2012 Mazda 3 revised - now 40 MPG highway (from 33!)

[Kal-El]

The 2012 Mazda3 has officially made its debut at the 2011 New York Auto Show, and it's brought along the first production use of the long-awaited SkyActiv fuel-efficiency tweaks. That means the newest Mazda3 is good for a whopping 40 miles per gallon on the highway thanks to the addition of a new SkyActiv-G four-cylinder engine mated to either a new six-speed automatic or manual transmission. 2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Previously, the Mazda3 has only been good for up to 33 mpg in its most efficient form, but the new drivetrain advancements will go a long way toward making the model more competitive against ever sharper metal from Ford, Chevrolet, Hyundai and Honda. Mazda says that the new 2.0-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder is good for 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, which offers modest increases over the old, non-DI 2.0-liter mill. That old lump will still be around as standard equipment on the sedan, though don't expect to see it on the Mazda3 hatch. Instead, the long-roof will still benefit from the larger 2.5-liter four-cylinder found in the last-gen vehicle. In addition to the newly-efficient drivetrain, the 2012 Mazda3 also wears a suitably updated exterior. Buyers can look forward to redesigned headlights and an adjusted front fascia with a slightly different grille that tones down the rears of both the sedan and hatch have received a subtle warming-over.

[Shinare]

Thats probably the most feminine "face" I've seen on a car, heh.

[marcus]

you sure its not the mazda2...coz 40mpg on even the base 3 is too high...

[thebarber]

a tall top gear would do it, marcus

too bad i commute in the city...

[marcus]

oh sorry i just read the skyactive feature..

[brg88tx]

so the 3 gets better mpg than the 2?

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by marcus

you sure its not the mazda2...coz 40mpg on even the base 3 is too high...

This new 3 gets an all new engine for 2012- the new SkyActiv.

The Mazda 2 only gets about 33 MPG interestingly. So this much bigger car blows its own little sister away for efficiency.

[thebarber]

still has the stupid smiley face, however

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by thebarber

still has the stupid smiley face, however

Yeah, it seems like nobody likes the smiley face grill but Mazda's stubborn side is running with it. Too bad.

[SKurj]

I can't stop thinking of this every time I see the current crop of mazdas...

Great Movie.. can't stand the vehicles though..

[teddy]

Originally Posted by Kal-El

Yeah, it seems like nobody likes the smiley face grill but Mazda's stubborn side is running with it. Too bad.

Nobody in internet land at least. I've talked to quite a few people who either don't care or like it. My wife and all 4 sisters love it. The wife even suggested she wanted a Mazda 2 or 3 because it looks so cute and she is the woman who refused to consider a non-Toyota before we got the Yaris.

[Thirty-Nine]

The C-segment's new benchmark is 40 MPG. The 3, the Cobalt, the Focus, the Elantra, etc. Some of the B-segment will be getting in on it, too. The 2, the Accent, the Rio, and more soon, I'm sure.