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2019 Mazda6 Skyactiv-D diesel caught in spy photos

We get it – we're a little sick of getting a few years of assurances that Mazda's much-anticipated diesel engine is just around the corner. First, it was going to go in the 2014 Mazda6, then it was delayed. More recently, Mazda told us it'd first land in the CX-5 – and in fact, there's a part of the Mazda USA website devoted to the diesel crossover, which makes it seem more legitimate than previous pronouncements. But the fact of the matter is, there's some unforeseen hiccup in the government approval process for this engine, likely centered around emissions standards, and it seems to be dragging on. But this Mazda6 was spotted at an EPA facility in Michigan, which gives us some hope that perhaps the company is rounding the final base on the approval process. It looks very much like an American-spec Mazda6 to our eyes ... except for the strange, possibly temporary exhaust outlets, which might be required for EPA testing. The rear looks like a current-look car, rather than the revised 2018 styling that will get the 2.5-liter turbocharged gas engine. Since the Mazda6 was originally supposed to get the Skyactiv-D engine, we can only assume that if it's at an EPA facility, Mazda is hoping to bring it to market here – likely sometime after the CX-5 goes on sale. If Mazda can get approval, it'll be another point of differentiation between the Mazda6 and its competitors – there's no currently-approved diesel sedan that's a direct match. The smaller Cruze and larger, more expensive offerings from BMW and Jaguar are about it. The fuel economy guide (PDF) produced by the EPA back in late 2017 lists both the CX-5 and the Mazda6 as having diesel engines, but neither are rated, and as we know at this point, neither are on sale or have an official timeline for doing so. We can assume anything with an application in progress made it on the list, whether approval would be granted or not. It seems unlikely at this point that Mazda would abandon the Skyactiv-D in America. It's a solid part of their strategy, although a product roadmap released a few months ago shows that Mazda expects diesel sales globally to taper off after 2020, to be supplanted by plug-in gas hybrid, EV, and fuel cell vehicles. But between now and about 2030, pure diesel cars are expected to be a small but significant portion of Mazda's product mix. We hope this means we'll see the CX-5 emerge from the approval process and hit dealer lots soon, to be followed by the 6.

Mazda rotary engine returning in 2019 as EV range extender, exec says

It seems that a range-extended Mazda electric car with a rotary engine is for real, and coming sooner than expected. An automotive news outlet from the Netherlands called AutoRAI spoke with Mazda's European vice president for sales and customer service. He told the outlet that Mazda has an electric car coming In 2019, and it will be available with a rotary engine as a generator. Among the details about this car and its powertrain, he said it would be similar in size to the Mazda3, and it might even be a crossover. It will also be based on Mazda's upcoming modular small car platform. The rotary engine will only generate electricity and will only have one rotor. Not only that, it will be mounted horizontally. This is particularly unusual as every rotary Mazda has had the engine mounted upright. We've reached out to Mazda representatives in the U.S. and Europe. An American representative couldn't comment on what type of range-extender options may be coming in the future. We say this specifically because Mazda has confirmed previously that an EV with an available range extender is coming in 2019. We have not heard back from a European representative at the time of publishing. Despite this, a return of the rotary as a range extender looks probable. Besides the dates fitting with Mazda's electric plans, there are other tidbits from the past that support the idea. Mazda has been experimenting with the idea for years, and even created a functioning Mazda2 EV with a rotary range-extender. The company has also filed patents in the U.S. for the setup as recently as last year, and there have been other recent rumors. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mazda RX-Vision Concept: Tokyo 2015 View 11 Photos Image Credit: Autoblog Auto News Green Rumormill Mazda Technology Emerging Technologies Electric Mazda rotary mazda ev rotary range extender

Mazda Slovakia brochure reveals Skyactiv-X Euro power numbers

After driving a prototype of Mazda's Skyactiv-X engine in a Mazda3 in January last year, we wrote, "If you want to talk numbers, they're understandably fuzzy. The Skyactiv-X tune isn't final yet, so horsepower and torque figures are a moving target." They're no longer fuzzy in Slovakia, where a brochure for the new Mazda3 sells final figures as 181 metric horsepower and 222 Newton-meters, or 178 horsepower and 164 pound-feet. We don't know the Slovakian engine's displacement. If that Skyactiv-X is a 2.0-liter, it compares to our 2.0-liter Skyactive-G in the Mazda3 that makes 155 hp and 150 lb-ft, or the tuned Skyactiv-G in the 2019 Miata that makes 181 hp and 151 lb-ft. According to the spec sheet on the Slovakian Mazda site, their 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G in the CX-3 makes 148 hp and 152 lb-ft, and in their Mazda6 makes 162 hp and 155 lb-ft. According to the brochure, those numbers will rise to 164 hp and 157 lb-ft in the coming Mazda3. The Skyactiv-X numbers are in sight of what reps at Mazda in California gave us for output during our drive, which was closer to 190 hp and 180 lb-ft. Mazda said at the L.A. Auto Show last year that the Skyactiv-X would launch in markets with stricter emissions regulations first, so a small European market with tighter controls doesn't define what we get. Given our less restrictive environment, tuning for more power shouldn't be a moon shot. Doing so would put the Skyactiv-X in with the optional 2.5-liter four-cylinder in the U.S. Mazda3, which makes 184 hp and 185 lb-ft. The real test will be gas mileage; the purpose of the Skyactiv-X is to provide those figures in company with 20 to 30 percent better fuel economy than the Skyactiv-G. Autoweek characterized Mazda CEO Akira Marumoto's comments on the engine as, "The Skyactiv-X variant will be positioned as the higher grade. It will have the driving dynamics of the 2.5-liter gasoline setup but the fuel economy of a 1.5-liter diesel." We have questions about this strategy, but we'll have to see how the pricing works out. Since the 2.5-liter serves as the base engine on the 2019 Mazda3, buyers can expect a meaningful premium to get into a Skyactiv-X. Right now, there's a $1,495 surcharge to go from the current 2.0-liter Mazda3 hatch to the 2.5-liter.