A refreshed 2012 Mazda 3 hatchback quietly debuted this past week in Toronto... well, maybe not quietly, but we Americans don't exactly have our finger on the pulse of current events in Canada. In any case, the car is subtly restyled, but still maniacally happy. The much, much bigger news is that the 3 will have Mazda's new direct-injected "Sky-G" 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine when it goes on sale this fall.
Said engine will make 158 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 151 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm while running on North American-grade 87 octane. That's with a 13:1 compression ratio. (On higher octane European fuel, the engine will run at 14:1 compression and make 163 hp and 155 lb-ft.)
This engine will initially be offered with the new Sky-activ six-speed automatic transmission that's lighter and more efficient than the current five-speed automatic. We'll see Mazda's new 6-speed manual transmission, too, but availability will be delayed in North America (where manual-gearbox take rates are low compared to Europe). Still, says Mazda spokesman Jeremy Barnes, "there is every intention that there's a manual coming though."
Engineering Editor Jay Kavanagh has already sampled both the Sky-G and the 2.2-liter Sky-D diesel engine (headed our way in early 2013) in Euro-spec Mazda 6 prototypes, so check out his driving impressions after the jump.
Driving Sky-G
At a briefing in Berlin, Germany, we drove various development mules (TPVs or Technology Proveout Vehicles in Mazda-speak) of the next-generation Mazda 6 equipped with the 2.0-liter Sky-G coupled to the new six-speed automatic and manual gearboxes. These were the higher-compression ratio versions, not the U.S.-spec ones.
Right away, the thing you notice is that this is not an engine that needs revs to deliver the goods. Torque is ample even at the low end of the tach, and it is delivered brightly all the way through the midrange and near the upper reaches.
In its current guise this is not intended to be a performance-car engine, but for everyday use it provides the right kind of motivation -- solid and linear thrust from low revs. The combination of direct injection and high compression provides sharp throttle response, too. It's the kind of engine that will serve Mazda's workaday applications quite well.
It could use a bit more personality like a more mellifluous intake note as today it sounds fairly prosaic. Final calibration and NVH work is still underway, though, so maybe there's a chance Mazda can fruitify the engine note. Yes, fruitify. -- Jay Kavanagh
Driving Sky-D
Mazda handed us keys to yet more Mazda 6 development mules, these ones sporting the Sky-D diesel engine. And believe us when we say that this 2.2-liter diesel is poised to make a splash when it shows up here in the U.S. in the brandy-new 2013 CX-5 cute-ute (basically a tall Mazda 3 hatchback).
Mazda benchmarked Europe's best diesels in the development of Sky-D and reckons they've got the establishment beat all around.
Torque is the calling card of a diesel, and the Sky-D delivers. In U.S.-spec guise it will churn out 310 lb-ft of torque at approximately 1,800 rpm and generate a peak of 167 horsepower at 4,500 rpm. It'll rev all the way to 5,200 rpm, which is pretty darned high for a diesel, permitting gearing that doesn't necessarily have to be super tall.
Sky-D said to return 43 mpg on the U.S. highway cycle in these cars. Mazda hasn't confirmed the existence of the CX-5, so take your best guess on its fuel economy.
Our driving route in Berlin included an unrestricted portion of the autobahn. Here, the Sky-D pulled with authority. Its powerband is broad and immediate and there was really no need to downshift to get back up to speed after a bit of light traffic materialized ahead. We could just leave it in 6th and give it wood. With little effort, we were cruising at just shy of 140 mph.
Around town the Sky-D similarly impressive. There's precious little waiting around for boost to arrive. Sure, you can force it below its boost threshold by laying into the throttle at 1,500 rpm in 4th, but even then the engine doesn't exactly go flat. In actual practice, a meaningful swell of thrust is always just a toe-dip away.
This engine doesn't feel like a boat anchor in the nose of the car since the block is aluminum. It's quite smooth, too, thanks to a counter-rotating balance shaft. You can, however, tell this is a diesel by the way it sounds. Not because it is clattery -- it isn't. Thrummy is a better description. In the diesel-averse United States, Mazda would do well to spend some more time on the Sky-D's aural signature. This diesel's got the kind of power delivery and response that will win over skeptics, so why not make it a trifecta of win? -- Jay Kavanagh
7driver says:
12:36 AM, 02/21/11
Any official word on fuel economy? They were talking about 40mpg during development.
orangutan says:
03:07 AM, 02/21/11
You're showing the hatch, but currently in NA the hatch is only available with the larger engine (2.5 liters). Will the 2.0 Sky-G be a new offering for the hatch or will it be restricted to the sedan and the i trim?
vwgolf_1999 says:
04:56 AM, 02/21/11
I wish Mazda were offering the 'Sky-D' in the US - that sounds much more interesting...
ed124c says:
07:53 AM, 02/21/11
Assuming that, in the US, the Sky-G will put out 158 hp, then the obvious question is: Where does the 2.5 with 157 hp fit into the 3? Yes, the 2.5 has more torque, but not a lot more. Plus, 157 hp in a 2.5 engine is quite archaic in this decade-- the 2.4 Sonata engine puts out 200 hp, and the 2012 Focus 2.0 puts out 160 hp.
The diesel sounds great, actually more than great (310 lb ft of torque @ 1800 rpm? The Jetta TDI with 236 lb ft takes off like a rabbit. I am imagining the g-forces of the Sky-D during lift-off.
Meanwhile, I am underwhelmed by the gas engines in almost all Mazda vehicles. (Obviously, the MS3 turbo is an exception) Is there another superior gas engine in the Mazda lineup?
blueguydotcom says:
08:13 AM, 02/21/11
Agree with Ed. The 2.5 they currently use feels like it's from another era - the 1980s. And yes, the gas mileage is horrendous with their engines and poor gearing.
mike475 says:
08:24 AM, 02/21/11
Diesel Mazda5 FTW! Even though I do not care much about Mazda, I would trade my Jetta in for diesel Mazda 5.
yellowperil says:
08:26 AM, 02/21/11
Will the interior be updated? I don't mind the brash exterior of the current 3, but the current interior quality cannot cannot compete with the new class leaders, Cruze, Elantra & Focus.
blueprint1 says:
09:55 AM, 02/21/11
orangutan,
Remove the "N" from your "NA"statement:
The Mazda 3 hatch is available with the 2-litre engine in Canada. It is easy to recognize by its single tailpipe (vs the overdone 2 pipes on 2.5 litre cars). In the current car, I think it outsells the 2.5, judging by observations.
The 2.0 was added after a couple of years to the hatch, in response to complaints about the 2.3 being a gas hog, and the fact that hatches sell better than sedans up here. Gas is currently 4.70 per US gallon, to put things in perspective...
stovt001 says:
10:40 AM, 02/21/11
I wouldn't be surprised to see this replace both current engines in the Mazda3. It is unusual to have two options in this segment, and this new engine seems to have both power and fuel economy in line with its competitors.
My new dream attainable garage - My current Miata with forced induction (maybe a kraftwerks supercharger, following Edmunds lead), reinforcement, and a nice performance alignment for weekend mountain/track use, Sky-G, 6 speed manual bare bones 3 for a daily driver for me, and an optioned out, Sky-D 6 speed automatic 5 for the wife and longer trips. Make it happen, Mazda.
greenpony says:
11:02 AM, 02/21/11
Why do Europeans choose a manual transmission more often than Americans?
eman626pc says:
11:55 AM, 02/21/11
@ed124c The current 2.5 puts out 167 hp, 168 lb-ft of torque, so it is in fact still more powerful then the new sky g engine, but it's more powerful then the existing 2.0 that's available on the sedan only in the US market, so I guess the question is, for 2012 is the new Mazda3 hatchback going to be less powerful than the outgoing 2011 model?
ed124c says:
03:27 PM, 02/21/11
@eman626pc: You are correct. I guess I got confused because the new Mazda5 has 157 hp. I wonder why the heavier 5 has less hp than the 3. Or am I wrong about that?
firstwagon says:
04:36 PM, 02/21/11
That diesel would sell in huge numbers in Canada.
More the 50% of VW's are TDIs (diesels sell here) and the Mazda3 has been in the top 3 best selling cars since it came out. Put the two together ( a great diesel in a Mazda3) and they will sell everyone they can bring in.
eldaino2 says:
07:34 PM, 02/21/11
Yellowperil: who deemed those cars class leaders? None of them, save the focus, is better than the golf. Maybe nicer to look at but not better in materials quality. Even the focus is just on par with it. And the current 3's interior is great, and totally on par with at least the chevy and hyundai.
I hope they put this in the hatch, as mpg was always kept me from upgrading to it from my fit, or downgrading from my gti (which is rated for 22/29 like the 2.5 in the current 3.) If this thing can get over 33 mpg highway and still handle as well as the current 3, it'll be worth waiting for
cr_driver says:
08:22 AM, 02/22/11
Yes, I knew that Ford`s all new offering wasn`t that good. Bingo!
This 2.0 Liter from Mazda has more horsepower, more torque, better fuel economy than the new 2.0 liter engine of the Ford Focus.
greenpony says:
09:49 AM, 02/22/11
Isn't the Focus engine supposed to have 160 hp?
Erin Riches replied to comment from orangutan
06:07 PM, 02/22/11
You asked, "Will the 2.0 Sky-G be a new offering for the hatch or will it be restricted to the sedan and the i trim?"
And Mazda's Barnes tells us, "Yup, both a sedan and hatch."
He can't yet say whether it will replace the current, base port-injected 2.0L engine. We'd guess you can figure on the port-injected 2.5L sticking around for a while.
hereusethis says:
12:08 AM, 03/ 4/11
+1 for Mazda5 SkyD. it would make it an easy choice over a bland field.
erik25 says:
09:00 AM, 03/10/11
The mpg kept me from buying a mazda 3,the mazda 5 gets only 28 mpg and .light footed 33 mpg.
This sky engine is not to early when you look at the other brands.
This could be the reason for buying a Mazda over Honda and Hyundai for me.And what i know from our Mazda 5 more relaible than a VW !