All the Mazda you Need
The Mazda 3 has been such a hit since its North American introduction that it's earned the distinction of being Mazda's best selling vehicle here. It
comes available with two engine options, two body styles and with plenty of great features- meaning that through options and packaging, Mazda really wants to make sure there is a 3 that's just right for your driveway.
For 2007, a facelift creates various refreshments but the underlying factors responsible for its success remain basically unchanged. There is a new front bumper, grille, wheels, fog lamps and a few tweaks to the rear end- including a high-mounted brake light on the spoiler and some classy looking LED lights flanking the big rear window. All in all, it might be hard to distinguish between the 2007 and the 2006, but you'll notice the chunkier grille and square fog lamps on the new model work to differentiate it just a touch further from its competition, while the whole effect is mild enough to keep fans happy.
My tester was an electric blue mica Sport model with moon roof, leather seats and automatic 5-speed with sport-shift function. Fitted with an
in-dash 6-disc changer, leather wrapped steering wheel and a few other goodies; it carried a sticker price of $28,400. It's about as fully loaded as the 3 Sport gets, and as I discovered in my testing, it's full of little surprises that make a big difference.
Under the hood, a 2.3 litre four-banger with dual cams, variable timing and a few factory installed performance goodies creates 160 horsepower. The sole engine available on the 3 Sport, it is versatile by way of its Variable Valve Timing (VVT) system, sounds good when pushed and has adequate off-the-line and passing power. Shifts from the automatic gearbox are imperceptible at low throttle and snappy when the driver hurries. The manual mode is reasonably quick as well, though it's no substitute for a stick. You can save $1,100 from the as-tested sticker price if you prefer to shift your own gears.
The "Sport" designation is for fun, but it's totally serious. Though the 3 isn't exceptionally powerful, its brakes are strong and the steering is fun and light. Extra body stiffening and revised suspensions this year have helped counter much of the body roll present in tall-ish vehicles like this,
though a small amount remains. The ride on 17" wheels with Eagle RSA tires is plenty quiet, and the little 3 has lots of grip to play with. Although I prefer a heavier steering in a sporty vehicle, the 3 uses a quick ratio and is precise. Only on the roughest roads does the suspension get a bit noisy, but still well within acceptable limits.
The interior is mainly constructed of hard plastics, although the look is second to none in this price range. Getting in and out any of the 4 doors is easy, and passengers are greeted by plenty of headroom and great legroom in front. The rear seats can be a bit cramped for 3 grown-ups, but keep the bigger ones up front and you're not likely to hear many complaints. The only one I've got concerns driver knee-room. On long trips, I found my knees wanting to rest on the hard plastic door panel and centre console.
The Mazda 3 has been such a hit since its North American introduction that it's earned the distinction of being Mazda's best selling vehicle here. It
 |
| (Photo: Justin Pritchard) |
For 2007, a facelift creates various refreshments but the underlying factors responsible for its success remain basically unchanged. There is a new front bumper, grille, wheels, fog lamps and a few tweaks to the rear end- including a high-mounted brake light on the spoiler and some classy looking LED lights flanking the big rear window. All in all, it might be hard to distinguish between the 2007 and the 2006, but you'll notice the chunkier grille and square fog lamps on the new model work to differentiate it just a touch further from its competition, while the whole effect is mild enough to keep fans happy.
My tester was an electric blue mica Sport model with moon roof, leather seats and automatic 5-speed with sport-shift function. Fitted with an
 |
| (Photo: Justin Pritchard) |
Under the hood, a 2.3 litre four-banger with dual cams, variable timing and a few factory installed performance goodies creates 160 horsepower. The sole engine available on the 3 Sport, it is versatile by way of its Variable Valve Timing (VVT) system, sounds good when pushed and has adequate off-the-line and passing power. Shifts from the automatic gearbox are imperceptible at low throttle and snappy when the driver hurries. The manual mode is reasonably quick as well, though it's no substitute for a stick. You can save $1,100 from the as-tested sticker price if you prefer to shift your own gears.
The "Sport" designation is for fun, but it's totally serious. Though the 3 isn't exceptionally powerful, its brakes are strong and the steering is fun and light. Extra body stiffening and revised suspensions this year have helped counter much of the body roll present in tall-ish vehicles like this,
 |
| (Photo: Justin Pritchard) |
The interior is mainly constructed of hard plastics, although the look is second to none in this price range. Getting in and out any of the 4 doors is easy, and passengers are greeted by plenty of headroom and great legroom in front. The rear seats can be a bit cramped for 3 grown-ups, but keep the bigger ones up front and you're not likely to hear many complaints. The only one I've got concerns driver knee-room. On long trips, I found my knees wanting to rest on the hard plastic door panel and centre console.