Berjaya Auto Philippines has thrown a wild card into the highly competitive domestic auto market with the introduction of Mazda diesel powered variants.
Mazda’s top selling variants, the CX-5 and the Mazda 6 Executive Sedan were presented to the media equipped with Mazda’s latest SKYACTIV-D diesel engine technology.
The 2.2-Liter two-stage turbocharged motor that produces 173 horsepower and 420 Newton-meter of torque.More remarkable is lowest in the world diesel engine compression 14:1, the SKYACTIV-D is Mazda’s answer to the quest for lower emission, high combustion efficiency, more power and torque and superior fuel economy.
“The Mazda Skyactiv-D diesel engine is amongst the most advanced in the world, and with the availability of low-sulfur Euro4 Diesel fuel, we are proud to be able to introduce the engine into not one, but two of the critically acclaimed and award-winning Mazda6 executive sedan and the CX-5 compact crossover,” says Berjaya Auto Philippines president Steven Tan. “SKYACTIV-D is the cleanest and most fuel efficient diesel engine available in the market and our customers deserve the best that Mazda can deliver.”
A select group of motoring writers got to experience the feel of driving Mazda’s Skyactiv-Diesel technology by way of a 114 kilometer ride and drive to the resort town of Mabini, Batangas, a popular destination for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts.
After a brief product overview by Chiaki Santo of Powertrain Planning Development from Mazda Motor Corporation of Japan, the convoy of Mazda 6 and CX-5 Skyactiv diesels started the journey from the Mazda Makati showroom.
The drive along SLEX and the Star Tollway allowed the lead-footed journalists to have a feel of the smooth power and torque of the SKYACTIV-D engines to the hilt. With traffic slowing down as the drive reached Bauan, Batangas, both the Mazda6 and CX-5 diesels relied on the highly effective i-STOP ignition start and stop system to reach commendable fuel economy figures despite the distance travelled.
The second day drive to Tagaytay from Anilao took the Lemery route on the way up. The 68-kilometer drive was characterized by a smooth ascent up the Tagaytay ridge via mildly winding roads for the journalists to experience the much praised handling prowess of the two latest diesel-engine variants. After a brief lunch, it was back to Mazda Makati to cap the two-day 246-km drive.
The all-new Mazda 6 and CX-5 diesel are both available at the Mazda showrooms located across the country at P1,985,000.00for the Mazda6 SKYACTVI-D and P1,985,000.00 for the CX-5 SKYACTIV-D.
Mazda aims at a larger share of the executive sedan and compact SUV market which not only value practicality and fuel efficiency but also put a premium on a driving experience that is unlike any other.