CarBuyer awards the 'Best Winter Car' to the Mazda CX-5 SUV.

• Carbuyer has named the Mazda CX-5 ‘Best Winter Car’ in the 2015 Carbuyer Best Car awards.
• Carbuyer Award categories are based on the most popular online car searches.
• 2015 Mazda CX-5 upgraded range includes six all-wheel drive SKYACTIV-D diesel models.
• All-wheel drive CX-5s are offered in SE-L, SE-L Nav and Sport Nav trim.

Leading online car review site Carbuyer has named the Mazda CX-5 ‘Best Winter Car’ in their annual Best Car awards. With award categories that reflect what buyers search for online, Carbuyer has recognised the four-wheel drive CX-5’s combination of all-wheel drive grip and excellent efficiency.

“The Mazda CX-5 offers all you could want in a car for winter, but its excellent fuel economy, handsome design and fun-to-drive persona means it also has year-round appeal” commented Carbuyer Editor, Stuart Milne.  

Thanks to Mazda’s award-winning SKYACTIV technology, and its all-encompassing focus on lightweight and efficiency through advanced engine, chassis and transmission technology, the 2015 Mazda CX-5 is a compact SUV that delivers outstanding fuel economy and low CO₂ emissions without compromising performance or driving dynamics.

“No other vehicle in the Mazda range demonstrates the value of SKYACTIV technology more clearly than the Mazda CX-5” commented Mazda UK Sales Director, Peter Allibon. “It has allowed the company to build a Compact SUV that delivers outstanding fuel economy and low CO₂ emissions without compromising either performance or driving dynamics. And now, for 2015, significant enhancements and standard equipment upgrades make the Mazda CX-5 more price-competitive than ever before.”

Powered by Mazda’s SKYACTIV-D diesel engine and offered with a choice of manual or automatic transmissions, the all-wheel drive CX-5 is available in three trim levels - SE-L, SE-L Nav and Sport Nav.  With prices starting at £25,995, SE-L and SE-L Nav cars feature the 150ps SKYACTIV-D diesel engine, while the range topping Sport Nav is equipped with the more powerful 175ps version. Regardless of power output, the manual and automatic models emit just 136 and 144g/km respectively. All 2015 Mazda CX-5s benefit from i-stop, Mazda’s smooth operating and fuel-saving smart idle-stop system.

The 2015 Mazda CX-5’s advanced four-wheel drive system features variable torque distribution and precise slip detection, giving a front/rear torque split ranging from 100/0 to 50/50 percent, ensuring the CX-5 delivers the traction and grip needed for reassuring winter motoring.

On sale in the UK from 1^st April 2015, the 2015 Mazda CX-5 features significant interior trim and standard equipment specification upgrades, as well as exterior enhancements.

The standard equipment specification of every model in the CX-5 line-up has been enhanced through the addition of manual front passenger seat height adjustment, an electronic parking brake, a coming home/leaving home headlight function, and the company's Multimedia Commander with separate volume dial for safe, intuitive interactivity and infotainment control.

A new 7-inch, full-colour, centre console touch-screen incorporates DAB radio, two ports for USB connectivity and MZD Connect. Paired with a smartphone, MZD Connect makes it easier to take advantage of functions such as internet connectivity and access to social networking services.

Top-of-the-range Sport Nav models benefit from new exterior features including 19-inch Gunmetal alloy wheels, LED headlights including LED daytime running lights, and LED foglamps. On board, an already comprehensive Sport Nav standard equipment specification is further bolstered by a new Integrated Navigation system which offers greater accuracy, improved search features and three years of free map updating.

Mazda6 2.2L diesel cars chase speed records.

• SKYACTIV-D 2.2-powered cars go after best marks during 24 hour high-speed run
• Mazda aiming to break 20 FIA records for diesel-powered production cars

It was a rewarding weekend for Mazda the ATP test oval in Papenburg, Germany, as the company shattered 20 FIA speed records (subject to FIA homologation). Three of the convention-challenging carmaker’s Mazda6 flagships powered by 129kW/175ps SKYACTIV-D 2.2-litre clean diesels completed a 24-hour marathon run on the high-speed track on Sunday, with the front car achieving an average speed of 137.37mph and the other two close behind. The current record for diesel-powered production cars (2.0-2.5 litre displacement) is 130.38mph. Each of the three Mazdas also set several other average speed records over a variety of distances (subject to FIA homologation).

At the wheel of the cars, which covered more than 3293.3 miles during the 24-hour period, were 23 drivers from seven EU countries. They included professionals as well as journalists and car enthusiasts, who could apply to take part as part of a campaign started by Mazda last May. During their 1.5-hour stints behind the wheel, they were not allowed to follow in the slipstream of a preceding car and needed to be exceptionally careful in the steeply banked curves at each end of the oval to avoid losing speed. Nevertheless, only 0.55mph of average speed separated the three Mazda6s after 24 hours – a tribute to the drivers and pit teams, which were made up of employees from various Mazda dealerships, but above all to the design, drivability and dependability of these cars even when pushed to their limits.

As popular as they are unconventional, Mazda’s award-winning SKYACTIV-D clean diesels feature a 14:1 compression ratio, the world’s lowest in a diesel engine. Available in the Mazda CX-5, Mazda6, all-new Mazda3 and coming soon in the all-new Mazda2*, demand for these high-output yet extremely efficient powerplants has been strong around the globe from day one and has not let up since. They have been successful on the track elsewhere, too: In mid-2013, a SKYACTIV-D powered Mazda6 became the first diesel to ever win a race at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the U.S.

* New SKYACTIV-D 1.5 with 14.8:1 compression

The Japanese car of the year is the new Mazda 2 Super Mini.

In a monumental battle for the country’s most coveted car trophy, the Mazda2 comes from behind to capture the Car of the Year Japan award.

Typhoon Vongfong, this year’s fiercest storm, might have weakened when it made landfall on the Japanese archipelago on Sunday, but a storm of different proportions was brewing inside the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation on Tokyo Bay.

In a nail-biting finish between the Mazda2 and the Mercedes Benz C-Class, the Hiroshima compact car polled 423 votes to come from behind and win the Car of the Year Japan by just 19 votes. The C-Class finished with 404 votes. This result means that Mazda’s highly rated Skyactiv technology and unique styling combination has picked up Japan’s top award twice in three years, after the CX-5 snagged the COTY trophy in 2012.

Kiyoshi Fujiwara, the Godfather of Mazda’s Skyactiv technology proudly holds the Japan COTY trophy.

In a tightly fought contest, the Demio polled the maximum 10 votes from 22 of the 59 jurors while the C-Class picked up ten votes from 18 jurors. Each juror is allocated 25 votes, must give 10 votes to their best car and spread their remaining 15 votes among their next best 4 cars.

The BMW i3 came third with 340 votes, Subaru’s Levorg finished 4th with 124 votes and the Suzuki Hustler ended up in 5th with 65 votes.

“With the Mazda2, we have rewritten the rule book for compact cars. Our new Skyactiv technology, excellent mileage, reasonable pricing and unique design all contributed to our victory today,” commented Mazda’s EVP, Kiyoshi Fujiwara.

In three minor award categories that were introduced last year year, the BMW i3 picked up the ‘Innovation Award,’ the Honda N-WGN captured the ‘Small Mobility Award’ and the ‘Special Achievement Award’ went to the Toyota for its Fuel Cell program.

All-New Mazda 2 to take the B-Segment by storm, just like its bigger brothers, the 3 and 6.

• SKYACTIV Technology and KODO design team up in a segment-beating supermini
• Launch plan sees next-generation Mazda2 at several upcoming European events in fall

Clever, comfortable and confident: The all-new Mazda2 is heading for Europe, where its generous equipment and convention-challenging capabilities are set to take the B segment by storm. Mazda’s next-generation supermini will make its European press debut at an exclusive driving event that gets under way at Mazda Space in Barcelona on 3 November. The five-door hatchback will also be the highlight of several national motor shows and other events in autumn and winter.

The all-new Mazda2 combines the complete range of SKYACTIV technology with a stunning KODO – Soul of Motion design very similar to the Mazda Hazumi concept unveiled in Geneva in March. It features the ingeniously intuitive interior concept first seen on the all-new Mazda3, including the Active Driving Display – the first head-up display in this class – and a human-machine interface specially adapted for the subcompact’s cabin. With MZD Connect, the all-new Mazda2 is also one of the first B-segment models to bring occupants online in complete safety, meeting the demands of many of today’s customers. The cabin itself, meanwhile, is surprisingly spacious and comfortable, particularly for the driver but also with top-class rear legroom.

Under the bonnet is one of four engines including the SKYACTIV-D 1.5-litre, a brand-new low compression clean diesel producing 77kW/105ps and maximum torque of 220Nm while using only 3.4l/100km of fuel for CO₂ emissions of 89g/km*. The all-new Mazda2 will also be offered with the petrol-powered SKYACTIV-G 1.5-litre in three variants producing between 55kW/75ps and 85kW/115ps. They deliver fuel economy and CO₂ emissions figures ranging from 4.5-4.9l/100km and 105-115g/km*. Power is transferred to the front wheels via five- and six-speed SKYACTIV-MT manual transmissions as well as a six-speed SKYACTIV-Drive automatic. All are newly developed compact, lightweight versions of the acclaimed gearboxes offered on other new-generation Mazdas.

The all-new supermini also gets the SKYACTIV-Chassis, and with it the widely praised linear sporty handling of its larger siblings for Mazda’s patented Jinba Ittai oneness-with-the-car feeling. Optimised for the Mazda2’s size, the upshot is remarkably smooth responsiveness to go with significantly advanced comfort and confidence-inspiring stability that is unusual for a subcompact.

Indeed, the all-new Mazda2’s is exceptionally well equipped in terms of cutting-edge technology. Its class-beating set of i-ACTIVSENSE active safety systems includes Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM). Available for the first time on a Mazda in Europe, BSM keeps track of the blind spots behind and on the sides of the vehicle, even when reversing. Plus, although kerb weights start at a mere 970kg, Mazda’s newest model provides outstanding passive safety protection, too. This comes thanks among other things to the innovative architecture of its SKYACTIV-Body, which contains significantly greater quantities of lightweight high and ultra-high strength steels than the body of the current Mazda2.

Mazda is taking an unconventional approach with its European launch strategy this time around: Rather than concentrating on major international motor shows, the company is promoting its supermini at a number of regional events. For example, prior to the press launch at Mazda Space, the company’s European event hub, the all-new Mazda2 will be on display at the International Film Festival of Rome from 16-25 October at the MAXXI Museum of 21^st Century Art. It will also feature at three upcoming motor shows in Zurich (5-9 November), Vienna (14-18 November) and Brussels (15-25 January), before going on sale early next year.

All-new Mazda2**
Engine			SKYACTIV-G 1.5 (75 ps)		SKYACTIV-G 1.5 (90 ps)		SKYACTIV-G 1.5 (115 ps with i-ELOOP)		SKYACTIV-D 1.5
Max. power	kW(PS) /rpm		55(75)/6,000		66(90)/6,000		85(115)/6,000		77(105)/4,000
Max. torque	Nm/rpm		135/3,800		148/4,000		148/4,000		220/1,400-3,200
Emission rating			Euro 6		Euro 6		Euro 6		Euro 6
Transmission			5MT		5MT	6AT	6MT		6MT
Fuel consumption*	l/100km		4.7		4.5	4.8	4.9		3.4
CO2 emissions*	g/km		110		105	112	115		89
Exterior dimensions
Overall length							mm		4,060
Overall width							mm		1,695
Overall width (mirror to mirror)							mm		1,983
Overall height (without shark fin antenna)							mm		1,495
Wheelbase							mm		2,570

* Combined cycle, Mazda in-house calculations

** All figures preliminary

New 1.5L Skyactive-D engine to appear in new Mazda2

• Company announces ultra-efficient SKYACTIV-D 1.5 for next-generation supermini
• Small-displacement unit to offer ideal blend of performance and fuel economy

Mazda confirms its all-new Mazda2 will debut with the SKYACTIV-D 1.5, a brand-new 1.5-litre clean diesel engine, when the convention-challenging carmaker introduces its next-generation B-segment model, which will be initially launched in Japan.

First unveiled in March at the Geneva International Motor Show alongside the Mazda Hazumi concept (the basis for the all-new Mazda2), the SKYACTIV-D 1.5 shares much with its award-winning sibling: The SKYACTIV-D 2.2 clean diesel available for the Mazda CX-5, Mazda6 and Mazda3. The SKYACTIV-D 1.5 was developed in the pursuit of ideal combustion despite a very low compression ratio. As a result, the engine boasts outstanding dynamic performance from standstill to its unusually high redline..

New innovations for the small-displacement newcomer to the SKYACTIV range include an expanded homogenous lean burn range, even less mechanical resistance, and new insulation technology to counter the increased cooling loss associated with a smaller engine. So it’s exceptionally efficient and clean, delivering top-class fuel economy and emissions, and will comply with Euro 6 without needing pricey exhaust aftertreatment.

In addition to the SKYACTIV-D 1.5, the all-new Mazda2 will come equipped with the full line-up of SKYACTIV Technology, including the highly efficient six-speed SKYACTIV-Drive automatic and SKYACTIV-MT manual transmissions. It will also have the carmaker’s fuel-saving i-stop idle-stop and i-ELOOP brake energy regeneration systems. Mazda expects its new clean diesel-powered supermini to achieve the best fuel economy of any combustion-engine powered vehicle available in Japan*. The SKYACTIV-D 1.5 should be popular in Europe, too. The company believes the next Mazda2 will follow in the tracks of existing SKYACTIV-based Mazdas, among other things in terms of outstanding real-world fuel consumption and Mazda’s characteristic driving fun.

* According to Japan’s strict JC08 test cycle, excluding hybrids and microcars

SKYACTIV-D 1.5: What’s new

• Combustion mode transition control technology and high dispersion solenoid injectors to suppress cooling losses
• High- and low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation used to extend the homogeneous lean burn range, improving fuel economy and the sense of performance
• Cooling water control valves and water jacket spacers to improve combustion efficiency while reducing mechanical resistance
• Variable geometry turbocharger with rotation sensor to deliver plentiful boost pressure throughout the engine’s rpm range
• Intercooler integrated into the intake manifold to improve acceleration response and turbocharger efficiency

SKYACTIV-D 1.5: Key specifications (Mazda in-house measurements) Engine type	In-line four-cylinder DOHC 16 valve direct-injection diesel
Displacement	1,497cm3
Bore x stroke	76.0mm x 82.5mm
Compression ratio	14.8:1
Maximum power output (net)	77kW / 105PS at 4,000rpm
Maximum torque (net)	250Nm at 1,500-2,500rpm