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Mazda 3 Sedan

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Mazda 3 Sedan Review

Price range:

$21,330 - $31,920

Car Verdict rating:

Good:

An excellent all ‘round package; modern interior, fantastic ride and handling and quality engine & transmission packages.

Not so Good:

Petrol engine fuel economy isn’t class-leading, plus there’s no auto option for the Turbo Diesel.

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Mazda 3 Sedan Competitors

Holden Cruze 40 from: $20,990 car review	Kia Cerato 35 from: $19,390 car review	Mitsubishi Lancer 35 from: $21,490 car review
Hyundai Elantra 30 from: $20,590 car review	Toyota Corolla 30 from: $20,990 car review	Ford Focus 30 from: $21,490 car review

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Mazda 3 Sedan Review

Design and Engineering	Good	Whilst an evolution of the previous model, the current 3 (launched here in April ‘09) certainly features more unique styling; the brands trademark gaping mouth grille and extra-large front guards (now look as if they’ve spent many hours at the gym) means you could never mistake it as anything but a Mazda. Small cars usually look better in a hatch body style, but to our eyes the 3 sedan might be the better ‘looker’ of the two.
Design and Engineering	Not so good	One of our reviewers thinks the rear tail lights are a touch too ‘bling’ (but, he could be wrong!?) and anyway, not everyone longs for the more restrained lines of say, a Volkswagen Golf.
Interior and Styling	Good	Soft-touch plastics combined with a modern, minimalist dash design help to create a classy cabin ambience. The audio system is integrated cleanly into the dash and all the major controls are logically laid out. The steering adjusts for tilt & reach and the seats are comfortable. Good visibility all ‘round and enough storage compartments on offer to keep a family happy.
Interior and Styling	Not so good	The ventilation controls look less than premium (we’re being picky here) and the surrounding silver plastic is likely to get scratched over time. The satellite navigation screen is on the small side, speaking of which, the rear seat knee room could be better and rear legroom is only adequate…
Performance	Good	The six-speed manual and five-speed auto have both added an extra gear over the previous generation (and a number of current competitors). The top-selling 2.0L Petrol remains relatively unchanged yet is still competitive; generating 108kW of power and loves being revved. The newer 2.2L Turbo Diesel generates a whopping 360Nm of torque for effortless pick-up; the larger 2.5L Petrol engine in the range-topping SP25 is also fitted to the larger Mazda 6.
Performance	Not so good	Whilst a number of competitors are offering smaller-sized, fuel efficient Turbocharged Petrol engines, Mazda (as well as a number of other Japanese brands) are yet to do so.
Ride and Handling	Good	Whilst Mazda’s steering feels light, it still offers enough feedback for the sports car fan in your family to want to jump behind the wheel. Ride comfort is impressive and the suspension is very capable for a car of this price range. The Mazda 3 is extremely well-tuned for the often unique (read: rough) road surfaces of Australia.
Ride and Handling	Not so good	The Mazda 3 has class-leading ride and handling so not much to complain about here... Whilst quieter than the previous model, tyre noise on rough surfaces is still evident.
Buying and Owning	Good	The Mazda brand has been getting better and better over the last decade, so with it comes greater resale value. April 2010 upgrade see's side and curtain airbags standard on the base grade Neo (previously only standard on mid and upper spec grades) so now all Mazda 3's achieve a five star safety rating.
Buying and Owning	Not so good	The top-of-the-range grades are competing (and competing pretty well) against a couple of impressive cars, so we think the very best value Mazda 3’s are at the lower and mid-range price points.