Mazda's technology umbrella for its next generation of cars is called SKYACTIV, only you won't have to wait long for this cutting edge technology, as it's coming to a Mazda showroom near you sometime later this year.

SKYACTIV is all about efficiency; efficient engines, efficient transmissions, efficient chassis and efficient car body technology.

But don't think for one minute that efficiency by SKYACTIV equals 'dull' or 'boring', because we've driven it at Sandown Raceway and it's anything but dull. In fact, Zoom-Zoom is well and truly alive.

Kiyoshi Fujiwara, Mazda's Executive Officer for Product Planning and Powertrain Development, told us after rattling off innumerable facts and figures, that the

    "most important thing was to make it more fun to drive. That's harder to measure. It's something you feel".

The benchmark car for SKYACTIV engine development, when it came to responsiveness to driver input, was the iconic MX-5. It's a car that offers race car-like response rates and delivers one of the world's best 'behind the wheel' experiences outside that of a supercar from Italy.

Fujiwara went on to say,

    "Oneness between car and driver is our goal. That's more important to us than absolute power. It's that response and linearity that make driving fun."

We couldn't agree more, Mr Fujiwara.

Mazda's vision is to make "cars that always excite, look inviting to drive, are fun to drive, and make you want to drive them again", but at the very same time, delivering a greener footprint on the environment. What that means for drivers is more torque, more power, greater response, and at the same time, the ability to deliver 30 percent better fuel economy by 2015 compared with 2008 consumption levels.
To read more about Sky Active click here to go to the Car advice report  http://www.caradvice.com.au/104992/mazda-skyactive-technology-driven/