MOTORNETNEWS  ROAD  TEST  -  DECEMBER  2007

MAZDA3 MAXX  SPORT  HATCH

After test driving the Mazda3 it is easy to see why this is Mazda's top-selling car. It is a roomy, very well equipped, economical performer that rides and drives very well. It looks good both inside and out and is built to Mazda's high standards. With just on 30,000 sold so far this year, the Mazda3 is the company's top selling car.

OUTSIDE:

The Mazda3 is a modern, stylish sedan with  Mazda corporate open mesh grille dominated by the company's logo and with crease lines from each side curving up through the bonnet. The air intake below has the same open mesh and is flanked by recesses housing the oval fog lights. The four doors offer very easy access.

The headlight nacelles sweep back into the front guards that are neatly flared to house the 10-spoke alloy wheels. Along the sides are the body-coloured mirrors, door handles and side mouldings .  At the rear is a small lip spoiler on the short deck lid and wraparound projector-style tail lights. The rear bumper offer very good protection, however, the front incorporates the grille and could be a bit more expensive to replace. The wide hatch window has a wiper/washer fitted.

There is a quality finish to the body work and the paint is faultless. Under the insulated bonnet the engine layout is a bit untidy with lots of pipes and hoses visible. Access is very good.

INSIDE:

The interior is roomier than the exterior would have you believe and will comfortably seat four adults. The interior trim is all black up the the window line and then changes to light grey  to help alleviate the darker trim. The door trims have cloth inserts to match the seats. The dashboard has a sporty look with the black on white instrument dials set in deep recesses that project forward towards the driver and are non-reflective. 

The three-spoke steering wheel is adjustable for rake and reach and has remote audio and cruise control buttons. The wheel is trimmed in a soft plastic that is perforated for better grip. This material is also repeated on the hand brake lever beside the centre console.  The main audio and air-conditioning controls in the centre of the dash have very user-friendly buttons and circular controls. 

The front sports seats are very comfortable and have excellent lateral support. The rear bench is well upholstered and also comfortable. Leg room is very good for a small car and so is the head room. The centre console has two cupholders and a useful two-storied bin in the armrest. The door bins have bottle holder recesses. The glove box is a decent size and twin covered vanity mirrors are provided.

LUGGAGE AREA:

For a small car the Mazda3 has a very large luggage area and split fold rear seats to add capacity if needed. It is quite deep  and heavy luggage would present a problem lifting it over the sill. The rear bumper has a small recess so that you can get your fingers under the boot lid easily.  The downside is that there is only a temporary spare wheel and tyre. The spare is housed under the floor and has a neat, rattle-free tray into which the tools are fitted. 

The child restraint anchor points are fitted to the rear of the back seats so that the holding straps don't intrude on boot space - very important when you have to load a pusher or pram. There is a cargo cover provided to ensure privacy of items in the boot space.

ON THE ROAD:

Performance from the 2-litre, 4-cylinder, 108kW engine is quite sporty although one needs to keep the engine revving as power is fully developed at a rather high 6,500rpm and the torque doesn't reach its maximum of 182Nm until 4,500rpm. Economy is rated at 8.4 average for city and highway and the test car recorded an average of 9.1 in practical urban and freeway driving. 

The 4-speed automatic is extremely smooth and, while there is a manual override available, the auto changes so smoothly and quickly that it becomes redundant. The electric/hydraulic power steering is very good and retains a nice 'feel'. The ride is compliant with no harshness and the road holding is also very good and inspires confidence. The engine is quiet and road and wind noise are very low. It is a very pleasant car to drive both in urban traffic and on the highway.

PRICE:                $28,500 (4-speed auto) $26,500 (5-speed manual) plus on-road costs.

STANDARD:        Dual front, head and side airbags; ABS with Brake Assist System and Electronic Brake Distribution; air-conditioning; 16" alloy wheels; body kit; cruise control; 6 stack CD; central remote locking; cloth trim; fog/driving lights; engine immobiliser; power mirrors, steering & windows; 6-speaker audio system; rear spoiler; front seat belt pre-tensioners;

OPTIONS:                Dynamic Stability Control $1,000;