The Sunday Mail
Criticism of second-hand car imports by Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa have sparked public calls for Government to lead by example and make use of locally assembled vehicles. Willowvale has in turn said that it can produce vehicles like the Mazda 3 at a cost of US$10 000 in optimal conditions. Although these claims have been met with suspicion the real interest has been in what kind of cars ministers would travel in if Government decided to buy locally assembled vehicles.
Madza 6 and CX-9 have been touted as possible choices for senior Government officials. The Mazda 6 (pictured right) boasts a fuel efficiency of 37km/litre and has been met with rave reviews, with motoring analysts noting that Mazda is upping its game and attempting to woo a buyer that would be tempted to go for the entry level premium segment.
The 2014 edition’s cabin is attractive and filled with upscale materials with plenty of passenger space allowing even the heftier officials to enjoy a comfortable ride in the back.
Notable standard features on the base 2014 Mazda 6 with the manual transmission include push-button start, a six-speaker audio system and auxiliary and USB inputs.
If you opt for the automatic transmission, you’ll also get standard Bluetooth, a rear-view camera, a 5.8-inch touch-screen display, HD radio, Internet radio connectivity, voice-controlled audio controls and hands-free text messaging capability.
Ministers would also probably tick off all the extras, equipping the vehicle with features like dual-zone automatic climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, adaptive cruise control, an 11-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system, satellite radio, navigation, a blind spot monitoring system, Mazda’s Smart City Brake Support system, a lane departure warning system, forward obstruction warning and a rear cross traffic alert system.
The CX-9 is equally impressive and offers officials with a need to do business in rural areas sufficient off-road capabilities as well as a comfortable ride. The cabin is a pleasant place to spend time and would no doubt meet the exacting demands of senior officials being shuttled on Government business.
The CX-9 offers key-less entry, steering wheel-mounted cruise and audio controls and USB/auxiliary ports, as well as standard push-button start. Bluetooth phone and audio streaming with voice control is optional, as is a colour touch-screen display, a navigation system, a back-up camera, a Bose stereo, satellite radio, Mazda’s Smart City Brake Support system and a blind spot monitoring system.
