Through the wide-mouth (and I'm not talking about an obnoxious in-law) rear hatch of the Sport, a cavernous cargo-hold presents itself when the back seats are folded
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| The Sport model offers a cavernous cargo-hold, especially when the back seats are folded flat. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
flat. This area adds a dimension of practicality to the sporty Mazda3 that is unexpectedly ample and truly appreciated. I was quite impressed when my full-size road-bike was swallowed up inside without the need to pop off the front wheel, which is generally the case when I stuff the Italian steed into even larger vehicles. The practical side of the Mazda3 also appeared when I chose to shoehorn it into a tiny parking space on a crowded street. Normally I park in the first available spot of decent proportion, but the rain was pelting and I had to get Junior into a medical office. With the grace of a ballerina, and aided by it's sharp turning radius and abbreviated length, the Mazda3 adeptly slotted itself into a tiny spot between two rows of parked cars - with very little assistance on my part. Arriving home
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| Propelling this little tiger is a DOHC I-4, 2.3-liter mill that produces 160-horsepower. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
sometime later with Junior's clean bill of health, I reversed into my garage and gazed in wide wonder at how little floor space my GT ride claimed as its own. Of course motionless in a garage is not how to admire any vehicle - let alone one as inspiring as the Mazda3 Sport GT. Driving the little family hauler is akin to piloting a quality sports car. I reminded myself several times that I was not in a Miata or
RX8 for that matter, but a compact five-door hatchback. Propelling this little tiger is a DOHC I-4, 2.3-liter mill that produces 160-horsepower, thanks in part to its sequential, variable valve timing technology, which optimizes the timing of valve operations. Smoothing out the vibration inherent in 4-cylinder designs is a rotating counter balance shaft spinning at twice the speed of the crankshaft.
