The Mazda 3 has been a great car for the past couple of years but things have arrived on a whole other level with the latest Mazda 3 XD Astina. Just by looking at the brochure, the entry level hatchback is already equipped with many features of an average higher level.
The diesel-powered Astina is being offered in two transmission variants. The entry level runs on a 6-speed manual at the price of $40,230. The higher level is the 6-speed automatic which is retailing at $42,230.
The hatchback is powered by the 2.2L 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine which operates on the SkyActiv system. This ensures that the Astina is more efficient than its rivals. Furthermore, Mazda went as far as cutting the weight of the Astina by 42kg. The weight loss grants the Astina more torque. In figures the Astina offers 129kW at 4500rpm and peak torque of 420Nm is delivered at 2000rpm. This is more powerful than both the Ford Fiesta and the Volkswagen Golf GTi.
Inside the cabin, the Astina has so much leather to offer. Both the seats and steering wheel are wrapped in leather to offer the ultimate comfort for the passengers.
Right above the central air-cons, there is the Astina’s infotainment system which pops out. Mazda referred to it as the Active Driving Display, which assists drivers with Blind Spot Monitoring, Forward Obstruction Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Smart City Brake Support and Lane Departure Warning.
On the road, the Mazda Astina performed exceptionally well. The fact that is able to handle the tough turns responsively while ensuring low fuel consumption makes it a great car overall. Then again, we realized that when going beyond 60mph, the noise gets pretty loud for our liking. It simply disrupts the great feeling that we’ve been experiencing thus far.
Then again, this cannot be blamed. There is no such thing as perfection but the Mazda 3 Astina is the closest to that accomplishment.
