Mazda MX-5 Miata ND Japanese NR-A SKYACTIV-G 1496 cc Engine
The Japanese ND Roadster NR-A launched with a 1496 cc SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder engine rated at 96 kW, paired with a six-speed manual transmission.
Identity and scope
This record covers the launch-specification engine of the Japanese NR-A, within the fourth-generation MX-5 Miata ND line. Mazda marketed the car domestically as the Roadster. The NR-A combined road registration with preparation for circuit driving and Party Race participation. Mazda’s launch announcement identifies its engine as SKYACTIV-G 1.5.
Japanese launch specification
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 1496 cc |
| Configuration | Inline-four, DOHC, 16 valves |
| Maximum output | 96 kW (131 PS) at 7000 rpm |
| Maximum torque | 150 N·m at 4800 rpm |
| Transmission | Six-speed SKYACTIV-MT manual |
| Driveline | Front engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Specified fuel | Unleaded premium petrol |
These figures belong to the Roadster NR-A column of Mazda’s September 2015 specification table. The adjacent Demio 15MB specification and its engine-development discussion describe a separate application.
Introduction and production context
Mazda announced the NR-A on 24 September 2015, with Japanese sales beginning on 15 October. Its circuit-oriented changes included a larger-capacity radiator to improve cooling and durability. NR-A announcement.
The broader ND production programme began at Ujina Plant No. 1 in Hiroshima, Japan, according to Mazda’s announcement dated 5 March 2015. Initial vehicles were destined for Japan. This establishes vehicle-assembly context; it does not establish the engine’s manufacturing plant or the NR-A’s first assembly date. Mazda described the fourth generation’s development as combining SKYACTIV technology with the preservation of the lightweight two-seat sports car’s driving appeal. Production announcement.
Specification boundaries
The dates above are calendar dates, not model-year designations. This record documents the introduction specification; it does not assign an ending production year to that specification or assess later output revisions. Engine production totals and a separate engine-assembly location are not established by the cited announcements.
The 30th Anniversary Edition SKYACTIV-G 1.5 is catalogued separately under its own variant. Its specifications should not be substituted for this NR-A launch record.