Mazda’s much-advertised SkyActiv-X gasoline engine
with Spark Controlled Compression Ignition technology is starting to reveal its
secrets. In Europe, the innovative power plant produces
181 PS and 222 Nm of torque. The list doesn’t
reveal the engine’s displacement, but previous reports have indicated that a
2.0-liter four-cylinder unit will be offered in the United States.
While we can’t say for sure that these ratings
correspond to a 2.0-liter unit, the list does show that SkyActiv-X181 is
compatible both with a manual and an automatic gearbox. We can also see that
AWD is available as an option with both transmissions.
Mazda will roll out the new SkyActiv-X engine in
countries with strict emissions rules first, with the U.S. market to get it
later. However, the U.S.-spec version may have different ratings, given the
differences in emission standards and market-specific positioning.
For example, the 2.5-liter SkyActiv-G engine in the
2019 Mazda3 offers similar power and torque ratings to the European-spec SkyActiv-X
unit. In America, the 2.5-liter engine makes 186 hp and 252
Nm of torque, which is too close for comfort to the new, 2.0-liter’s output.
It will thus be interesting to see how, exactly,
Mazda will position the two powertrains and whether the SkyActiv-X will be
upgraded for the U.S. market. After all, the touted diesel-like fuel economy
ratings alone probably wouldn’t be a good enough incentive to buy the more
expensive SkyActiv-X if it produced less power and torque than the base engine.
