Skyactiv-G engine: faults and reliability

• 1.5 Skyactiv-G (P5-VPS)

  since 2014 · 75–115 hp · P5-VPS, P5-VP

  Buy

  gebrauchtwagenberater.de documents no relevant engine failures on the Mazda2 or Mazda3 with this engine; the occasional oil consumption on the Mazda3 BM/BN is the only point to watch.^[2][6]

• 2.0 Skyactiv-G (PE-VPS)

  since 2012 · 155 hp · PE-VPS

  Buy

  According to the sources consulted, the Mazda6, CX-30, CX-3 and both generations of the CX-5 have no relevant engine fault pattern with this block; the ECU and fuel pump software of the CX-5 II and Mazda3 BP was corrected through manufacturer campaigns.^[3][4][7]

• 2.5 Skyactiv-G (PY-VPS)

  since 2013 · 187 hp · PY-VPS

  Buy

  It shares its base block with the 2.0 and only the displacement changes; the sources consulted document no engine faults specific to this version beyond those already described for the rest of the family.^[3]

Buy: No known serious faults, or they have already been corrected, in this version. With caution: Worth buying if something specific is verified: history, a replaced part or a completed campaign. Avoid: High risk of a serious fault that is hard to check for or prevent.

1. 1Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: OccasionalElectronicsIntake shut-off valve software issue and engine stallingOn Mazda3 BM/BN units built up to 4 July 2018, incorrect ECU programming can deposit soot on the intake shut-off valve to the point of suddenly stalling the engine; Mazda fixed it with a software update.
2. 2Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: OccasionalFuelMicro-cracks in the fuel pump impellerBetween October 2017 and May 2020, Mazda built Mazda3 and CX-5 units with a fuel pump whose impeller can crack, swell and end up cutting off the fuel supply with the engine running; the manufacturer recalled the affected cars.
3. 3Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: OccasionalElectronicsECU programming and loss of power (CX-5 II and Mazda3 IV)On the CX-5 II built between 2017 and 2019, and the 2019 Mazda3 IV, incorrect engine ECU programming can cause loss of power or the engine to stall; Mazda fixes it with a software update acknowledged by Germany's KBA.
4. 4Low severityCommonFrequency: CommonIntakeCarbon build-up in the intake manifold and injectorsLike almost any direct-injection petrol engine, the Skyactiv-G accumulates carbon on the intake valves over the miles and can foul the injectors, with loss of power and a rough idle; gebrauchtwagenberater.de documents it on the Mazda2, Mazda3, CX-3, CX-30 and CX-5.
5. 5Low severityOccasionalFrequency: OccasionalLubricationHigher-than-normal oil consumptionSome Mazda3 BM/BN with the Skyactiv-G engine use more oil than expected between changes; the manufacturer itself considers up to 0.8 litres per 1,000 km normal, but gebrauchtwagenberater.de recommends not ignoring higher figures and checking the level regularly.

Severity colours: low, medium, high, critical. How we rate them

Manufacturer

Mazda

Family

Skyactiv

Fuel

Petrol

Displacement

—

Cylinders

4

Fuel system

Naturally aspirated

Injection

Direct injection

Timing

Chain

Power

75–187 hp

Peak torque

252 Nm

Production

since 2011

Makes

Mazda

Technical data^[1][5]

1. since 2012

   2.0 Skyactiv-G (PE-VPS)

   This is the middle displacement, present since the CX-5's launch in 2012, with the highest compression ratio on the market for a production petrol engine (up to 14:1 in markets that allow it; 155 hp with the compression ratio reduced to 13:1 that Mazda uses in the US); on the MX-5, the 2019 update of this block reached 181 hp (135 kW). From around 2019, some European versions also include the "M Hybrid" / e-Skyactiv G system, a 48 V motor-generator integrated into the gearbox that adds about 12 kW and 153 Nm and allows smoother stop-start and a small amount of energy recovery under braking.^[1][5][9]

2. since 2013

   2.5 Skyactiv-G (PY-VPS)

   This is the largest and most powerful displacement in the naturally aspirated range, introduced in 2013 for the higher entry-level versions of the Mazda6 and CX-5.^[1][5]

3. since 2014

   1.5 Skyactiv-G (P5-VPS)

   This is the smallest displacement in the family, introduced in 2014 for the Mazda3 and later extended to the Mazda2, CX-3, CX-30 and MX-5, with outputs from 75 to 115 hp depending on the model and market.^[1][5][8]