By Ian Strachan.
A few years ago Mazda took the fairly conservative Mazda3 hatchback and turned it into something exciting. And since then it’s got better and better.
The latest Mazda3 is attractively styled with flowing lines, is quick, handles well and is a pleasure to drive. It’s also got improved economy with hybrid assistance, and a higher specification.
I test drove the Mazda3 2.0 petrol GT Sport Tech fitted with a gutsy 186 bhp 2.0 litre engine.
In my test car the engine was linked to Mazda’s pleasant six-speed manual gearbox. With this set-up the car has great mid range flexibility and is a very relaxed cruiser. It’s also pretty frugal and you can expect to get 53.3 mpg in mixed driving.
Inside, the Mazda’s comfort credentials are reinforced with ultra-supportive seats in high quality black leather. The car can accommodate five adults without difficulty, with plenty of leg and headroom. The feel of the interior is of a much more expensive car than it actually is.
The GT Sport Tech specification gives you smart 18-inch black alloy wheels, reversing camera, heated front seats, powered driver’s seat, heated steering wheel, sunroof, a 12-speaker Bose surround sound system and head-up display. Satnav, sound and other vehicle features are controlled via a central 8.8 inch colour screen.
The Mazda3 also has a range of safety features which earn it a high Euro NCAP safety rating. These include traction control, all-round airbags, cross traffic alert, driver monitoring, blind spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist.
The whole package in this specification comes at a reasonable £29,555 on the road. My test car came in Machine Grey metallic paint at an extra £570.
This is a nice alternative in the medium family car sector which deserves to do well.
