CAR REVIEW: Mazda3 SP20 SKYACTIV

THE SOLUTION: Mazda3 SP20 SKYACTIV

The conventional wisdom for frugal petrol power is that you pair a small-capacity engine with a turbocharger in the quest to get more kilometres per litre. Yet the new SKYACTIV-G engine debuting in the latest Mazda3 stays at two litres and does without a turbo. Why? First, the company has vowed to reduce the average fuel efficiency of all cars sold between 2008 and 2015 by 30 per cent, and found there were greater gains to be had by keeping engine capacity the same, while reducing weight, improving mechanical friction and adding direct injection. Second, the new engine had to offer a fast, sporty throttle response, which petrol units do a whole lot better than diesel, especially when they're unburdened by turbo lag.

The promise is that the new engine, married to the new SKYACTIV-Drive auto box and fitted with Mazda’s new start-stop technology (i-stop), will reduce consumption by 25 per cent over the previous 2.0-litre engine. MH recorded a miserly 5.9L/100km on the first half of the car’s national press launch, that figure creeping over six only when the roads got hilly and twisty. Given the previous engine’s consumption figure of 8.2L/100km, that’s bang on.

Through a midlife makeover, the rest of the car is subtly better, too, from the handling, to the instrumentation, through to reduced road noise in the cabin.

The 3 is already Australia’s No.1 best-selling car for private buyers - now it’s a good deal less thirsty into the bargain. Good for your hip pocket, even better for your conscience.

– Bruce Ritchie