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In this week for a review is a 2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature with the turbocharged 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G engine. This engine is shared with the Mazda CX-9 and Mazda 6 Turbo and produces 227 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft of torque on regular gasoline, but bumps up to 250 horsepower on 93 octane. All-wheel drive is standard. This is the most loaded of the CX-5 trims with only the paint ($300) and rear bumper guard ($125) as additional charges. That brings the MSRP to $38,360 after destination charges. What do you want to know about this Mazda while I have it for a week? Let me know in the comments below. View full article
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In this week for a review is a 2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature with the turbocharged 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G engine. This engine is shared with the Mazda CX-9 and Mazda 6 Turbo and produces 227 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft of torque on regular gasoline, but bumps up to 250 horsepower on 93 octane. All-wheel drive is standard. This is the most loaded of the CX-5 trims with only the paint ($300) and rear bumper guard ($125) as additional charges. That brings the MSRP to $38,360 after destination charges. What do you want to know about this Mazda while I have it for a week? Let me know in the comments below. -
Mazda Says Next-Gen Skyactiv will Have EV Levels of Efficiency
William Maley posted an article in Mazda
Mazda hasn't even put their Skyactiv-X technologies into production and already they are talking about the next-generation known as Skyactiv-3. Automotive News reports that Mazda's powertrain chief Mitsuo Hitomi said the gasoline version of Skyactiv-3 will have the same emission levels as an electric vehicle. Hitomi told attendees of automotive technical conference in Toyko that Mazda will be working on improving the thermal efficiency of its engines. This reduces the "amount of combustion energy lost to heat while increasing the amount harnessed to power the wheels." If Mazda can improve the thermal efficiency by 27 percent, to 56 percent, Hitomi said it could achieve emissions similar to an EV. How does he come this conclusion? There is a bit of fuzzy math to reach this. It is based Mazda's measurement of wheel-to-wheel emission for electric vehicles and internal combustion engines. For electric vehicles, Mazda includes the carbon dioxide emitted in the production of electricity for the vehicle. The emissions from oil extraction and refining are included in the measurement for internal combustion engines. Mazda's calculations say that some EVs are dirtier than fuel efficient gas-powered models. Mazda also believes that it cut carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent with the next-generation of Skyactiv, giving them "real world well-to-wheel fuel economy comparable to EVs deriving their electricity through the burning of liquefied natural gas," according to Hitomi. No timeframe was given as to when Skyactiv-3 would debut. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
Mazda hasn't even put their Skyactiv-X technologies into production and already they are talking about the next-generation known as Skyactiv-3. Automotive News reports that Mazda's powertrain chief Mitsuo Hitomi said the gasoline version of Skyactiv-3 will have the same emission levels as an electric vehicle. Hitomi told attendees of automotive technical conference in Toyko that Mazda will be working on improving the thermal efficiency of its engines. This reduces the "amount of combustion energy lost to heat while increasing the amount harnessed to power the wheels." If Mazda can improve the thermal efficiency by 27 percent, to 56 percent, Hitomi said it could achieve emissions similar to an EV. How does he come this conclusion? There is a bit of fuzzy math to reach this. It is based Mazda's measurement of wheel-to-wheel emission for electric vehicles and internal combustion engines. For electric vehicles, Mazda includes the carbon dioxide emitted in the production of electricity for the vehicle. The emissions from oil extraction and refining are included in the measurement for internal combustion engines. Mazda's calculations say that some EVs are dirtier than fuel efficient gas-powered models. Mazda also believes that it cut carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent with the next-generation of Skyactiv, giving them "real world well-to-wheel fuel economy comparable to EVs deriving their electricity through the burning of liquefied natural gas," according to Hitomi. No timeframe was given as to when Skyactiv-3 would debut. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article
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Mazda Sets 30% Increase Fuel Economy Target For Next-Gen SkyActiv
William Maley posted an article in Mazda
Mazda's SkyActiv powertrains are showing what innovations can do to the good-ole' internal combustion engine. But that doesn't mean the automaker isn't resting on its laurels. Far from it. Automotive News reports that Mazda has some big plans in store for the next two-generations of SkyActiv. First up is SkyActiv 2. Mazda has set an ambitious goal of increasing fuel economy by 30 percent. To pull this off, engineers will increase the compression ratio from 14:1 to 18:1. SkyActiv 2 will also employ homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) which uses high compression and temperature to ignite fuel for combustion. Now implementing HCCI does bring forth a set of challenges such as engine cooling and the range of engine speeds for HCCI to operate properly. If Mazda can figure out those issues, the engine will likely go into vehicles before 2020. 2020 is an important year since new European regulations which will cut carbon dioxide emissions standards to 95 grams per kilometer. Then there is SkyActiv 3, which is aiming to have the same well-to-wheels carbon emissions as electric vehicles. Mazda will look into ways of reducing losses from exhaust and cooling to help get more energy to the wheels. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
Mazda's SkyActiv powertrains are showing what innovations can do to the good-ole' internal combustion engine. But that doesn't mean the automaker isn't resting on its laurels. Far from it. Automotive News reports that Mazda has some big plans in store for the next two-generations of SkyActiv. First up is SkyActiv 2. Mazda has set an ambitious goal of increasing fuel economy by 30 percent. To pull this off, engineers will increase the compression ratio from 14:1 to 18:1. SkyActiv 2 will also employ homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) which uses high compression and temperature to ignite fuel for combustion. Now implementing HCCI does bring forth a set of challenges such as engine cooling and the range of engine speeds for HCCI to operate properly. If Mazda can figure out those issues, the engine will likely go into vehicles before 2020. 2020 is an important year since new European regulations which will cut carbon dioxide emissions standards to 95 grams per kilometer. Then there is SkyActiv 3, which is aiming to have the same well-to-wheels carbon emissions as electric vehicles. Mazda will look into ways of reducing losses from exhaust and cooling to help get more energy to the wheels. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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Interactive Review: 2012 Mazda 3i Grand Touring Hatchback
William Maley posted an article in Reviews
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 12, 2012 Coming in this week at the Cheers & Gears Detroit garage is the 2012 Mazda3 i Grand Touring hatchback. This 3 is equipped with a 2.0L SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder producing 150 HP and 155 lb-ft of torque and goes through a six-speed automatic. If you're wondering, this is the same powertrain package in the Mazda CX-5 crossover I had back in August. The 3 i Grand Touring starts at $23,150 and my test vehicle stickers at $25,345* (includes $795 destination charge) thanks to the optional Technology Package. I had this car for about day and there are some items that impress me and others that drive me somewhat crazy. 2.0L SKYACTIV engine doesn't feel sluggish at all in the 3. I'm thinking the lighter weight of the 3 to the CX-5 plays a role. Handling is sublime and fun. The car is stable when turning and the steering is just right in feel and weight. Ride could use some improvement as the 3 will transmit every little bump into the interior. Average fuel economy so far is an impressive 35 MPG (EPA rating is 28 City/39 Highway/32 Combined) I have the 3 till Wednesday and will be updating before it goes back. If you have any questions for the 3, drop them below and I will do my best to answer them. Update: October 15, 2012 It has been an interesting weekend with the Mazda 3 as it had to deal with endless rain and being used to carry a good amount of stuff to the recycling bin as I was cleaning out my closet. The 3 dealt with both of these without a sweat. Average fuel economy has dropped to about 33 MPG, which is still above the combined fuel economy figure. I also did a bit of highway driving which saw fuel economy climb to an impressive 40 MPG. The highway also revealed that the Mazda3 isn't so good at containing road noise. I'll have one more update before the 3 leaves on Wednesday. If you have anymore questions, please don't hesitate. Drop them off. William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 12, 2012 Coming in this week at the Cheers & Gears Detroit garage is the 2012 Mazda3 i Grand Touring hatchback. This 3 is equipped with a 2.0L SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder producing 150 HP and 155 lb-ft of torque and goes through a six-speed automatic. If you're wondering, this is the same powertrain package in the Mazda CX-5 crossover I had back in August. The 3 i Grand Touring starts at $23,150 and my test vehicle stickers at $25,345* (includes $795 destination charge) thanks to the optional Technology Package. I had this car for about day and there are some items that impress me and others that drive me somewhat crazy. 2.0L SKYACTIV engine doesn't feel sluggish at all in the 3. I'm thinking the lighter weight of the 3 to the CX-5 plays a role. Handling is sublime and fun. The car is stable when turning and the steering is just right in feel and weight. Ride could use some improvement as the 3 will transmit every little bump into the interior. Average fuel economy so far is an impressive 35 MPG (EPA rating is 28 City/39 Highway/32 Combined) I have the 3 till Wednesday and will be updating before it goes back. If you have any questions for the 3, drop them below and I will do my best to answer them. Update: October 15, 2012 It has been an interesting weekend with the Mazda 3 as it had to deal with endless rain and being used to carry a good amount of stuff to the recycling bin as I was cleaning out my closet. The 3 dealt with both of these without a sweat. Average fuel economy has dropped to about 33 MPG, which is still above the combined fuel economy figure. I also did a bit of highway driving which saw fuel economy climb to an impressive 40 MPG. The highway also revealed that the Mazda3 isn't so good at containing road noise. I'll have one more update before the 3 leaves on Wednesday. If you have anymore questions, please don't hesitate. Drop them off. William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 6, 2012 Mazda is not in the best of health. The past year has been a struggle for the ’zoom-zoom’ brand; Mazda’s growing reliance on their plants in Japan despite other automakers leaving to other places due to the rising yen, leaving the production line at the Flat Rock, MI plant, laying off workers at their U.S. headquarters, and other troubling news, all contribute to a disconcerting future. The company is banking on two items that will hopefully begin to turn their fortunes around. The first item is the new SKYACTIV technology which is claimed to improve fuel- efficiency while keeping the ‘zoom-zoom’ the brand is known for. The second item is Mazda’s new compact crossover, the CX-5. The new crossover will be featuring the full suite of SKYACTIV and new design language that will be appearing on future Mazdas. Can SKYACTIV deliver on its promises? Is the new CX-5 the vehicle to begin turning the tide? Next: Outside Exterior The CX-5 is Mazda’s first production model to use their new Kodo ("Soul of Motion") design language. Overall, the design is almost a carbon copy of the Minagi concept shown at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Up front, the most prominent design cue on the CX-5 is the large, five-point grille. This takes the place of the goofy smile grille that is prominent on many Mazda vehicles. Sitting on either side of the grille are a set of optional HID headlights (come as part of the $1,185 tech package). Along the side, Mazda has extended the line running along the front fenders partway into the front doors. Mazda also has a distinct character line running along near the bottom of doors, looking like a wave. The back end has a rounded shape, which is partly hidden by a spoiler sitting on top. "What is key is that in any market we operate in, Mazda's market share is small. Our customers are not people who go with the flow, but who make their own decisions and want something distinctive. That gives me lots of freedom," said Mazda’s chief designer, Akira Tamatani when asked about the design of the new Mazda CX-5 and 6. We think Mazda has succeeded on making the CX-5 very distinctive from its counterparts. Next: Inside Interior Distinctive isn’t the first or last or any word I would use to describe the interior of the CX-5. The interior design is very plain and the use of black throughout the interior can make you feel somewhat depressed. I wished Mazda could have taken some of Kodo design cues from the exterior or use some other color in the interior. Otherwise, the interior materials are the class average. Fit and finish is excellent. The CX-5 Touring comes with standard cloth seats. The seats provide enough adjustments to find a comfortable position, and have enough bolstering to keep you and your passengers in the seat whenever you decide to go for a run. Backseat passengers will find enough room for their head and legs. However, if you decide to take the CX-5 on a long trip, be prepared to pack a pillow or two. The seats don’t have enough padding for long distances and you will be aching when you get to your destination. As for standard equipment, the CX-5 Touring comes pretty loaded. You get keyless entry and ignition, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 5.8-inch color display for the radio, and AM/FM/HD/CD/Aux/USB/Bluetooth audio system. Mazda has done something interesting with the optional navigation system on the CX-5. Like Chrysler, Mazda has turned to a navigation company, TomTom in this case, to provide maps and data. The system worked perfectly and was able to get me to wherever I needed without any problems. My only wish is that Mazda could have made the screen a little larger than 5.8-inches. Next: Under the Hood Powertrain Before we go into the CX-5’s powertrain, it would be a perfect time to explain what the big deal is with Mazda’s SKYACTIV technology. SKYACTIV is Mazda’s umbrella term for their new technology used in its new powertrains and weight-loss (we’ll dive into that when we get to the ride and drive section), which is aimed to improve fuel economy while keeping the zoom-zoomness. The first half of the SKYACTIV tech appeared this year in the compact Mazda3; the 2.0L SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder and the SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic. Mazda put a lot of engineering effort into the 2.0L SKYACTIV-G to make sure they met their goals of performance and fuel economy. The 2.0L includes direct-injection, a special exhaust manifold which allows the engine compression to be at an impressive 13:1 ratio, and a unique piston design. Those efforts led to the 2.0L SKYACTIV-G to produce 155 HP (@ 6000 RPM) and 150 lb-ft of torque (@ 4000 RPM). A lot of work also went into the SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic. When leaving from a stop, the transmission uses a torque converter to get you going very smoothly. Once the CX-5 reaches a certain speed, the torque converter locks up and the transmission switches to a clutch pack, which makes every makes every shift happen quickly. This combination allows the CX-5 to return some impressive fuel economy numbers. The EPA puts the CX-5 Touring with front-wheel drive at 26 City/32 Highway/29 combined. All-wheel drive drops fuel economy to 25 City/31 Highway/28 combined. Does the SKYACTIV powertain deliver on its promises? Almost. The 2.0L SKYACTIV-G doesn’t have enough low-end torque to get you on your way from a stop as quick as you would like. There is a SKYACTIV Diesel engine coming and a rumored 2.5L SKYACTIV-G being prepared for next model year which could solve this problem. Plus, the six-speed automatic is slow to react whenever you need it needs to downshift, causing the you to either push further down on the accelerator or throwing the transmission into the manual mode and downshift yourself. Otherwise, the SKYACTIV powertrain is an amazing feat of engineering. Once you’re on your way, the 2.0L keeps up with traffic very well, whether in the city or on the highway. The six-speed automatic delivered smooth and quick shifts. Then there’s the fuel economy. On the first day I had the CX-5, I got 29 MPG driving on suburban roads. Not bad for a crossover I thought. The rest of the time, the CX-5 and I went to Northern Michigan for vacation where it averaged an impressive 37 MPG on rural and highway roads. Next: On the Road Ride & Drive We explained one half of Mazda’s SkyActiv technologies, the powertrain in the last section. Now it’s onto the other half of the SkyActiv, the weight-loss. The CX-5 is the first Mazda vehicle to be built from the ground up with this idea. The body is this first application of a new lightweight steel which allows the vehicle to shed weight while retaining rigidity of regular steel. Mazda also cut weight wherever they could, right down to the bolts used in the vehicle. This weight-loss not only helps in the fuel economy, it also makes the CX-5 more agile when driving enthusiastically. Along with the light-weight mantra, Mazda uses independent front and rear suspension, and an electric rack-and-pinion steering system. This combination makes the CX-5 a joy to drive on your favorite road. The suspension reduces body roll and keeps the CX-5 stable when corning. The steering is weighted just right and provides the same feel and accuracy like you would find on smaller Mazdas. When taking the CX-5 on the test loop I put all of the vehicles in for evaluation, I had to keep reminding myself; this is a crossover, not a sports car. As for driving around to get to work or other places, the CX-5 provides a composed and well-damped ride on smooth surfaces. On rough roads, the CX-5 could use a little bit more damping as some bumps and jostles make their way inside. On the highway, there is minimal wind, road, and engine noise. Visibility is good in the front and side. Rear visibility is poor due to the large d-pillars, but Mazda does make a rear-view camera standard on the Touring model. Next: The Verdict Verdict Mazda deserves a pat on the back with the new CX-5 and SKYACTIV. The SKYACTIV technology almost delivers on its promise of delivering performance and fuel economy in one package. The CX-5 is one of the best driving and best looking small crossovers on the market. Combine the two together and what you get is one very good crossover. There are some faults to CX-5 though. The interior is very plain when compared to the exterior and the seats could use a little bit more padding. Also, the 2.0L SKYACTIV-G engine needs a bit more oomph on the low-end and the six-speed automatic needs to be quicker on the downshifts on certain situations. Mazda put a tall order on the CX-5 and SKYACTIV to begin reversing their poor fortunes. Judging from the sales charts, it looks like Mazda is starting to slowly turn around to a better time. Disclaimer: Mazda provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gas Cheers Distinctive Exterior Styling Impressive Fuel Economy Loads of standard equipment Smooth and quick automatic transmission Handling in sporty and normal driving Light curb weight Back seat space Jeers 2.0L lacking low-end oomph Six-speed slowness to downshift in certain situations Interior lacking some pizzaz Seats lacking in padding Year - 2013 Make – Mazda Model – CX-5 Trim – Touring Engine – SKYACTIV-G 2.0LFour-Cylinder Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-speed automatic Horsepower @ RPM - 155 @ 6000 Torque @ RPM – 150 @ 4000 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined – 26/32/29 Curb Weight – 3272 lbs Location of Manufacture – Hiroshima, Japan Base Price - $23,895.00 As Tested Price - $27,005.00* (Includes $795 Destination Charge) William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.
