Mazda has created a car that is sporty, practical, and fun to drive. Ford engineers are just shadows of the past as Mazda engineers now guide the direction of the company.
Open the door, notice the inside lights with the center gauges’ responses. Push the starter button and the side gauges also illuminate, and the Active Driving Display rises to greet you. Just like a jet fighter cockpit! The Mazda makes you feel alive because it is designed to give you the feeling of connectedness.
The key to this connectedness is the Multi Functional Commander Control. Audio and navigation are highly visible on the high-mounted 7-inch full-color touch-screen display. There is a whole Thanksgiving basket filled with entertainment options without taking your mind from the audio experience because of the new-generation Bose Center Point 2 Surround System. Sirius XM radio, integrated Pandora, and Stitcher are companion examples.
In addition, features like USB input ports, remote keyless entry, and Push Button Start are easy to find while providing access to your comfort zone.
The Mazda3 is a compact car, but does not compromise cargo space. With both back seats folded down, the Mazda 5-door offers up to 47.1 cubic feet of storage space.
On an afternoon visit to a local park, I made use of the Mazda 60/40 fold-down rear seat, which allows me to fold both sections for maximum storage. However, I left one section up, which still left room for a sleepy granddaughter in her child safety seat. We still had room for all our gear.
This test vehicle is equipped with a 2.5L SkyActive-G DOHC 4-cylinder engine mated to the SkyActive-Drive 6-speed auto with sport mode, providing 184 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque.
The EPA fuel economy for the 2.5L is rated at 28-city mpg and 39-highway mpg. But I must confess, just normal driving got me somewhat less than the EPA mileage indicators.
White is a color usually affiliated with a bland flavor, but the Snowflake White Pearl on this Mazda3 is smashingly beautiful. The color accented all the more the black tooth grille and broad sperm whale front hood.
Bi-Xenon headlamps allow a bugged-eye wasp appearance from the side to complement the elegant curvy lines traced across the door to plunge below the black door handles.
The LED taillights light up the darkness with warnings to approaching vehicles, while the rear camera alerts to possible hazards as the car travels in response to driver intent.
18-inch aluminum alloy wheels spin like pioneer Conestoga, but unlike their ancestors add a splendid style and brag continually of an all-splendid body.
The Mazda3’s major competitors in this segment are the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Nissan Sentra. Only the Corolla offers a challenge.
Legroom was adequate from the driver’s seat, but shoulder room was fleeting. I could either hang a hip over the center console or lip suck the left side glass to look out the window.
The volume button for the radio was on the right side as opposed to usually being located to the left of the radio. I never did locate the procedure for increasing the lighting for the instrument panel for night driving.
For $26,000 you get a pretty good car with features generally only found in more expensive models. This is a recommended buy.
Warranty
3-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty
3-year/36,000 mile emergency roadside assistance program
5-year/60,000 mile limited powertrain warranty
5-year/ unlimited warranty against body rust-through
Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this paper or [email protected].
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