Mazda Demio SkyActiv Test Drive Report / Soichi Shimizu

ReportFebruary 15,2022

Skyactiv technology has the world in a state of shock!

The items that ordinary users focus on when choosing a car are "price (discount)," "interior space," and "fuel efficiency. Recently, many users are placing the highest priority on fuel efficiency.

At dealerships, the first thing they ask is, "How is the fuel economy? It seems that the first thing dealers ask is, "What about fuel economy?

To be honest, I think it's a good idea to choose a car that places too much emphasis on fuel efficiency. Especially for users who drive only a few miles per year, there is little point in buying a pricey eco-car when you consider the total cost of ownership. ......

However, the Demio SkyActiv is inexpensive and has the same fuel efficiency as a hybrid car (10-15 mode fuel efficiency of 30km/L)! This makes it a good choice for any type of user. How was this possible? That's all I can say.

Anyway, this new technology is shaking the world. That's how amazing it is! As someone who has a fetish for fuel efficiency, I had very high expectations for this car. I had a hard time sleeping the night before my first test drive.

So, how was my first test drive of the Demio SkyActiv? Personally, I was half disappointed and half as expected.

The biggest disappointment was that the suspension was too soft. Before the facelift, the Demio was the most fun compact car in the world, with a super nimble ride like a lightweight Lotus sports car. It had a good design and good fuel economy. It was also inexpensive, and overall it was the best compact car in the world! I could definitely say that.

I'm sorry that I haven't personally purchased one yet, but I've recommended it to many people and told them how much fun it is, and ever since the Demio came out, I've always rented a car from Mazda Rent-A-Car (if you book the lowest class, you automatically get a Demio). I was in love with it.

However, the suspension settings of all the cars were changed with the facelift. It was clearly more squishy than before, with a focus on ride comfort. ...... Still, the car weighs only 1010 kg (plus 20 kg for the pre-makeover 13C-V). The car is still nimble and relatively fun to drive, but it is no longer the best in the world. This is just my personal opinion. If you were to drive a car like the Demio, which is widely used by the general public, and you were to drive it like a tuck-in drifter on a winding road in Hakone, you'd be doing yourself a disservice. There are probably only about three people in Japan who would drive a car like the Demio on a winding road in Hakone.

Gasoline-powered car with hybrid-like fuel economy" is not a lie!

However, in the case of the Demio, it was fun just to turn at those intersections, so it is a pity that the Demio has become very ordinary in that area. In the case of the Demio, the driver enjoyed it, but the family didn't enjoy it as much (the ride was a little hard and bumpy), so I understand why they improved it.

In other words, it is now a car that can be recommended to everyone, not just enthusiasts like me. Now, how about the SkyActiv G engine? Let's start with the fuel consumption. On a leisurely drive through the streets of Hakone, I got 20km/L! This figure is exactly the same level as that of the rival Fit Hybrid. The Demio SkyActiv's claim of "gasoline engine with hybrid-like fuel economy" was true! The engine feel was distinctly quieter, smoother, and more luxurious than the conventional 1300cc engine. The engine feel is distinctly quieter, smoother, and more luxurious than the previous 1300cc engine, and the quietness of the car has been greatly improved.

However, due to the emphasis on fuel efficiency, the engine feels a little sluggish to start off, and the response to the accelerator pedal is somewhat reduced. In the previous Demio, when I stepped on the gas pedal, the car jumped forward more than I expected. The Demio used to be fun to drive because you could feel it jump forward more than you expected. If the car accelerates more than expected, the fuel consumption will naturally deteriorate. That's not good, since the main point of the new Demio SkyActiv is "gasoline-powered car with hybrid-like fuel economy.

Personally, I am disappointed, but I am sure this will be a welcome change for many people. In conclusion, the Demio equipped with the SkyActiv-G has been reborn as an ultra fuel-efficient compact car that can be recommended to everyone and is suitable for everyone. There is no longer any special pleasure to be found in it.

It's a perfectly normal, well-balanced bread-and-butter car that doesn't need to be fussy at all. Compared to the Fit Hybrid, the Demio's smaller interior makes the 190,000 yen price difference a "good match. If spaciousness is your priority, go for the Fit Hybrid. If cheapness is your priority, go for the Demio SkyActiv.

One last comment. Personally, my overwhelming recommendation is to get a pre-makeover Demio in stock (if they have any)! This is the best compact car in the world. Even though the fuel economy is 30% lower than the Skyactiv, if you drive 10,000 kilometers a year, your gas bill will only increase by about 30,000 yen. Well, just think of it as the ramblings of an enthusiast, and please don't listen to it.

Buy now!