2012 MAZDA3 SKYACTIV: No pie in the sky

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/04/2012 (4917 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I must admit, when I first heard about Mazda’s new “SkyActiv” technology a little over a year ago, I was skeptical. Early press releases were light on details and heavy on promises, so who could blame me?

Since that time, though, the details have become clearer and all I can say is how refreshing it is the company is putting just as much emphasis on driving enjoyment as it is on increasing the fuel efficiency of its product lineup.

I have been able to get some seat time in a pair of SkyActiv-equipped Mazda3s that incorporate at least some of the technology Mazda is rolling out, specifically the SkyActiv-G gasoline engine. Available on a single mid-level trim of the 3 sedan and hatch, the GS-Sky, these models deserve more than a passing glance from prospective buyers.

The reason? Mazda’s new 2.0-litre SkyActiv engine is more powerful yet significantly more efficient than the engine of the same displacement that powers the base GX models. With 155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque, the GS-Sky betters the GX by seven horses and 13 lb-ft of torque, yet its city/highway fuel consumption of 7.1 and 5.0 L/100 km respectively are 1.6 and 1.0 better.

Having your cake and eating it too? Seems like it.

The SkyActiv-G engine is the product of a holistic rethink of the internal combustion engine and how air and fuel are combined for more efficient combustion. Automotive engineers have long known engines can run more efficiently with a higher compression ratio. However, the higher combustion chamber temperatures that result can cause engine knock, which can quickly lead to damage of the engine’s innards.

So they developed multi-hole injectors and a unique piston shape to optimize the air-fuel mixture, lowering chamber temperatures and speeding up combustion before knocking can occur. All of this allowed Mazda to incorporate a 12.0:1 compression ratio (10.0:1 is more typical for production gas engines) to the new Mazda 3. An even higher 13.0:1 ratio is available on the CX-5 crossover thanks to a new exhaust header design that further cools temperature down.

But there was simply no room for this in the existing Mazda3 architecture. And European customers will benefit the most, because this engine can operate at a 14.0:1 ratio when running on premium fuel, but Mazda’s research indicated North American customers would resist such a requirement on a mainstream or economy-minded vehicle. They’re probably right.

Another feature of the SkyActiv-equipped 3 I was less blown away by is the new automatic transmission, which Mazda claims removes the “slush” from the “slushbox,” but I can’t say that impression was felt from the driver’s seat. I have yet to test the new manual gearbox that is yet another component of the SkyActiv suite of technologies.

Starting at $19,195, the GS-Sky sedan commands a $700 premium over a non-SkyActiv-equipped GS. That’s a modest sum for that useful technology, but it is down on power from the regular GS that shares the GT’s 2.5-litre mill.

Standard equipment on the Sky models include a six-speed manual, 17-inch alloys, heated power mirrors, Bluetooth connectivity, wheel-mounted audio controls, leather-wrapped tilt and telescoping wheel, heated cloth seats and six-speaker audio.

Our sedan tester was also equipped with the $1,200 automatic transmission and $2,195 leather package, which adds power leather seats, fog lights and a few trim upgrades, bringing the as-tested price for our sedan to $22,590. Our Sport hatchback tester started with a base price that’s a grand dearer than the sedan but added only the automatic for an as-tested price of $21,395.

Aside from the new technologies, the SkyActiv 3 drives just like any of its siblings, which is to say it’s sporty and responsive and, in Sport (hatchback) form, has plenty of room for four people and their stuff. The sportiness is a theme continued throughout, from the car’s sharp styling (never mind about that busy and overbearing snout) to its firm and supportive seats to its driver-oriented ergonomics. Indeed, from the driver’s seat, it seems there’s not much new to report at all, which is a great thing in this time of making compromises for the sake of fuel efficiency.

One has to admire Mazda’s approach to meeting ever-tougher fuel efficiency and emissions legislation: Rather than producing a low-volume hybrid or electric to try to lower the average consumption of its product fleet, it has engineered improvements to the internal combustion engine and transmissions that can be incorporated across its lineup. Better yet, the changes that are being made are to the benefit of, not detriment to, driving enjoyment.

THE SPECS

2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv

ENGINE: 2.0-litre SkyActiv four-cylinder engine, DOHC, 16 valves

POWER: 155 hp @ 6,000 rpm; 148 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm

TRANSMISSION: six-speed automatic

DRIVETRAIN: front-wheel drive

LENGTH: 4,595 mm

WIDTH: 1,755 mm

HEIGHT: 1,470 mm

WHEELBASE: 2,640 mm

FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.1 L/100 km city, 4.9 L/100 km highway

BASE PRICE (SEDAN): $19,195

PRICE AS TESTED: $22,590 plus destination and taxes

BASE PRICE (SPORT): $20,195

Price as tested: $21,395 plus destination and taxes