BTW, I forgot to mention that, as you probably all know, the 3 is equipped with dynamic stability control (DSC) and traction control (TCS) since it's mandated in all new cars sold in America as of, I believe, from the 2012 MY. According to the Owner's Manual, "TCS enhances traction and safety by controlling engine torque and braking. When the TCS detects driving wheel slippage, it lowers engine torque and operates the brakes to prevent loss of traction. This means that on a slick surface, the engine adjusts automatically to provide optimum power to the drive wheels, limiting wheel spin and loss of traction." On the face of it, this seems like a good idea operating as kind of a LSD.
The manual goes on to state, "DSC automatically controls braking and engine torque in conjunction with systems such as ABS and TCS to help control side slip when driving on slippery surfaces, or during sudden or evasive maneuvering , enhancing vehicle safety."
The TCS/DCS system is defeatable and can be switched off via an instrument panel switch. When activated, the TCS/DCS indicator light flashes whenever the system is called upon to intervene.
Mazda recommends that TCS/DCS be left on for best vehicle stability, and since my wife will be using that feature, I left it on during my initial testing so I cannot say what the difference would be without it. That will be something for future testing to determine.
Also, I've decided to change the title of this thread to better reflect the nature of the content since so much technical material has been added. This will better enable any Forum members in search of a new 3 to find relevant data on which to base a buying decision.
Henceforth the title will be, "My Wife's New 2013 3 with the SkyActiv-G Engine."
Happy Motoring!
The manual goes on to state, "DSC automatically controls braking and engine torque in conjunction with systems such as ABS and TCS to help control side slip when driving on slippery surfaces, or during sudden or evasive maneuvering , enhancing vehicle safety."
The TCS/DCS system is defeatable and can be switched off via an instrument panel switch. When activated, the TCS/DCS indicator light flashes whenever the system is called upon to intervene.
Mazda recommends that TCS/DCS be left on for best vehicle stability, and since my wife will be using that feature, I left it on during my initial testing so I cannot say what the difference would be without it. That will be something for future testing to determine.
Also, I've decided to change the title of this thread to better reflect the nature of the content since so much technical material has been added. This will better enable any Forum members in search of a new 3 to find relevant data on which to base a buying decision.
Henceforth the title will be, "My Wife's New 2013 3 with the SkyActiv-G Engine."
Happy Motoring!
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