2014 MAZDA3 Sedan Review

The Mazda3 feels solid enough. When presented with a pothole, even one of the more serious kind, the suspension of the Mazda3 Sedan dilutes the issue pretty well, so the body doesn’t get too much of a shock.

The technical refinements don’t end there though and we’d like to take a moment to talk about Mazda’s i-Eloop energy recuperation system. Despite its odd designation, the system tops many others of its kind. First of all, it stores energy in a capacitor instead of a battery, thus saving weight. Braking energy recuperation is its top trick and, in the busy urban traffic, not once did we feel the intervention of the system. The only drawback is that it is only offered on certain engines.

Mazda’s compact sedan even comes with the Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) function as standard. This aims to prevent frontal impacts by automatically braking the vehicle at speeds between 2 and 19 mph (3 and 32 km/h). Just one of the many cards the Mazda3 plays on the safety table.

The aforementioned SCBS relies on the car’s Forward Obstruction Warning. This is a microwave-based radar system which scans the road ahead at speeds ranging from 15 to 200 km/h (9 to 124 mph), warning the driver when necessary.

In addition, the Mazda3 borrows the Mazda6 active cruise control, adding this to a host of features including Lane Departure Warning System, Distance Recognition Support System and Rear Vehicle Monitoring.

The passive safety is just as brilliant. You don’t have to take our word for this, as the Mazda3 has impressed on both sides of the pond.

We’ll start with the IIHS, which named it a Top Safety Pick+. Among others, this means the compact sedan passed the small overlap test, a trial that catches many cars that are more expensive on the wrong side. As for the Euro NCAP, this awarded the Mazda3 Sedan a five-star rating with impressive numbers, such as a 93 percent adult occupant protection. A clean ten out of ten in the safety department, then.

Before we head out onto the open road, it’s time to make a stop in order to discuss the powertrain options of the Mazda3 Sedan.

“Yes, of course not” - this is what the Mazda engineers said when presented with the option to follow the industry’s downsizing trend. We’ve already discussed the brilliant 175 hp 2.2-liter diesel in our Mazda6 test drive. We’ll remind you that this does away with most of the usual drawback of oil burners, such as their lazy feeling.

The Mazda3, be it in Sedan or Hatchback form, only receives the version with the lower output, but 150 hp and 380 Nm make up for a respectable feeling. The most important technical difference between the two output levels is one less turbine.

Alas, Mazda has delayed the US introduction of its Skyactive-D diesel, which was scheduled for this Spring. The company said it will meet the stringent American emission regulations without adding complexity via a NOx after treatment system though - no AdBlue is good news. Nevertheless, the engine is destined for the Mazda6, not the Mazda3, at least in the primary introduction phase.

Don’t worry, Mazda has gone just as Zoom-Zoom when it came to developing its Skyactive-G petrol units. Instead of strapping turbos to small-capacity engines, they opted for high compression ratios and lowered weight.

The entry-level engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit delivering 155 hp at 6,000 rpm and 148 lb-ft (200 Nm) of torque at 4,000 rpm. This makes for a balanced choice, supporting the car both in the city and out on the never-ending highways.

Those with love for the pedal on the right can go for the 2.5-liter four-cylinder mill, which churns out 184 hp at 5,700 rpm and 185 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque at 3,250 rpm.

Returning to Mazda’s engineering philosophy, we have to explain just how meticulous the Japanese were - for instance, each of the two aforementioned engines has its dedicated bore and stroke. Mazda chose efficiency over everything else, but, as we noticed during our drive, power was far from being forgotten.

It’s wonderful to still be able to bathe in the natural aspiration’s power linearity - if you’re an enthusiast, you will appreciate the smooth delivery. At the same time, those who don’t want to be bothered with driving involvement will be happy to get rid of the need to keep a turbocharged engine within its optimal rev band.

As for the financially-conscious owners, they will appreciate not having to worry about the added complexity of a turbo. The two aforementioned powerplants feel like different songs of the same voice, offering dependable power.

Speaking of money, when it comes to efficiency, Mazda’s engines have some of the best mpg ratings in the segment. We shall offer the 165 hp petrol engine as an example. This comes with EPA ratings of 30 mpg (7.8 l/100 km) city, 41 mpg (5.7 l/100 km) highway and 34 mpg (6.9 l/100 km) combined . Neat trick.

Europeans have to make do without the 2.5-liter unit, but they do get two output levels for the 2.0-liter engine. The aforementioned 165 hp version is joined by one that delivers 120 hp at 6,000 rpm, while keeping the 210 Nm peak torque. In the Old Continent context, we found this as being the most balanced choice for the Mazda3 sedan.
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This delivers a round 100 hp at 4,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 150 Nm at 4,000 rpm. While these are some of the broadest 100 hp you’ve seen, mixing efficiency with drivability, we wouldn’t recommend it. Inside the city, the 1.6-liter does a fair job, but do not ask it to overtake on the open road. It won’t be happy…and neither will you.

In the transmission department, Mazda lets you choose between a manual and an automatic, both offering six ratios. Americans can have any of the two regardless of the engine. In Europe, the automatic can’t be matched with the 1.5-liter unit and also skips the 165 hp 2.0-liter engine.

The slushbox isn’t as lively as the Mazda’s engines, but it does offer a decent experience. The biggest gripe we’ve had with it was the lack of a seventh ratio. As for the manual, this offers mildly entertaining shifting, being a good partner for the units under the hood.

A light-hearted, yet rather sure-footed attitude, this is how the Mazda3 Sedan treats the open road. The car can be easily described as a juggler who knows how to keep everybody safe while establishing a respectable connection to its driver. We can’t think of any other vehicle in the segment that makes for a more pleasureful drive.

There is, however, a small difference between the parts that brought us to this conclusion. While the suspension is slightly biased towards handling, the steering has a bit of a soft spot for comfort, being a tad too light for our taste. Nonetheless, the ride is also good, while the steering manages to squeeze just enough feedback in there in order to keep us pleased.

The handling resembles one of those cool dads that gives you the keys to his sports car, but only when he feels you’re ready for this. The understeer is kept well in check, despite the lack of any form of clever front diff.
The suspension is set up in such a way that the car enters a bend with a pro-active attitude. Nevertheless, don’t expect to be able to play with the rear end. Safety was high on the list of priorities. Thus, even when provoked with the hand brake, all the car wants to do is come back in line.

Feed the Mazda3 Sedan with a longer journey and it will reward you with just enough comfort. By no means is this a compact sedan confined to city driving. From the soundproofing to the overall feel, everything is in check.

With the Mazda3 Sedan, the carmaker has come up with an adorable little sister for the Mazda6 - notice we used “sister”, not “brother”, as required by the finesse displayed by these models.

At the heart of the Mazda3 we find a balanced recipe. One that makes up the best past of the car. The sporty Mazda spirit is mixed with practicality and dependability that are not far behind those of a Toyota Corolla. This was topped a premium aroma, something like the VW Jetta has to offer. The end result leaves us with what is our pick in the compact sedan segment. As for the European side of the comparison, the conclusion stays the same, despite the extra offerings in the class.

We’re talking about the SEAT Leon, but this is only true for the well-gifted versions of the Spanish model.

Regarding the drawbacks of the Mazda3 Sedan, we found a group of them rather than a major one. The visibility could be better and we also felt the need for some extra storage compartments in the cabin.

Staying in the negative area, we’ll also mention that the 1.5-liter petrol engine offered in Europe is best avoided, at least if your travel plan includes serious open road portions.

When it comes to pricing, the Mazda3 Sedan is found in the upper tier of the compact sedan class. In spite of that, its nicely sorted overall package earns it a ten in the value for money race.

The MSRP ranges between US$ 16,945 and US$ 24,595, plus a US$ 795 destination charge. As for the European pricing, Mazda’s German arm offers the Mazda3 Sedan for between EUR 20,790 and EUR 32,750, including 19 percent VAT. Nevertheless, there are other markets where the Mazda3 Sedan pricing starts as low as EUR 16,690, with a VAT rate of 24 percent included.

And spending that kind of money on a Mazda3 will definitely make you happy.