AFTER a few weeks driving big jeeps and small two-door cars it was a pleasure to return to a normal mid-size family saloon last week. Mazda has given their
‘3’ a discreet make over and it was time to give it a test run.
Some people try to preserve their youthful looks by getting facelifts and the end results are not always what was originally intended. But motor cars are able to take more work on their bodies and they always look refreshed after a mid-life makeover. And so it is with the Mazda 3. The car now has a fresher look to it, but it’s still competing in a very tough market with the likes of the VW Golf, Opel Astra and Ford Focus all vying with it for buyers.
The main changes are at the front, which now has a sportier look and new bumpers which we are told improves aerodynamics. There is also a nice amber touch on the headlamps. The changes to the front are important as the old saying tells us that first impressions are lasting. Changes to the suspension means improved handling and there are slight changes at the rear also. Now if only we could have do a similar
‘nip and tuck’ with our own bodies.
Mazda is now a worldwide company, but the
‘3’ is still built in Japan.
The 1.6 litre diesel engine is the same as that in the award-winning Peugeot 3008. There are slight changes to the dash with an improved centre console and the sporty-looking steering wheel is packed with slave controls.
On the road this is a smooth, comfortable motor and I can picture a family setting off for a relaxing drive on lovely Sunday afternoon or indeed on a bright spring evening. And you won’t have to shout to be heard as Noise Vibration Harshness (NVH) has been reduced. When you are testing a new car in summer time you tend to forget to check what it’s like at night time, but I had reason to drive the car late at night and the lights were excellent. The boot is a decent size and you get a
‘mini’ spare wheel.
Prices start at
?¬19,795, while the 1.6 litre diesel model I drove will cost you
?¬23,895. C02 emissions are low at 115g and road tax is at the current lowest rate of
?¬160. Worldwide over three million units of the Mazda 3 have been sold and that’s pretty good for a car that’s still a niche brand. In the UK Mazda has discontinued their saloon version, but in Ireland we seem to love our saloons.
This is very decent motor, but I think Mazda could do with a bit more marketing to let the Irish public know just how good a car it really is. A few weeks back I said that the new Hyundai Veloster would probably be most attractive for female drivers. Well I think the Mazda 3 is probably a car that will be attract more male drivers.