2014 Mazda3 SkyActiv combines driving fun and fuel economy

Whenever the third generation Mazda3 SkyActiv is featured, the soul red five-door hatchback always take center stage. So I welcomed the opportunity to test-drive and photograph a pearl white sedan which replaced the soul red hatchback test unit that Berjaya Auto Philippines (Mazda Philippines) had earlier loaned me.

 

SkyActiv technology is basically about improving powertrain efficiency and reducing weight. Mazda pared weight in the suspension, engine and transmission while beefing up the car’s unitized body structure to meet tougher United States offset frontal collision standards. The 2014 Mazda3 SkyActiv is completely revamped from the ground up, built on an all-new SkyActiv chassis that replaced a platform the car used to share with the first generation Ford Focus. The light SkyActiv platform has reduced curb weight by at least 60 pounds while torsional strength has increased by 28 percent for the sedan.

 

A long nose and upright windshield set the new Mazda3 apart from the cab-forward designs of competing compact cars like the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra.  The wheelbase in both the hatch and the sedan has been stretched by around 60 millimeters to 2700 mm compared to the outgoing model. Both body styles are 15 mm lower.

 

LONGER. While the 2-liter sedan (P1.195 million) and the hatch (P1.198 million) are identical from the B pillar forward, the sedan has a 120 mm longer rear overhang, which translates into a 408-liter cargo area, some 100 liters bigger than the hatchback’s.  The sedan’s extra length also increases rear seat space, so much so that the back seat can now comfortably accommodate six footers. With a more aerodynamic Kodo Soul of Motion exterior design than the hatch, the sedan is rated at 14.9 kilometers per liter in combined city and highway driving.

 

In the Philippines, Berjaya Auto offers the hatchback and sedan body styles of the 2-liter Mazda3 SkyActiv R with  i-ELOOP and i-STOP plus the 1.5-liter Mazda3 SkyActiv G.  Both variants and body styles are equipped with a SkyActiv Drive six-speed automatic transmission (AT), MacPherson struts suspension in front and multi-link beam at the rear, disc brakes on all four wheels (18-inch aluminum alloy wheels on the SkyActiv R.)

 

The 2-liter Mazda3 borrows from the same pool of SkyActiv drivetrains as the CX-5 and Mazda6 but rides on a scaled-down SkyActiv platform.  It produces 155 horsepower/6,000 revolutions per minute and 200 Newton-meters/4,000 rpm max torque—nothing thrilling, but the car’s dynamics make up for the underwhelming figures.  Acceleration is not so strong, but there is enough muscle to pull the engine smoothly and steadily to expressway speeds. With a six-speed AT programmed to keep the engine running at optimum rpm and electric power steering that’s not only sports-car quick but also accurate and communicative, the Mazda3 responds swiftly to throttle demands and exhibits flat cornering behavior

 

STEERING. The electrically assisted steering is light, but tuned to provide good feedback and effort during cornering.  Body roll is well-controlled. A revised exhaust manifold flattens the torque curve and boosts peaks by 6 Nm to 200 Nm. Shifts are smooth up and down and the 2-liter engine produces enough grunt to tackle hills and overtaking. You can shift gears manually with the paddle shifters mounted on the leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel.  Still, one yearns for the arrival of the  more powerful, more athletic 184-HP, 2.5-liter Mazda3 that is sold in the United States but not here.

 

Meanwhile, the i-ELOOP and i-STOP systems work together to maintain the Mazda3’s class-leading fuel economy.  The i-ELOOP system has grille shutters and an alternator that charges a capacitator for energy storage when the car is coasting, which energy is used to power the 12-volt accessories. i-STOP automatically shuts off the engine when the car comes to a full stop after braking, saving the fuel wasted when stopped in traffic.  When you release the brake pedal, fuel is injected directly into the cylinder for a quick, smooth restart.

 

THE MZD. Inside the Mazda3, high-quality materials and comfortable, well-bolstered leather seats await the driver and passengers. A pop-up screen above the center-mounted analog speedometer and digital tachometer displays vehicle speed, navigation directions and other information for the driver.  The MZD, Mazda’s new multimedia interface and smartphone integration system, offers the driver connectivity and access to almost everything, from navigation and the six-speaker audio system and music to social media accounts on a centrally located 7-inch LCD touchscreen on top of the dashboard.  The screen is controlled via a multifunction commander dial on the center console below the gearshift knob. The MZD is similar to  Ford’s Sync infotainment system.

 

The other high-tech conveniences found in the SkyActiv R cabin are Bluetooth hands-free system with voice command, push start/stop button, automatic climate control, auto dimming rear view mirror. The active and passive safety features include front passenger and driver and curtain airbags, antilock braking system (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control, rear parking sensors (What, no rear parking camera?), seatbelt warning lamp, high mount stop lamp and smart keyless entry system.

 

Although it doesn’t run as fast as it looks, the 2-liter Mazda3 SkyActiv R still raises the bar for compact cars in design, handling and cutting-edge technology not to mention value and functionality. Thanks to SkyActiv engineering, the Mazda3 achieves impressive fuel economy without sacrificing driving fun.