Vehicle Review: 2018 Mazda6 Signature - Fall Dapper Day at Disneyland

The 2018 Mazda6 Signature takes the midsize sedan market and completely redefines it. While the Mazda6 should be compared with the Toyota Camry or the Honda Accord, we could easily compare it with the Audi A4 or the Acura TLX. While the Audi or the Acura will never compare itself to the Mazda6, a similar equipped Acura TLX would cost about $5,000 more and a comparable Audi A4 would cost around $50,000.

The Mazda6 2.5-liter turbocharged engine never works that hard to provide all the power one needs. It has 310 lb-ft of torque and yet still offers great fuel economy. The Mazda6 26 MPG combined actually came in higher during my review period at 30 MPG.

The interior is comparable to both the Acura and the Audi. The rich Napa leather seats are both heated and cooled. The Signature edition also has a heated steering wheel. The remote interface controls for the infotainment system are very similar to the Audi's.

The infotainment screen is large and I love the overhead view of the vehicle.

The Mazda6 Signature was the perfect vehicle to attend Fall Dapper Day at Disneyland. Dapper Day is held twice a year and started as a way to celebrate when people went out in their Sunday best attire. Over the years it has grown to represent any time period of "Best Dressed" and includes Dapper Bounding, which combines Dapper attire with colors and accessories to emulate characters in the Disney Universe. This Dapper Day I went as the one and only Spider-Man in an amazing suit from OppoSuits.

The trunk space is massive. There is a full spare tire and a larger trunk space than the Audi A4. The trunk space might be needed for all the bad guys I catch.

One of my favorite things about Dapper Day is meeting friends such as Steven and Millie otherwise known as the CosPlayParents. Here they are as Mickey Mouse and Mickey Mouse in honor of Mickey's 90th birthday.

And making new friends is another great part about Dapper Day!

The sleek looks of the Mazda6 were equaled by its handling. Steering was very responsive and the vehicle gripped the road. Large adaptive LED headlights are something not usually found at this price point. Tony Stark would approve of this vehicle to take care of his protege Peter Parker.

Speaking of Mr. Stark, it looks like he has bought some land in Disney California Adventure. I wonder what Marvel-ous plans he has?

Even the real Spider-Man was impressed with my suit.

The Mazda6 Signature is a premium sedan in every sense of the word. Coming in at $36,140, the great looks and performance at a great price point move this to the head of the mainstream midsized sedan class.

Superhero approved!

Vehicle Review: 2019 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring - Lincoln, The Muppets, Christopher Robin and More Disney Related Adventures

Hey, everyone it's Jason from Sasaki Time with another vehicle review! This time it is the 2019 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring and I took it on a fun Disney-related adventure for the week throughout Southern California!

Mazda continues to make some of the best looking vehicles in the business and the 2019 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring is no exception! Minor changes for the 2019 version include a refined exterior with a new inner grill design up front and rear lights that look more like the front lights.

Let's hop into the cushy drivers seat. The front seats are now wider and more comfortable.

The console now has faux-suede, the climate controls have red accents and the parking brake is now an electronic one that was moved to the center console.

The Heads-Up Display still makes me feel like a fighter pilot. I love all the key information is right in my line of sight so I do not have to look away as I am driving. Also, all of your turn-for-turn navigation instructions appear here as well for an effortless drive to any destination.

The first Disney-related adventure takes us out to the San Bernardino County Museum. I had never been here before and this is a wonderful museum with great exhibits featuring animals both current as well as ancient that were found in the area. Plus, you get a wonderful history of the people and cultures that made the area what it is today.

But the main reason why we drove all the way out here is for the Mechanized Magic - 40 Years of Garner Holt Productions. Garner Holt Productions creates pretty much all of the audio-animatronics in every theme park for Disney and pretty much every major theme park around the world.

Vehicle Review: 2018 Mazda3 Grand Touring - More Disneyland Adventures!

It is time for another vehicle review and this time it is for the 2018 Mazda3 Grand Touring! This is my first time reviewing a Mazda3 and based off it's stunning good looks I knew it was going to be a great week of driving!

My best friend Brittney came down to visit me and all of her luggage easily fit in the trunk! It was off to drop off all of her luggage and then to spend our first night in Disneyland!

Reflecting on a magical night in Disneyland with my best friend!

This is what it looks like when you are literally the last car in the Toy Story parking lot! It was such a smooth drive both to and from the park and we would be heading back early the next morning!

And this is what it looks like when you are one of the first cars in the Disneyland parking lot the next morning! The 2018 Mazda3 Grand Touring made it such a joy to even drive in Southern California traffic. We zipped our way in comfort and style!

As many of you know one of my favorite things to do at Disneyland is to eat! Stopping at Redd Rocket's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland for lunch!

I am also always on the lookout for new food items to try at Disneyland! Here is the limited cherry vanilla cotton candy! Subtle in flavor but it was so good!

You get a powerful 2.5L 4-cylinder engine that produces 184 horsepower that gets 30 MPG combines and 27 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway! This is just a purely fun vehicle to drive and it handles so well on the road! You will just want to hop in and drive, even if you have no particular place to go!

Take a 360 degree look inside the 2018 Mazda3 Grand Touring! You get heated leather seats, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a heads-up display, heated steering wheel and a moonroof. 

The 2018 Mazda3 Grand Touring comes with a huge amount of features outside of the vehicle as well! LED fog lights, LED headlights and running lights, blind spot monitoring, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, adaptive front lighting and more!

It was a great week of driving around the Southern California area all week! A wonderful vehicle that will become your favorite as it did mine! Great looks, an interior that looks premium, and a fantastic driving vehicle that is very comfortable and stylish!

With all the premium packages the 2018 Mazda3 Grand Touring as tested came in at $28,370.

Vehicle Review: 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Disneyland Service Celebration, Halloween Time and a Galactic Meet-Up

This is my first time reviewing the Mazda CX-5 in nearly two years. Immediately, the exterior design changes of the 2017 model caught my eye. Clearly Mazda had decided to upmarket their vehicles. The Mazda KODO: Soul of Motion design philosophy creates a vehicle that has a sense of motion even when it isn't moving. The Soul Red Crystal Metallic paint really helps the 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring feel almost alive! You can see how the light plays off the reflective qualities of the paint! And the large 19-inch alloy wheels further enhance the look!

The SKYACTIV-G 2.5L engine is more than powerful enough for all of your driving needs. You get 187 Horsepower with 31 MPG on the highway and 24 MPG in the city.

Let's take a look at my week of some really cool Disney adventures including my 20th Anniversary Celebration with The Walt Disney Company, the start of Halloween Time at The Disneyland Resort and a really cool Disney Parks Blog Event for Guardians of The Galaxy - Mission Breakout!

Hoping into the driver's seat you will find ample legroom and headroom!

The drivers cabin is perfectly laid out. Everything is easily within reach. The dashboard gauges are bright and easy to read. The large 7-inch touchscreen display is perfect for your audio and communication needs. There is infotainment system voice command, SMS text message audio delivery and reply, a rearview camera, navigation system, Bluetooth, HD Radio, and SiriusXM.

The interior is super quiet with hardly any engine noise or road noise. Plus, the 10 speaker Bose audio system is ultra-clear and helps to create a very relaxing environment.

The first event for the week was to celebrate my 20th Anniversary with The Walt Disney Company! The celebration was held at Disney California Adventure! My lovely friend Sara joined me for the celebration!

Vehicle Review: 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD - Summer of Heroes, Cars 3 and Legoland

It is time for another vehicle review! This time it is the 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD! I reviewed the 2016 version back in December of last year! The 2016 version was one of my favorite and most luxurious vehicles to drive last year and the 2017 version is largely unchanged. Here is the link to that review:

Vehicle Review: 2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature Edition

Let's take a look at the fun adventures I had in the 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD while checking out the Summer of Heroes at Disney California Adventure, podcasting, media screening of Cars 3 and a trip to Legoland California! Wow, a busy week so let's get started!

The sun is rising on a new day and the fluid lines of the 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature make the vehicle look like it is in motion even when parked. I love the large mouthed grill, the large and expressive LED headlights and fog lights as well as the large 20-inch alloy wheels.

 It was worth it to be up early to get ready to check out the Summer of Heroes at Disney California Adventure for the food, characters and of course the newest attraction, Guardians of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout!

Click the link to learn some of my tips to get the most out of your visit to Guardians of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout!

Sasaki Time's Tips for Enjoying Guardians of The Galaxy: Mission Breakout at Disney California Adventure!

I got to meet one of my favorite Marvel characters, Black Widow!

After spending time with super heroes it was time to slow things down and head into Radiator Springs.

While in Cars Land I got to meet Larry The Cable Guy who voices Mater in the movie Cars! Larry was super nice and was happy to take the time to pose for this selfie!

Vehicle Review: 2017 Mazda CX-3 - Pirates, My Birthday and More

It is time for another vehicle review! This time it is for the 2017 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring! Join me and the White Pearl CX-3 for a week of movies, food adventures and Disneyland!

Time to jump into the Captain's chair for the first adventure of the week, a trip to the U.S. Premiere of Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood! The White Pearl CX-3 was the perfect ride to take me to see the Black Pearl!

The interior gauges are simplistic and nicely laid out. Not a lot of changes from last year's model. A central controller in the center console helps you navigate the large 7-inch infotainment screen. You also get a Heads-Up Display called the Active Driving Display that places all the essential information such as vehicle speed in your line of sight so you do not need to take your eyes off the road.

Zipping through Los Angeles traffic, yes actually zipping through Los Angeles traffic from Orange County, I made amazing time in the CX-3 on my way to Hollywood and the blue carpet for the U.S. Premiere of Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales! The drive was smooth and relaxing and the CX-3 had plenty of power to make it's way through Los Angeles.

The cast and crew take to the stage including Captain Jack Sparrow himself, Johnny Depp!

The next couple of days were off to Disneyland to celebrate my birthday! This is what the smooth style, called "Kodo" of the CX-3 looks like in a nearly empty Disneyland parking lot.

The large 18 inch alloy wheels are new for 2017.

The best way to celebrate your birthday is at Disneyland with great friends and of course a special treat or two!

Speaking of treats I treated myself to a Matterhorn Macaroon donut! Disneyland offers handcrafted donuts every day until they sell out.

And it was also a great time to enjoy one of my favorite meals in Disneyland, the chicken meal at the Plaza Inn. The fried chicken is one of the best fried chicken's in the entire area!

An overnight trip was also in order! I headed down to the San Diego area for the night! The drive was perfect and I loved the bright LED headlights with Adaptive Front-Lighting System that curves the road while driving.

The standard SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter engine comes on all models, paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine provided plenty of power on the freeway and going up and over the terrain in the San Diego foothills. The powertrain offering produces 146 horsepower and gets 29 mpg city / 34 mpg hwy / 31 mpg combined.

Amble room in the trunk was perfect for an overnight getaway!

And of course food was on the agenda! Sangria flight anyone?

Cajun seafood pasta was perfectly spicy and went perfectly with the sangria!

And a little salted caramel pudding for dessert was the perfect way to end the meal!

Options include a Tech Package on the Touring model, which puts together a premium Bose audio system, the panoramic moonroof and both satellite and HD radio. The i-ACTIVSENSE package, also available on the Grand Touring model, includes Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC), automatic Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) and Smart Brake Support (SBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), High Beam Control (HBC), automatic on/off headlights and rain-sensing wipers.

Every model gets standard Mazda Connect infotainment with a 7.0-inch touchscreen and rearview camera, Bluetooth streaming audio and phone connectivity, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows and locks, tilt/telescoping steering wheel with wheel-mounted controls, and keyless ignition.

Touring models get blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, six-speaker stereo, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, heated side mirrors, and brighter interior accents.

Opt for the top-of-the-line Grand Touring model and you get all of the Touring’s features, plus LED headlights with adaptive lighting, LED fog lights, LED taillights, a head-up display, leather seats with suede inserts, heated front seats, Bose audio with seven speakers, satellite radio, navigation, automatic climate control, and paddle shifters.

The CX-3 starts at $19,960 to the version of the Grand Touring I tested that topped out at $27,755. A solid driving experience from a subcompact-crossover combining great technology with a lot of options and features.

Vehicle Review: 2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature Edition

It's Jason from Sasaki Time and it is time for another vehicle review! This time it is the 2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature Edition! I took the gorgeous and stylish Mazda CX-9 on a trip to Northern California and some food adventures! Excited? Well, here we go!

Time to load up the luggage, a duffel bag and some snacks into the Mazda CX-9 Signature and hit the open road.

This is not your average soccer mom SUV. Powering this CX-9 is a turbocharged SkyActiv 2.5-Liter engine with four-cylinders. I averaged about 28 miles per gallon on the highway. Going up and over the Grapevine on my way to Sacramento was a breeze. It didn't even feel like the engine was working hard at all. The Sport version starts at $31,520 but the Signature edition that I tested with the real Napa leather, hand-carved Japanese rosewood interior, aluminum accents, a premium Bose audio system, solid technological and safety features is worth every penny of its $45,000 price tag.

The CX-9 Signature edition is a head turner. The long, sloping hood with that distinctly Mazda grill and smooth lines along the body and roofline make this one of the best looking SUVs on the market. I love the large 20-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, keyless entry, rain-sensing sensors and the power liftgate.

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Inside, the CX-9 Signature edition has a number of unique interior touches.  You get Napa leather, heated front power seats, real wood accents, even knee padding on the sides of the center console. The cabin is very comfortable as well as very quiet. You get two USB ports in the front and  a fantastic Bose audio system.

The interior continues with a well thought out dash layout. Gauges and controls are easy to read and to use. A central controller on the console helps you navigate the large infotainment display. You also get a Heads-up Display (HUD) with all the critical information floating right below my direct line of sight. Not only can I easily see my speed but all of my navigation information and even safety information such as blind-side monitoring. There are quite a few safety features as well including cross traffic alerts with backup sensors, variable cruise control, lane keep assistance, emergency braking and three rows of side curtain airbags. 

Now driving six hours to Northern California meant a few food adventures with my parents.

The first food adventure takes us to the Jackson Casino for this amazing dish of lobster claws for only $10. A delicious ginger black bean sauce and 10 lobster claws make this one of the best seafood dishes ever.

And no trip home would be complete without some spam musubi from my mom. As some of you know, my folks are from Hawaii and spam is the local favorite.

Back down in Southern California, I went to Cross Roast Eatery in Anaheim. They are trying to become the Asian Chipotle. You pick one of several Asian proteins such as the roast pork belly and roast duck that I chose for my dish above. You then pick the base, which I selected ginger rice, but you could pick ramen, or tacos or a baguette for instance. Then you get to pick your toppings and your sauce. An amazing experience and one I will go back to for sure. 

Halfsies is a new donut shop in Tustin. Here they specialize in amazing toppings for your donut. You get to customize your donut. The one on the right is dipped in maple glaze, then topped with granny smith apples and strawberries, cinnamon toast crunch, whipped cream, a nutella drizzle and finished with a sprinkling of cinnamon. The one on the left is dipped in a chocolate glaze, cocoa krispies, cookie crisp, the Grinch ice cream, a toasted marshmallow and a chocolate drizzle. Both of my creations were amazing!

So, after these food adventures, it was time to finish my week of driving the amazing Mazda CX-9 Signature edition. From the stunning good looks to the power of the turbocharged engine, the Mazda CX-9 is a winner. Add quality craftsmanship, a comfortable cabin layout and a bevy of safety options, the CX-9 deserves to be on your list of the top family SUV list this year.