SCOTTISH COTY - Mazda takes the double at this years awards with the best diesel and best used car.

• Mazda’s 1.5-litre Mazda3 named ‘Best Diesel’ at the 2016 Scottish Car of the Year Awards.
• Winning cars selected by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW).
• The ASMW also named the third-generation Mazda MX-5 their ‘Best Used Car’ for 2016.

Mazda has scooped a pair of titles at the annual Scottish Car of the Year (SCOTY) Awards, taking the extremely competitive ‘Best Diesel’ title with the recently launched 2017 Mazda3 and securing the ‘Best Used’ car award with the ever popular third-generation Mazda MX-5.

In a UK marketplace that now sees more than 40 per cent of C-segment diesel sales delivering sub 100g/km CO₂ emissions, Mazda’s SKYACTIV-D 1.5 engine ensures the 2017 Mazda3 is now a strong contender in this competitive area of the family hatch market.

Developed with same Defy Convention approach as the larger SKYACTIV-D 2.2, the smaller capacity diesel features an exceptionally low 14.8:1 compression ratio that sets new standards of efficiency and performance. With 270Nm of torque and 0-62mph performance of 11.0 seconds, the Mazda3 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D features Mazda’s new Transient Control technology.

By delivering a more positive throttle response, reducing turbo lag and boosting torque to deliver a petrol-like engine feel Transient Control ensures that the 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D delivers the no compromise blend of performance and efficiency demanded by customers in this sector.

Refinement has also been enhanced thanks to the introduction of Mazda’s Natural Sound Smoother (NSS) technology to SKYACTIV-D engines. Fitted to all diesel versions of the 2017 Mazda3, it reduces knock noise during starting and low-speed acceleration by suppressing the resonance from the piston and connecting rod using a dynamic damper installed to the inside of the piston pin. In addition, the three critical frequency bands in which engine components typically vibrate most loudly are suppressed by Mazda’s Natural Sound Frequency Control. It deactivates the engine timing in 100 microsecond waves thereby causing the pressure waves caused before, after and during combustion to cancel each other out, with the end result being less combustion induced vibration. Working in unison these two technologies have reduced diesel engine resonance in the cabin of the 2017 Mazda3.

Highlights across the full hatchback and Fastback 2017 Mazda3 range include, subtle exterior changes and an updated cabin. Plus, with the introduction of G-Vectoring Control, the debut of Mazda’s SKYACTIV-VEHICLE DYNAMICS technology.

Commenting on the 1.5 SKYACTIV-D Mazda3’s title, Stephen Park, President of ASMW said “the Mazda3 is a previous winner of our Family Car category and the latest 1.5-litre diesel engine makes this stylish car even more attractive. Choosing the least powerful diesel powertrain in the recently launched 2017 Mazda3 range doesn’t leave the driver feeling short-changed, as this highly efficient four-cylinder diesel is extremely quiet and feels quicker and more responsive than its output would suggest.”

Adding to the 2016 Scottish Car of the Year Award success of the 2017 Mazda3, Mazda’s second title highlights the continued appeal of the third-generation Mazda MX-5. While the all-new fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 has written the next chapter in the MX-5 success story, the ASMW has recognised the unrivalled ‘fun for the money motoring’ offered by a used MX-5s. “We could pick almost any MX-5 from the cars three-decade history and recommend it as a great used buy but with third-generation models now available from less than £4,000, this roadsters unrivalled driving fun and famed reliability mean the third-generation wins this award and our hearts” commented ASMW President, Stephen Park.

Mazda showcases it;s best range ever at the Fleet Show 2016, from City Car to sports car and many in between.

• Style, performance and efficiency win fleet manager plaudits at the 2016 Fleet Show.
• Further corporate growth forecast as fleet chiefs back Mazda’s stand-out range.
• New launches like the 99g/km 1.5-litre diesel Mazda3 expand the marque’s appeal.

With one of the youngest ranges in the industry combined with low CO₂ emissions, Mazda’s stylish and good to drive model line-up is set to drive further fleet growth in 2016, following a trebling of corporate sales in the past three years.

Having recorded a 22 per cent year-on-year rise in fleet sales in 2015, which at more than 19,000 represented a seven-year high, Mazda arrived at the influential Fleet Show with an award-winning range and record sales. 

At the Show, fleet chiefs were able to drive key corporate models from the Mazda3, Mazda6, all-new Mazda CX-3 and Mazda CX-5 ranges, plus experience the World Car of the Year winning, all-new Mazda MX-5.

The Mazda6 remains Mazda’s fleet favourite, but the brand is reporting strong interest among user-chooser company car drivers for both the all-new Mazda CX-3 and Mazda CX-5 sports utility vehicles, while demand for the Mazda3 is rising following the arrival of the 105ps 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D model with CO₂ emissions of just 99g/km.

Fleet Show visitors were able to drive the all-Mazda CX-3 and the all-new Mazda MX-5, for the first time at the event. Mazda UK’s Head of Fleet Steve Tomlinson said: “These models along with the addition of the low emission Mazda3, which offers the best power to CO₂ emissions ratio in the segment, have helped further strengthen our corporate sales offering. The Mazda range delivers broad appeal whether company car drivers require a mile-munching job need vehicle or a perk car focused around lifestyle.”

Ken Waites, director of Gloucestershire-base Waites Engineering, which has a 15-strong company car fleet, drove the low emission Mazda3 and said: “With emissions of just 99g/km it is very attractive from a company car tax viewpoint as well as not attracting road tax in 2016/17. Carrying an on-the-road price from £18,895, he added: “It is very good value for money. The handling was faultless; the car was comfortable and with plenty of low down torque was very responsive. I was impressed.”

While, Colin Oliver, fleet operations manager at professional services firm PwC, which runs a user-chooser fleet of some 1,750 cars, emerged from driving a Mazda CX-3 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D with CO₂ emissions of only 105g/km and exceptional fuel economy as high as 70.6mpg, to say: “The company car benefit-in-kind tax regime is incentivising employees to drive greener vehicles.”

PwC already counts more than 60 Mazdas on its fleet and Mr Oliver said: “It was the first opportunity I’ve had to drive the CX-3. Employees have a completely open choice and SUVs are becoming more popular because of people’s lifestyles and their standout appeal in the company car market. The CX-3 performed very well. It is a good-looking car that has desirability and handled very well.”

Andrew Minham, fleet co-ordinator at Guildford Borough Council, which operates a 180-strong fleet including 50 cars, said: “We have some Mazdas on the fleet and some employees have asked out about the Mazda CX-3 and CX-5. The Council offers an open choice policy so I thought it was important to familiarise myself with both cars, which each delivered first class performance.”

Tony Miller, fleet co-ordinator at Coventry-based scientific instruments company Bruker UK, which already counts four Mazda6 and three CX-5 models on its 86-strong company car fleet, drove a number of the marque’s models.

He said: “Mazda cars have a good name on our fleet, particularly for their reliability and a style and design that is different from the norm. Drivers start to see Mazdas in the company car park and it immediately prompts interest. One person’s decision to have a CX-5 led to more inquiries about the model - they are the first SUVs we have had on the fleet.

“I was particularly interested in the Mazda CX-3 to see if it would be fit-for purpose for our fleet because we particularly like vehicles with low flat boot access for ease of loading. Benefit-in-kind tax is also important to our employees so we guide them towards low emission models.”

Mr Tomlinson said: “Mazda’s corporate sales are on a role and we are delighted with the reception that our range received at this year’s Fleet Show. Mazda has a powerful line-up that fleet decision-makers and company car drivers cannot ignore.”

Mazda launches the newer more environmentally friendly 1.5 Litre Skyactiv-D along with news it's grown it's fleet sales.

• Mazda UK achieved more than 19,000 fleet sales in 2015 – a 22 per cent year-on-year increase.
• New Mazda3 1.5 SKYACTIV-D lets Mazda enter the sub-100g/km CO₂ C-Segment for the first time.
• On sale now, the Mazda3 1.5 SKYACTIV-D designed to open new fleet doors in 2016.

Mazda UK’s fleet sales have more than trebled in the last three years and grew by 22 per cent in 2015 compared to 2014. Despite this, Mazda is still a predominantly retail brand. “The way we measure it, 30 per cent of our sales are fleet,” explained Mazda UK’s Head of Fleet Steve Tomlinson. 

“For a manufacturer that has constraints on supply, it doesn’t make sense to chase some of the high cost fleet volume that’s available,” he said. “We’re predominantly retail out of choice and it wouldn’t make sense for us to change that.”

According to the SMMT the overall UK market is evenly split between fleet and retail sales; those same figures give Mazda a 42 per cent fleet, 58 per cent retail split. This, said Tomlinson, “is because the SMMT counts as fleet any car registered to a business which we don’t.”

However, whichever way you measure it, “Mazda excels with user-choosers”, commented Tomlinson. “Company car drivers choose a Mazda because our cars meet both their work and personal needs, in the way they look and the way they drive” he said. “They also appreciate the efficiency and economy of our cars and the positive financial impact that can have” But since Mazda doesn’t offer any commercial vehicles, an A-segment model or any electric or hybrid cars, there are several big fleets that are closed to us, Tomlinson noted, so our sales figures demonstrate how we punch above our weight in the sectors and fleets we gain access to.”

To help increase the awareness of their cars to potential buyers, Mazda UK sells a small volume of cars to the daily rental market. “It’s limited and it’s profitable and it will never be more than five or six per cent of our total volume,” said Tomlinson.

Mazda also supplies cars to Motability. “Again, compared to our overall volumes Motability makes up a relatively small proportion of what we do, it’s a legitimate channel because people have to make a choice,” explained Tomlinson, adding that Motability accounts for more than 10 per cent of total UK sales (some 274,000 units in 2015). “It’s only about five per cent of our total at around 2,500 units so we could definitely increase this volume if we had the appetite. Currently we offer all-new Mazda2, Mazda3 and Mazda6 on the scheme.”

Mazda’s best fleet seller in 2015 was Mazda6 at 5,590 units. “It’s a segment that is declining year-on -year, but having benefited from a substantial update last year, the Mazda6 is still proving to be a popular choice, which considering it is competing in a market that has seen the launch of many new models in the last twelve months, is very encouraging.”

“Heading into 2016 I am very happy with Mazda’s position within the UK fleet market and putting the 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D into the Mazda3 will significantly increase the appeal of the Mazda3 to those fleets who prefer their drivers to run vehicles with a sub 2.0-litre engine. With CO₂ emissions from 99g/km this will make the car more popular with drivers who place low BIK taxation near the top of their consideration criteria. I’m confident that the addition of the Mazda3 1.5-litre diesel derivative to Mazda’s already extensive corporate vehicle choice list will enhance our fleet appeal even further.”

“On top of that I’m sure it’ll open doors to fleets that were previously closed to us. In a UK marketplace that now sees 42 per cent of C-segment diesel sales delivering sub 100g/km CO₂ emissions, fitting our 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D engine into the Mazda3 is great for potential fleet sales growth in this sector,” said Tomlinson.

The new Mazda3 Hatchback and Fastback now comes with the 105PS 1.5 Litre Skyactiv-D powerplant.

• Mazda3 line-up enhanced with addition of 105ps 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D diesel engine.
• Refined, smooth and punchy SKYACTIV-D 1.5 available with hatchback and Fastback models.
• Delivers CO₂ emissions from just 99g/km and combined economy of 74.3mpg.
• Available in SE, SE Nav, SE-L, SE-L Nav and Sport Nav trim from £18,895 on-the-road.  

Mazda has added its smooth, frugal and clean 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D diesel engine to the Mazda3. Having made its debut in the all-new Mazda2 and all-new Mazda CX-3, the 105ps SKYACTIV-D will boost the Mazda3 model line-up with frugal economy and sub-100g/km CO₂ emissions.

Designed to appeal to both fleet and private buyers, when matched to the six-speed SKYACTIV-MT manual transmission, the 105ps SKYACTIV-D emits just 99g/km with a combined economy of 74.3mpg.  

Available in hatchback and Fastback body styles, the new 1.5 SKYACTIV-D is offered across all trim levels with prices starting at just £18,895 on-the-road, while ensuring even more customer choice, the hatchback version of the SKYACTIV-D 1.5 can be specified with a six-speed SKYACTIV-DRIVE automatic transmission.

In a UK marketplace that now sees 42 per cent of C-segment diesel sales delivering sub 100g/km CO₂emissions, Mazda’s SKYACTIV-D 1.5 will ensure the Mazda3 is now a strong contender in this competitive area of the family hatch market. With 270Nm of torque and 0-62mph performance of 11.0 seconds*, the Mazda3 SKYACTIV-D 1.5 delivers the no compromise blend of performance, refinement and efficiency demanded by customers in this sector.

Developed with same Defy Convention approach as Mazda’s larger SKYACTIV-D 2.2, the smaller capacity diesel features an exceptionally low 14.8:1 compression ratio that sets new standards of efficiency and performance. 

When the compression ratio is lowered, compression temperature and pressure at top dead centre decrease. Consequently, ignition takes longer even when fuel is injected near top dead centre, enabling better mixture of air and fuel.

The advanced engine features high-dispersion solenoid fuel injectors to suppress cooling losses and provide the optimum injection pattern for the given driving conditions. 

This improves both combustion efficiency and engine refinement levels. In addition, the combustion chamber features a unique ‘shouldered’ design to suppress flow around the lip of the chamber and prevent combustion gas cooling.

As you’d expect, the engine comes as standard with Mazda’s i-stop idle-stop system, which delivers the world’s fastest restarts on a diesel engine.  

With a single variable turbine geometry turbocharger that delivers boost from low engine speeds and uses a rotation speed sensor to maintain output through to higher revs, the Mazda3 SKYACTIV-D 1.5 delivers excellent flexibility at cruising speeds and strong in-gear response. 

With peak torque of 270Nm available between 1,600 and 2,500rpm, the high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation system is supplemented by a low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation system to further enhance engine response, while the water-cooled intercooler is integrated into the engine’s lightweight manifold.

Steve Tomlinson, Head of Fleet Mazda UK: “Putting the 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D into the Mazda3 will significantly increase the appeal of the Mazda3 to those fleets who prefer their drivers to run vehicles with a sub 2.0-litre engine, and with CO₂ emissions from 99g/km this will also make the car more popular with drivers who place low BIK taxation near the top of their consideration criteria.   

“I am confident that the addition of the Mazda3 1.5-litre diesel derivative to Mazda’s already extensive corporate vehicle choice list will enhance our fleet appeal even further when the car goes on sale on the 1^stDecember.”

*manual gearbox

The Green Apple Awards for 2015 names the Mazda2 as it's Best Supermini.

• 2015 International Green Apple Awards name the all-new Mazda2 1.5 SKYACTIV-D Best Supermini.
• Green Apple Awards recognise and reward environmental best practice.
• All-new Mazda2 1.5 SKYACTIV-D has a combined economy of 83.1mpg and emits 89g/km of CO₂.
• Motoring section of the Green Apple Awards judged by the Midland Group of Motoring Writers.

The all-new Mazda2 has been named ‘Best supermini’ in the 22^nd annual Green Apple Awards. With the motoring section of the environmental awards judged by journalists from the Midland Group of Motoring Writers (MGMW), the 1.5-litre diesel SKYACTIV-D Mazda2 took top honours in the supermini category at the awards ceremony held recently at the Houses of Parliament.

MGMW Chairman Ian Donaldson commented, “the Mazda2 sets an engaging, practical and efficient benchmark in the class, making economy enjoyable while also providing sensible running costs. Mazda shows that using a larger engine than the competition and applying clever technology can provide fine economy and a car that’s good to drive.”

Having already claimed the Car Dealer Magazine Car of the Year Award earlier this year, the Green Apple Award’s acknowledgment of the all-new Mazda2’s blend of efficiency and performance comes on the back of the 105ps SKYACTIV-D Mazda2 exceling in the recent MPG Marathon, where it recorded an average fuel consumption of 103.42mpg – an impressive 24.45 per cent better than the official combined economy.

Equipped with Mazda’s i-stop system, which delivers the world’s fastest restarts on a diesel engine, the all-new 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-D engine embodies Mazda’s clean-sheet approach to combustion engines. The 1,499cc common-rail diesel engine features a lightweight all-alloy construction and an ultra-low 14.8:1 compression ratio that radically optimises the engine’s compression ratio to achieve superior air-fuel mixture levels and more uniform combustion for improved economy.

At the same time Mazda’s latest generation small diesel impresses with its combination of refinement, throttle response and performance.  As well as proving the real-world benefits of Mazda’s SKYACTIV technology, the all-new Mazda2’s KODO: Soul of Motion style and engaging driving experience help it stand out in this ultra-competitive sector.