Mazda3 And CX-30 With Innovative Skyactiv-X Engine Priced In Australia

Mazda has revealed its innovative Skyactiv-X M-Hybrid powertrain will arrive in Australia next month in the Mazda3 before landing in the CX-30 in September.

The Skyactiv-X-equipped Mazda3 will be sold locally as the X20 Astina with prices starting at AU$40,590 (US$28,120) for the six-speed manual variant and jumping to AU$41,590 (US$28,813) with the six-speed automatic, plus on-road costs. The CX-30 X20 will be priced from AU$46,490 (US$32,208) and comes exclusively with an automatic and all-wheel drive.

While Mazda Australia has yet to comment on local specifications for the Skyactiv-X engine, we know that in overseas markets it is good for 180 hp and 165 lb-ft (224 Nm) of torque and those figures will likely go unchanged. That will slot the engine neatly between the entry-level 2.0-liter four-cylinder used by G20-badged models that’s rated at 153 hp and 147 lb-ft (200 Nm) and the more potent 2.5-liter four-cylinder of G25 models with 186 hp and 186 lb-ft (252 Nm).

Mazda’s innovative Skyactiv-X M-Hybrid powertrain is the world’s first production petrol engine that uses diesel-like compression ignition, allowing it to achieve the high-revving performance of a petrol engine while combining the fuel efficiency, torque, and response of a diesel. This engine operates alongside a mild-hybrid system that includes a belt-driven integrated starter generator and a 24V lithium-ion battery.

“Mazda is committed to reducing real-world emissions by looking at every part of a vehicle’s emissions footprint, from its production through to where the fuel that powers it comes from, and how a vehicle is disposed of at the end of its life,” Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi said while discussing the engine. “With every customer’s circumstances being unique, we need to offer a variety of ways to reduce vehicle emissions to suit individual needs and lifestyles. Skyactiv-X offers customers a lower emission engine option, while retaining the same joy of driving that Mazda vehicles have always offered.”