As the fourth best selling subcompact car in Canada for 2015 (behind Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla), the Mazda3, in both four-door sedan and five-door hatch (Mazda3 Sport), continues as one of the best handling and most fuel efficient vehicles in the segment.
Exterior design is sleek and elegant, and the same can be said for its high quality interior. Front seat comfort is excellent and all dials and buttons operate with expensive precision. However, the central speedometer is small and not backlit, and the flanking digital readouts are dim, monochromic and look dated. In comparison, the new Civic and Elantra sport bright and colourful displays.
Not found in competitors is the Mazda Connect infotainment interface with Euro-style console mounted control knob with twist, nudge and press functions. This system is intuitive but the lack of radio preset buttons results in too many distracting operations when making or seeking presets.
Two four-cylinder engines are available – a 2.0L making 155 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque (G, GX, GS), and a 2.5L pushing out 184 hp and 185 lb-ft (GT). Both can be mated to six-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed automatic. The GT’s auto gets paddle shifters and Sport mode.
The Mazda3 stands out from the pack with its quick, accurate steering and finely tuned chassis. This makes for an engaging drive, but the Mazda3 suffers from excessive wind and road noise, and the ride can get harsh on the optional 18-inch wheels.
The 2016 Mazda3 sedan starts at $15,550 for the G with power windows, keyless entry, 16-inch steel wheel, dual exhaust, push button start and 4-speaker audio with limited functions. This car has no air conditioning, Bluetooth, tachometer or trip computer, and the six-speed auto (optional on the GX and GS for $1300) is not on the menu here.
For most, the realistic Mazda3 entry point will be the $18,350 GX that gets air conditioning, back up camera, steering wheel mounted cruise controls, 6-speaker audio Bluetooth, tachometer, trip computer, added interior lighting, and 7-inch touchscreen with Mazda Connect.
The $19,850 GS adds 16-inch alloys, heated front seats, auto headlights, premium cloth, 60/40 split rear seat, leather wrapped wheel and shift knob, and heated door mirrors with integrated turn signals.
Opt for the $25,350 Mazda3 GT and we see the 184-hp 2.5L engine with six-speed manual transmission and 18-inch alloys. If you want the automatic transmission with GT-specific paddle shifters, pay $2100, but this also begets the Luxury Package: leather, 9-speaker Bose, Bi-Xenon headlights, voice activated navigation and more. The Luxury package is also available with the manual transmission car for the same $2100.
Only available on the GT is the Technology Package ($2500) that includes front collision mitigation braking, rear cross traffic alert, i-ELoop regenerative braking, blind spot monitoring, adaptive front headlights with auto-dimming, SiriusXM, auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink and active grill shutters.
Add $1000 to any of these Mazda3 sedan trims for the rakish and more functional Sport hatchback body style. Cargo volume is 572/1334 litres.
