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Driven: 2017 Mazda3 Hatchback

The Mazda3 isn’t a perfect car, nor does it close in on the sort of perfection one would expect from a compact hatchback from a volume brand. Objectively speaking, the 3 has its fair share of shortcomings, though none are what I would describe as deal breakers. On the other hand, it is only when you dwell beyond the compromises that you can start to see the Mazda3 for what it is. To the point, it is a more-than-basic means of personal transportation.
2017 Mazda3 Hatchback 76 photos
Photo: Florin Profir
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For the 2017 model year, the Mazda3 was subjected to a flurry of improvements. It’s not a facelift in the truest sense of the word, but the add-ons brought to the 3 are welcome nonetheless. The first detail that catches your eye when it comes to this vehicle is its lightning system, which now boasts Adaptive LED Headlights with wide-range low beams and glare-free high beams. And that’s an affirmative, the new lights are great overall performers, even in rainy weather.

While on the topic of aesthetics, the LED fog lamps also help with pretty-fying an already handsome hatchback. A little nip and tuck to the front and rear bumpers complete the exterior overhaul. The Kodo design language carries on to the inside, where the driver-centric dashboard is nicer to look at and to touch. The soft-touch, high-quality philosophy is present even in the lower half of the cabin, an area that one too many automakers wrap in cheap, scratchy, grainy plastic.

This attention to detail can be further observed once you hop in the driver’s seat. Not only is the bolstering and cushioning perfect for this type of vehicle, the fabric-and-leather upholstery gives the impression that it will last in time. A further highlight feature introduced by the 2017 Mazda3 comes in the guise of an updated Active Driving Display.

Be that as it may, there are only two niggles I identified with life onboard the Mazda3. Open the rear door and you’ll immediately notice what I’m on about. The highly sculpted exterior takes its toll on the shape of the rear door and the sill, which makes it cumbersome to get into the car. Then there’s the size of the transmission tunnel. Both tall and broad-shouldered, it hinders the seating position and legroom of the third rear passenger. This nuisance is even harder to fathom when it strikes you that the 3 doesn’t do all-wheel-drive. FWD is the norm here.

2017 Mazda3 Hatchback
Photo: Florin Profir
On the driving front, this is no MX-5 Miata. It’s getting there, though, courtesy of a multitude of reasons that make the Mazda3 one of the most entertaining cars in this segment. The fun-to-drive bona fides start with a multilink rear suspension, the kind of setup that puts plenty of other compacts to shame. It’s reassuring that not even the entry-level model is compromised by a torsion beam, but when you think about it, Mazda is renowned for not cutting back on chassis technology.

Even on 16-inch winter tires and in sub-zero conditions, the 3 feels nimble, accurate, and always willing to carve corners. It gets more alive proportionally with how hard you push it. In the Mazda3, you will often find yourself heading back home the long way only to get a load of the high-spirited driving dynamics of the damn thing.

Overly-pretentious constructions such as “neutral steering feel” don’t have a place here, chiefly because analyzing what makes the Mazda3 great in the twisties is the wrong thing to do. It is a bit like drinking wine: boring everyone around by trying to find the right words to describe the bouquet beats the purpose of enjoying wine with your friends.

“What about the G-Vectoring Control thingy?” Good question. When Mazda announced that this system would be added to the 3, I had my reservations. It’s going to dilute the driving experience, I thought to myself. I was wrong, though. In real-life scenarios, you’ll be hard-pressed to feel it working in the background. Hence, my hat is off to the engineers who managed to integrate the system so masterfully.

It should be noted, however, that the 2017 Mazda3 Hatchback with G-Vectoring Control is more forgiving when one’s talent runs out before the corner, in it, or during corner exit. Compared to the pre-facelift 3, the Japanese compact synergizes with the driver that little bit better, helping deliver oodles of that sweet, sweet Jinba-Ittai factor.

2017 Mazda3 Hatchback
Photo: Florin Profir
GVC helps the most when using too much throttle in the twisties by varying the engine torque so that the load on each of the front wheels is optimized. Bottom line is, G-Vectoring Control is a safety feature whose side effect is that of offering more confidence in the driver's abilities. And the best thing of all? In no way does it feel artificial.

At high speeds, it’s easy to notice the 2017 Mazda3 doesn’t get the same amount of sound insulation the Mazda6, CX-5, and even the CX-3 pride themselves on. Another element easily audible from the driver’s seat is the six-speed manual transmission. Especially in first and reverse, it’s hard not to be aware that some cogs are working their little hearts out to squeeze out the most the 2.0-liter SkyActiv-G engine has to offer.

Our test car is a European-spec model with the 120 PS motor, and boy does it feel that it’s naturally aspirated. Even in the lower gears, you’re immediately made aware that the 210 Nm of torque are not as tangible as the case is with turbocharged engines. But there’s a silver lining to it all, chiefly because this powertrain makes you work out that manual like a stoker feeding coal to keep the fire burning. “Enjoyable” is the word that best defines this particular engine-transmission combo.

Fun it may be, but natural aspiration is a double-edged sword for the 3. Especially in high-speed scenarios, it becomes obvious that the SkyActiv-G likes to take its sweet time when it comes down to overtaking. If your daily commute includes many miles of motorway, you are better off matching the Mazda3 Hatchback with the 2.5-liter SkyActiv-G or the torquey 2.2-liter SkyActiv-D turbo diesel.

The 2.0-liter SkyActiv-G’s reluctance to deliver the goods also takes its toll on fuel economy, mostly because you have to keep the hammer down to convince the Mazda3 to haul ass. On the upside, Mazda’s i-Stop feature helps with saving fuel in the urban jungle. Compared to the manual-equipped CX-5 diesel I tested only recently, the start/stop system is better integrated with the powertrain.

2017 Mazda3 Hatchback
Photo: Florin Profir
The clutch pedal is another high point of the human-machine interface because it blends softness with sportiness like no other clutch pedal in this class of vehicles. It's that good, and in stop-and-go traffic, it won't make your left foot go sore from repeated pressing and depressing action.

Regarding safety, the biggest addition for 2017 is what Mazda calls Advanced Smart City Brake Support. Instead of the previous year’s laser-powered system, Advanced SCBS uses a forward-facing camera that expands the speed range for detecting vehicles in front of the Mazda3. Pedestrian detection capability is another plus point.

To tell you the truth, the thing that grinds my gears most about the 2017 Mazda3 is the head-up display. The Active Driving Display is tasked with showing the driver the vehicle’s speed, yet it exhibits a small lag compared to the digital speedo integrated into the analog rev counter. When accelerating, the latter always shows two or three km/h more than the head-up display, a condition that can get stressful at night, when one’s peripheral vision is working its hardest.

Having said these, the 2017 Mazda3 Hatchback is an improvement over the old model, although it is not an overachiever such as the Volkswagen Golf. The cab-rearward body shell, excellent handling, slick-shifting manual, and effervescent engine are its most discernible hallmarks. In other areas, including trunk capacity, Mazda could have done a better job with the 3 to give it an edge over the rest of the hatchbacks that make up the increasingly competitive compact segment.

For better or for worse, the Japanese automaker didn’t fail to solidify the Mazda3’s place in my mind as one of the most delightful compacts money can buy, full stop. Probably the most satisfying thing about the Mazda3 is that it is a more substantial car that the sum of its parts would lead you into believing, metaphorically speaking. Its interior also manages to make you feel that you’re sitting in a car a class above, which is a hard trick to pull considering that the 3 is priced for every pocket.

The 2017 Mazda3 Hatchback doesn’t run with the pack, and that is what makes it stand out from the crowd.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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