First drive: New Mazda3 Skyactiv-X hybrid

Hybrid cars usually bring big savings, but that’s not the case for a new Mazda with world-first technology under its shapely bonnet.

Mazda gambled with the latest Mazda3, betting customers would pay more for cars loaded with impressive features such as a head-up display and active cruise control.

The brand has now doubled down with a new engine option exploring that theory further.

Dubbed Skyactiv-X, the engine is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit with remarkable efficiency made possible by mild hybrid tech combined with a clever approach to combustion that aims to harness the best characteristics of diesel and petrol engines.

Diesel engines work by compressing fuel and air until the mixture explodes under duress, while petrol engines use the flame of a spark plug to ignite the fuel.

Mazda’s new motor aims to create the best of both worlds, combining a diesel’s high cylinder pressures with the computer-managed burn of a petrol engine, a process it describes as “Spark Controlled Compression Ignition”. A small supercharger allows it to run leaner than naturally aspirated alternatives, often mixing small amounts of fuel with roughly twice as much air as regular engines.

The result is a car that uses 5.5 litres of petrol every 100 kilometres of driving, about 10 per cent less than its existing 2.0-litre engine. An hour-long test drive returned 6.5L/100km — average economy stemming from sub-five-litre thirst on highways and mid-sevens in town. That’s impressive, if not earth-shattering economy. The current Volkwsagen Golf uses 5.6L/100km.

Maximum outputs of 132kW and 224Nm slot it between the Mazda3’s existing 2.0-litre (114kW/200Nm) and 2.5-litre (139kW/252Nm) engines.

The technology isn’t cheap.

While a regular 2.0-litre “G20” Mazda3 starts at about $29,250 drive-away, the new “X20” engine is only available in top-end Astina trim, priced from about $45,000 drive-away with a manual transmission, or another $1000 with the six-speed auto favoured by the vast majority of customers.

That’s $3000 more than the top-end 2.5-litre “G25” Astina model.

A requirement to use premium fuel also blunts the X20’s appeal, diminishing the economic gains. Petrol prices on the day of our test drive were such that a prospective owner driving 10,000 kilometres per year might save $40 a year by choosing the new model over the 2.5-litre.

Toyota’s Corolla hybrid comes at a $2000 premium over the standard version while near-doubling the Mazda’s comparative fuel savings. Entry-level Corolla hybrids cost about $15,000 less than the Mazda.

For better or worse, the Skyactiv-X feels fundamentally similar to a regular model. It doesn’t creep silently like a conventional hybrid, but feels like a small turbocharged motor with more low-down zip than Mazda’s usual 2.0-litre fare. The engine works in its special spark-controlled high-compression mode in most circumstances, only behaving like a conventional engine under heavy throttle inputs.

The car sounds a little different to other models. It percolates away with a distant grumble not unlike a diesel engine, though it certainly isn’t as harsh. Responding quickly to throttle inputs, it feels crisp on the road — and you don’t really notice the extra 50 kilos in the front of the car.

The company says around 45 per cent of new Mazda3 orders in Europe feature the new engine. English customers can choose it in every model grade (Australian customers are restricted to the top-end Astina), where it carries a premium of £1480 ($2670) over a 90kW 2.0-litre petrol engine (the 139kW 2.5-litre unit offered here is off-limits to the UK).

Which might by why Mazda’s Australian arm expects 98 per cent of customers to choose cheaper models.

It says those who pick the Skyactiv-X will do so for its lower emissions and world-first technology, rather than performance or fuel efficiency gains. It represents an emotional purchase rather than a rational one.

As with the manufacturer, Skyactiv-X customers will be gamblers ready to take a chance on something different.

Mazda3 X20 Astina

Price: About $47,000 drive-away

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl petrol, 132kW/224Nm

Warranty/Service: 5 yrs/unlimited km, approx. $1600 for 5 years

Safety: 5 stars, 7 airbags, AEB, active cruise, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert

Thirst: 5.5L/10km

Cargo: 295L (hatch) 444L (sedan)

Spare: Temporary

Originally published as First drive: New Mazda3 Skyactiv-X hybrid