UNDER STUDIES
SOMETHING ABOUT this Mazda 3 is different. First, there’s the sound. A subtle whine creeps into the cabin under acceleration and overlays the engine’s zingy thrum.
Then there is the peculiar power delivery. For the upper half of the rev range, which eventually signs off at the 6600rpm redline, the Mazda 3 delivers an extra helping of torque while the revs spin with a nice atmolike freeness.
Lift the bonnet and you’ll see why. Underneath a plastic cover hides a roots-type supercharger. That’s because this is the new Mazda 3 X20 Astina Skyactiv-X, a top-of-the-range mildhybrid that introduces spark-controlled compression ignition to petrol engines for the first time.
Mazda claims this technology marries high-revving petrol performance to the economy, torque and response of a diesel. Or the punch of a larger capacity engine with the sweetness and economy of a smaller one.
And just why does it have a supercharger? I’ll get to that a little later. In any case, the Mazda 3 Skyactiv-X strikes a point of difference to the quartet from the warm-hatch world. They’re here to see if overall brains can outclass brawn and bargain price tags.
Our Hyundai i30 N-Line is fresh from a mid-life update. And, I know, where is the facelift?
Our Toyota Corolla ZR, for instance, offers a more traditional 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder petrol engine and a radical change in personality to generations of old, evidenced by its dramatic looks. Angular, aggressive and even, dare we say it, sporty, the Corolla received an update in 2019 when it welcomed smartphone mirroring across the range.
