Hey Scotty,
Do you reckon the Mazda 3 with the Skyactiv-x engine will hold up over time? I'm considering getting the front wheel drive version with standard transmission.
Skyactiv-x is a weird (weird in a good way) technology. It’s compression ignition and spark ignition. So it’s kinda like a diesel but kinda like a regular gasoline car. I don’t understand all the intricacies behind it. But I do respect Mazda’s efforts (and quality) in getting the most out of an ICE engine. I’m actually looking forward to the inline-6 version.
It’s hard to tell whether or not the engine will be reliable. Overall, my general impression is Mazda is that of reliability.
with that said the one negative thing in terms of longevity may be the direct injection. Direct injection tends to have carbon build up on the valves.
on the other hand, if it truly is like a diesel, and built like a diesel to withstand compression ignition, diesel usually have a track record of longevity.
These are just random thoughts. I don’t have direct experience with this engine, although I am fascinated with it.
Nice explanation and good point about the carbon build up. I'm a Mazda fan as well, I really like what they're trying to achieve. I've been to a dealership and sat in the car, everything look and feels amazing, the attention to detail is outstanding.
In terms of their interior design and quality, I actually think they are wayyyyyy better than Toyota. And a bit better than Honda.
Although the manual transmission is a different story, I'm not a fan of the engine. Putting cylinder deactivation on a I4 makes no sense because you already get good fuel economy.
