2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv Reportedly Aiming for 40 mpg, While Adding Power

Debuting at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, the 2012 Mazda3 looks like a simple facelift at first glance, but it promises to be more than that, as it showcases the carmaker’s new SkyActiv engine and transmission. Full details have yet to be announced, but Mazda has confirmed the engine is a direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder that will deliver a 15 percent improvement in fuel economy, while the transmission adds another four to seven percent.

At the time of the unveil, Mazda was not willing to disclose any official fuel economy figures, opting to say only that the engine will provide better low-end and mid-range torque in addition to the fuel savings. While no specific numbers are available, Car & Driver has managed to find out that the engine was capable of churning out 163 hp and 155 lb-ft (210 Nm) of torque in prototype form. Both figures are increased from the 148-hp and 135 lb-ft (183 Nm) in the current 2.0-liter, and only slightly down from the larger 2.5-liter engine.

What makes the power increase even more amazing is the fact that Mazda is targeting 40 mpg (5.88 l/100km) on the highway and 30 mpg (7.84 l/100km) in the city. This represents a sizable improvement from the 33/25 mpg (7.12/9.4 l/100km) the current 2.0-liter achieves. Aiding the improvement is a new 6-speed automatic transmission.

The powertrain that made is debut in the ‘3’ is widely expected to be carried over to the next-generation Mazda6. The first examples of the 2012 Mazda3 are scheduled to arrive this fall, sporting a number of cosmetic changes that include a redesigned front end, accommodating new fog bezels and headlamps.