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| (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com) |
The 3 Sport gets a 2.3 liter gas engine up front, which makes 160 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful cars in its price range. I was concerned as to whether or not this engine would be another wheezy, tinny sounding four cylinder which tries to make up for dismal low-end performance by doing a trick with its timing when the revs begin to climb, at which point you've become so disappointed that it doesn't matter. Given Mazda's tagline, I thought I might be in for a treat.
And zoom-zoom it does! Put your foot down and the 3 tears off the line like a startled cat, with ample torque to put you firmly into your seat as you begin to accelerate. The flat power curve eliminates the need for excessive gear-hunting in city driving, and the engine doesn't have to be revved to oblivion to feel like its working. It is more than eager to pull through the upper quarter of the rev counter if desired. The clutch is so light that even when inching through construction zones, I didn't find myself wishing I had an automatic like I have in other cars. The throw between gears is short and precise, with the step between each being noticeable enough to comfortably row through the cogs in a hurry but not intrusive. The shifter mechanism wouldn't feel at all out of place in a sports coupe.
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| (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com) |
Mazda has installed a cold-air intake as factory equipment, as well as a low-restriction, equal length exhaust manifold (also known as a header) to help the engine's performance. Electro-hydraulic steering assistance does away with power-robbing belt driven pumps, one more trick to make sure less power is used up before making it to the pavement. This thoughtful engineering also adds another dimension to the engine: it helps make its job easier. You'll get the sense that the 3's engine just doesn't work very hard to do what it does. This comes to life when driving it hard- even at higher RPM, full throttle operation, it's extremely quiet and transmits little if any vibration to the passenger compartment. It is a powerful engine, but it doesn't announce it. At idle, a quick check of the instruments is needed to re-assure you that the 3 still running. I think an aftermarket muffler may be a popular investment for some, since there is a grunty, aggressive tone hiding within the little whiff of noise the 3 calls its exhaust note.
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| (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com) |
Independent suspension and 17 inch wheels are a good recipe for handling. However, a 5 door hatchback body configuration is generally not. In order to make a car like the 3 handle well, the suspension would likely have to be so stiff that ride quality would suffer. What Mazda has done though is created a setup which offers the best of both. The car does lean into corners a fair bit, which in itself tends to make inexperienced drivers nervous. But the suspension is tuned so that all of the leaning occurs when you first enter the corner, and adjusting your angle while cornering at speed finds the car remaining at the same pitch but able to react precisely to your inputs. The big tires add to the road holding capability, and the electro-hydraulic steering helps add to the accurate feel. The end result is a well dampened, comfortable ride, and abundant grip in corners once you overcome the initial body roll.
