- Mazda has previously stated that the next-generation Miata will be electrified, and now Autocar is reporting that the sports car will be equipped with a mild hybrid powertrain.
- This vehicle will be equipped with the Skyactiv-X engine, which is designed to maximize fuel efficiency while also increasing torque output, according to Autocar.
- The next Mazda Miata is expected to arrive in the mid-2020s, according to the company.
Mazda confirmed to Car and Driver earlier this year that the venerable MX-5 Miata would receive some form of electrification when the next generation of the vehicle is introduced in 2019. In a new report from Autocar, the publication claims that the next Miata's powertrain will be powered by Mazda's novel Skyactiv-X engine, which will operate in a mild-hybrid configuration. The next Miata is expected to debut sometime during the second half of this decade.
The Skyactiv-X engine made its debut in the European market in late 2019 under the hoods of the Mazda 3 and Mazda CX-30 crossover vehicles. Mazda had promised that this engine family would be available in the United States soon, but its arrival was delayed until early 2020, and we haven't heard anything new about its availability in the United States since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus began in the country. Skyactiv-X is equipped with spark-controlled compression ignition, a sophisticated technology that improves both efficiency and performance at the same time.
If Mazda is successful in getting the Skyactiv-X engine certified in the United States, the next Miata will almost certainly retain its four-cylinder engine, albeit with a small supercharger added to help squeeze more air into the cylinders when the engine is using spark-controlled ignition (as is currently the case). However, given Mazda's commitment to electrifying its entire lineup by 2030, the Miata will almost certainly be equipped with the belt-driven mild-hybrid system found in the most recent versions of the Skyactiv-X available in Europe, according to Automotive News.
Mazda claims that the 2.0-liter four-cylinder Skyactiv-X engine, which replaces the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine that currently powers the Miata, produces approximately 30 percent more torque. When tested on the European test cycle, the original Skyactiv-X also produced impressive fuel economy figures, and it is possible that the mild-hybrid system will make the vehicle even more efficient. It is expected that a manual transmission will continue to be available. More information on the Miata's next generation should become available in the coming years.