Mazda has released a new generation of Mazda 3 and it is said to be a massive improvement from the previous model. The car is offered in two different structures- a 5-door hatchback and a sedan. In this review, we picked up the hatchback.
Regardless of our choice, both the sedan and the hatchback come with some marvellous styling. The design made the hatchback looks longer since the interior cabin got pulled back a little. Overall, the typical grin at the front has been discarded for something more elegant and classy. Heck, the Mazda 3 is also bigger in size than its predecessor.
The special thing about the Mazda 3 is the new powertrain that rest under its hood. The entry-level GX and the mid-level GS runs on the 2L 4-cylinder engine that is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox with an option for a 6-speed automatic. This generates 155hp and 150lb-fts of torque.
The top of the line GT model is powered by a new 2.5L 4-cylinder SkyActiv engine that is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. This generates 184hp and 185 ft-lbs of torque. The SkyActiv technology is something very new and is revealed to offer tremendous improvement in the car’s fuel consumption.
We drove the GT model and were really thrilled by it. The Mazda 3 is really light in weight but it is still able to maintain grip on the road when we raced at every bends and corners. On the downside of things, we find it difficult to pull out the 184 ponies. We believe that the SkyActiv technology is preventing us from doing so due to its fuel saving nature. True enough, the car did returned up to 4.9l/100km.
Then again, it could have been better for the Mazda 3 if it is offered with an AWD system. Furthermore, the stylish design added more blind spot as it reduced rear visibility. The most disappointing part is the exclusion of a manual transmission for a GT model.
