Sometimes walking through the exhibit halls of an auto show is much like a high school science fair. There’s always the volcanoes and the solar system displays just dressed up a little different than what someone else did last year. But there’s always the kid in class that dreams to be different. Mazda’s four decade commitment to the Wankel Rotary motor is proof that they choose to think outside of the box. Today, when all the craze is Clean Diesels, EV’s, developing a Hybrid, or unimaginatively licensing Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, Mazda dares to breathe more life into the conventional internal combustion engine. Enter SkyActiv.
While studies show that the internal combustion engine will still be around for another couple decades, most manufacturers aren’t putting forth too much effort to re-think the formula. The easy way out to meet the fuel economy needs of the future is to simply mate it the combustion engine with a hybrid electric system. Mazda’s new SkyActiv-G motor further develops the potential in the gasoline internal combustion motor utilizing technology traditionally found on race cars but adapting it to obtain incredible efficiency without the need of race fuel. The slick combination of long tube 4-2-1 headers, enhanced fuel injector spray pattern, and an innovative piston cavity design for optimal combustion speed, a 14:1 compression ratio is achieved on pump gas without fear of high temperature combustion knocking. This combined with their series of new transmissions featuring lighter components and a vastly improved torque converter for the SkyActiv-Drive automatic, and a simplified reverse gear sans the reverse idle shaft, coupled with lighter components and a short throw shifter for the SkyActive-MT. All of this combined equates to over 15% increase in Fuel Efficiency, 15% increase to Low End Torque, while weighing less, and promoting an improved driving feel.
Now the Mazda3 isn’t all new, on the surface this is the same IIHS Top Safety Pick that can be seen on roads in recent years, now with the SkyActiv technology. Exterior and interior styling and materials are carried over from the previous years so every thing in that department will be familiar. It’s when you start the motor and take off is when you realize that this is a something completely different under the skin. We took a quick test drive of the Mazda3 SkyActiv with the new 6 speed manual transmission. The SkyActiv-G engine seemingly has power throughout the whole rpm range, and never seems to bog down. The torque is readily available in such low engine speeds that if you so desired you can start the car in 3rd gear from a stand still! The hyper milers out there that are trying to squeeze every last ounce of efficiency out of the daily commute will find themselves cruising at 35 mph in 6th gear at idling engine speeds and it will be just as responsive as driving at 3000 rpm. This will return a cool 39 mpg with the manual transmission and 40 with the ultra efficient automatic. Even driving around frantic downtown Los Angeles traffic sprinting from light to light and darting through traffic the Mazda3 SkyActiv returned 23 mpg in the most heavy footed and unapologetic driving.
