Automatic Transaxle

You can shift gears down by operating the selector lever.

M6 → M5 → M4 → M3 → M2→ M1

To shift down to a lower gear, tap the selector lever forward once.

 

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Do not use engine braking on slippery road surfaces or at high speeds:

Shifting down while driving on wet, snowy, or frozen roads, or while driving at high speeds causes sudden engine braking, which is dangerous. The sudden change in tire speed could cause the tires to skid. This could lead to loss of vehicle control and an accident.

Close Warning

View Warning

 

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• When driving at high speeds, the gear may not shift down.

• During deceleration, the gear may automatically shift down depending on vehicle speed.

• When depressing the accelerator fully, the transaxle will shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle speed. However, the gears do not kickdown while the TCS is turned off.

Close Note

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When the selector lever is moved back while the vehicle speed is about 10 km/h (6.2 mph) or less, the transaxle is set in the second gear fixed mode. The gear is fixed in second while in this mode for easier acceleration from a stop and driving on slippery roads such as snow-covered roads.

If the selector lever is moved back or forward while in the second gear fixed mode, the mode will be canceled.

For each gear position while in the manual mode, the speed limit is set as follows: When the selector lever is operated within the range of the speed limit, the gear is shifted.

Shift up

The gear does not shift up while the vehicle speed is lower than the speed limit.

Shift down

The gear does not shift down while the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit.

If the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit and the gear does not shift down, the gear position indication flashes 2 times to notify the driver that the gear cannot be shifted.

Kickdown

When the accelerator pedal is depressed fully while driving, the gear shifts down.

However, the gears do not kickdown while the TCS is turned off.

 

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The gear also shifts down using kickdown while in the second gear fixed mode.

Close Note

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Auto-shift down

The gear shifts down automatically depending on the vehicle speed during deceleration.

 

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If the vehicle comes to a stop while in the second gear fixed mode, the gear remains in second.

Close Note

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Upshifting

For normal acceleration and cruising, Mazda recommends these shift points:

1. Always observe local speed limit regulations.

Downshifting

When you must slow down in heavy traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift before the engine starts to overwork. This gives better acceleration when you need more speed.

On a steep downgrade, downshifting helps maintain safe speed and prolongs brake life.