Mazda3 Review - Doing Things Differently
A Brief History of the Wankel Engine
The Wankel rotary engine. Without getting complicated, petrol engines work on a system of intake, compression, combustion and exhaust. Rotary engines do the same thing but rather than having a piston moving up and down, a rotary engine has, guess what, a rotor which spins around in its own chamber.
Early examples had a problem with the carbon tips that touched the side of the chamber because they overheated. They also tended to have a thirst for fuel and oil. However, on the plus side, they’re much smaller than a conventional engine and, because of fewer moving parts, they tend to be seriously smooth. However, they’ve never really caught on, except with one company. Mazda.
Is The Rotary Engine Returning?
The Mazda RX-7 was the company’s first successful rotary-engine model in the UK, followed by the RX-8 which has built a really good following and is still gorgeous to look at. It was discontinued in European markets in 2010 because it failed emission standards.
So has the rotary engine been a one (two?) hit wonder, never to be seen again? Well, after a long delay, it’s back in the new Mazda MX-30 R-EV, which I’ll hopefully be trying out in a couple of months.
For the rest of the Mazda range, it’s petrol or, shock, diesel. In fact, Mazda hasn’t exactly raced ahead with electric technology, apart from the MX-30, they’re sticking with conventional engines and argue that the latest oil burners are incredibly efficient bits of technology. You see, they do things differently.
Take the Mazda3 for example. It comes with a range of mild-hybrid petrol engines and, in our eyes anyway, is a really attractive bit of design.
There’s something a bit old-school about Mazda. They build the sort of cars you can hop in and feel instantly at home. The Mazda3 - now in its 4th generation - is a great example.
Mazda3 Engine
Under the bonnet, there’s either a 2.0 litre e-SkyActiv-X engine which develops 183bhp, or a 2.5 litre e-SkyActiv-G which manages 138bhp. You can go for a 6-speed manual (we did) or an auto. The manual ‘box is terrific. Slick, short throw, easy to use with a nicely weighted clutch. Both versions are available as a hatchback. You can get the 2.0-litre model in a saloon, but it’ll be a rarity as we don’t buy small-ish saloons in this country.
The power goes to the front wheels and 0-60mph takes 8 seconds. There’s quite a sporty feel to the ride. The downside is that it feels a tad firm at town speeds, although I suspect this is due to the chunky 18-inch wheels and low-profile tyres. The upside is that the handling is pin-sharp and getting very close to being described as fun. Another plus is that this is a quiet car to nip around and a terrific motorway cruiser.
Price
Prices for the hatchback start at a tempting £24,010 (Nov 24), but I’d spend an additional £1500 and go for the Homura trim. More about what you get very shortly.
I’d also recommend going for the 2.0-litre model, which is well worth the extra cash. Although £28.005 is starting to get a little bit punchy, it’s still the best engine to go for and with a predicted mpg of 50.4, it’s usefully economical.
Interior
The build quality and interior fitments are top-notch and there’s a seriously premium feel to the way everything looks and how it works.
And what about the kit you get with Homura trim? This is a well-equipped car. You get front and rear parking sensors, DAB radio, sat nav, climate control, wireless smartphone charging, heated seats, 10.25-inch centre display screen, LED headlights, reversing camera and a head-up display which projects info like sat nav directions and speed onto the windscreen. There’s not much else you need really.
There are buttons for temperature control and a really good rotary controller for adjusting the display info. It’s a great system, easy to use and certainly beats trying to stab at a screen as you drive along. You also get a host of safety gadgets as well. Overall, this is a seriously well-equipped car. Bear that in mind when comparing the Mazda3 2.0 litre to the competitors.
Summary
Mazda does things differently. They don’t follow the crowd and continue - this isn’t meant to be a detracting comment - to make sensible cars.
The Mazda3 is comfortable, well-equipped and well-priced. It’s good to drive, economical and has an extremely smart exterior which rivals all of the premium brands. It looks good on your drive and is actually rather distinctive.
Mazda isn’t the first name that car buyers think of. Pity they don’t know what they’re missing.
words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Mazda
