Mazda3 to Receive Stop-Start System

Since most automakers are now trying their best to reduce their models' combined fuel consumption, a fresh report announcing the introduction of a stop-start system should not surprise you. However, Mazda will implement the system on its new Mazda3 model by the end of the year, according to Autocar quoting a company insider. The new system will be initially installed on the 1.6- and 2.0-liter petrol-powered versions, the aforementioned source said, while the diesel flavors may get the function in the near future.

And in case you're not fully confident of Mazda's efforts to increase fuel economy, you should probably find out that the Japanese company is also developing its own DSG twin-clutch gearbox for the revised Mazda3 but the first models equipped with the new tranny are set to arrive in 2010. The transmission is said to play a very important role in overall fuel economy, being also capable of providing a smoother ride compared to already-available units.

Stop-start systems aren't something new in the automotive industry and more and more automakers are tempted to migrate to this kind of technologies. The best example is given by South Korean company Kia, who recently announced its 2009 Cee'd ISG, an upgraded Cee'd featuring a newly-developed stop-start function called Idle Stop & Go technology. The whole assembly is said to reduce overall fuel consumption by up to 15 percent in city mode and 6 percent in mixed driving conditions.

The stop-start technologies are generally based on a simple principle: the engine is temporarily idled while the car is not in motion, such as when stuck in traffic or while waiting for the green light. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver presses the throttle or the clutch pedal looking to shift in first gear.