AUTOMOTIVE - DRIVEN: Skyactiv Livens Up Mazda3

Always a favorite, the compact Mazda3 comes back for 2012 with a facelift, an upgraded interior and an optional new engine technology with the inscrutable name Skyactiv that boosts both power and fuel mileage.

Mazda3 is the Japanese automaker?s top-selling car, so that?s the one that gets the first taste of Skyactiv, which will be introduced in a raft of the Mazda?s upcoming gas and diesel engines. For this application, the 2-liter engine gets 155 horsepower, seven more than the standard 2-liter 4, and a torque increase of 10-15 percent to a maximum 148 pound-feet.

Most impressive, though, is the fuel mileage. According to the aces at EPA, the Mazda3 Skyactiv gets 28 city and 40 highway for the six-speed automatic-transmission version, which is quite a feat for a 3,000-pound car. Mileage with the six-speed manual is slightly lower, at 27 city and 39 highway.

Skyactiv technology is a suite of engine and transmission updates to gain power and fuel mileage. (Photo: Mazda) Part of the Skyactiv gain comes from a direct-fuel-injection system with multi-hole injectors, designed to provide the most-effective spray pattern, and dual sequential timing for its 16 valves. The big trick, though, is found in the uniquely shaped pistons and combustion chambers that allow a compression-ratio boost to an exotic 12:1, which is solidly in performance-car range.

Mazda says that the piston cavity shapes engineered for the Skyactiv-G engine ?ensure a shorter combustion time and suppresses the impact on power and torque from engine knocking.?

That compression ratio is for the U.S.-spec cars, where they will be able to run on 87 Octane without pinging themselves apart. The ratio gets even higher for Japan and European models, which run with a remarkable 14:1 compression ratio with a commensurate increase in power, although they must use high-octane gas. Too bad we can?t get that here.

The result for U.S. is the Skyactiv-G engine, which is lively and efficient, and it makes the already enjoyable Mazda 3 even more fun to drive without as many stops to gas up. The standard 2-liter engine remains available in the base model, and there?s still the 2.5-liter four banger that produces 167 horsepower.

Mazda3 is already one of the most fun compacts to drive, with its solid chassis and firm suspension begging to be run through the turns like a sports car. Driving enthusiasts will appreciate the stiff ride though regular folk might find it a too buffeting. The extra power from the lightweight engine adds to the zest.

The Skyactiv-G engine comes standard in the Mazda3 i Touring and Grand Touring models, which is the one in the four-door sedan that I drove. A cool-looking four-door hatchback version is also available, which would be my choice for the extra cargo space.

The test car also came with the new Skyactiv-Drive six-speed automatic transmission that shifts crisply and cleanly whatever the demands. The torque converter includes a lock-up for
?minimal decrease in fuel economy and an increase in direct drive feel,? Mazda says.

Sure, I would prefer the driving precision of the six-speed manual, which Mazda sportingly makes available for all Mazda3 models, even though the new automatic functions extremely well and gains gas mileage compared with the manual. But for a car with the sporty drivability of Mazda3, I?d say that stickshift would be right on.

The styling update is fairly mild, though I think the designers have managed to tone down that maniacal grin that their cars have been wearing for the past few years. The pronounced front wheel arches are a good look that?s finding its way into competitors? cars.

The upgraded interior has a premium feel, especially for this modest price range, and the Grand Touring Model comes loaded with features, including leather trim, power driver seat, a 286-watt Bose audio system with 10 speakers, Bluetooth and a compact navigation system, all for a base price of $22,300.

The base model starts at around $19,000 and the top-dog Mazdaspeed3 performance model is priced at $24,000, which you?d have to agree is a lot of car for the cash.

The tester also had an optional Technology Package with a blind-spot monitoring system, satellite radio, rain-sensing wipers and adaptive bi-xenon headlights, all for $1,400. With $795 shipping, the Mazda2 Skyactiv sedan came out to $24,495.

An enjoyably sporty compact car with a boost in power and gas-saving technology sounds like just what the doctor ordered. Mazda once again seems to have hit the sweet spot.

Details

Vehicle type: Five-passenger, four-door sedan, front-wheel drive.
Engine: 2-liter Skyactiv-G inline-4, 155 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 148 pound-feet of torque at 4,100 rpm.
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with manual shift.
Wheelbase: 103.9 inches.
Overall length: 108.9 inches.
Curb weight: 2,950 pounds.
EPA mileage rating: 28 city, 40 highway.

Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. SPEED.com fans can email Bob Golfen at

Source: http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/driven-skyactiv-enlivens-mazda3/

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