Mazda Australia has cancelled CarSauce, and this should concern you. After we published our video last year called “Mazda is in BIG Trouble”, Mazda Australia took issue with a number of the points we raised. The video covered declining global sales, ageing platforms, quality concerns, dealer feedback and the growing pressure from Chinese manufacturers. Here is that video: https://youtu.be/wsEkCk-RwCA Wanting to be fair, I even gave Mazda Australia a heads-up before the video went live as a professional courtesy. We later had discussions with them, and after hearing their side, I re-filmed parts of the video months later to better reflect the situation. Fast forward to now, and things have escalated. CarSauce has effectively been blacklisted by Mazda Australia. We’re no longer being invited to launches, provided vehicles, or treated equally alongside other automotive media outlets. For one of Australia’s largest independent car publications, that raises a pretty serious question: Should manufacturers be able to cut off media access when they don’t like coverage? So, instead of staying quiet… I went out and bought one of Mazda’s most iconic cars ever made: an FD Mazda RX-7. Today’s video is the pickup vlog, the beginning of a new project car journey, and also a deeper conversation about media access, transparency, and why independent automotive journalism matters. Let’s get into it. #mazda #blacklisted #carsauce – 🚨 WE CAN HELP YOU BUY A NEW CAR!!! Get the BEST prices and ZERO hassle! 🚨 https://www.carsauce.com/buy ⭐ Best BREAKING Daily Car News and Car Reviews!! ⭐ https://www.carsauce.com ❤️ SUBSCRIBE TO TECHSAUCE - AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT!! ❤️ https://www.youtube.com/@TechSauceIO -- ⚠️ Watch me next ⚠️ Mazda Is In BIG Trouble... - https://youtu.be/wsEkCk-RwCA Buy my MR2? - https://youtu.be/43Nkp4e1-xI -- TIMESTAMPS: Intro & The "Cancelled" Situation 00:00:00 Tomi Kaira ZZ (The Deranged 911) 00:01:39 Pristine 90s Toyota RAV4 00:04:48 Bentley Azure & Ariel Nomad 00:06:14 Porsche 996 911 Turbo (The Daddy) 00:08:42 Honda CT110X Super Cub 00:10:08 Lexus GSF 00:11:32 Mitsubishi Mirage (Insane Intake Sound) 00:12:43 Toyota Century V12 & The Car Market 00:17:02 Revealing the Purchased Car (2002 Mazda RX-7) 00:21:05 Ryan's Mazda CX-60 Warranty Nightmare 00:23:51 RX-7 Engine Bay, Mods & Tuning 00:26:54 RX-7 Interior Tour & Accessories 00:35:25 Driving the RX-7 (First Impressions) 00:38:37 Final Thoughts 00:45:48 -- Here at CarSauce, we review every new car on the market. We are a community of sauce givers and we'd love for you to subscribe and join our community! We give every car "the sauce", test their 0-100km/h, and see whether or not they are worth purchasing and spending your hard-earned cash on. From time to time, we'll also buy a weird and wacky car and take you on the journey with me! We release videos every Sunday 5pm AEST / AEDT with the latest new car reviews! Your feedback is important, so if you want to see us do something new or something you would like me to change let me know! Got a question for me? Leave it in the comments! I try and respond to them all!
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When a car company blacklists CarSauce, they’re not just shutting out us — they’re shutting out the hundreds of thousands of Australians who watch us for honest, independent reviews. This platform exists because of you. So when Mazda cuts off access over factual, evidence-based criticism, it doesn’t just impact CarSauce — it impacts your ability to get balanced, objective coverage from an independent voice. Manufacturers don’t have to agree with our opinions. But we believe fair criticism, backed by facts and real-world analysis, should never be met with censorship or blacklisting. We’ll continue saying what we genuinely think, whether a brand likes it or not. Thank you for backing independent automotive journalism and supporting CarSauce — it genuinely means the world to us. What do you guys think about this situation? 👇
Mazda banning CarSauce for offering mild, fair criticism is a disappointing look for a brand that constantly markets itself as being “for enthusiasts.” Independent media is supposed to evaluate products honestly, not act as an extension of a manufacturer’s PR department. What makes this worse is that the criticism wasn’t sensationalist or malicious. It was measured, constructive, and exactly the kind of feedback mature brands should be willing to hear. If a company only rewards praise and punishes scrutiny, it stops engaging with journalists and starts curating propaganda. You cannot claim to value authenticity while sidelining creators the moment they stop reading from the brochure. Confident brands respond with better products, not blacklistings. In the irreverent words of Derryn Hinch - to Mazda: “shame, shame, shame.” I hope with time common sense prevails. This is gobsmacking gents. Just gobsmacking. My condolences on this headache.
As a decades long Mazda customer, Mazda Australia grow up. I'm sure if you had asked to have an interview and put your side forward, that would have been accommodated.
As an owner and fan of Mazdas, I am watching this situation with interest. Not a good look to black list a respected media channel, especially when your brand is entering uncertain times. I’m not convinced my next car will be another Mazda. I’m underwhelmed by the new models appearing, especially the EV’s.
The thing is, I feel like you can't actually trust most car journalism these days, outside of channels like yourselves, because the way the companies respond to negative feedback has fostered a culture in the industry of sugar coating negatives. The competition between manufacturers is harder than it has ever been, and cutting out honest feedback is not how you will get ahead, Mazda. I learned to drive in a Mazda 2. I have owned 2 MX-5s. Seeing this response to honest feedback is going to send me to the Toyota dealership...
Redriven bought a Spec C???? Sick assssss. Yes, I know who "the friend" of yours is heheheheh. He said how much he loved that car when he was a guest on Paul Marics podcast "The Drivers Show" I didn't know he was buying one tho!
Mazda why? I own two of your products right now and have owned a handful in the past. If you dont like opinion your are kidding yourselves. The car buying public does not care if you "cancel" Car Sauce. It cares if you make good product. If you dont make good product then the Dodo is your future.
YESSS!!!! Love this car... Fantastic choice!
Best story, best car, best channel. Mazda get with the program
Came back to see Adams STI, Redriven and CarSauce collabs need to happen!
Mazda grow up 😮
The Japanese car industry seems to be in free fall.
Mazda peaked with the RX-7, it’s been downhill ever since.
Whilst I'm not making any excuses for their behaviour (totally unsat), I wouldn't call Mazda a 'large' manufacturer. They're one of the smallest mainstream independent manufacturers in the world.
I love the ‘living in parent’s basement’ aesthetic he’s given the corner of that showroom.
Looking forward to the future "Things I love" and "Things I hate" videos of the RX7, followed by the inevitable "Why I sold my RX7" video.
Adam getting the Impreza STi. Noice.
Stunning RX7 😘
Mazda Oz is acting like a spoilt 2yo. A) Cancellation by a car company is a badge of honour, and B) they intend it as a punishment, but the Streisand Effect can happen easily. Cue the loose pin in the hand grenade. The risk the company runs is that the CarSauce viewing public decides their behaviour is childish and catty - because essentially Mazda Oz has just told every CarSauce viewer that they don't matter. An interesting position to take on the cusp of having their sales decimated by the Chinese onslaught. Plus, none of the criticisms that provioked this tantrum were unjustified - most of what was reported (once-over lightly CX-5, failure of the large platform, crap financials) was purely factual. Perhaps Mazda Oz should just grow up.
Really enjoyed this episode, the love of cars and fun personified by Carsauce and Cult & Classic is infectious. I almost forgot the purpose of video was sticking it up Mazda in the best Aussie larrikin way. Well done boys!