The old Mazda 3 was an impressive family car that drivers could really enjoy. It’s big problem was that it looked rather like a Hyundai. Which is to say, a little dull.
The latest Mazda 3 however, as you can see, is much more striking without being so brave that it takes us all a few years to decide if its cool like BMWs controversial designs mainly turn out to be, or ugly like Fiats most expressive design work.
No, this is a car that you can go out and buy on the nearly new market and know you can also sell on without having to give it away. More than that, you will probably enjoy owning it too.
In many ways the Mazda is a simple family car. big boot, 5 seats with Isofix and so on, plus reasonable leg room that is OK for adults and ample for kids. But in other ways it feels like quite a special car to own.
The dashboard sweeps round to grandly position the driver as the most important being alive. While the stereo flash and pulses like a disco, don’t think this car is just about gimmicks. All the controls are well thought out, easy to find and easy to use. Plus they have a luxury soft-touch feel – something that some premium brands think is exclusive to them.
But it’s when you’re moving that that things get really good.
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| Mazda 3 in action (left) and driver's cockpit (above) |
Like Mazda’s sportscars, the gearbox has a clunky springiness which makes every gear change definite and important. Combine this with light but precise steering and you have a mouth-watering driving experience. Even with the family on board, it becomes hard to resist whizzing round the round about and clicking up a gear on the exit.
Fortunately, the interior fabrics are all dark and strong like a Volkswagen, so if you do make the rear passengers a bit ill with your racey pace, no lasting damage will be visible.
The engine you choose will make a big difference to how much fun you have driving though - and how much the fun costs you too. The test car had Mazda’s 2.2 litre diesel engine, which is refined at speed, ok in traffic and generally frugal (it achieves around 50 mpg if you are gentle). But it does seem to run out of top-end power which feels at odds with the sporty steering and gear change sensations.
So my preference would probably be a 2.0 petrol. It’s a bit cheaper on the used market and lot more fun to drive.
What’s the market like?
There are usually around 1,000 used Mazda 3s on the market at any time and they range from £3,000 for the oldest to £19,000 for ex-demonstrators.
Diesel is outnumbered 8 to 1 at present, but we expect that to slowly change over the next few years. In the meantime though, it is the petrol engines that are likely to provide you with the cheapest deal – due to the amount of available supply – and in particular the 1.6 which is the most popular seller.
What else will this budget buy?
A Mazda 3 is in direct line with all the usual suspects from Ford Focus to Volkswagen Golf. A nearly new Mazda 3 1.6 diesel (as tested) can be picked up for £15,000 with nominal mileage.
A Volkswagen Golf 1.9D is £1,000-£2,000 more while an equivalent Ford Focus is up to £2,000 less than the Mazda. The Golf is the most refined, the Ford the least, and the Mazda sits neatly in the middle. So the prices – which is as unusual on the used market as it is disappointing – exactly reflect what you get for your money.
Summary
A modern family car, that is as stylish as it is fun to drive.