What you need to know about i-Activ AWD

Every Mazda model now comes equipped with optional i-Activ AWD; Mazda’s predictive i-Activ AWD is an on-demand system featuring sensors that check road conditions 200 times every second. Built to sense, and respond to these conditions, i-Activ AWD helps to ensure a more confident drive throughout the entire lineup.

Drivers Intent

The i-Activ AWD system uses multiple sensors to determine a multitude of driver inputs such as: Is the driver planning on accelerating? How sharply is the steering wheel turned? How much pressure is on the brakes? These are just a few examples of driver inputs that the AWD system takes into consideration to ensure it operates the way the driver intends and expects it to.

Road Conditions

i-Activ AWD constantly measures the outside temperature, wiper operation, and the amount of torque required to turn the front wheels and the load on the engine. As a result, the i-Activ AWD system knows if the road conditions have changed due to weather such as if the road is slippery, if the driver is on a hill, or attempting to turn. This enables the i-Activ AWD system to accurately predict when slippage will occur and correct as necessary to provide smooth and safe vehicle operation.

Slip Prevention

Unlike most AWD systems that utilize all the wheel to prevent slipping, the i-Activ AWD is designed to send just enough torque to the rear wheels to prevent slippage from occurring. By doing this, it provides the traction associated with all-wheel drive that drivers expect, while reducing the impact on fuel consumption compared to other AWD systems.

Determining which wheels turn

When traction is limited, the i-Activ system determines the ideal split of torque between the front and rear wheels through the i-Activ AWD command module’s innovative 200-times-per-second calculations, allowing for quick and responsive reactions that ensure a better, and controlled drive; regardless of the conditions.

Fuel Efficiency

Most buyers understand that if they want AWD, they are to anticipate a drop in fuel efficiency. When designing the i-Activ AWD system, Mazda kept fuel economy in mind. The i-Activ AWD was designed to deliver exceptional responsiveness and to challenge the convention that an AWD vehicle must be inefficient.  In order to deliver the benefits of AWD and excellent fuel efficiency they set out to reduce the weight of the AWD components and to minimize frictional losses.

They have accomplished this by studying the way the oil moves through the gears in order to enhance the efficiency of the system. Engineers also carefully scrutinized the design and materials used for every component. The result of these efforts is a 43% weight reduction compared to the previous generation system.

Experience the difference for yourself by test driving any of the Mazda Models, as each model has i-Activ AWD available.