2014 Mazda3 2.0L Sport

Receiving a total makeover for 2014, the third-generation Mazda3 has already garnered much praise and a couple of awards from the Automobile Association of Canada. It was named Best New Small Car under $21,000, and the car I recently tested, the dressier Mazda3 Sport, won the same category for the over $21,000 price bracket.
2014 Mazda3 2.0L Sport
2014 Mazda3 2.0L Sport (Photo by Benjamin Yong)
Benjamin Yong
9/30/2014
Updated:
9/30/2014

Receiving a total makeover for 2014, the third-generation Mazda3 has already garnered much praise and a couple of awards from the Automobile Association of Canada. It was named Best New Small Car under $21,000, and the car I recently tested, the dressier Mazda3 Sport, won the same category for the over $21,000 price bracket.

So how different is this new generation? For starters, the company has done away with all the “smiley face” bumpers across their lineup (except, surprisingly, on the upcoming MX-5 roadster unveiled earlier in September). 

Replacing the former signature look with a large black slatted grille design, chrome wings extend towards the headlights that Mazda says gives the front end a three-dimensional feel. This is part of the KODO/Soul of Motion styling known for its swoopy, motion-inducing lines.

I drove the hatchback earlier in the year and have to say the proportions on the sedan look just right, like a smaller version of the gorgeous Mazda6. An attractive body crease starts at the bottom of the front door, cutting across the side and meeting with the rear fender arch. The 16-inch multi-spoke wheels, standard on GS models, match the Mazda3 nicely.

Getting into the cabin, what captures your gaze first is the seven-inch centre display for the audio and navigation systems that sits on top of the dashboard, rather than set into it. The official reasoning behind this is so drivers only have to move their eyes minimally to see it. Unfortunately, the screen appears to be a bit of an afterthought, being a tablet-like device that fools you into thinking it’s removable. 

Virtually all media settings and playback are controlled via a knob behind the shift lever. It works well mostly, but I found accessing radio presets difficult because instead of being able to press a traditional numbered shortcut, you’re forced to push the favourites button next to the knob and then scroll the wheel through a list to find saved stations. 

The GS I drove was equipped with the familiar 2.0 L, 155-horsepower Skyactiv engine that features a high compression ratio and lightweight design. A newly designed exhaust system bumps up the torque slightly to 150 lb-ft and causes peak delivery to come on sooner at 4,000 rpm.

Combined with the suite of other Skyactiv enhancements such as a lighter and sleeker body and a more efficient transmission, the fuel consumption result was an observed 7.1 L/100 km during a mixture of city and highway testing. Having cruise control activated on long, straight stretches helped contribute to that number. 

The car feels great to drive, in part due to having beefier suspension components than the previous version. Bumps on long freeway runs were soaked up comfortably and turns negotiated confidently. The shifting on the manual transmission was tight and precise, making driving all that more fun.

Pricing for the GS starts at a respectable $20,695—my tester had the Convenience and Moonroof Packages that tack on an additional $500 and $1,200 respectively and provide rain-sensing wipers, heated seats and mirrors, leather steering wheel and gear knob, automatic headlights, moonroof, foglamps, and more. 

Personally, I would also opt for the Technology Package ($2,500) encompassing all the new safety gadgetry including Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, and Smart City Brake Support.

2014 Mazda3 2.0L Sport

MSRP: $20,695 for GS 6MT
Motor: 2.0 L 4-cylinder
Horsepower: 155 @ 6,000 rpm 
Torque (lb-ft): 150 @ 4,000 rpm 
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Layout: front engine, front-wheel drive 
Fuel economy: 7.1 L/100 km (observed) 
Seats: five

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