perfect combination of performance and safety

Mazda’s ground-breaking executive express, the award-winning new Mazda6, is now even more attractive thanks to improved fuel economy and lower CO2  emissions making it one of the most frugal yet fun to drive cars in its class.

Emissions on the 2.2-litre SKYACTIV diesel saloon models with its powerful 150ps four-cylinder engine and manual gearbox have been lowered by four per cent from 108g/km to 104g/km with a corresponding improvement in fuel economy taking the combined cycle figure from 67.3mpg to 72.4mpg.

For the new Mazda6 Tourer with the same powertrain, emissions are reduced by five per cent to 110g/km from 116g/km and economy improves from 64.2mpg to 67.3mpg, moving it from band C to the lower band B for road fund licence purposes.

The improvements have been made without sacrificing Mazda’s renowned fun-to-drive characteristics meaning buyers don’t have to downsize to a smaller engine to get the economy they want.

The changes also strengthen new Mazda6’s credentials as the true no compromise car for motorists looking for the perfect blend of performance, economy and safety wrapped up in a highly competitive package.

“The improvements to emissions and economy open clear water between us and the sector’s best seller the BMW 320d and when linked with our outstanding finance offers make the new Mazda6 a very competitive choice for our retail customers,” said Mazda UK Sales Director Peter Allibon.

The improvements – the result of production modifications - also reinforce new Mazda6’s award-winning credentials. Since its launch in January, it has won numerous awards including ‘Best Large Family Car' (saloon) and ‘Best Estate Car' (tourer) from the influential website CarBuyer, which is linked to the weekly Auto Express magazine, as well ‘Best Family Car’ in the Auto Express New Car awards and most recently the ‘Eco Car Award’ at the Scottish Car of the Year awards.

It is also one of the safest cars on Britain’s roads after receiving a 5-Star safety rating in the latest Euro NCAP tests, the highest rating possible, announced in September. The result endorses Mazda's strategy of enhancing the safety of all its new vehicles by introducing such innovations as the impact-absorbing SKYACTIV-Body technology.

New Mazda6 buyers are offered a choice of 36 saloon and tourer models with three equipment levels (SE, SE-L and Sport - with or without Satellite Navigation) and four high-efficiency SKYACTIV diesel and petrol powertrains.  Prices range from £19,595 to £28,295 (on-the-road).

NHTSA give new Kia Sorento 5 stars in the US.

• 5-Star rating enhances Sorento’s overall value proposition
• Long list of standard safety features allow Sorento to achieve high scores across all categories

Kia Motors America’s (KMA) top-selling CUV, the redesigned 2014 Sorento, has earned the highest possible overall safety rating – five stars – from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The new Sorento was recognized for its outstanding performance in frontal and side impact crash tests, as well as high marks in rollover testing.

 “Built on an all-new platform, the redesigned Sorento utilizes Kia’s advanced safety equipment and technologies to provide a high level of occupant protection for drivers and their families as measured by the U.S. government,” said Orth Hedrick, executive director, product planning, KMA. “Already a compelling entry in the compact CUV category, earning a 5-Star rating from NHTSA makes the Sorento an even stronger contender within its segment while underscoring Kia’s overall commitment to delivering safety and exceptional value to our customers.”

 In addition to NHTSA’s 5-Star rating, the 2014 Sorento has also been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).  It is built at Kia’s manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia and is available in four trim levels.

About the 2014 Sorento
The 2014 Sorento is no mere mid-cycle refresh.  It rides on an all-new platform and suspension system, and offers a new V6 engine and more passenger room as well as a new top-of-the-line trim level known as the SX Limited.  From a styling perspective, redesigned front and rear fascias incorporate new lighting elements, the 17-inch and 18-inch alloy wheels have been redesigned and a larger 19-inch alloy wheel is offered on the SX as well as the all-new SX Limited.  Inside, the center rack, gear shift, instrument clusters, and soft-touch surfaces all feature a redesigned look.  Other available features now include second row sliding sunshades and heated front seats, panoramic sunroof, a programmable powered lift gate, heated second row seat bottoms, and more.  The 2014 Sorento was the first Kia vehicle to offer the next generation voice-activated telematics system, UVO eServices.

Kia:  One of the World’s Fastest Moving Global Automotive Brands
Kia Motors America is one of only three auto brands to increase U.S. sales in each of the past four years, and in 2012 the company surpassed the 500,000 unit mark for the first time.  With a full line of fun-to-drive cars and CUVs, Kia is advancing value to new levels of sophistication by combining European-influenced styling – under the guidance of chief design officer Peter Schreyer – with cutting-edge technologies, premium amenities, affordable pricing and the lowest cost of ownership in the industry.  Kia recently joined the exclusive ranks of Interbrand’s “Top 100 Best Global Brands,” and is poised to continue its momentum with seven all-new or significantly redesigned vehicles scheduled to arrive in showrooms in 2013.  Over the past decade Kia Motors has invested more than $1.4 billion in the U.S., including the company’s first U.S. assembly plant in West Point, Georgia – Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia – which is responsible for the creation of more than 14,000 plant and supplier jobs.  The success of the U.S.-built* Optima and Sorento in two of the industry’s largest segments has fueled Kia’s rapid growth and is complemented by Kia’s comprehensive lineup which includes the Cadenza flagship sedan, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Sportage compact CUV, Optima Hybrid, the Forte sedan, 5-door and Koup compacts, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and the Sedona minivan.

• Qoros 3 Sedan scores maximum five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests
• Highest overall score so far in 2013
• Amongst the best ever tested by Euro NCAP
• First car from a brand headquartered in China to achieve  five stars

In a ground-breaking result, Qoros’ first production vehicle, the compact (C-segment) Qoros 3 Sedan, has been awarded the maximum five-star rating in the Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) crash tests.  Qoros is the first international brand headquartered in China to produce a car awarded five stars by Euro NCAP.

The Qoros 3 Sedan scored highly in all four areas of the Euro NCAP tests and has the best overall performance of all vehicles assessed so far in 2013, placing it amongst the very best ever tested by Euro NCAP.

The Euro NCAP test procedure is an accredited benchmark for vehicle accident safety and is recognised by governments, automobile clubs and consumer associations across Europe.  As one of the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative independent crash safety tests, it assesses occupant protection in different impact scenarios, as well as the effectiveness of safety assistance systems and the level of protection for pedestrians.

Volker Steinwascher, Vice Chairman of Qoros, said: “The safety of our vehicles was one of our key development goals from the start.  It’s a crucial demonstration that our customers are the most important consideration and it also says a great deal about the engineering integrity of the car as a whole.  So, while we expected a very good result in the Euro NCAP test, we are naturally very happy with how the car performed.  The Qoros engineering team invested an incredible amount of time and commitment in developing one of the safest vehicles ever assessed by Euro NCAP.”

Roger Malkusson, Executive Director of Vehicle Integration at Qoros, said: “We have been working towards this result for many years.  Our safety team is made up of experts from many different countries and our efforts have been focused on delivering a thoroughly well engineered car that achieved maximum safety scores.  We are very proud to have achieved the top rating of five stars.”

Occupant protection
The Qoros 3 Sedan scored the best result for Adult Occupant Protection in Euro NCAP’s 2013 programme so far.  The safety passenger cell of the Qoros 3 Sedan proved to be extremely robust in front-end, side impact and pole impact collisions.  

The body and structure of the car are designed to minimise the exposure of passengers to risks in the event of collisions, with the forces on the vehicle diverted along predefined load paths and absorbed by generously-sized deformation zones.  As the potentially huge impact energy generated in a collision is largely dissipated, the integrity of the passenger cell is maintained.

The comprehensive suite of standard passive safety equipment (designed to keep occupants safe in the event of an accident) provides the driver and passengers, irrespective of their size and seating position, with maximum protection against injury.  These include front and side airbags, side head curtain airbags for the front and rear seats, three-point automatic seat belts on all seats and dual belt tensioners for front passengers.  In the event of a rear-end collision, the front seat headrests are designed to reduce the risk of whiplash injuries.

Child safety is also a major consideration, with ISOFIX child seat anchorages in the rear, with top tether hooks, and a passenger airbag disconnect switch for the front passenger seat position.

The Qoros 3 Sedan also scored maximum points for child restraint in the front and side crash tests.   A new addition to this year’s Euro NCAP procedure assesses the vehicle’s compatibility with a wide range of child seats.  The Qoros 3 Sedan excelled, proving to be compatible with the full range of the Euro NCAP top pick child seats.

Pedestrian Protection
Qoros’ first production car also achieved an impressive result in the Pedestrian protection test thanks to a development programme that included meticulous work with Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE).

Andy Piper, Chief Engineer of Vehicle Safety and Homologation explains: “The 2013 Euro NCAP protocol demands very accurate computer simulations when calculating the Pedestrian protection performance.  As industry standard pedestrian models were not sophisticated enough for this purpose, Qoros’ expert safety team developed its own models.  The outcome is that we are proud to have developed one of the best Pedestrian protection systems ever assessed by Euro NCAP without any compromise to our distinctive styling or our class leading aerodynamics performance.”

Safety Assistance Systems
The newly revised Euro NCAP test criteria includes an assessment of a vehicle’s active Safety Assistance Systems (those designed to help prevent accidents) and here, too, the Qoros 3 Sedan recorded an excellent result.  The saloon is equipped as standard with ABS (Antilock Braking System), ESP (Dynamic Stability Control / Electronic Stability Program), EBA (Electronic Brake Assist), Braking Control System , seat belt reminders for all occupants and a driver-set speed limiting device to help motorists observe speed limits.

A detailed review of the Euro NCAP test results:

Adult Occupant: 95%
Child Occupant: 87%
Pedestrian: 77%
Safety Assistance Systems: 81%
Overall result: 88% = Five stars

The four test criteria have different weighting when calculating the overall score. Adult Occupant protection has a 50 per cent weighting, Child Occupant and Pedestrian protection categories each have a 20 per cent weighting, and Safety Assistance Systems has a 10 per cent weighting.

The overall result is not published by Euro NCAP but is used at the end of each calendar year to determine the Best in Class award.

The Euro NCAP crash test procedure
The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is an independent consortium with eleven members made up of government representatives, automobile clubs and consumer protection organisations.  The transport ministries of Sweden, France, the UK, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Catalonia and Germany are involved, alongside the FIA, the German Automobile Club (ADAC), International Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT) organisation, and the Thatcham Research Centre run by British motor insurers.

Euro NCAP are continually adapting its assessment protocols, challenging manufacturers to deliver even safer vehicles.  The 2013 assessment is the most challenging so far, with the Pedestrian protection procedure being even more comprehensive than 2012 along with tougher scoring criteria in the Safety Assistance Systems assessments.

Qoros’ international team of safety experts
As part of its objective to produce vehicles that either meet or exceed the stringent European requirements for quality and safety, Qoros recruited leading automobile experts from all over the world dedicated at ensuring a high level of safety for all Qoros vehicles, their efforts are directed towards developing features that are intended to prevent accidents (active safety systems) as well as minimise the consequences of accidents (passive safety systems).

The design of the Qoros 3 Sedan’s architecture has taken account of the very latest developments in accident safety and occupant protection.  Advanced computer simulations played a major role in the development process, reducing the number of crash tests needed but also allowing the engineers to explore the robustness of the Qoros 3 Sedan in many different scenarios.

Outstanding five-star safety rating for recently unveiled SEAT Leon ST

• Outstanding five-star safety rating for recently unveiled SEAT Leon ST
• Score includes 94% rating for adult occupant protection and 92% for child occupant
• Euro NCAP Advanced commends SEAT for Leon ST’s multi-collision brake and lane-keeping assistant technology
• All-new estate car open for ordering from 1 October, starting from just £16,675

The SEAT Leon ST has been awarded a five-star safety rating by car safety assessment body Euro NCAP. The outstanding score puts the Leon ST among the very safest cars on the road.

The spacious, versatile and beautiful estate car, which goes on sale in the UK in October for January 2014 first deliveries, joins the Leon five-door hatchback as a five-star car.

The rating is the result of exceptional scores in all areas of the industry-standard Euro NCAP test, but particularly the adult occupant safety and child occupant safety sections, for which the Leon ST scored 94% and 92% respectively.

Features such as front passenger airbag deactivation, to facilitate installation of a rear-facing child seat, helped achieve the child occupant score, while extensive use of high strength and ultra-high strength steels in key areas of the chassis ensure that the Leon ST remains as stable as possible during a collision.

Alongside the five-star safety rating, the Leon ST has received two Euro NCAP Advanced awards, for its lane-keeping assistant and multi-collision brake systems; Euro NCAP Advanced was established in 2010 by Euro NCAP to reward ground-breaking emerging safety innovations.

“SEAT is committed to the highest levels of active and passive safety in all its models,” says Dr. Matthias Rabe, Executive Vice-President for Research and Development at SEAT S.A. “The thorough development work developed at our Technical Centre is now rewarded with the excellent classification achieved by both variants of the new Leon in the demanding Euro NCAP tests.

“We are also pleased with the two Euro NCAP Advanced rewards for the SEAT multi-collision brake system and the SEAT lane-keeping assistant in the new Leon. It is the new Leon family at the very top of the latest technology,” he adds.

Dr. Rabe accepted the two Euro NCAP Advanced certificates at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where the Leon ST made its world debut.

SEAT lane-keeping assistant (known as Lane Assist in the UK and available as part of the Leon’s optional Driver Assist Pack) uses a camera mounted behind the rear view mirror, which detects lane markings and helps the driver stay in lane. Working at speeds above 40 mph and linked to the power steering system, it applies a small amount of torque to the steering wheel intended to prompt the driver into taking corrective action should he or she begin to drift out of lane.

The multi-collision braking system (called Automatic Post-Collision Braking System in the UK, and standard fit) detects when the car has been involved in an accident – for example when the airbag has been fired – and automatically applies the brakes to prevent or mitigate a subsequent impact. It triggers both the hazard warning lights and the brake lights.

With a starting price of just £16,675 for a 1.2 TSI 105 PS model in S specification, the Leon ST represents amazing value. Every version comes with air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity for phone and audio, steering wheel-mounted controls, a colour touch-screen infotainment interface, front electric windows, roof rails and a double boot floor.

Thanks to a 587-litre boot that stretches to 1,470 litres with the rear seats folded flat, the Leon ST is one of the biggest estates in its class, while its £825 premium over an equivalent Leon five-door model is significantly lower than that of the majority of its direct competitors.