Internal combustion will live on for a long time. At least that’s what the folks from Mazda have been insisting given recent developments. The men and women from Hiroshima have been staunch believers in that, be it electrified or not. Remember, they teamed up with Toyota and Subaru to keep combustion engines burning.
With that, the company is getting ready to roll out an all-new engine, a rarity these days given the push for pure electric powertrains. It’s called the Skyactiv-Z, and Mazda reckons it will be the ‘the idea internal combustion engine.’ Fighting words, we say.
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So, what will it be like? Thankfully, Mazda has given out a few specs for it. The first Skyactiv-Z engine will be a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder unit. It will come in both pure combustion and hybrid arrangements, and exceeds Euro 7 emission standards. For reference, we’re still stuck with Euro 4 standards here.
How is it ‘the ideal combustion engine,’ then? It’s all about thermal efficiency. Mazda calls it Spark Controlled Compression Ignition or SCCI. Per the company, it ‘allows the engine to switch seamlessly between conventional spark ignition and compression ignition combustion by using a spark to trigger both types of combustion in different ways.’
In simpler terms, a leaner burn means the engine makes the most out of every liter of fuel. Mazda even claims to offer diesel-like efficiency, strong torque, and greater response. Strong at the low-end, high with the revs, and low emissions. What’s not to love?
This engine will make its first appearance in the next-generation Mazda CX-5. It’s set to come out in late 2026 for the 2027 model year, and the Skyactiv-Z engine will be fitted to the crossover in late 2027. But here’s the best part: Skyactiv-Z technology will also make it to the company’s six-cylinder engines. Yes please.
Oh, and we’d love to see that tech in the future MX-5, too.
