SkyActiv Technology

Fuel economy and performance, together.

Mazda philosophy : if it's not worth driving, it's not worth building. So in our quest for better environmental performance, our goal was to reduce fuel consumption and emissions without compromising driving performance. To get there, we started with a clean sheet of paper and engineered every major component of the automobile to work together in efficient harmony. The result is something revolutionary.

The SKYACTIV-G 2.0 L Gasoline Engine

The SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine is a 2.0 L marvel that produces 10% to 15% more low/mid-range torque, along with 15% lower fuel consumption and emissions than our previous 2.0 L engine.

• Sky-high 13:1 compression ratio harnesses more energy from fuel
• 4-2-1 exhaust system fights engine knock
• Innovative piston cavity improves emissions, ignition
• Advanced direct injection system stabilizes combustion
• Weight and mechanical friction reduction enhances efficiency

After tackling thermal inefficiencies, we set our sights on cutting down friction and weight. Nearly every engine part and component was examined and redesigned to trim unneeded mass and reduce friction.

• Lighter pistons and piston pins (20% reduction)
• Lighter connecting rods (15% reduction)
• Reduced piston ring tensile force (37% reduction)
• Narrower crankshaft main journals (6% reduction in diameter, 8% reduction in width)
• Adoption of roller finger follower (greater than 50% reduction in valve friction)
• Adoption of compact electronic variable pressure oil pump (approx. 45% reduction in oil pumping loss)

The SKYACTIV-Drive 6-Speed Automatic Transmission

Now that we had come up with such a revolutionary engine, we needed the ultimate transmission to get all that precious energy to the wheels. How do you build that? Study every modern transmission made, take the best features of each and fire up the blender. Then, top it all off by adding a brain, A.K.A. an advanced control module. The result is the SKYACTIV-Drive 6-speed Sport mode automatic transmission. It shifts smoothly for steady acceleration and quickly for the connected feel of a manual transmission, while the brain delivers precision responsiveness and reliability.

• Best features of all types of transmissions combined

Before designing the SKYACTIV automatic transmission, we studied every modern transmission type: continuously variable transmissions (CVT), dual-clutch transmissions (DCT) and conventional automatics. From this transmission buffet, we picked the four best features and found a way to bring them together:

• The fuel efficiency of a manual transmission
• Quick, direct shifting like a DCT
• Easy to control at low speeds like a conventional automatic
• Smooth, seamless shifting of a CVT
• Torque converter and clutch together deliver smooth, direct feel
• Advanced mechatronic control module for precise response
• Innovative design helps to improve fuel efficiency by 4% to 7%

Platform :The SKYACTIV-Body and SKYACTIV-Chassis

With our SKYACTIV Body and Chassis, we were determined to get more of that exhilarating Mazda driving feel while increasing crash safety performance and reducing weight.

Through smarter engineering and materials, we were able to improve body rigidity by 30% (for better handling) and shed 100 kg, all while improving crash safety performance. To give you more of that "oneness" between car and driver, the suspension was redesigned for greater agility at low speeds and more stability at high speeds.

• Body made 8% lighter but 30% more rigid
• Smarter engineering for top crash safety performance

To improve crash safety performance, we adopted a multi-load path structure that uses the whole body to absorb crash energy rather than just the floor. In a collision, this structure efficiently absorbs the load by dispersing it in multiple directions. The same approach was adopted for individual parts, allowing them to be made stronger without being made heavier.

• Chassis redesign delivers greater stability and agility

Our goal for improving suspension and steering seemed like a contradiction: Take that light, nimble feeling that Mazdas are known for and get more of it without losing stability. In fact, we wanted greater stability for that smooth-mover-on-the-Autobahn feeling.

The rear suspension was rearranged to give it more toe-in, with the front of the tires angled slightly toward each other. That improves the stability, but normally at the expense of nimbleness.

No way we were going to give up nimbleness, so we used a quicker steering ratio and electric-power-steering tuning. That's good at low speeds, but on the expressway it can make the car feel nervous, like it drank too many energy drinks.

Geometry time again. In front, caster and trail were dramatically increased to the highest of any front-wheel-drive sedan; this gives the steering more self-centering, stabilizing force for enhanced feel and performance, especially at high speeds. In the rear, we raised the pivot point of the trailing arm by two inches to make bumps feel less bumpy and provide more stability when you hit the brakes.

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