What is it?
It must be a tough gig, launching a car such as the Mazda 3. After all, the class of vehicles it slots into is one so competitive and cut-throat, it’d likely make a gang of even the most unprincipled 1980s-style Wall Street stockbrokers seem tame by comparison.
Survival in such an environment demands competence; success requires a well-defined, confident identity. Just look at what Volkswagen has achieved with its polished, versatile and multi-talented Golf; and Ford with its athletically talented, spry-handling Focus.
With the previous 3, Mazda followed a similar tack to the Blue Oval in placing driver pleasure at the forefront of its motive experience. It did it rather successfully, too.
This new fourth-generation model - tested here in 1.8-litre, 114bhp diesel guise - sets out to do the same, only with even greater focus on what has always been a weak spot for the Ford, and a forte for the Volkswagen: interior quality.
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Stink wheels
Why test a stink wheel when Mazda make such interesting petrol engines ?
Torsion beam - shame
I guess mazda realised that the average customer cares more about a squishier dashboard and a screen than dynamics, shame.
virtuoso
A japanese diesel engine complying with Euro 6d-Temp/RDE. How brave and capable Mazda is, since all mighty Toyota sweared how impossible doing it was.