Mazda i-ACTIV All-Wheel Drive Explained
April 21 2020, King Mazda
Mazda i-ACTIV is a part-time all-wheel-drive system found on many Mazda vehicles such as the CX-5 and CX-9. It’s also available on the new Mazda3 compact sedan, making these three vehicles some of the few in their segments to offer all-wheel drive. Being a part-time system, i-ACTIV only activates when you need it, which means you’ll enjoy an impressive fuel economy when the road is clear.
That said, i-ACTIV has an ace up its sleeve. What differentiates i-ACTIV all-wheel drive from 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. Although this technology existed before, it didn't have a specific name. Mazda corrected this when it launched its new SUV a few years ago. Since then, several innovations have transformed this system into 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 took ten factors into account, such as vehicle speed and engine speed. Mazda now relies on a multitude of other sensors built into its 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 adjust the torque distribution to account for wheel spin. This allows vehicles equipped with 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!
