Two years ago I said I was going to buy a Mazda3 in a year, and that didn’t happen. Although the plan never entirely disappeared, it did fizzle away. I still liked the car, but there were other venues that were in greater need of my funds than a new car. However, after a sudden hiccup at the end of this past May and losing my patience with my 1995 Tercel, I went on a bit of a whim and purchased a 2006 Mazda3.

Little has changed in the two years, although now there is solid evidence that the Mazda3 is doing for Mazda what the Civic did for Honda. Even being over 2.5 years old, with a redesigned Civic and the new Dodge Caliber showing up in that time, I still wouldn’t hesitate to call the Mazda3 the best in class, although the Mazda3’s lead has certainly been narrowed.

In Canada, there are 5 models of the Mazda3. The first three are the sedans, the GX (148hp), GS (148hp), and GT (160hp). The other two are the Sport GS (160hp) and the Sport GT (160hp), the hatchback form that closely mirrors the packaging of the GS and GT packages of the sedan. In 2004 I tested a manual sedan GS with the smaller 2.0L 148hp engine, but not being a fan of sedans in general, I recently test drove and purchased a manual Mazda3 Sport GT with the larger 2.3L 160hp engine.


Exterior Styling
The Mazda3’s styling has always drawn me in, although it took a bit of time to fall in love with the hatchback’s styling. Quite simply, the Mazda3 does not have the look of a bland entry-level car, and even looks better than a number of vehicles that are twice the price. The new design of the Civic wasn’t enough to make me like it, the KIA Spectra5 and Chevy Optra5 are bland, the VW Jetta took on the appearance of a Toyota, and the Dodge Caliber has too much plastic, leaving the Mazda3 to be the winner of the pageant in both sedan and hatchback forms.

It’ll be a few years yet before there are any considerable changes to the exterior styling, with the only real changes to date being a few different paint colours and clear LED taillights in some models. Unfortunately Mazda decided to discontinue the Lava Orange paint colour and replace it with Copper Red for 2006, which was almost enough to take the Mazda3 off my wish list, but I found reconciliation in the Winning Blue colour that I ended up choosing.


Interior
Two years ago I didn’t really see why everybody was saying the interior of the 3 was so great. It was nice, but it didn’t strike me as being all that wonderful. However, perhaps due to two years in my Tercel, my views have shifted, and I have to agree that the interior of the Mazda3 is excellent. Alas, it is still the weakest component of the car, but it is still a class-leading interior and absolutely nothing to whine about.

Seats
The driver’s seat is lovely, providing good support in all ways and allowing vertical and horizontal adjustments, and practically reclines to be completely flat. The tilt and telescoping steering wheel makes it quite easy to find a comfortable driving position. At 5㤒 or so, headroom is ample even with the moonroof. Legroom is plenty good, although I find my right leg rubs against the center console, but not too badly. I’ve already gone on a 6-hour trip (3 hours each way), and found the seat was comfortable for the duration. Based on how I felt after 3 hours, I’d say I probably could have gone 4-5 hours without the need to get up and move around.

I haven’t spent more that a few kilometers in the passenger and rear seats, but I’ve only heard good things from the people that have sat in them. The passenger seat is much like the driver’s seat, but without the height adjustment, leaving you feeling a little low in the vehicle. However, headroom and legroom are excellent. The rear seats can officially seat three, but in reality you wouldn’t want more than two adults back there. Like most small cars, the leg room back there isn’t anything to revel in and lacks thigh support thigh support. However, they’re otherwise comfortable seats, and everybody that sits back there is delighted to find that the windows go all the way down – not those annoying child windows.

The rear seats easily fold down in a 60/40 split, and leave a near-flat surface with lots of room to store cargo.

Cargo Area/Trunk
I have been delighted to see the revival of hatchbacks in recent years, as they provide the functionality of an SUV, yet give you the performance of a sedan. Even though the trunk in the sedan form of the Mazda3 is fairly large, the extra space of the hatchback is great to have. With the rear seats down, I can fit my mountain bike inside (with the wheel off), and there’s plenty of room to take all the gear I’d need for a lengthy camping trip. The Sport GT comes with an easy-to remove cover for the back area, which doesn’t eat up too much room and helps keep things out of view to prying eyes. The jack, tow hook, and spare tire (donut) are behind and under covers in the cargo area, leaving you with a clean and carpeted cargo area. However, because the carpet is not particularly durable, I’ll be investing in the rubber cargo mat.

Compartments
The glove compartment in the Mazda3 is the largest I’ve ever seen, with more room than I know what to do with. The salesman said that a 15-inch laptop can fit in there, and I wouldn’t doubt it. You can easily get a big 2L water bottle in there and still have plenty of room left over. There are two cup holders next to the parking brake and behind the shifter, so you can’t put big cups in them without bashing into them when you are shifting. There are bottle holders in all four doors.

There is a small compartment below the climate controls with a removable ash tray in it, otherwise good for a few pieces of paper and parking passes. Between the front seats is a 2-compartment console, with the top compartment made for glasses (it’s lined with felt), and the bottom being the ideal size for CDs. There is a map pocket on the back of the driver’s seat, but not on the passenger’s seat. A big turnoff is that the rear seats lack any sort of storage compartments. If there were hide-able cup holders on the back of the center console (as in the Toyota Matrix & Pontiac Vibe), that would be ideal.

Dash & Controls
Everything is clearly visible and easy to understand. It’s been hard adjusting to having the speedometer starting at the 6-o’clock position, whereas most other vehicles start at 8- or 9-o’clock. The steering wheel feels very nice in your hands, with easy to use cruise control and audio controls on certain models. The climate controls are basic and work well, although I have found that the air conditioning is a little weak on hot and sunny days. Automatic climate control is in store for the 2007 model year.

The audio controls are easy to figure out and produce crisp and clean sound in the 6-speaker system I have (2 or 4-speakers in lower models). As far as stock sound systems go, the Mazda3 is about as good as I’ve seen it, and I don’t envision making any upgrades. For 2006 a trip computer was added, giving you information about the outside temperature, your fuel efficiency, how many kilometers you can drive with your remaining gas, and your average speed. Since my car is new, the figures are still working themselves out, but in my 4Runner I’ve enjoyed having that information at my fingertips. All in all, the Mazda3 has a very functional layout that is easy to understand.

Visibility
Both the sedan and hatchback provide good visibility in all directions, with no glaring blind spots. Coupled with the adjustable driver’s seat, it’s easy to find a position in the vehicle where you feel very comfortable and have a good idea of where the car is sitting on the road.

Noise
Noise was and still is an issue. Engine and wind noise are noticeable, but well controlled. Even with the moonroof open, wind noise doesn’t get too bad. Road noise, however, is much more obtrusive and can be quite bad on older road surfaces. Maintaining a conversation isn’t difficult, and considering that this is an entry-level vehicle, I can’t complain too much about the road noise.

Quality
Being the first Mazda that anybody in my family has ever owned, I’m hoping that it proves to be a reliable and affordable vehicle. Based on the initial quality, I’m not worried one bit. There are no rattles or cheap and flimsy plastics. With exception to the carpeting (which I’ll be covering with all weather floor mats), the fabrics are high quality and durable. When you open and close doors, they sound solid. Despite looking great, the exterior paint is known to chip fairly easily, causing me to cover part of the hood and mirrors with 3M clear film (~C$250).

In the two and a half years since the Mazda3 was first introduced, I’ve kept my eye on it, watching for reliability issues and other complaints. In line with my first impression two years ago, the Mazda3 has shown itself to be a quality vehicle, with the worst complaints being about poor carpet durability and somewhat weak air conditioning. Compared to a lot of other vehicles, those are small potatoes. If the Mazda3 were going to be a troublesome vehicle, you’d have heard of far worse regular problems by now.


Performance
Some people simply want a vehicle that will get them from point A to point B without breaking down, and that was what my Tercel did. However, I’m not one of those people, and swapping the Tercel with the Mazda3 reminded me how much fun driving can be. Sure, the Mazda3 is far from being a sports car, but it’s plenty fun anyways.

Engine
The Mazda3 comes with two available 4 cylinder engines, both of which provide enough gusto that you don’t have to put the pedal to the mat any time you want to merge. The GX and GS models of the sedan come with a 2.0L 148hp engine with 135 lb. ft. of torque, which does quite a good job of moving the vehicle, and is more than adequate for daily driving conditions. The GT and Sport models come equipped with the larger 2.3L engine with 160hp and 150 lb. ft. of torque, but since these models are heavier, the power difference is barely noticeable. Even though it is easy to get the wheels to chirp when taking off from a standstill, the real power of the engine doesn’t seem to come until you get over 4000 RPM. This is fine for when you need to merge or pass on a highway, but isn’t that great when you’re trying to get in front of somebody from a dead stop.

Transmission
It’s wonderful to be back to a manual transmission, and especially one as smooth and easy to shift as the Mazda3’s. The throws are short, and the shifter is placed in just the right spot for comfort. The vehicle rarely lugs, and stalling isn’t too big of a threat - a far cry from the manual transmissions of yore. I’ve never tested out the automatic transmission, but it is well documented by others that it really detracts from the 3’s sporty character, even with its “manumatic” ability.

Fuel Efficiency
One of the best parts of my Tercel was that it was great on gas, even getting over 50 miles to the gallon at times. I knew full well that moving to the Mazda3’s larger engine and increased weight would yield less impressive numbers, but I’m still fairly happy with the early results. As of now, the figure of mixed highway and city driving is about 32 mpg, and that’s with some fairly aggressive driving (but nothing too insane since I’m still breaking it in). With a 55L tank, this should end up netting me about 800 kilometers to the tank. A lot of other drivers report receiving between 25 to 35 miles per gallon. In a month I should have a better idea of exactly how good my Mazda3 is on gas, and I’ll be able to see if the computer display provides an accurate gas mileage reading.

Ride
The ride is rougher than I recall from 2004, but this can be attributed to the larger 17-inch rims that are on my Sport GT, compared to the 15-inch rims that were on the GS I tested back then. The ride is fairly firm, making the Mazda3 great for spirited driving, but not so great for passengers seeking a luxurious ride. I personally prefer to be connected with the road and be able to feel bumps and road surfaces, so I’m happy with the ride quality.

Handling
The handling department is where the Mazda3 shines, begging you to find cloverleaves and twisty roads where you can go tearing around corners and feel in control every bit of the way. The turning circle is 10.4 meters, or roughly 34 feet, which is good to average, but it feels better than that and you’ll have no problem navigating through congested areas or making quick U-turns. For me, handling is one of the most important factors in any vehicle, and the Mazda3 keeps a smile on my face.

Braking
The front and rear disc brakes are phenomenal, capable of bringing the Mazda3 from 100 km/h (or 27.8 m/s) down to a dead stop in a mere 25 meters. However, this doesn’t mean that the brakes are too sensitive, as they’re very smooth when you want to come to a more gradual stop. The ABS (only present in some models) works very well, and when engaged will cut power from the engine to assist with braking. Coupled with the 3’s impeccable handling, the Mazda3 is a great vehicle for collision avoidance.

Safety
The Mazda3 has been jilted by some publications because it doesn’t meet the highest standard of safety, particularly when it comes to side impacts. However, in the US, side impact airbags are an option, and in 2007 they’ll be standard equipment in Canada and the US. Once they become standard equipment, the Mazda3 will be among the safest vehicles in its class, as it already has good front and rear crash test ratings. Current safety features include dual-stage front airbags, meaning they’ll inflate at different rates depending on your speed and rate of deceleration. The driver’s side airbag will deploy in different ways depending on the position of the driver’s seat. The passenger side airbag will only inflate if the sensor in the seat indicates that there is a weight of 55 lbs or more present. The brake pedal retracts in the event of a fontal collision, which helps prevent foot and leg injuries. Coming from a vehicle where the only safety feature was a seatbelt, I’m not complaining about the few things that the Mazda3 doesn’t have.


Price
The Mazda3 is far from the cheapest vehicle out there, but it has always been one of the best values. The price has gone up a few hundred dollars since 2004, but considering the demand for Mazda3’s and the improvements that have been made, Mazda still isn’t making a huge profit off of any individual Mazda3. Keep in mind that these are the Canadian models at Canadian prices, so you can take roughly ten percent off the price for an equivalent price in the US. Add $1100 for an automatic transmission and another $1000 for AC.

GX - $16 500
The GX is as basic as it comes, with an available $600 convenience package that gives you power locks, two more speakers, steering wheel audio controls, keyless entry, and other features well worth the extra $600.
GS - $17 900
A nice middle of the road model with all of the features of the GS with the convenience package, plus a few other extras and more optional packages.
Touring Edition - $21 000
A nice mix between the GS and GT, providing many of the luxuries of the GT, while sticking with the 2.0L engine. The TE is only available in the Copper Red Mica colour, and production of it is limited.
GT - $21 350
The biggest attraction to this model over the GS is the larger engine, plus it allows for a 5-speed automatic transmission instead of the 4-speed automatic transmission on the GX and GS. The GT model includes AC.

Sport GS - $20 400
The Sport GS is nicely equipped, and what I had initially planned on buying. However, the Sport GT was a little more enticing because of its few extras.
Sport GT - $21 700
Because I wanted cruise control, 6 speakers instead of 4, and I prefer the look with the LED Hanabi taillights and the spoiler, and wanted the option for a power moonroof ($800), the GT seemed like it was worth the extra money. Plus, since it comes with an alarm, it saves money on insurance, and it’ll all help with resale. The only thing I didn’t bother with was the Luxury package, which consists of heated leather seats and a 6-disc in-dash CD changer for $1100.

What’d I get?
I purchased a Winning Blue Sport GT with a moonroof, 3M protection, window tinting, wheel locks, and a year of Sirius satellite radio. I paid about MSRP, and could have probably done better, but I’m still happy with how it turned out.
The car (including accessories, freight & PDI): $25 948
GST/Fees/Levies: $2211 - $259 (GST credit) = $1952
Total Cost: $27 550


Conclusion
Purchasing my blue 3 may have put me back in the red, but I don’t regret the decision. Sure, the delight of it being my new car has yet to wear off, and is undoubtedly testing my objectivity, but I’m not alone in my praise for the Mazda3. There’s a good reason why I see dozens of them on the road each day, as they’re simply an excellent value that defy the traditional image of an entry-level car. Styling isn’t sacrificed, the interior isn’t sacrificed, and the performance certainly isn’t sacrificed. It’s as well-rounded as a car gets, and a vehicle that you must check out if you’re looking to buy a new car under $30 000.