Rotary engine is back with Mazda's plug-in hybrid

Those who thought they may have seen the last of Mazda’s rotary engine technology in the iconic RX series are in for a surprise.

The lightweight and efficient combustion engine, also known as the Wankel engine is back and part of the drive set up in the MX-30 R-EV plug in hybrid.Mazda was the only mainstream manufacturer to use this fuel-efficient engine.

This Mazda offers something different, a hybrid with a plug-in capability that puts an end to range anxiety with electric cars. Mazda describes it as the car's inbuilt charging station.

Uniquely the 830cc rotary acts as a generator, making sure that the car's 17.8kWh battery is always charged, but never actually driving the wheels, the electric motor does that.

The plug-in combination delivers 170PS and economy of between 37-282mpg depending on drive mode and an electric only range of 53 miles.

This allows for claimed range of 400 miles with a full tank, while delivering a miserly 21g/km CO2 emissions

Mazda was able produce the required output from an easily packaged small unit which sits alongside the generator combined.

Mazda has been slightly ambivalent about the future of electrification, but now says it will produce the right car for the moment, including electric, hybrid and combustion engines, which include petrol and a six-cylinder diesel in the CX-60 SUV.

This is through making sure their SkyActiv combustion engines are ever cleaner and more efficient.

Thanks to the use of aluminium the rotary engine is over 15kg lighter than the unit used in the RX-8, while direct fuel injection reduces emissions and increases fuel economy.

There are three pretty driving modes: Normal, EV and Charge. Normal delivers electric drive as long as there’s enough battery charge. If more power is required than the battery level can be boosted by the petrol engine.

Turn EV mode on when they want to stay in electric drive for as long as possible. This ensures the vehicle uses electric drive exclusively until the battery is completely drained, but should extra power be needed.

Charge mode can be used to preserve the battery for situations such as low emission of congestion charge zones, with the engine constantly charging the battery.

Drivers have the option of setting the amount of charge they want to reserve in increments of 10 per cent. The generator will activate when the charge drops below the specified level

There are three trim levels in the UK, Prime-Line, Exclusive-Line and Makoto and all versions feature a rotor badge on the front wings and an e-Skyactiv R-EV badge on the tailgate.

The entry level includes black door mirrors and grille, LED daytime running lights, cruise control, navigation, head-up display, an eight-speaker sound system and reversing camera.

The range-topper adds power and tilt sunroof, while inside a heated steering wheel, 12-speaker Bose surround sound and a 360-degree view monitor.

In common with SUVs it is also practical and features freestyle doors previously seen on the Mazda RX-8. The front doors open forward, while the rear doors open backwards, to offer what is supposed to be easier access both in and out of the vehicle, but I found it slightly awkward. Also, frustratingly, the rear door cannot be opened before the front doors.

While the R-EV shares the same exterior styling as the pure electric MX-30, it’s marked out by different wheel designs and looks good with the contrasting three-tone paintwork option.

It has a sleek, yet muscular look with SUV trim additions like wheel arch cladding, slim grille with LED headlights and a coupe-style profile tapering to the rear.

Otherwise it has a more familiar look a with information screens, the multi-function steering wheel, central screen which controls the infotainment, navigation and connectivity and operated by a rotary controller on the central console.

On the road, it is an engaging drive. On a challenging and twisting circuit around Snowdonia the car felt agile and sure-footed through bends with the nicely-weighted steering providing plenty of feedback

Acceleration is brisk, the car racing away from a standing start to 60 mph in nine seconds and on to a top speed of 86mph.

Paddles behind the steering wheel, normally used for gear changes, increase or decrease the level of energy regeneration. As an SUV it is practical with good boot space of 366 litres, which, with the rear seats folded increases to substantial stowage area.

The  R-EV is compatible with AC and rapid DC charging and can be connected to Type 2 and CCS charging systems.

Using a 36kW charger the battery can be charged from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in 25 minutes, with a three-phase 11kW AC charger the battery can be refilled in approximately 50 minutes, while a single-phase 7.2kW charger will take around one hour and 30 minutes.

All Mazdas are safe and the MX-30 is no exception with a raft of active and passive kit which earns it a new Euro N-cap five-star safety rating. Prices start at £31,250 rising to £36,000.