Other standard-issue niceties include Bluetooth connectivity, wheel-mounted audio controls, rain-sensing wipers, a tilt and telescopic steering column and remote keyless entry. In terms of equipment content, the Mazda3 has what it takes to be competitive.
I still mistake the giant tuning knob for the volume control, which is located in the bull’s-eye of the center stack; maybe someday I’ll get used to it, but in my mind (basically a hamster running in a rusty wheel), the biggest knob on the sound system interface should be for adjusting the volume. Luckily for me, the aforementioned audio controls on the wheel save the day.
We don’t want to sound like a broken record, but the Mazda3 has a tight back seat; actually, it’s the foot space and the narrow lower portion of the doors that are the real problems, which make entry and exit somewhat of a challenge.
The 481 litres of cargo volume with the rear seat in place ranks the Mazda about mid-pack among compact hatchbacks. Wagons such as the Golf and the Hyundai Elantra Touring are obviously more spacious.
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| our 3 Sport GS tester still flaunts an ear-to-ear grin, probably hiding the nervousness it feels inside as it sees the competition catching up. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
Base price for a Mazda3 Sport is $17,495 before tax, freight and delivery, while our mid-grade GS retails for $22,165 with the automatic transmission. That’s a better deal than the 2010 model, considering the addition of the electronic stability control system.
As for WWIII, the Mazda3 must not only face the usual suspects which include the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla, but also the new Chevrolet Cruze as well as the redesigned Hyundai Elantra and Volkswagen Jetta.
The battlefield isn’t quite as crowded for the 3 Sport, but it must nonetheless confront the Dodge Caliber, the Toyota Matrix, the new Kia Forte5, the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback, the Subaru Impreza 5-door, the Volkswagen Golf 5-door, the Scion xB and the Suzuki SX4 Hatchback. Let’s not forget the oddball Nissan Juke, which is halfway between a hatchback and a crossover. It’s going to be a bloody fight.
Fortunately, no one of these cars packs a weapon of mass destruction to wipe out its enemies, so the battle will be equal for everyone. New-car shoppers who want driving involvement, a nicely-furnished cockpit, good looks and a decent amount of features for the money can check out the Mazda3; those who want the lowest possible fuel economy and the most spacious back seat might have to shop something else than a 3.
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