Driving Your Mazda; Driving Tips; Starting and Driving- Page 105

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Driving Your Mazda

Starting and Driving

Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

Shifting specification

Shifting up

If the vehicle speed is lower than the 
speed specified for each gear, the gear 
cannot be shifted up to a higher gear.

Shifting down

If the vehicle speed is higher than the 
speed specified for each gear, the gear 
cannot be shifted down to a lower gear.

During deceleration, the gears shift down 
automatically when speed is reduced to 
the following:

If the vehicle is kicked down at the 
following speeds or lower, the gears shift 
down automatically:

Recommendations for shifting

Upshifting

For normal acceleration and cruising, we 
recommend these shift points.

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.

▼

Driving Tips

Passing

For extra power when passing another 
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress 
the accelerator fully. The transmission 
will shift to a lower gear, depending on 
vehicle speed.

Climbing steep grades from a stop

To climb a steep grade from a stopped 
position:

1. Depress the brake pedal.

2. Shift to D or M1, depending on the 

load weight and grade steepness.

3. Release all brakes while gradually 

accelerating.

Descending steep grades

When descending a steep grade, shift to 
lower gears, depending on load weight 
and grade steepness. Descend slowly, 
using the brakes only occasionally to 
prevent them from overheating.

Gear

Vehicle speed

M1

→

M2

You can shift up to M2 
whether the vehicle is 
stopped or moving.

M2

→

M3

20 km/h (12 mph)

M3

→

M4

31 km/h (19 mph)

Gear

Vehicle speed

M4

→

M3

163 km/h (101 mph)

M3

→

M2

110 km/h (68 mph)

M2

→

M1

45 km/h (28 mph)

Gear

Vehicle speed

M4

→

M3

31 km/h (19 mph)

M3 or M2

→

M1

8 km/h (5 mph)

NOTE

If the vehicle is driven at a low speed 
from a standing start while in M2, the 
gear may not shift down to M1 
automatically.

Gear

Vehicle speed

M4

→

M3

149 km/h (93 mph)

M4

→

M2

56 km/h (35 mph)

M3

→

M2

56 km/h (35 mph)

M1 to M2

24 km/h (15 mph)

M2 to M3

40 km/h (25 mph)

M3 to M4

65 km/h (40 mph)

J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition6.book  Page 15  Wednesday, December 10, 2003  4:24 PM

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