GRM Review: Mazda3 SkyActiv

The Mazda3 SkyActiv finally makes the brand MPG-competitive, but it didn't endear itself to most of us.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new-cars/2012-Mazda-mazda3-i-touring/

Sounds like you guys had the automatic?

i'd say your assessment was fair. some good 17" tires livened mine up a great deal, as i'm sure they would most cars.

as efficient as the car has been, i feel like i'm wasting money whenever i drive something else.

We had the manual trans. The shift action was decent and smooth--- just what you would expect. The entire car is pleasing, just not exciting. This is probably how the engineers intended it to be. The marketing guys are making it out to be a sports car in disguise....it isn't. It is just a nicely designed, smooth running pleasant car. I was a bit let down by the lack of power, but it isn't out of line considering the car's mission.

I'm curious if Mazda has a performance variant of SkyActiv they're going to release in a street car anytime soon. I know they have a diesel variant that they're using to power an LMP car, but considering the history I doubt they'll bring that engine stateside.

In a lot of ways a skyactiv 2.0 is a 'performance variant' of the old 2.0. It's just not biased towards acceleration, and if it was, the skyactiv stuff basically wouldnt work.

I dont think they're going to take that basic motor and make a 'performance version'. I think we'll gradually see their 'performance' offerings incorporating more and more of what's currently in the skyactiv engine, though.