Driving Your Mazda; Automatic Transmission ; Starting and Driving- Page 94

5-10

Driving Your Mazda

Starting and Driving

Form No. 8S15-EA-03G

▼

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.

Various Lockouts:

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)

Automatic Transmission 
Controls

Indicates that you must depress the 
brake pedal and hold in the lock-
release button to shift (The ignition 
switch must be in the ON position).

Indicates the shift lever can be 
shifted freely into any position.

Indicates that you must hold in the 
lock-release button to shift.

Lock-release button

To prevent unsafe 
shifting

Shift pattern 
indicator

Shows shift lever 
position

Overdrive button 

For turning the 
overdrive off or on

J07S_8S15-EA-03G_Edition2.book  Page 10  Thursday, August 21, 2003  10:04 AM