Thursday 6th June 2019

180hp and 52mpg from Skyactiv-X Mazda 3

Compression and spark ignition 2.0-litre petrol on sale soon - who wants a turbo anyway?

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Mazda has already been praised on PH for its commitment to naturally aspirated engines, the 2.0-litre MX-5 unit in particular singled out for its effervescent nature and laudable efficiency. Now Mazda is taking its development of petrol engines one step further, with the Skyactiv-X Mazda 3.

Skyactiv-X has been discussed for a while now, drives having taken place of prototypes with the Spark Plug Controlled Compression Ignition technology that combines - you guessed it - both spark and compression ignition. The ignition technology also works with Mazda's M Hybrid tech to reduce emissions, recycling kinetic energy from braking to supply an electric motor that assists the engine. Today's newss is the announcement of production car specs, and they're as impressive as we've come to expect from Mazda's innovative engine range.

In a Mazda 3 on 16-inch wheels, the 180hp, 165lb ft 2.0-litre Skyactiv-X will return 52.3mpg on the WLTP cycle and emit just 96g/km of CO2. That's unprecedented for a petrol engine; the fact that peak power is delivered at 6,000rpm would suggest it's not simply a turgid petrol tuned for economy, either. With the optional 18-inch wheels, those numbers fall to 50.4mpg and 102g/km. With all-wheel drive, automatic gearboxes and different bodystyles available, not all will sneak under that 100g/km threshold, but it's a mighty achievement nonetheless.

The Skyactiv-X engined cars will go on sale later this year, with UK prices and specs to be released in July. It sounds like fascinating technology, potentially a huge leap forward for petrol engines and promising a future for non-turbo'd or hybridised power units. Wonder if it'll go in an MX-5?

[Grrbang]

I think PH'ers will be more impressed by 224Nm / 3000rpm from an NA 2 litre petrol, than slightly better fuel economy.

Edited by Grrbang on Thursday 6th June 14:29

[dukebox9reg]

I get over 50mpg out of my Leon FR Sport 190 petrol which has a much more user friendly 236lbft and 7 spd DSG.
Just this morning on my commute I got 51.8mpg.

26 miles of backroads, M40/M42 and a bit of town. Average 42mph.

I'm guessing the Mazda with that little torque etc making half decent progress and 50mpg would be very hard.

[stedaley]

dukebox9reg said:

I get over 50mpg out of my Leon FR Sport 190 petrol which has a much more user friendly 236lbft and 7 spd DSG.
Just this morning on my commute I got 51.8mpg.

26 miles of backroads, M40/M42 and a bit of town. Average 42mph.

I'm guessing the Mazda with that little torque etc making half decent progress and 50mpg would be very hard.

What engine is the FR sport? Turbo petrol?
the new mazda engine are NA engine, so to be comparable is unbelievable.

Edited by stedaley on Thursday 6th June 14:36

Edited by stedaley on Thursday 6th June 14:37

[dukebox9reg]

stedaley said:

dukebox9reg said:

I get over 50mpg out of my Leon FR Sport 190 petrol which has a much more user friendly 236lbft and 7 spd DSG.
Just this morning on my commute I got 51.8mpg.

26 miles of backroads, M40/M42 and a bit of town. Average 42mph.

I'm guessing the Mazda with that little torque etc making half decent progress and 50mpg would be very hard.

What engine is the FR sport? Turbo petrol?
the new mazda engine are NA engine, so to be comparable is unbelievable.

Edited by stedaley on Thursday 6th June 14:36

Edited by stedaley on Thursday 6th June 14:37

Yeah its the new EA888 Gen 3b. B being Budack cycle. Very clever tech and ideas to catch up to diesels at least in small to mid sized cars.

[C.MW]

This is incredible. Even just a decade ago no one would've had any idea that ignition combined with copression in an ICE could be possible. Mazda may just be the one that saves us from being forced to sit in bland electric appliances. Hope their long-term reliability will turn out to be solid in the next decade.

[unsprung]

Mazda continue to burnish their reputation for a certain sort of individualism, and I enjoy being part of the Greek chorus here that cheers them on

whilst there are important and desirable attributes of EVs, it's no less inspiring to see progress on the ICE front

imagine this particular Skyativ solution with an average one percent improvement in figures, each year for the next several years; then extend it further by integrating a battery-electric hybrid

[stedaley]

dukebox9reg said:

Yeah its the new EA888 Gen 3b. B being Budack cycle. Very clever tech and ideas to catch up to diesels at least in small to mid sized cars.

£160 tax vs £0-20

I feel they will be very popular with company car companies.

[DanielSan]

2 litre and 180bhp... Dear Mazda, please put that donkey in the MX5, Kthanxbye

[HorneyMX5]

DanielSan said:

2 litre and 180bhp... Dear Mazda, please put that donkey in the MX5, Kthanxbye

They already do.

[Ruskins]

Nope the engine in the MX5 is SkyActive-G which is not the combined spark cycle of this which is SkyActive-X

[havoc]

unsprung said:

Mazda continue to burnish their reputation for a certain sort of individualism, and I enjoy being part of the Greek chorus here that cheers them on

Indeed. Proper innovative engineering, rather than just "bolt on a turbo, map for low-end torque, game the regulations".

Some of us don't like the low-rev torque focus that a lot of the turbo-petrols are now afflicted with, so while a free-revving petrol of any kind is to be applauded, a n/a one is especially welcome.

[Arsecati]

Unless it comes in a manual, then I'm not interested.

[anonymous-user]

havoc said:

Some of us don't like the low-rev torque focus that a lot of the turbo-petrols are now afflicted with, so while a free-revving petrol of any kind is to be applauded, a n/a one is especially welcome.

But i know that the vast majority of non-enthusiast drivers, the sort of people who buy Mazda SUVs are going to feel that this new engine is "flat as a fart" and will never rev it hard enough to find the (reasonably decent but not that special) power at the top end.

It makes 225 Nm, a typical 2.0tdi is making 400 Nm these days. So in any given gear, that's half the performance.........

(BTW, i haven't checked but assume the 225 Nm is without the eAssist which may help level the playing field somewhat)

[RumbleOfThunder]

I'm confused. The article says this is in conjunction with a Hybrid system. So the headline figures are with the help of electrification? That doesn't seem all that impressive at all.

[Superhoop]

Arsecati said:

Unless it comes in a manual, then I'm not interested.

You should be fine then.. manual is definitely available

RumbleOfThunder said:

I'm confused. The article says this is in conjunction with a Hybrid system. So the headline figures are with the help of electrification? That doesn't seem all that impressive at all.

Mild Hybrid, not hybrid..

[deadtom]

RumbleOfThunder said:

I'm confused. The article says this is in conjunction with a Hybrid system. So the headline figures are with the help of electrification? That doesn't seem all that impressive at all.

I think its just an MHEV system, so the assistance is not very much, a few kW at most I think

[caelite]

C.MW said:

This is incredible. Even just a decade ago no one would've had any idea that ignition combined with copression in an ICE could be possible. Mazda may just be the one that saves us from being forced to sit in bland electric appliances. Hope their long-term reliability will turn out to be solid in the next decade.

I wonder if they knock like a diesel. Would love to see the PH reaction as the the saviour technology of the N/A engine come clattering along like an old van. :P

[DanielSan]

HorneyMX5 said:

DanielSan said:

2 litre and 180bhp... Dear Mazda, please put that donkey in the MX5, Kthanxbye

They already do.

Thought it was only 150bhp in it?

[havoc]

Max_Torque said:

havoc said:

Some of us don't like the low-rev torque focus that a lot of the turbo-petrols are now afflicted with, so while a free-revving petrol of any kind is to be applauded, a n/a one is especially welcome.

But i know that the vast majority of non-enthusiast drivers, the sort of people who buy Mazda SUVs are going to feel that this new engine is "flat as a fart" and will never rev it hard enough to find the (reasonably decent but not that special) power at the top end.

It makes 225 Nm, a typical 2.0tdi is making 400 Nm these days. So in any given gear, that's half the performance.........

Oh come on chap...you're in the industry...you shouldn't be ignoring the impact of gearing! That's just lazy...


(e.g. my 'torque-less' Type R has (+/- a few %) exactly the same wheel-torque as a same-era 320d, and a flatter torque-curve to boot...)

[edeath]

caelite said:

I wonder if they knock like a diesel. Would love to see the PH reaction as the the saviour technology of the N/A engine come clattering along like an old van. :P

Isn't this engine supercharged? The figures are still impressive - but its not the saviour of NA some people are saying.