Let's face it. The world of economic and cheap cars is pretty dull. There are some exceptions, like the Volkswagen GTI and the Honda Civic SI, but overall the whole category is simply lacking.
Then came along a certain puppy. Mazda's last Nagare-designed concept car, the Furai. Mazda's designers were inspired to make cars a bit more organic and have emotion built into them. Clearly, this speaks volumes when you look at the Furai. Look at its rear end, it is sensational! Have you ever seen any automobile with a more beautifully detailed butt? It is a piece of artwork.
Now, I know what you may be thinking; this is not an economy car. And you are right, it is not.
But this design did help spawn something you probably see every day, the 2010 Mazda3. Remember that little bit about Nagare? That is what influenced the Furai and has made a relatively important impression upon the all-new Mazda 3.
You know what they say about first impressions, right? Something about them being a big deal or whatever. When I first saw the 3, I immediately knew that its "face," was going to be a big deal to anyone considering buying it. Oh, and that it was smiling at me -- I like to think of the new Mazda3 as a flirt.
The older, more conservative 3 was a very nice looking vehicle with a little attitude. The updated version keeps the silhouette, ditches the stuffy details and turns up the volume on a more radical appearance. Think of it like this: it is like a black tuxedo that has been paired up with an aqua dress shirt. It still is traditional and handsome, but with a splash of vitality.
Details on this new model stand out a lot more. For instance, the headlights and taillights are bigger in scale and wrap around the vehicle. The upward sloping beltline provides a nice visual effect and makes the somewhat "Banglfied" trunk fit into the design.
While I am getting better acquainted behind the wheel, there is one thing that stands out; the interior. The dash and door panels have some seriously nice quality plastics on them. Although there was one trim bit that felt a bit, wrong. In the center console there is a plastic door next to the E-brake that closed a bit flimsy. Otherwise, the interior's trimmings were surprisingly high quality and well thought out. Point for Mazda.
Seating is made up of durable cloth bucket seats and they are not half bad. They will not win any awards in the support department but this is an entry-level car and you cannot expect it to have a pair of suede Recaros. Given the class and its rivals, the stock seats will get the job done, case closed. Point for zoom-zoom.
Probably my favorite piece in this car is the shifter. It reminds me of a BMW E36 3-series shifter, which boasts a similar design. Then, Mazda placed it close to the driver so your hand just falls right into it. First gear was literally on my leg -- I loved it!
In the car's press release, Mazda says "Responding to the knowledge gained from human-machine studies, the new MAZDA3's center console was elevated to shorten the reach to the shift lever and parking brake more by than two inches." This is the type of engineering more auto manufacturers have to be doing. I am applauding you now, Mazda. Point for the 3!
On top of the quality and well-designed materials, fit and finish is solid. Squeaks and creaks are nonexistent and all of the trim feels sturdy. Again, another point for the Axela.
Being that this was the first Mazda I had ever driven, I did not know what to expect. Would it be cramped or airy? Would its interior be atrocious or trimmed in gold? So far, it was passing with a really good grade and it only continued.
Equipped with a 2.0 liter, inline four-cylinder motor, the 3 does not have a staggering amount of power. The numbers equate to 148-horsepower and 135 lb-ft of torque. Not quite the stuff dreams are made of. This means that the Mazda is not blisteringly fast off the line but give it a moment to regain its composure when the torque picks up in the 4,000 region. The motor is spunky if you have some patience.
Getting on the highway can be a little tough if its dense traffic but once you are in your respective lane you can make moves as though you are Fernando Alonzo.
You did not think you would get 24 MPG real-world if it would leave a trail of fire, did you?
Coupled with this motor is a five-speed manual transmission. Although it does not make the most desirable noises, it is quite clunky, it is a well-made gearbox. Getting into gear takes the pressure of one finger and it remains solid over bumps and jolts.
Ride quality is above average for this class as it soaks up most bumps and road imperfections. Better yet, it is tuned for driving and not for lounging. It is not overly stiff and going to give you back problems, but it is cushy enough to not have to worry about avoiding any little crack in the road. At highway speeds the 3 remains planted and defiant. It does not hop around like a rabbit nor does feel like it is floating over the tarmac.
And the sport feel continues with the steering. It remains direct without becoming overly light and loose feeling. Taking the Mazda3 into turns is rewarding and it shocks me that a car in this segment, besides the Volkswagen Golf, remains so planted and a thrill to drive. Yes, a thrill to drive. This is the kind of car you can push into turns without becoming frightened with an alarming amount of understeer. In the S-curves the 3 can get a little out of line and will lean a bit and squeal her tires if you so desire, but for most road driving, she remains very well mannered.
Although it is not all fun and games. There are several places where the Mazda does not deliver. And it was looking so good, until now.
The clutch. It is so extremely light and feathery that it is hard to find its engagement point. Usually when you have a heavier clutch it is much easier to feel out and get a solid reference as to where you have to take it up to in order to launch the vehicle. It is like giving me a flashlight without a battery to go explore a cave, it is not going to turn out so well.
On top of this, the throttle is tuned to be extra sensitive. It will take a solid amount of time to become better acquainted with the gas pedal. Stabbing it for a sub-1000 RPM launch sent the revs to the 3,000 mark on my first attempts.
This clutch/throttle combination made the 3 downright frustrating to drive at times.
Granted, you could be the very worst driver in the world and it would still smooth out the shifts. I have absolutely no clue how Mazda made the shifting in the 3 so buttery and to be honest, I do not care. It is staggering how rough you can be with the car and it just turns the other cheek and will ask "would you like some more silky shifts with that?" So, with the bad comes the good.
Then there are the brakes, which are not all that tremendous. For a car weighing approximately 2,900 pounds, I expected its vented 10.9 inch front rotors and 10.4 inch rear discs to give some better feedback. I was sadly mistaken. If pedal feel could be dialed in better, it would make a world's difference with this car and it would give more confidence to the driver who will probably be squealing tires.
At the end of the day, the Mazda is a very likable car. The kind of car that just about everyone can appreciate. It is not too sporty or too soft. It has an upscale interior that should keep Volkswagen on its toes and make Honda start looking into a bigger budget for their next Civic.
It can appeal to an enthusiast with a small budget, although they would probably be best suited aiming for the 2.5 variant or a Mazdaspeed3. Just needs that extra oomph to keep OCD enthusiasts entertained.
After spending a week with the 3 it is pretty clear why this car has been talked about so much this year. For the past several months I have continually heard about the Mazda3 being in the top picks for COTY.
Had it not been for the MKVI GTI being released this year, I think we all know who would have taken the crown in the segment. Work on that timing, Mazda