Driving Your Mazda; Starting and Driving; Recommendations for Shifting- Page 91

5-9

Driving Your Mazda

Starting and Driving

Form No. 8R09-EA-02G

▼

Recommendations for Shifting

Upshifting

For normal acceleration, we recommend 
these shift points.

For cruising

Downshifting

When you must slow down in heavy 
traffic or on a steep 

upgrade

 , downshift 

before the engine starts to overwork. This 
reduces the chance of stalling and gives 
better acceleration when you need more 
speed.
On a steep 

downgrade

 , downshifting 

helps maintain safe speed and prolongs 
brake life.

Sudden Engine-Braking:
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. Do not use sudden 
engine braking on slippery road 
surfaces or at high speeds.

•

Keep your foot off the clutch pedal 
except when shifting gears. Also, 
don’t use the clutch to hold the 
vehicle on an upgrade. This will 
avoid needless clutch wear and 
damage.

•

Make sure the vehicle comes to a 
complete stop before shifting to 
reverse.
Shifting to reverse while the vehicle 
is still moving may damage the 
transmission.

NOTE

If shifting to reverse is difficult, shift 
into neutral, release the clutch pedal, 
and try again.

WARNING

CAUTION

5-speed 
transmission

6-speed 
transmission

1 to 2

24 km/h (15 mph)

23 km/h (14 mph)

2 to 3

42 km/h (26 mph)

37 km/h (23 mph)

3 to 4

55 km/h (34 mph)

50 km/h (31 mph)

4 to 5

66 km/h (41 mph)

56 km/h (35 mph)

5 to 6

—

66 km/h (41 mph)

5-speed 
transmission

6-speed 
transmission

1 to 2

15 km/h (9 mph)

18 km/h (11 mph)

2 to 3

29 km/h (18 mph)

32 km/h (20 mph)

3 to 4

47 km/h (29 mph)

44 km/h (27 mph)

4 to 5

61 km/h (38 mph)

56 km/h (35 mph)

5 to 6

—

68 km/h (42 mph)

J07R_8R09_EA_02G_Edition4.book  Page 9  Monday, February 3, 2003  1:16 PM