Mazda Skyactiv Technology Overview

Mazda's Skyactiv Technology Drives the Brand's Past, Present and Future

With the iconic emblem and familiar styling uniting the new model lineup at our Fairfax dealership, it's easy to tell what makes a Mazda. But what these safe, efficient and fun to drive cars and crossovers really share is the all-encompassing Skyactiv technology, which blends platform with premium engines and transmissions to achieve the brand's overall goal. That goal is to make cars that match global environmental and safety standards, without losing what's made Mazda a dynamic brand for nearly a century, namely creating cars that are amazing fun to drive. With your next Mazda, its fun driving dynamics, high-end tech and slick styling are all based on the Skyactiv idea that sees the engine, transmission, body frame and chassis of each and every Mazda6, Mazda CX-3 and Mazda CX-9 working in perfect harmony.

What is Skyactiv Technology?

More than any other automaker Mazda prides itself on decades of improvements, both small and large. Some time ago, the universal platform that all cars and crossovers from the Mazda brand was released, and under the Skyactiv monitor, it displays a sense of wonder and innovation, which comes out each and every time you're out on the road in your Mazda3, Mazda CX-5 or Mazda MX-5 Miata. Even if Skyactiv is a relatively new concept in branding, it's the driving force that's seen Mazda go from a niche maker to the popular brand it is today. When standards for safety and emissions really became important years ago, Mazda took things slowly to make sure it not only complied with those rules, but also kept making cars that offer dynamic performance layers.

Today, the Skyactiv moniker is found in four parts of each and every Mazda. Most cars use the Skyactiv-G engines, which are often turbocharged to deliver better fuel economy and a boost in pep. Recently, Mazda has debuted a diesel engine, appropriately called the Skyactiv-D, and that's bound to make its way to more models than just the Mazda CX-5 and the all-new Mazda CX-30 that you'll find around northern Virginia and here in Fairfax. Diesel engines for everyday commuters and family SUVs are only gaining in popularity, as they deliver better efficiency and power, with fuel that's often cheaper than typical gasoline. As always, Mazda takes its time with its innovations, so even if it seems a bit behind the game as far as diesel offerings, you know when it finally arrives, it'll be the best on the market.

Moving beyond the engines, the Skyactiv transmissions perform with perfect harmony to achieve smooth shifting and an easy and quiet ride. The Skyactiv-Drive is Mazda's automatic transmission, which blends the benefits of the increasingly popular CVT (continually variable transmissions) with traditional automatics and dual clutch transmissions. For some drivers, getting the most out of any given vehicle's performance and dynamics relies on having a stick shift, and with the Skyactiv-MT manual transmission, you'll enjoy that classic feel for the road with a smooth and responsive shifter that allows you to be in full command of your driving.

The Skyactiv Technology continues to the body and chassis, both of which work in perfect synchronization to deliver an overall platform that's both lightweight and rigid. Those factors play a huge part in delivering fun to drive dynamics for your travels around Fairfax and northern Virginia. The Skyactiv chassis meanwhile is also lightweight with suspension and steering functionality having been perfected over the decades. Both the body and chassis work perfectly together to deliver a sense of lightness and responsiveness to your travels, so come try out a new Mazda for yourself to get the front-row Skyactiv experience for yourself. When it comes to the new and several used cars found here at Brown's Fairfax Mazda, it all begins with our Skyactiv technology. Visit us today and learn more about what unites our Mazda models.