Mazda CX-60 gets a new 3.3-litre e-Skyactiv diesel mill

KUALA LUMPUR: At the time, when automakers around the world are pulling the plug on diesel engines, Mazda surprises everyone with the introduction of a new sparkless 3.3-litre inline-six e-Skyactiv D engine. This new mild-hybrid mill is touted as “powerful, clean, and efficient” and it will power the brand’s new-generation models starting with the CX-60.

The new mill demonstrates the brand’s "Multi-Solution Approach” and is designed to fulfill the customers’ needs for a long-distance driving car offering a great towing capacity. The said approach underpins several of Mazda’s products and technologies, including more efficient ICEs and electrified drivetrains.

The new diesel engine features a highly innovative advanced combustion technology named the DCPCI (Distribution-Controlled Partially Premixed Compression Ignition) It makes the powertrain one of the cleanest diesel drivetrains in the world with a thermal efficiency of over 40%.

Marking its debut with ​the CX-60, the motor will come in two states of tune, a 200 PS version for the RWD version and a 254 PS for the brand’s i-Activ all-wheel drive system. Both derivatives will feature a 48V mild hybrid assistance.

In terms of performance, the top-spec tuning will enable the SUV to hit a century sprint in 7.4 seconds and emit 137 grams per km of CO2. As of now, Mazda doesn’t reveal the performance specs for the base engine.

The new powertrain is not only clean and efficient, but it also produces a smooth and quiet engine tone and has a lightweight construction (weighs almost the same as the 2.2-litre unit), confirming the automaker. 

It is to be noted that the Mazda CX-60 equipped with a plug-in hybrid engine is already available to order in the UK. The said mill pairs a 2.5-litre four-cylinder Skyactiv-G gasoline mill, an electric motor, and a 17.8-kWh battery pack. Combinedly, the system kicks out 327 PS and 500 Nm, which is the highest in the history of Mazda road cars.

The all-new 3.3-litre inline-six e-Skyactiv diesel engine will join the CX-60 lineup in the first quarter of 2023. 

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