MAZDA3 bested CIVIC, ELANTRA, CRUZE, FOCUS

[lamborghinione]

The Mazda 3 skyactive version bested all 2012 versions of the honda civic, hyundai elantra, ford focus, chevrolet cruze in the compact car comparison by motor trend.

40 mpg compact sedan comparison - Yahoo! Autos

1st Place: Mazda3

Theoretical mileage: 50.9 mpg
Actual mileage: 38.4 mpg
Percent lower: 25
Fuel cost/mile: 9.9c

Cars with day-glo "Eco" or "mpg'"badges slapped on their fenders are as often as not automotive empty suits: little more than a tall top gear ratio sitting on a set of skinny tires.

But in the case of the Mazda3's Skyactiv engine technology, this couldn't be farther from the truth. Its 2.0-liter inline-4 is a state-of-the-argument case for advanced-technology gasoline engines, a Bach fugue of interweaving smart ideas with its engineering keystone being an eyebrow-raising 12.0:1 compression ratio. High compression ratios like this are good for efficiency, but bad for knock.

To make it work, the Mazda3's compressed intake charge is cooled by 3000psi, six-hole, direct fuel injection. The next heat countermeasure is that the ensuing combustion is contained by a small cavity at its top to the piston, and finally, long exhaust headers help prevent exhaust heat back-washing into other cylinders. As a kicker, friction has been reduced by 30 percent. Mazda has done its homework, and it showed on the road as the '3 returned better mileage than the both the Elantra and Focus.

That said, it was also the car that most caused us to glance around the room during our deliberations and silently concur that it was the one we could most enjoy driving every day. Let's listen in on the conversation: Evans: "Great-handling car, very tossable with quick steering and very good feedback. The Mazda3 is easily the most fun vehicle to drive at the Proving Ground. Digging the big seat bolsters." Martinez: "A few hundred feet into the heart of downtown Tehachapi, I could already tell it was a solid car."

Naturally, there were a few dings, too: Evans: "The transmission is a bit stingy with downshifts, and that navigation screen is just too small to be so high up and far away on the dash." But Markus summed it up perfectly: "Bottom line, this car's a sacrifice that drives like a splurge."

The question we started with was "Is there actually a '40-mpg' car that you'd want to own?" Indeed, there is -- the Mazda3.

[basti08]

Good thing about the Mazda is their ingenuity to make use of existing technology and improving it further to squeeze more miles instead of resorting to forced induction, light hybrid-ing or diesel powerplant. Also, their holistic approach is a thoughtful idea. Instead of fiddling with engine alone or decontenting the car or fitting with stupid low rolling resistance that hampers braking or CVT that hampers drivability, they instead reworked on the chassis, transmission and of course, the engine to play in harmony with each other to produce the extra mile without the un-regular feel of other 40mpg cars.

[parakitoJDM]

good job Mazda, but don't be stingy now in putting the Skyactiv-G for Phil. market MZ3's...and
the SkyActiv-D in our CX-5's....

[randyps123]

Iba naman ung specs ng mazda3 dito satin tapos mahal pa

[cyplanr]

dalhin n nila dito yan para magkaalaman...

[dfopiso]

MAZDA3 bested CIVIC, ELANTRA, CRUZE, FOCUS

pwedeng subtitle ng thread eh ... EVERYWHERE except in the PH

[jigs_xix]

Haha! I don't think dadalhin dito sa Pilipinas ang Skyactive Mazda 3. Lumang engine pa rin ang nandito, bago lang ang exterior.