If you want an indication of the regard in
which the last Mazda 3 was held then look no further than their own engineers:
such is the massive overhaul that on the new car barely a screw or a bolt
survived. It’s claimed by Mazda to be longer, lower, wider, more refined,
faster, more efficient, more responsive, higher quality, better looking. It’s
also, apparently, imbued with the MX-5’s Jinba Ittai ‘rider-and-horse’
character and there’s more room under the front seats for rear passengers’
feet.
The
new Mazda 3 stands out from the mid-size crowd with its style and a sporty
driving experience
So the lovable eccentricity of Mazda
prevails, and certainly the 3 rates high on distinctiveness, with the muscular
long lines of the Mazda 6 transferred very successfully to the smaller car. In
fact, it’s a refreshing change to see a mainstream car that doesn’t follow the
ubiquitous aesthetic of thick-set Germanic solidity.
On the propulsion front, there’s a 74kW
1.5-litre petrol engine and a pair of 2.0-litre motors. While the 88kW version
is fine but a bit wheezy and takes some stirring up, it’s still likely to be
the best seller, although the 121kW version is far more fun, much more refined
and has a clever energy harvesting system called i-ELOOP which stores kinetic
energy to power electrical systems for about a minute in town driving, which
engineers claim improves urban fuel economy by about 10%.
The
driving position isn't particularly low or sporting, but occupant space and
control ergonomics are good
The 110kW turbo diesel, the quickest of the
range, is oddly engaging to drive, in that in some respects you have to treat it
like a petrol motor. With the lowest compression ratio for any diesel engine,
there’s less of that instant, excitable torque that makes some diesel
powertrains act like a dog straining at a lead. So the Mazda 3 needs revs,
especially in second or third, or it starts to grumble and bog. But keep your
right foot in and it is a joy, revving cleanly and offering up enough
acceleration to keep it barreling along at a pretty pace.
There's
a generous amount of room in the back, but it's a little uninspiring
As always with Mazda, the gearbox is tight
and accurate, and the steering light and precise. The result is you can tip it
in to a corner and there’s that lovely burr of all four wheels scrubbing across
the Tarmac in unison, which suggests neutral balance and poise from the
completely reworked suspension. It’s not a car that just gives up and wanders
off into under steer at the slightest provocation, and if you lift mid-bend the
nose tucks in even more gamely, like a horse given a big bag of crunchy apples.
We’ll have to wait for a more fulsome test but it feels as though the 3 could
be the best driving car in its sector.
Rotary
controller allows you to navigate the media system's functions
The cabin just about passes muster. It’s an
improvement, clearly, but still feels a step below those infernal Germans, and
the dashboard is made of an oddly tacky plastic that seems sticky enough to
trap flies. It’s better than some of the hard, shiny stuff on the last car
though. Mazda claims to have worked on making the seats hug occupants more but
they still suffer from that Japanese trait of being on the narrow side, and you
do find yourself lolling about a bit in a corner. So it’s just like being on a
horse in that respect, but not in a good way.
2.2-litre
has lowest compression ratio of any diesel engine. Feels fizzy, too, with 110kW
Driver distraction has been distracting
Mazda too, and it’s claimed the infotainment system has been designed to limit
the amount of information it gives the driver at any one time, and where it
delivers it. The only thing distracting me was the optional blurry head-up
display, which looked like the ’80s technology nicked by Clint Eastwood off
Firefox.
There are always a few details in a Mazda
to pick at, because it’s a company without the gargantuan resources of others,
but the new 3 is a really likeable thing, not least because it’s a cracking car
to drive, powerful and relatively economical. Best put it on your test-drive
shortlist.
