Dynamic Duo: The little Mazda's all grown up
K: Zoom zoom, the words that Mazda live by, and apart from the Mx-5, the Mazda3 holds strongest to that mentality. The Mazda3 has always been an exciting car, with a pep in its step and responsive handling, its been able to stand out in its class by catering to those seeking a more engaging drive. Lately Mazda has been working towards a design that doesn’t include the large smile that once came to identify the Mazda3, but in a way, that almost seems wrong. Because usually that big grin mirrors what the driver is doing; smiling. The Mazda3 is a fun car, able to take a mundane drive and turn it into a joyful one. The new look for the 3, while stunning, comes across as much more serious. With the looks seeming more grown up, we are left wondering if the drive also reflects that nature.
But let's talk a little more about the styling. The Mazda3 continues with the brand's Kodo “Soul of Motion” design language. The new design carries over a little from the previous generation but with much more striking lines and a redesigned rear end. The overall form flows as reflections stretch over the body. The hatchback and sedan now carry less design similarities as previous years, with the sedan feeling elegant and the hatchback erring more on the sporty, aggressive side. Based on looks alone it’s hard to decide which one wins, though for me, the piano black front grille looks superb. New for the Mazda3 Sport is the addition of the Polymetal Grey Metallic paint like our hatchback tester was finished in.
Mazda paid extra attention to ride comfort with this car, resulting in Mazda’s quietest cabin yet. The relaxing ride pairs well with the refined interior, which remains consistent with the brand's Kodo design. The leather seats are both supportive and comfortable. The interior styling takes a minimal but elegant approach, using quality materials that have been designed with a meticulous touch. It's a different approach than that of the CX-3, which almost felt empty. In a time when all controls are now found on a touchscreen, the Mazda3 still uses physical buttons and controls, which is much appreciated. With the physical buttons and the HMI commander switch (the big dial in the centre console) it is far easier to navigate the infotainment system and comfort controls without taking attention away from the drive and keeping your eyes on the road. Heated front seats are standard throughout the trim levels, with a heated steering wheel standard in the GS and GT trims. The material on the leather wrapped steering wheel is noisier than most when you slide your hands around which could be an issue for some people. A two-tone red leather interior is only available on the GT trim.
Thankfully, the Start/Stop button has been repositioned so it is more accessible than sitting behind the wiper arm. The Mazda3 starts up in no dramatic fashion...if you have your seat belt fastened before turning the car on. If you don’t, you’re greeted with a very bold and audible reminder, which could probably be toned down a bit. The drive is smooth and should you choose to use them, the paddles are responsive, with swift changes, much quicker than older generations.
The new Mazda3 Sedan drives well, it's quiet, smooth, and comfortable at speed. The 2.5L engine isn't the largest but it seemed quite happy to stay at, let's say, higher speeds. In normal conditions I didn't notice much difference having the AWD, I was never in need of the extra grip. I'm sure I'd appreciate the AWD addition in the winter. If anything, the added weight took some pep away.
S: What about the hatch? Like you mentioned earlier, the sedan seems to aim for elegance while the hatchback aims for sportiness. At least as far as design goes. It's a little lighter and more tossable than the sedan, but it does feel like that 'zoom zoom' isn't quite as apparent. The new 3, to me, feels like Mazda's foregone sportiness and value for money in an attempt to go upscale. Don't get me wrong - the cars look great inside and out. But when there's no independent rear suspension and the cars are actually slower than the outgoing model, its a bit questionable - and a bit unfortunate.
The Mazda3 Sport is still a very nice place to be however. It's perfectly adequate for your daily commute and even though I don't find it as engaging anymore, the 6-speed manual is light and forgiving on your leg - especially if you're stuck in Toronto traffic. Otherwise, when you get a chance to open it up, the power delivery isn't the most responsive, but it's quite nice rowing through the gears. The fuel economy is great too. It better be because the GT trim will set you back north of $30k.
The Mazda3 GT drives well enough, but I don't get that sense of excitement and fun that bled into the daily commute with previous generations of Mazda3. You also don't get much rear visibility in the hatchback either, oddly enough. I think the car could do with a different engine. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but it is starting to feel dated, which is not a good word to use with such a fresh design before us. We're curious if the upcoming Skyactiv-X engine can remedy this. We'd also love to see the return of the MazdaSpeed name on the GT model, but realistically, the market demand just might not be there.
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