* Click HERE to see a video on the Mazda3 GT *
The happy puppy
So cute, so loveable, who can resist being charmed by a fat little puppy dog? I know I can't. With a playful character and so much energy, a puppy just begs for some exercise, to run around and play tug-of-war with its squeaky-toy.
I can't help but think of such an adorable creature when I'm around the Mazda3. This frisky compact sedan has plenty of get-up-and-go, is quick on its feet, and doesn't require much dog chow to keep running.
Styling
In most cases, when manufacturers have successful models on their hands and it's time to redesign them, they get cautious. Should they take a no-risk approach with its styling, and draw a simple evolution of the car that is selling well? Or, should they go all the way with a clean sheet of paper and design a car that looks very little like the model it replaces? Although the Protegé was very popular, Mazda decided to take a chance and create a completely new car, with a new name to match.
Their bet paid off.
The Mazda3 is not only a great-looking sedan and wagon, but it sells more than the Protegé did. Just look at the car: it even looks like a happy puppy. The family resemblance is obvious, and the short nose and tail gives it a sporty appearance. The exterior styling is further enhanced in this case with the optional GFX package, which adds distinctive bumpers,
lower body cladding, power sunroof, different fog lamps as well as 17-inch alloy wheels shod with 205/50R17 tires.
The only bad side, though, is that the car is a victim of its own success; there are so many 3s on the road now that we've gotten used to it. Mazda has given birth to a very large litter of puppies...
Oh, by the way, if you want to recognize a 3 GT from the lower-end models, here's an easy clue: the GT has clear tail lamps with amber-coloured turn signals instead of the red clusters on the GX and GS models.
Mechanical
Under the hood of this GT model is the more powerful of two engines offered in the Mazda3. The 160 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque of the 2.3-litre, 16-valve inline-4 are more than enough to get this car moving with authority. The engine builds revs quickly, offers good low-end torque, and gets the front wheels spinning in no time. The shift lever is precise and encourages you to play through the gears. The 3 GT accelerates fiercely, but once you get on the highway, you'll notice the
short gearing of the transmission; the engine gets buzzy at high speeds, as revs are rather high above 120 km/h.
Driving pleasure is one the highlights of the Mazda3. Its quick steering assures rapid transitions, has virtually no center dead zone, and you can easily point the nose of the car exactly where you want it to go. The suspension is a little stiff without being rock-hard, and gives up very little body roll in corners. The torquey engine allows you to squirt through traffic with ease. If you like spirited driving, you're going to like the Mazda3.
The happy puppy
 |
| 2006 Mazda3 GT (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com) |
I can't help but think of such an adorable creature when I'm around the Mazda3. This frisky compact sedan has plenty of get-up-and-go, is quick on its feet, and doesn't require much dog chow to keep running.
Styling
In most cases, when manufacturers have successful models on their hands and it's time to redesign them, they get cautious. Should they take a no-risk approach with its styling, and draw a simple evolution of the car that is selling well? Or, should they go all the way with a clean sheet of paper and design a car that looks very little like the model it replaces? Although the Protegé was very popular, Mazda decided to take a chance and create a completely new car, with a new name to match.
Their bet paid off.
The Mazda3 is not only a great-looking sedan and wagon, but it sells more than the Protegé did. Just look at the car: it even looks like a happy puppy. The family resemblance is obvious, and the short nose and tail gives it a sporty appearance. The exterior styling is further enhanced in this case with the optional GFX package, which adds distinctive bumpers,
 |
| 2006 Mazda3 GT (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com) |
The only bad side, though, is that the car is a victim of its own success; there are so many 3s on the road now that we've gotten used to it. Mazda has given birth to a very large litter of puppies...
Oh, by the way, if you want to recognize a 3 GT from the lower-end models, here's an easy clue: the GT has clear tail lamps with amber-coloured turn signals instead of the red clusters on the GX and GS models.
Mechanical
Under the hood of this GT model is the more powerful of two engines offered in the Mazda3. The 160 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque of the 2.3-litre, 16-valve inline-4 are more than enough to get this car moving with authority. The engine builds revs quickly, offers good low-end torque, and gets the front wheels spinning in no time. The shift lever is precise and encourages you to play through the gears. The 3 GT accelerates fiercely, but once you get on the highway, you'll notice the
 |
| 2006 Mazda3 GT (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com) |
Driving pleasure is one the highlights of the Mazda3. Its quick steering assures rapid transitions, has virtually no center dead zone, and you can easily point the nose of the car exactly where you want it to go. The suspension is a little stiff without being rock-hard, and gives up very little body roll in corners. The torquey engine allows you to squirt through traffic with ease. If you like spirited driving, you're going to like the Mazda3.