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AUTO REVIEW: 2019 Mazda CX-3

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The CX-3 was rated at 27 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg combined. I stopped to gas up a few miles before I crossed into Indiana. I didn’t have a full tank of fuel when I left and the smaller the vehicle the smaller the gas tank; 11.9 gallons on the all-wheel-drive version, which is what I had.

Published

5 years ago

March 29, 2019

Oakland Post

By Frank S. Washington, AboutThatCar.com

CHICAGO – The 2019 Mazda CX-3 is a small crossover. It was so small it could do a good imitation of a big hatchback. We drove one to Chicago to scope out the auto show.

On the way we encountered ice and sleet, then rain and then something akin to fog. The point is Mazda’s CX-3 handled it all relatively well.

It was powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that made 148 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. It was mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode and a sport mode. You don’t want to use the latter on an Interstate. It burns more gasoline because of the higher revolutions due to the gearing.

The CX-3 was rated at 27 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg combined. I stopped to gas up a few miles before I crossed into Indiana. I didn’t have a full tank of fuel when I left and the smaller the vehicle the smaller the gas tank; 11.9 gallons on the all-wheel-drive version, which is what I had.

The power was adequate. I didn’t run away from anybody but I was not trying to. This Mazda CX-3 cruised nicely. I set the adaptive cruise control at 76. When I needed to pass, the CX-3 responded smartly.

Overall, the CX-3 handled well. But this drive was not much of a test. The run from Detroit to here is basically flat and straight with a few rises and gentle curves as I-94 dipped around the southern end of Lake Michigan.

The bottom line was the utility vehicle went where I steered it without any exertion on my part. It handled well too. But again this interstate was not very challenging. However, there was some wind noise as well as road nose depending on the road surface.

On highway trips, even short ones like this four-hour drive, music is critical to an interesting trip rather than a boring ride. I used the CX-3’s satellite radio for most the trip. But towards the end I used the Bluetooth connection to stream from my phone and its Pandora app.

Mazda made some incremental changes to the CX-3 but they did not alter the KODO design language that is curved fenders over the wheel wells, a long hood and a short rump.

But they did give the CX-3 a new grille, a new color for the Grand Touring trim line which I had, black piano exterior accents, chrome accents, LED taillights and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Inside the CX-3 got an electronic parking brake as standard with auto hold, a reconfigured center console that was a bigger than the old one, a new rear-seat arm rest, a front passenger seat manual lifter, red vent surrounds and high gloss piping.

I was impressed with some of the equipment. The 2019 CX-3 had a power driver’s seat. It also had adaptive cruise control, adaptive LED headlights, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

The CX-3 Grand Touring was stuffed with stuff. It had blind spot monitoring, advanced smart city brake, lane departure warning, keyless entry and push button start stop and rear cross traffic alert. There was also a moon roof.

It was just a few years ago that this sort of equipment was exclusive to luxury vehicles.

The seats had been redesigned, they were comfortable and supportive. My only quibble so far was that there didn’t look like there was that much room in the rear.

I spent most of my time here traveling along Lake Shore Drive. It is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It looks like a boulevard in some places when it is actually a rally racecourse in disguise.

The lanes are narrow, after decades they installed a low separator between north and south bound traffic. Hit it at the right (make that the wrong) angle and you’re going to sail over it into oncoming traffic. The curves are abrupt. And if you pay more attention to the lake than you do the pavement, you’ll end up in the water or on the beach.

This is no place for amateurs, drivers must be experienced at acceleration, braking and steering. You go into a sharp curve too fast you’ll end up in the wrong lane. The road surface is very good but there are some dips that can disrupt your equilibrium. In a phrase, it is a great drive.

Three of us were going to attend the Charity Preview for the auto show here in the CX-3. I told the person who would likely be in the back seat that it was kind of close and she refused so we took her sister’s car.

I had checked the rear seat when I returned to the Motor City and she was right. There was plenty of headroom but legroom was lacking. And that was after I moved the front passenger seat forward a bit.

However, I was pleasantly surprised. The CX-3 had a decent cargo space: 9.6 cu. ft. with the rear seats up and 41.7 cu. ft. with them folded.

The instrument layout as with most Mazda products was clean. It had tri-dial climate controls. Most of the other equipment could be controlled from the touch infotainment screen and the mouse on the center console.

As tested it was $29,625, which at first I thought was a little pricey. But then I went back over the CX-3 equipment and thought that it is a small crossover with plenty of stuff. Things like all-wheel-drive, a heated steering wheel, blind spot monitoring and lane departure alert made it well worth the price.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.