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But don't expect Mazda to jump on board what it says is a grab for headlines and potential fleet sales.
"We live where punters pay money for cars and we don't think those sorts of cars have much life currently beyond a headline," said Mazda Australia marketing manager Alastair Doak.
"Design is still at the top, along with other things like value for money."
Doak was responding to Ford's Econetic Fiesta, a 1.6-litre turbo diesel capable of achieving 3.7litres/100km. It rolls on low-resistance tyres, has an aerodynamic underbody and extra-tall gear ratios.
The Fiesta shares much technically with the Mazda2 but Doak said there was no prospect of an Econetic equivalent showing up from Mazda, the country's biggest-selling importer.
"Is a punter going to buy it? No. They might get some fleet business out of it, because companies might say: 'Hey, we will make a green statement and we will buy this car.' But that is fleet business and that is not where we live."
In Australia, Mazda offers passenger vehicles that range in average claimed fuel consumption from as low as 5.9L/100km for the Mazda6 diesel to 13.0L/100km for the V6 petrol CX-9 soft-roader. It promises better fuel efficiency for the second-generation Mazda3 that goes on sale in April but has delayed the introduction of the diesel.
Globally, Mazda has committed to cutting the fuel consumption of its vehicles by an average 30 per cent by 2015.
