Mazda’s Skyactiv engine has done it again. Despite not being fitted with any sort of electrification or even a gasoline particulate filter, the 2021 Mazda2 turned in an impressive performance at the Green New Car Assessment Program or Green NCAP test.
Established in 2019, the Green NCAP goes beyond government mandated tests to reward manufacturers whose vehicles offer excellent real-world environmental performance. The Green NCAP uses a broad range of tests to address the flaws in approval tests. These include using a chassis dynamometer and real-world road tests using portable emissions measurement systems.
Just like other NCAP tests, vehicle results are awarded in Stars with 5 being the highest and zero being the lowest. Vehicles are rated in three areas: Clean Air (pollutant levels), Energy Efficiency (fuel efficiency), and Greenhouse Gases (emissions). Poor performance in any one of the areas of assessment will decrease a car’s star rating. The three indexes are the second level at which cars can be compared.
The Mazda2, fitted with the 1.5-liter Skyactiv-G engine is rated at 3 ½ stars. It scored 5.9 out of 10 in Clean Air, 6.9 out of 10 for Energy Efficiency, and 5.6 out of 10 in Greenhouse Gases.
Despite being launched way back in 2014, the Mazda2 has seen continuous improvement to its powertrain keeping it ahead of much newer competition. Its 3 ½ star Green NCAP rating, for example, matches the all-new Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris—both using hybrid engines, and beats the Peugeot 208.
Even more surprising is that the Mazda2 closely matched the average fuel efficiency of both the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris. The Mazda2 did 18.51 km/L in Green NCAP tests, while the Jazz did 19.23 km/L, and the Yaris did 19.60 km/L.
“These tests prove that modern combustion-engine cars can perform well. Green NCAP’s tests will, we hope, encourage manufacturers to strive for the very best levels of emissions control and this means using all of the tools at their disposal. Particulate filters do a great job of controlling of very fine particles and the Mazda2 would have performed even better if it had been fitted with one. But, in any case, congratulations to Mazda on the impressive performance, especially in terms of fuel consumption,” said Aleksandar Damyanov of Green NCAP.
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