Young working male’s view: I live for pressure, Mom. The pricing of the Mazda3
makes it a difficult car to evaluate because there are so many versions. The
base model, the S Sedan, and the hatchback are all different in utility and
look. Personally, I found the sedan more attractive. I just don’t get excited
about the hunchback looks of a hatchback.
If you order the Mazda with the any fancy options such as a power sunroof,
leather, and maybe ABS, you are pushing the price into Honda Accord territory
and certainly Acura’s habitat. Although the Mazda is more distinctive looking,
has a much better handling set-up, its resale is not as good. On the other hand,
the warranty of four years/ 50,000 miles is much better.
My feelings would be go for the Mazda and live a bit on the wild side rather
than the more practical fare from the other Asian automobile makers.
Enough of the affective domain, our test vehicle has low profile tires on 17
inch rims that helped the handling considerably, but are expensive to replace. I
would take a long look at my driving before taking this option. You can adjust
the lighting, so that does not bother me, but the small readouts did
inconvenience me.
I found the seats okay, but not up to the standards of the rest of the interior.
The center console had good storage and the view to the front was superb. The
headlights were above average, not as fine as the xenon optional units that cost
$700 with bulb replacements that cost a third of that.
The four speed automatic transmission neutered the 2.3 liter engine and probable
contributed to the lackluster fuel mileage despite having a gated shifter and
“manu-matic” gear changing ability. I would go for the less expensive five-speed
manual if I didn’t live in such a heavily congested area.
Regardless of which transmission you select you are going to have to rev it to
get worthwhile performance.
When compared to others in this price range the Mazda has a tight turning
radius, second only to the Elantra, and a light steering feel. The Scion tC,
which is priced similarly, is not quite as good at handling, but feels more
solid and heavier. Truthfully, I didn’t find any of my male friends enamored
with the Mazda 3, but when told the price agreed that for a few dollars more a
month a base Mazda 6
would be a better ride.
So the question is would I buy this Mazda? Well, to be honest, I would if I had
a place to drive it the way it deserves to be treated. When you are stuck in
heavy traffic most every day the Mazda’s major fortes are wasted. The Mazda 3 is
fun to drive with responsive handling, has above average styling and plenty of
interior storage room, has steering wheel mounted audio controls, ample rear
storage room in the trunk or under the hatch, has a steering wheel that both
telescopes and tilts, and the stereo is above average.
So, to answer my own
question, I wouldn’t mind owning a Mazda 3 under the right conditions, but my
first choice would be elsewhere.
