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Mazda3 diesel a surrogate MPS?
Performance variant not yet on the drawing board, but large-displacement diesel fills the gapThe Mazda3 XD Astina is more than just a fuel miser in Mazda's local small car range.
Boasting 420Nm and 129kW, the diesel-engined Mazda3 won't be short of performance when it arrives in the country around September.
It may require a shift in thinking for hot hatch buyers, but the diesel '3' will be the nearest thing to an MPS variant in the range for at least a year or two, if the rumours are correct. Mazda Australia is not only expecting performance fans to size up the diesel variant as a short-term successor to the MPS, the importer is banking on that as the cornerstone of its marketing for the latest addition to the Mazda3 range.
Previously the Mazda3 diesel delivered plenty of grunt to the front wheels, but it was somewhat nose-heavy and only available with a manual transmission, limiting its market appeal to a considerable extent. In fact, only about one per cent of second-generation Mazda3 sales were diesels. Mazda Australia has much higher hopes for the new model, which is available with a choice of manual or auto boxes, and promises better handling.
"The reason the mix was so small on that particular [previous generation] car was we were only able to offer a diesel with manual [transmission]," said Steve Maciver, Senior Manager for Public Relations at Mazda Australia.
"So this will be the first time we're able to offer an auto – and obviously we think there's going to be upside for us because of that. 70 to 75 per cent of our Mazda3 sales are auto, so when you've got that groundswell of support for auto transmission, you can add that to diesel..."
Auto transmission will undeniably expand the Mazda3 XD Astina's sales reach, but given the previous model's sales, why bother offering a manual transmission?
"Again, it's choice," Maciver replied. "We offer manual and auto on every single variant of Mazda3, so we wanted to be consistent with that and do it on diesel. Ultimately, with the output of that diesel engine, in some ways that could be seen as a performance diesel. It is class-leading in terms of output for that segment [and] for a diesel engine.
"It might only be a small number, but there will be some buyers there who will want that engine with a manual – to be able to shift manually. That said, there's also going to be those who like the auto... and that's the reason we wanted to do both."
The Mazda3 XD Astina is shaping up, therefore, as a halo model in the range – as an MPS will be, once available, assuming it will. That's largely the reason Mazda doesn't offer the diesel variant in sedan form.
"It was partly for complexity," Maciver explained. "But also the hatch is a slightly bigger seller. In terms of body style mix... we do about 55 per cent hatch, 45 per cent sedan on Mazda3. We tend to find that when people are buying sportier variants, shall we say, the hatch tends to be a much stronger preference. It's because of that we made that decision."
So the diesel is a sporty alternative in its own right, and by no means just a fuel sipper.
"Absolutely," Maciver answered. "There is the option of a smaller, de-tuned diesel engine in Europe. We decided not to go with that. To us... we think it's a pretty compelling mix of performance and efficiency."
With the petrol engines in the Mazda3 already very frugal, there's no longer a major fuel saving to be had by opting for a diesel variant. The diesel's official fuel economy figure is more a 'nice to have' than something essential, and that is proof positive that the new variant's buyers will likely make driveability and performance at least as much a priority as fuel efficiency.
"At the end of the day you've already got some petrol engines there at 5.7L/100km that are extremely competitive in terms of fuel efficiency anyway. And then to have this diesel at five litres... it's just another string to our bow."
Given the performance potential of the diesel variant, what does that spell out for a future MPS? It's already speculated in Japan that a new MPS will surface in 2016. Maciver isn't saying much on that subject however.
"I wouldn't read too much into that... in terms of MPS. The fact is that that diesel engine is available to us right now. We've had diesel in the past... so I don't think having a performance diesel in the range doesn't mean that we can't have an MPS in the future.
"There isn't specifically an MPS on the drawing board right now, but what we have said consistently to head office is 'if you're working on one, we'll absolutely put our hand up, and we'd love to have one'.
"It's on the wish list, but at the moment there's nothing to confirm."
Maciver was not at liberty to discuss pricing for the Mazda3 XD Astina, but it's presumably trimmed to the same basic level as the petrol Astina models, with a premium on top for the diesel engine – and perhaps a little extra for the i-ELOOP feature that is exclusive to the diesel. Based on current Mazda3 pricing, that may not leave much change from $40,000 for the manual. Add $2000 more for the auto option – if Mazda chooses to take that path – and the price will spill over into the $40K region.
That's into WRX territory... but the diesel's peak torque outguns the Subaru.
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Written byKen Gratton
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