Mazda i-ACTIV all-wheel drive features and overview
January 31 2021,
The Mazda i-ACTIV is a part-time all-wheel drive system found on many Mazda products such as the CX-5 and CX-9. It’s also available on the new Mazda3 compact sedan, making the 3 one of the few vehicles in its segment to offer all-wheel drive. Being a part-time system, i-ACTIV only activates when you need it which means that when the road is clear, you enjoy impressive fuel economy.
That said, i-ACTIV has an ace up its sleeve. What differentiates i-ACTIV all-wheel drive versus its competition is its ability to foresee what is coming.
The i-ACTIV all-wheel drive system appeared in 2013 on the Mazda CX-5. The technology existed before but didn't have a specific name, which Mazda corrected when it launched its new SUV a few years ago. Since then, several innovations have made this system one of the best on the market.
How does it do it? It has sensors that check the condition of the road 200 times per second and uses data from 27 different sensors to map road conditions, allowing it to transfer torque to the rear wheels if ever the need arises.
In the past, the system only had ten factors that were taken into account, such as vehicle speed and engine speed. Mazda now relies on a multitude of other sensors built into vehicles to predict what's coming, such as ambient temperature, steering wheel angle, longitudinal grip and even wiper movement.
The i-ACTIV all-wheel drive system can also even adjust the torque distribution to account for the wheel spin. This allows vehicles equipped with the i-ACTIV to limit understeer in sporty driving, among other things.
To find out all about Mazda's i-ACTIV all-wheel drive, come see us today!
