The Mazda CX-9 is the first model to feature the company’s new SkyActiv-G 2.5T turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. However, if you’re expecting more Mazda models to come equipped with turbo engines, sorry to disappoint but it won’t be any time soon.
According to a report by Drive, the Japanese marque has no plans as of current to pursue smaller capacity, turbocharged engines to feature in its mainstream models in the pursuit of better fuel economy gains and emissions reductions.
Mazda Australia’s director of marketing, Alastair Doak told the Australian site, “if you start using the power of the turbocharger, you suddenly start to use more fuel. Small capacity turbos are not on our horizon.”
“Yes, we’ve turbocharged the 2.5 litre engine for the new CX-9 but we believe we can deliver our small cars with the efficiency buyers are after without the complexity of turbocharging,” he added. Mazda’s chief designer, Masashi Nakayama, confirmed to Drive that the MX-5 did not have a turbocharged future, further backing Doak’s statement.
Instead, the company is looking to further increase fuel efficiency gains substantially (25-30%) with the next generation of SkyActiv petrol engines. The new engines are expected to feature even higher compression ratios (beyond 13:1 and 14:1), thanks to the usage of homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) to reach an expected compression ratio of 18:1.
Mazda’s i-ELOOP brake energy regeneration system will also be improved upon, but the company has not explicitly expressed its next steps, be it towards hybrid- or hydrogen-powered vehicles. The former is in the form of a Japan-only Mazda 3 Hybrid, which adopts the Toyota Prius’ hybrid technology.
Even though the company may not be looking to introduce smaller capacity turbocharged engines any time soon, the Mazda Prototype race team is currently fielding two cars powered by a new 570 hp MZ-2.0T racing engine, a 2.0 litre turbo mill that features features direct-injection, a tubular 4-2-1 exhaust manifold, a dry sump oiling system, a single 46 mm Garrett turbocharger and a compression ratio of 13.5:1.
Though it doesn’t carry the SkyActiv branding unlike the race-tuned SkyActiv-D, the engine could serve to provide valuable development insights and data should Mazda decide to follow the global trend in the future. Also something we can look forward to is the return of the rotary engine with Mazda’s SkyActiv-R, which was announced during the global reveal of the RX-Vision concept at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show.
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As long as Turbo wont met with CVT, is ok for us. Don’t follow new Honda Civic trend of design
No wonder all this mazda think they can zoom zoom but in fact slow like turtle. My prevent turbo always smoke them and they can’t even chase me.
MazdaSpeed Turbo.
waiting for mazda 3 mps with this engine
Their patient toward high compression are truly respectful.
Hahah slow cars for the win then … The fact is they cant deliver turbocharged engines that come close to those in European models.
Mazda realises that if it’s small turbo engines are successful, it will make the Wankel rotary engine seems as a waste. And loyal supporters will get confused.
Of course they will have turbo engines for some of their models in the future, ie the 2017 Mazdaspeed 3