The Mazda6 was conceived in such a way that it wouldn’t require a complicated hybrid system in order to achieve excellent fuel efficiency, while also keeping the drive sporty and the performance good. This was realized by making the car lighter and more modern in its conception and construction, which is Mazda’s way of spurring on the ongoing evolution of the automobile.
So far, reviews for the big 6 are good, and it seems to have kept the promise Mazda made when they first started showing their SKYACTIV promo videos, even before the car was even launched. One of those videos concentrated on a system called i-Eloop, which used a variable voltage alternator to charge a capacitor, which then feeds its juice into the climate control, radio and other consumers of electricity, thus lessening the load on the engine and making it more efficient.
Now, Mazda has officially revealed pricing for i-Eloop-equipped 6 models, however you have to opt for a high-spec model in order to be able to specify it.
First off, the manufacturer claims a 2 mpg improvement over a regular Mazda6, equipped with the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine. Claimed figures for cars fitted with the system are 40 mpg on the highway and 28 in the city, or 5.9 l/100km and 8.4 l/100km respectively.
And yet, you have to decide if the marginal improvement in frugality is really worth a minimum of $31,775, which equates to a Grand Touring trim car, fitted with the $2,080 GT Technology Package that contains i-Eloop, along with a selectable Sport mode and a variety of electronic safety aids.
From a technological standpoint, we say all cars should feature the system, as it has no obvious drawbacks to speak of, aside from bumping up the price from the $20,990 it costs in base trim.
By Andrei Nedelea
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