The well regarded Mazda SkyActiv-X technology has doubled the complexity of an equivalent petrol engine. However, when you visit a Mazda service centre, you will be pleased to know that this doesn’t equate to more frequent servicing requirements. In a recent interview with car industry insiders, Mr Eiji Nakai clearly stated that owning a SkyActiv-X equipped car would not lead to any unwanted ownership surprises. Let’s take a closer look at how this SkyActiv-X servicing in a little more detail.
Key Mazda Figures Speak Out
Mr Eiji Nakai is an expert on SkyActiv-X technology. When he was recently speaking in Germany at the international launch for the new Mazda 3 SkyActiv-X, he was asked about higher ownership and servicing costs, he said: “No change to that, we made sure this engine can be used as per normal engines”. This confirms an earlier statement made by Mazda’s technical research and control head Mr Mitsuo Hitomi a couple of years ago when he stated how the SkyActiv-X technology would work. Mr Hitomi explained that the new SkyActiv-X engine will have conventional spark plugs rather than bespoke and expensive parts. He went on to say that the required oil would not be any more exotic than what you would expect to use in a typical modern turbocharged powerplant. He concluded by explaining that the SkyActiv-X engine would still use a conventional timing chain rather than a belt system that would require more frequent adjustment and replacement.
The SkyActiv-X Engine
It’s not surprising that some people were concerned about this new engine and the possibilities of higher Mazda service costs. After all, the SkyActiv-X is twice as complex as the current SkyActiv-G 2.0 litre engine. The engineering parameters have grown from 14 up to 28, and the SkyActiv-D diesel engine sits somewhere between the X and G in terms of complexity. Although the new SkyActiv-X is more complex, it’s important to understand that most of this complexity is related to computing, sensors, and associated systems that are designed to keep the engine running efficiently. As we have seen above, Mazda executives have shown that the mechanical core of the engine is still fairly conventional in some ways.
The Likely Mazda Service Intervals
The new Mazda 3 will be equipped with the latest SkyActiv-X engine, and it’s likely to appear here in our showrooms during Q1 or perhaps Q2 next year. We are expecting an atypical servicing interval of 12 months/10,000km. The servicing costs over a five year ownership period should be equivalent to a Mazda 3 equipped with a conventional petrol engine. At the moment we are expecting a Mazda 5 year unlimited kilometre warranty. The main ownership costs of the new Mazda 3 SkyActiv-X could be incurred with the new pricing structure, but at the moment we have no idea on the purchase price for the Australian market. If you need a high-quality Mazda service carried out by highly trained technicians contact AHG Auto & Tyre Service today.
