New Mazda3 to consume just 5.7L/100km

The replacement for Australia's best-selling car in 2011 and 2012, the Mazda3, will be up to 30 per cent more efficient when it arrives here in February next year.

Mazda revealed fuel consumption figures for its vital new small car today in Melbourne, where the new Mazda3 made its Australian debut in right-hand drive form.

And according to official numbers, both petrol engines earmarked for the Australian market will be significantly more frugal than before, although no efficiency figures have been released for the new Mazda3 diesel, which could set new standards in its class.

The 114kW/200Nm 2.0-litre engine uses a claimed 5.7L/100km when paired with the six-speed automatic transmission. In present company, that would make it one of the most efficient naturally aspirated petrol vehicles in its class.

Australia's best-selling small car, the Toyota Corolla hatch, uses 6.6L/100km and only the Volkswagen Golf 90TSI (which employs a smaller 1.4-litre turbocharged engine) attains a better figure -- 5.4L/100km.

Mazda’s new 2.0-litre SKYACTIV engine makes a mockery of the outgoing Mazda3’s entry-level 2.0-litre engine, which consumes 2.5L/100km or almost 30 per cent more fuel at 8.2L/100km.

Even the new Mazda3's bigger and beefier 2.5-litre SKYACTIV petrol engine will be more efficient than the current 2.0-litre engine, using just 6.0L/100km while pumping out a sporty 138kW/250Nm.

While the Mazda3's status as Australia's favourite new car has been snatched so far this year by the Corolla, which has found 24,915 buyers compared to the Mazda3's 23,541, Mazda Australia Managing Director Martin Benders says the new Mazda3 model will win it back.

"I think this car has got the potential to do that," stated Benders at the Melbourne reveal, adding that the biggest problem the company faces will be demand outstripping supply when the Mazda3 initially launches in February 2014.

"We know that dealers have pre-orders," said Benders, who added that a "significant" number of people have already registered their interest on the official Mazda Australia website.

"As we get closer to launch we up the communication level with those people and give them more information and we firm up pre-orders then," he said.

More than 3.5 million Mazda3 cars have been sold globally since 2003, with Australia accounting for around 10 per cent of that. That means roughly 366,000 Mazda3s have been sold here – more than in countries such as Japan.

The Mazda Australia boss wouldn't be drawn on pricing or specification, saying that all will be revealed at the car's local launch early next year.

"It'll get the price it deserves," he said when asked if the new Mazda3 will match the outgoing model’s run-out price ($19,990 plus on-road costs), which is down from $20,330 and matches that of the new Corolla hatch.

"I don't think it'll be the cheapest car in the segment, but it'll be well positioned and I think it'll be a good offer."

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