Mazda3 SkyActiv X: Lighter shade of hybrid

Combining beneficial petrol and diesel engine design elements and adding a degree of hybridisation lift this Mazda3 hatch.

Price: $51,995
Powertrain and economy: 2.0-litre four cylinder SkyActiv-X mild-hybrid petrol engine, 132kW/224Nm. Six-speed automatic transmission with Sport mode. Front-wheel drive. Combined fuel consumption 5.5 L/100km, CO2 127 grams/km.
Vital statistics: Length 4460mm, height 1435mm, width 1795mm, wheelbase 2725mm. Luggage space 295 litres. Wheels 18-inch black alloys, 215/45 R18 tyres.
We like:  Revolutionary new engine combines spark and compression ignition; mild hybrid helps things along; beautiful interior, excellent levels of specification.
We don’t like:  Those A-pillars; it’s early days yet, but CO2 emissions will still be too high.

THERE’S surely little doubt the Government will accept what is recommended in the Climate Change Commission’s interim report on how New Zealand can reduce its net carbon emissions to nil by 2050.

Realising this goal means that, amongst other things, it will adopt the recommendation to ban the importation of all fossil-fuelled light vehicles after 2032.

It’s a hard call, but the cold fact is that in order to achieve its emission reduction goals, our country has to do it.

Latest figures are for 2019. These show transport being responsible for 36.3 percent of all our emissions of long-lived gases, and that petrol and diesel-fuelled cars, SUVs and trucks were responsible for 91 percent of that.

Such emissions for that year were calculated to be 16.6 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent (mt CO2-e).

 The Climate Change Commission’s big report says this must be reduced to 8.8 mt CO2-e by 2035 if New Zealand is to meet its 2050 target.

The only way for New Zealand to do it, says the report, is to go big on electric vehicles. It suggests the EV share of our country’s light vehicle fleet must reach 18 percent by 2025, 40 percent by 2027, 60 percent by 2028, 80 percent by 2030, and reaching the 100 percent by 2032.

That’s a big call, considering that last year less than two percent of all new vehicle registrations were EVs. In fact sales in 2020 of vehicles with any form of electrification accounted for just 9.2 percent of registrations, hybrids making up almost 80 percent of that.

Things didn’t change in the opening month of this year, either. January figures showed that registrations of 244 EVs represented just 1.7 percent of all new vehicle sales. So there’s a very long way to go, and it is obvious – as has been pointed out in the Climate Change Commission’s report – that it is going to require support and incentives from the Government.

Feebate scheme, anyone?

And here’s an interesting thing: while the report looks at everything through green-tinted glasses and is extremely EV-centric, it does offer a small dose of pragmatism. It suggests that while the national EV supply grows over the next few years, there will need to be a focus on importing more efficient internal combustion-engined vehicles, particularly hybrids.

That’s because the report’s suggested path forward assumes the average efficiency of ICE vehicles will improve by around 1 percent per year, to reach a 15 percent improvement by 2035.

Is that a big ask for the motor industry here? Not really. Greenhouse gas emissions from light vehicle exhausts have been falling in recent years anyway, with CO2 emissions down 21 percent between 2006 and 2019 (the 2020 figures are not yet available). So it’s a sitter that the emissions will continue to fall over the next few years as the manufacturers continue to continually improve their internal combustion-engined product.

An outstanding example is Mazda, which is committed to reducing CO2 emissions to 50 percent of 2010 levels by 2030 and to 90 percent by 2050. A major weapon in this strategy is the brand’s SkyActiv engine technology, which since 2012 has continually improved the efficiency of Mazda petrol and diesel engines.

So far we’ve had SkyActiv-G (petrol) and SkyActiv-D (diesel) engines, and now we’ve received first examples of SkyActiv-X, which is quite revolutionary because it combines the higher-revving performance of a petrol engine with the torque and fuel efficiency of a diesel.

The engine is hybridised, too. It features a mild hybrid system that uses a belt-driven integrated starter generator and a 20V lithium-ion battery to recycle energy recovered during deceleration and braking and use it to assist the engine.

First examples of SkyActiv-X are aboard highly-specified Takami versions of the Mazda3 hatch and its SUV sibling the CX-30.

They’re pricey at $51,995 and $54,990 which is $3200 and $4000 more expensive than the Limited versions of each model, but for the money they are chock-full of efficiency, safety and comfort technology.

So how does SkyActiv-X work? Spark Controlled Compression Ignition (SPCCI) is a new technology that compresses the fuel-air mix at a high ratio, with a very lean mix. The engine uses a spark to ignite only a small and dense amount of the mix in the cylinder, which raises both temperature and pressure so that a remaining fuel-air mix ignites under pressure like a diesel, burning faster and more completely than in conventional engines.

The result is up to 30 percent more torque than the current SkyActiv-G petrol engine, better fuel efficiency than the current SkyActiv-D, and a power increase of 10 percent.

In the case of the Mazda3 we’ve been driving, this translates to an official average consumption figure of 5.5 L/100km and CO2 emissions of 135g/km. Unusually this figure is accurate too, because it is exactly what I achieved over a lengthy journey of several hundred kilometres.

By way of comparison, the 2.0-litre SkyActiv-G Mazda3 GSX is rated at 6.2 L/1`00km, while the 2.5-litre GTX and Limited models are rated at 6.6 L/100km. It must be said however that the SkyActiv-X model runs on 95 octane petrol while the others drink 91.

To my eyes this hatchback’s performance is more akin to the 2.5-litre model than the other 2.0-litre version, and this is underlined by the power and torque figures. The SkyActiv-X model offers 132kW of power which isn’t much short of the 139kW developed by the 2.5, and while maximum torque of 224Nm is less than the 2.5-litre model’s 252Nm, it gets there at 3000rpm which is  1000rpm further down the revs range.

As a result the hatch offers a nice spread of torque at open road speeds. This is particularly the case when the Sport mode is engaged, which enhances the vehicle’s accelerator response. But when in Normal mode and cruising at normal highway cruise speeds, the SkyActiv-X model is almost diesel-like in the relaxed way it lopes along.

The M Hybrid system is interesting.

Mazda has replaced the alternator and starter motor with the integrated starter generator (ISG), which captures energy that would normally be wasted during braking. This electrified energy is stored in a lithium-ion battery and then used to power electrical systems and assist the engine under acceleration by offering an additional 5 to 6 kilowatts. The result is improved efficiency and a smoother driving experience.

The ISG also has an involvement in the hatchback’s i-Stop system, which is unusual because it is able to shut the engine down before the vehicle comes to a complete halt – in fact, the i-Stop kicks into action as soon as the vehicle’s speed gets below 20 kmh. It’s all in the interests of keeping the engine stopped longer so less fuel can be used.

Then when the Mazda3 is about to move off again, the ISG operates as a starter motor to provide a quick and very quiet restart.

Dislikes? None really. Just like the other Mazda3 models, this version continues to have very thick A-pillars that can hamper views when turning, but you get used to it. And while the jury remains out for some regarding the ‘car as art’ exterior look of the vehicle with its large rump, there’s no arguing at all about the interior – its uncluttered  design is beautiful.

At the Takami level the vehicle features a 360-degree view monitor for ease of parking and for negotiating into tight spots, and there’s also a reversing camera with dynamic guide lines that bend when you turn the steering wheel.

From the comfort perspective there is black leather seat trim – burgundy is an option – and a black cabin theme, a frameless automatic interior mirror, and even a steering wheel heater. Outside, the visual clues that this is the takami model are 18-inch black alloy wheels, larger exhaust pipes, and SkyActiv-X badging on the rear.

But overall, the visual treatment is all quite low-key – which is no doubt just how Mazda wants it, preferring instead to let the vehicle go about its work in an unobtrusive sort of way as it works to play its part in the Japanese brand achieving its environmental targets.

But will the Mazda3 SkyActiv-X M-hybrid meet the Climate Change Commission’s very tough targets?

Mazda Motor Corporation believes that most new cars will still have an internal combustion engine for many years to come, and it is using worldwide new passenger vehicle sales to underline that belief.

The corporation points out that international research forecasts that even by 2030, battery and fuel-cell EVs will account for just 10 percent of the 130 million vehicles that are expected to be built. All the rest will be ICE models – but of those, better than half will be electrified in some way.

So with that as background, it’s obvious we will have hybrids of various forms – including SkyActiv-X and its successors – for some years yet. Ironically they will need to improve too, if they are going to meet the Climate Change Commission’s green ambitions for New Zealand motoring.

Mazda MX-5 100th Anniversary: Birthday treat takes the cake

The company that started out as a cork producer has just produced a corker version of their best car.

the start of a grand adventure.

Price: $51,095.
Powertrain and performance: 2.0-litre petrol four, 135kW/205Nm, 6-speed manual, RWD, Combined economy 6.8 litres per 100km.
Vital statistics: 3915mm long, 1235mm high, 2310mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 127 litres, 17-inch alloys.
We like: The whole vibe; looks smart.
We don't like: Not owning one.

PERHAPS you’re a founding member of the national cork appreciation society, but I’m guessing not. Just as I’m certain that organisation doesn’t even exist.

Even so, the car here today can be called a celebration of cork’s contribution to the world. And, indirectly, car-making; in that it’s this material that was the making of a car company.

And, in celebration of that having occurred 100 years on, it’s the reason why I’m driving the first example in New Zealand of car that holds a special place in enthusiasts’ hearts. 

It’s a little-known fact that Mazda is thought to be the world’s only vehicle maker that began life as a cork producer.

With cork trees abundant in the region around Hiroshima and the local shipbuilding industry in full swing, sourcing cork from these trees, initially for use in wooden ships, ultimately for many other purposes, was an obvious business to pursue. Toyo Cork Kogyo started up in 1920 and grew fast.

Business prior to World War II was good. Technologies in plastics and rubber had not been developed as far as they are today, so cork was an alternative material for all sorts of uses back then, from gaskets and walls. After 1945, however, production of rubber and plastics on an industrial scale meant cork gradually took a back seat as a large-scale industrial material. From thereon, cork was no longer so buoyant. 

no cork was used in the making of this car.

Fortunately, Mazda’s founder, Jujiro Matsuda, had a Plan B, that was already proving its worth well before the boom went bust.

He’d been with Toyo Cork Kogyo since 1927, joining after a successful career in engineering in Osaka, where - having started as an apprentice blacksmith - he progressed to forming his own metal casting company. He came on as a board member, rose to be president.

Although, his expertise was in machinery and engineering, Matsuda-san quickly proved his worth with innovations including the production of pressed cork boards, then subsequently insulation and cushioning materials. 

Some of these would prove useful in vehicles, which tied in nicely to his aspiration. As early as 1927 he’d determined to lead the company into machinery manufacturing, which ultimately led to the production of three-wheeled trucks, building the basis of the Mazda we know now.

To present day. This being Mazda’s 100th year in business gives obvious marketing opportunity. Conjure up a 100th Anniversary Special Edition trim, that’ll feature in – you guessed it – 100 cars coming to this country.

Speaking as a total MX-5 tragic – yes, best to admit now this whole story is tinged with that bias - I’m pleased to say a quarter of that count comprises examples of Mazda’s famous two-seater rear-drive sports model. 

I’m even happier to tell you, also, that the subject of this piece is the very first of those, which Mazda NZ plans to keep. 

A manual 2.0-litre roadster, it landed just days before the brand gathered media to try out its SkyActiv-X engine technology, and was mine to drive home from Karapiro, where that event concluded, and hold on to for a little while.

the celebration car was hanging out with its muse, the R360 (above) when at Mazda NZ but also met some more direct relatives at its temporary home.

I couldn’t believe my luck. I’d seen the car at Mazda NZ headquarters and knew it was tagging along as we tried out the SkyActiv-X Mazda3 and CX-30, but wasn’t really sure about the chances of being able to take it home. Right until the keys were handed over as the group departed the lunch spot; the majority heading back north, me alone heading south.

 This next bit will sound cheesy. However, it’s true. The day literally changed at that point … the incredibly heavy rain that had hammered our run all morning stopped. The sun came out.

 Okay, only for a couple of hours. Well before I got home it was hammering down and freezing again. But surely a good sign and at least the first bit of the drive was as every great MX-5 run should be: Under blue skies and with the roof down. There’s no better way.

There’s no better car (okay, bias again). Driving long distances in a small open car might sound wearying, and I won’t deny the MX-5 redefines the word ‘snug’ and that there are more refined and comfortable cars in the Mazda line-up. Yet it’s also so communicative and wonderfully involving you really don’t notice the kilometres flying by. Well, I didn’t. 

But, then, I’d contend the ND achieves this connect because it so successfully rekindles the essence the original NA (the car we own – actually two of ‘em), moreso than the NB and NC that came between them.

The latter aren’t poor efforts – because, frankly (and, yes, with prejudice), when it comes to MX-5s, you’re always talking levels of greatness rather than flaws - but they did slightly erode the core simple-is-best ethic.

This famous minimalism has returned with the ND and was certainly taken very seriously by the development team. Everything that could possibly be scaled down has been; the stubby gear lever and the teensy seat adjusters being good examples.

This is the first MX-5 in which it’s truly easy to not only neatly fold away the roof in a single arm movement, but also lift it. It feels very enclosed with the top buttoned down, of course, and that condition heightens aware of the paucity of space, including for storage. They’ve done a brilliant job though, invariably, despite best efforts, not all solutions are complete. 

A nice photo of the car with Mt Ruapehu in the background? Erm, not today.

The cup holders are a classic example. These are in the only possible location they could be, up high between the seats, but it’s no great spot all the same; you’ll soon learn to stop with hot drinks as it’s too awkward to reach the holders on the move without high risk of spillage.

Also, there isn’t much storage space for anything, really; only a small cubby in the centre console and a shallow tray in front of the gearlever that cannot be trusted to contain a cellphone when you’re pushing on. But this isn’t a gripe. More like a ‘same as it’s always been’ acceptance. You just get on and live with it.

Checking out, at a MX-5 owner event a few days on, the celebration car against regular-issue NDs confirmed the special is wholly a styling exercise, with no monkeying around with the mechanicals. So no power play or even a more musical exhaust.

Disappointed? As much as the short-lived Abarth 124 proved extra pep and parp certainly does this car no harm, I’m not unhappy with the ND’s power output.

The 2.0-litre has been meted more power and a broader torque span in its latest format, but it’s more set to squeal those Michelin Pilot tyres than smoke ‘em.

That’s fine. The car’s always been more about briskness than absolute kapow and one of the treats of this package is that it is so tightly dimensioned and well-sorted, chassis-wise, as to carry really good speed through curves with total confidence. Also, it’s so light. The ND goes back to the original NA prescription in weighing comfortably less than a tonne, remember. More bark would be cool, though. It’s a shame Mazda doesn’t seem to shop with Akrapovic.

Where it obvious gets loud is with the anniversary colour scheme. I’ve reservations about how well a body literally in white – sorry, Snowflake White Pearl Mica - and a red roof will work on more substantial, solid-roofed Mazdas, however the scheme really pops on the roadster, especially when the top’s dropped.

Sure, When Mazda cites a cabin ‘accented’ by burgundy styling features, they really mean ‘overwhelmed’, cos little isn’t in that hue. It sounds like a blood bath – or, indeed, a bath coated in blood. But in the light of day – and that’s the best time – it’s not too bad, because only the carpets are crimson. The beautifully-finished leather seats have an orangish tinge that’s less galling.

Badges? Of course there are badges, but they’re generally overt. A wee “100 Years 1920 – 2020” emblem on the front wheelarch replicates on the carpets and the wheel centre caps have logoes in red and black. The biggest signature is embossed on the headrests. The key fob is also embossed and comes in a special edition box, held by Mazda NZ. Likely as not it’s in managing director David Hodge’s office desk, given this is going to be his personal drive car for a while.

Anyway, the look has a throwback vibe to it that’s wholly valid; not a throwback to anything from the cork industry, of course, but the brand’s first passenger car, the R360 Coupe. This came along in 1960 – so, quite a bit younger than the brand -  but has arguably now become one of the coolest historic Mazdas ever made.

That nod to heritage works particularly well with the MX-5, because even though the original is very much a city runabout and not very sporty, they are at least both tiny, light two-seaters with a huge dollop of loveable character.

The R360 was never sold here, but incredibly there is one here in private ownership and, impressively, Mazda NZ had it at their premises, parked alongside the MX-5, on the day we were together. It’s a great looking bauble, but not one I’d elect to drive for any distance beyond a quick flit around the block. Truth be told, someone of my height and bulk probably wouldn’t fit into it.

When driving to Castlepoint, take moment to pay homage at Tinui, birthplace of Anzac Day.

Anyway, all in all there’s plenty about the MX-5 to signal it’s special … and honestly, when I took it on a big outing with a bunch of other MX-5ers a few days later, I thought it would be a drawcard that required no explanation. And yet … well, actually, it wasn’t and it did. 

Ironically, the only one who came to check the car out with absolute knowledge about what it represents was the owner of a 1989 NA. I really enjoyed chatting with Stan, an octogenarian teenager who loves cars and wants to keep his absolutely to factory condition and spec, because that’s the ethos he’s rigorously adhered to with the other vintage cars he’s owned. Sorry, vintage? Well, that’s the classification the original MX-5 can now quite validly hold with the national old car movement. He’s got the sticker on his windshield to prove it. 

Perhaps any immediate under-appreciation of the Anniversary car’s standing is understandable. Anyone who knows a bit about this evergreen gem will know the lineage of limited-count versions is pretty rich. It’s received so many special treatments over the years that I’m not sure if anyone, Mazda included, can accurately say how many limited editions there have been.

Still, that hasn’t seemed to stop them from selling and being treasured. Anniversary editions have proven to be highly coveted. Being a tragic I can tell you there have been four previously, all in bespoke colours.

They start with a 10th anniversary car based on a 1.8-litre Mk II, launched in 1999 and limited to 7500 units, finished in Innocent Blue Mica and sporting a six-speed gearbox. A 2009 20th, limited to 2000 units and its home market of Japan only, and, in 2014 a 25th, of which just 1000 units worldwide were built in Soul Red Premium. This is the only one to divert from roadster tradition, being instead based on the folding hard-top RC model. Last year came a 30th edition, with an orange paintjob.

Should the ‘100th’ be considered part of that exclusive pack? Conceivably, it doesn’t qualify, because it isn’t model specific, as the others are.

Yet even though the ‘100th pack’ can be configured on eight other current Mazda models, I don’t think the MX-5’s cred is damaged. It looks so especially charming it’s hard to see it being any less collectible or attractive to cognoscenti. On the other hand, I’m equally sure that status only works for the MX-5. Buying a ‘celebration’ CX-9 in hope of it maintaining or even appreciating in value would be a long shot.

It’s nebulous arguing the $1500 premium over the donor Limited MX-5 is worth it because, well, the orders have been and taken and fulfilled. I’d say it was, especially in manual format. That this one features in the promo shots for the campaign and is really well-loaded reinforces it’s the favourite child.

The Limited-spec car is already a cool thing, and the manual has a limited-slip differential. Plus the ND facelift has introduced Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated seats (a must-have for cold weather top-down driving) and a Bose audio system, automatic climate control, and 17- inch dark silver aluminium alloy wheels. The one little extra I really grew to like on the celebration car were the driver and passenger headrest speakers; the sound system needs to be cranked when the roof is down, but this little extra allows something I didn’t think was possible – coherent phone conversations on the move. There’s obviously a microphone cunningly installed as well. But, anyway, at 100kmh I found I could make and take calls with no issue at either end.

Embossed seats are artful … and very comfortable.

The initial drive home was a classic adventure. I had the roof down almost until Taupo, but then had to close the car. By then it was late afternoon, it was getting cold and there were dark clouds at the southern end of the lake. Sure enough, the weather absolutely closed in on the Desert Rd – hence why no classic shots of the car with Ruapehu and Ngauruhohe in the background. The dominant natural features were totally hidden.

The outing with other owners was the highlight. Sunday dawned bright and clear and it stayed that way; a perfect condition for a full day’s driving – again solo (Mrs B loves her own MX-5, and enjoys driving, but had other stuff to attend to this day)  - from my Manawatu home to Featherston, to then catch up with an enthusiast group on a planned drive out to Castlepoint and return.

It’s a fantastic and classic MX-5 route, quite potentially one of the very best in the lower North Island; packed with the twists and turns and short straights that really bring out the car’s classic character and reminding why weight, or rather the lack of it, is so central to the MX-5 being as good as it is to drive.

I’m not alone in thinking that. MX-5 enthusiast clubs operate throughout the country and are well-supported. I’m indebted to Sharon and Keith Ewing, convenors of the Kapiti register, for allowing me to join in with their monthly run, which with involvers from the Wairarapa and Manawatu chapters drew around three dozen cars onto a cracking route.

It was fantastic to see all generations and formats of the car ducking and diving out to Wairarapa coast and back; some enjoying the outing as a laidback drive, others using it as an occasion to blow out those Covid cobwebs at more energetic pace. For my part, the six-speed box, steering wheel, the tyres and brakes were worked hard enough that, by the end of it all, the car felt quite a bit friskier than it had on pick up.

Mind you, when they handed it over, there was barely 200kms on the clock. When it I handed it back, it was almost about to tip over into its first thousand. So, really, I’d been doing everyone a favour, with a brisk running-in process.

Assuredly, the pleasure was all mine.

Mazda CX-30 Ltd: Chocks away in best-dressed baby

A flying visit allows new smooth to meet vintage industrial

Base Price:  $50,990
Powertrain and performance:  SkyActiv-G 2.5-litre four cylinder DOHC petrol engine with i-Stop and cylinder deactivation, 139kW/6000rpm, 252kW/4000rpm. All-wheel drive. 6.8 L/100km.
Vital statistics: Length 4395mm, height 1540mm, width 1795mm, wheelbase 2655mm. Luggage 430 litres. Wheels: 18-inch alloys with 215/55 R168 tyres.
We Like: Very attractive styling, sophisticated level of specification, secure and safe drive.
We don’t like: Slightly lumpy ride at the lower speeds. It’s not a coupe, Mazda.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder – a phrase that came to mind during this stint with Mazda’s swish new compact SUV, the CX-30.

That’s because we used the vehicle to head to Tauranga and introduce it to a machine 77 years its senior – a Boeing Stearman biplane.

When we parked the smooth Mazda in front of the more industrial American aircraft, the contrast between the two was starkly apparent, because one was streamlined to the extreme, while the other was definitely not.

Of course they are totally differences pieces of transport technology in that one is a new-age motor vehicle and the other is a vintage aircraft, but they are both the result of industrial design excellence of the day.

And visually, they are both highly attractive.

Maybe you ask: How can a 1943 biplane, with its big undercarriage, wings made of wood and fabric that are joined together using struts and wire, and which is powered by a nine-cylinder radial engine that burns through 46 litres of fuel and up to three litres of oil an hour, be considered attractive?

Well…- it just is, that’s how. With its bright yellow wings, silver fuselage and red tail (the US Navy painted them those colours so they were easier to spot whenever one crashed), the Stearman is one of those aircraft that simply looks like it is meant to fly.

And it did too – in its thousands. More than 10,000 of them were built in the 1930s and 1940s as primary trainers, and following the end of World War II a large number were sold on the civilian market for recreational flying. As a result there are a number of them in New Zealand, this example operated by Classic Flyers New Zealand.

Mind you, it has to be said that the Stearman doesn’t offer particularly comfortable flying. It’s interior is spartan to the extreme. An open cockpit means the environment is noisy and windy. When taxiing forward visibility is so limited the pilot has to weave from side-to-side to see where to go.

But once the biplane is in the air, the experience is a joy. As the aircraft trundles along at not much more than New Zealand’s open road speed limit, you appreciate the fact that the Stearman was designed and built for a purpose. As a primary trainer, introducing thousands of young pilots to the world of aviation.

And that makes you wonder if these days, with so many vehicles registered for use on New Zealand’s roads that we have among the world’s highest car ownership statistics, can motoring also still be a joyful experience?

Mazda certainly thinks so. It believes it is still possible for an emotional bond to be created between car and driver. It’s all to do with personal freedom, travel, and the appeal of actually being behind the wheel of a car.

As a result, the Hiroshima-headquartered company aims for autonomous technologies to support, not replace, the driver. While other carmakers might be heading towards ‘machine-centric’ automation, Mazda takes what it calls a ‘human-centric’ position by developing all sorts of electronic aids that are there to help, not dominate.

All of that is the reasoning behind a vehicle design philosophy the company calls Kodo – Soul of Motion.  Call it marketing hype if you will, but it’s a fact that in recent years this philosophy has resulted in creation of some outstanding vehicles.

The latest is this new CX-30. In essence this vehicle is the SUV version of the new Mazda3 hatch. As such it plonks itself into a gap on Mazda’s SUV fleet between the smaller CX-3 and the larger CX-5.

That gap needed to be filled, too. The new vehicle enters a market segment officially known as SUV Compact, which is growing so quickly it is due to take over from SUV Medium as New Zealand’s most popular vehicle segment.

As at the end of April both these segments held a 19 percent market share. But in April itself – albeit a very bad sales month due to the Covid-19 shutdown – SUV Compact claimed a massive 26 percent market share, while SUV Medium held 14 percent.

CX-30 cabin rather more comfortable than Stearman’s …. .but comes second-best for all-round visibility.

The CX-30 has been designed using the Kodo principle, and as a result it has perhaps the best exterior simplicity of form of any of the compact SUVs currently available in this country. In stark contrast to the old Stearman biplane which could hardly be described as streamlined, this Mazda is very smooth to the eye.

It offers a smooth drive, too. Our model for test was the top CX-30, a $50,990 2.5-litre Limited. That’s quite a bit of money for a compact SUV, but it does  carry a lot of kit, particularly from a safety perspective – including Mazda’s i–Activ electronic all-wheel drive system, and a wealth of passive and active driving aids.

These include lane-keep assist, active cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross traffic alert, and active emergency braking that recognises cyclists and pedestrians.  Little wonder then that all this has contributed to the CX-30 being awarded a five-star Ancap rating which included a 99% score for adult occupant protection, the highest ever recorded.

Powering the CX-30 Limited is Mazda’s 2.5-litre SkyActiv-G engine that a lot of New Zealanders have already experienced aboard such product as the CX-5, Mazda3 and Mazda6. In this application it offers 139 kilowatts of power and 252 Newton metres of torque which is ample for a vehicle of this size.

Mazda’s SkyActiv technology has been developed with economy in mind, and as such the 2.5-litre engine features an i-stop system which automatically stops the engine running at places such as the traffic lights, and cylinder deactivation which runs the vehicle on two cylinders when circumstances permit.

All this helps the CX-30 boast an official fuel consumption of 6.8 L/100km – which seems a bit low to me. I rate myself as a careful driver and I couldn’t get better than 8 L/100km. But still, it has to be said even that is very good for a vehicle that is all-wheel-drive.

The CX-30 sits about 45mm higher than a Mazda3, but despite that higher ride the vehicle still offers a secure ride. This is helped along by Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control Plus system that helps make cornering as smooth and comfortable as possible by tweaking engine torque and gently braking the outer front wheel.

The vehicle is also shod with a new concept tyre which has smaller sidewalls and a more rigid tread, which Mazda claims helps give a smoother ride because the tyre distorts less when hitting a bump.

A feature of the new CX-30 is its interior, which is very good. It’s slightly different in design to the Mazda3’s, but offers the same level of specification, including an Active Driving Display with a wide-screen centre display, and a rotary Commander Control on the centre console.

At the Limited specification level the vehicle has a black cabin theme that includes black leather seat trim, which is pretty much the same as that aboard the hatch/sedan.

All in all, the new Mazda CX-30 appeals as an outstanding new entry in the compact SUV market, and it should immediately play a major role in taking that market segment to the lead in the new vehicle sales statistics.

The MMNZ marketing people are advertising the vehicle as combining coupe styling with SUV practicality. I wouldn’t go quite that far, even though the CX-30 definitely appeals as a very good-looking vehicle.

 That’s especially the case when you park it alongside something as lumpy as an old WWII biplane. But then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, huh?