First Glance
Sparky, my neighbor's Mini Doberman, thinks he's the king of the block, and he's irresistible, even to other dogs. Can a car be cute and aggressive simultaneously? The Mazda3 takes the basic hatchback shape and adds muscular bulges at the hood and fender wells for a contemporary, athletic look. Nothing too extreme, just a rounding of the econobox formula, not unlike the Toyota Matrix/Subaru Outback. A subtle spoiler crowns the rear lift gate, adding a sporty touch. 17-inch alloy wheels keep this car from looking like a toy.The paint quality on the Mazda3 is very good – not as smooth and lustrous as you might find on an Infiniti or Lexus, but rich looking for a sub-$20,000 car. Even seams and gaps adorn the car, adding to the impression of high quality. My "Copper Red Mica" test vehicle worked the look really well.
If a car's headlights are its eyes, the Mazda3's eyes are feline and penetrating, accenting the aggressive look. A smiley grille in between the eyes say that this car is about fun. Big taillights wrap the rear corners, lapping over onto the tailgate. In practical terms, the Mazda3's lighting package provides great visibility from all angles – an important factor when you're driving a small car on SUV clogged streets.
In the Driver's Seat
The Mazda3 comes equipped with a full array of airbags, front and rear side-impact and side-curtain. If you've ever seen film of these devices in action, you'll want them in your next car. Driver and front-passenger seatbelts are adjustable for height, a great feature for the vertically challenged.
A molded plastic cargo cover conceals valuables behind the 60/40 fold down back seat, and a cleverly constructed load floor lifts to reveal additional hidden storage for tools and such.
On the Road
The Mazda3 S's 2.3 liter 16-valve 4 cylinder engine has variable valve timing and pumps out 160 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque -- plenty of power for this 2826 lb vehicle in most driving situations. Actually, it's enough power to make the Mazda3 positively zippy with its great 5-speed manual transmission and light clutch. I loved driving this car – its size and maneuverability are perfect for city traffic. A tight (34.1 ft) turning radius and small overhangs make the Mazda3 a breeze to park, and you can bang a U-turn on a suburban street without ever hitting reverse.Four-wheel independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and rack-and-pinion power-assisted steering combine to deliver a responsive, sporty ride from the front-wheel drive setup. With standard front and rear stabilizer bars and a low center of gravity, the Mazda3 handles like a slot car. I hope Mazda's performance arm, Mazdaspeed, will toy with the 3 -- this car would really rock with a turbocharger and beefed up suspension parts. Mazda won't talk about future products, and there's no guarantee that they'll ever get around to souping up the 3. Take a look under the hood and you'll see that they've left plenty of space for upgrades. Aftermarket, anyone?
Journey's End
The Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, Subaru Impreza Wagon and Scion xA are worth a look from Japan. Chrysler's PT Cruiser, Chevrolet's HHR and Ford's Focus ZXW SES are also good values – no econoboxes here. Under $20,000, it's hard to find a 5-Door (let's call it a Wagon) that's as much fun to drive and as well-designed as the Mazda3 S.
I took one of my most critical friends – she's a rocket scientist, literally, for NASA – out for a ride in the Mazda3, and she went over the car with a fine-toothed comb. After time under the hood, crawling under the rear suspension and climbing in and out of the passenger compartment for half an hour, my friend declared the Mazda3 "a nice piece of engineering." And after a few turns around town and up a few twisty roads, my friend declared the Mazda3 "a hoot. How much is this car?" From an engineer, that's the equivalent of clapping your hands and laughing like a hyena. The Mazda3 can do that to you. Let it.
