Today’s new car shopper demands better fuel economy and improved performance at the same time, and isn’t willing to give up anything to get it. Any more greedy and uncompromising, you’d expect these shoppers to be wearing diapers, eating cheerios from a Ziplock bag and soiling themselves.
The demand for higher performance and reduced fuel consumption is a humongous oxymoron that keeps many an automotive engineer up late at night. It’s also the same sort of demand that’s resulted in more and more models like the Mazda 3 Sport Skyactiv.
A special variant of the Mazda 3 5-door running the automaker’s new efficiency-boosting “Skyactiv” engine under the hood, it hits the market with an eye for both performance and fuel mileage. And it works to crush the ideology that better performance means burning through gas like a refinery fire.
Numerous enhancements comprise the Skyactiv umbrella of technologies in the Mazda 3.
For instance, the two-litre four-cylinder engine gets direct injection and dual variable valve timing to help maximize on-demand performance and mileage. Optimized piston cavities help the engine safely run a very high 13:1 compression ratio on regular-grade gasoline. The whole engine is itself lighter than Mazda’s standard two-litre unit, too.
The six-speed manual transmission has also been lightened and features numerous internal modifications designed to reduce fuel-sucking friction.
The end result is a fun-to-drive package with 155 horsepower, nearly as much torque, and all of the right stuff to maximize energy extraction from every molecule of fuel it burns.
But the 3 Sport Skyactiv isn’t some wimpy economy car, either—and performance remains an attribute. Open the throttle, and it responds with a gratifying leap forward. Steering is quick without being nervous, and the suspension is tight and sporty without ruining ride quality - slick shifter, too. This is another Mazda with a higher-than-average level of attention paid to making it fun to drive.
Rounding out the package on the ‘GS’ level tester were features like heated seats, Bluetooth phone connectivity, steering-wheel mounted controls, a sunroof and automatic wipers.
The cabin looks fantastic, fresh and high-tech-- and electric blue and red lighting accents set things off after dark. Wind and road noise are about average for the segment, and a tight turning circle makes parking a cinch.
Minor complaints. I did wish for some more at-hand storage up front in the cockpit, the hatchback has an awkwardly-placed release button and requires a good slam to close, and audiophiles (myself included) will wish for a stereo upgrade.
Mileage? A 1,700 kilometre, highway-intensive, late-winter test turned in an overall average of 7.3L / 100km. Some factors worked against achieving a lower number on my test-drive, including the extreme cold, use of winter tires, and a low-mileage tester that hadn’t completed break in. I found the overall average respectable given the conditions, and owners can expect to do better in the long term.
End of the day, shoppers after a fuel efficient and fun-to-drive model should consider this 3 Sport Skyactiv—alongside competitors like the Chevrolet Cruze Eco and Volkswagen Jetta TDI.
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