2012 Mazda Axela Facelift Enters Production

The second model equipped with SKYACTIV technology following the facelifted Mazda Demio (known overseas as the Mazda2) has started rolling off production lines in Japan. The automaker announced today that the facelifted Mazda Axela (known overseas as the Mazda3), equipped with the new SKYACTIV-G 2.0 gasoline engine and SKYACTIV-DRIVE six-speed automatic transmission, has entered production at the Hofu Plant in Yamaguchi prefecture, western Japan.

The engine enables the car to deliver a 15 percent improvement in fuel economy, while the transmission adds another four to seven percent over the previous generation.

In the Japanese market, where the car goes on sale from this fall, the SKYACTIV-G 2.0 Axela also features “intelligent-Drive Master” (i-DM), a new technology that is proving popular on the recently released facelifted Mazda Demio.

“The newly-developed i-DM provides information and driving tips designed to promote a smooth and efficient driving style, thereby supporting enjoyable driving, a more comfortable ride for passengers, and improved fuel economy,” the Japanese automaker explains in a company statement.

With this combo of technologies, Mazda aims to further increase the appeal of the Axela and accelerate the introduction of SKYACTIV technology.

The Axela/Mazda3 is also the fastest-selling model in Mazda’s current lineup of passenger vehicles, with a cumulative production volume of over three million units. The model is produced in three locations – Mazda’s Hofu Plant in Yamaguchi, Japan, the Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA) plant in Nanjing, China, and AutoAlliance (Thailand) (AAT) – and sold in approximately 90 countries and regions.