Mazda3 XD Astina 2015 Review

Diesel-engined passenger cars just don’t sell in big numbers in Australia. This is a petrol market for a variety of historical, economic and legislative reasons.

So what the Mazda3 XD Astina hatch (there is no sedan version) does essentially is give us a taste of what most of us are missing out on.

And of course there are plusses and minuses.

From the ‘plus’ point of view the XD brings with it all the punchy low-down torque that diesels are renowned for; in this case the SKYACTIV-D 2.2-litre four-cylinder delivers 420Nm from below 2000rpm – as well as 129kW at 4500rpm.

That means there’s lots of roll-on oomph, rather than the sometimes thin response through the mid-range provided by the naturally-aspirated SKYACTIV petrol engines the vast majority of 3 buyers will opt for.

But here’s a ‘minus’. Even though the XD’s manufacturer list price dropped nearly $1000 earlier this year as a new free trade deal with Japan came into effect, this is still a $41,290 car as tested here with the optional six-speed auto most people will surely choose.

Mazda’s tried to soften that blow by throwing a heap of high-tech gear at the XD; a long list is highlighted by fuel saving i-Stop idle-stop system and i-Eloop regenerative braking. The safety larder has been ransacked for the full suite of i-Activesense technologies including Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, High Beam Control, Lane Departure Warning, Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Smart Brake Support, Forward Obstruction Warning and Smart City Brake Support.

Most of that lot is equivalent to the top-spec SP25 Astina petrol model, but the XD also adds 18-inch bright alloy wheels, LED foglights, a black painted lower rear bumper, a red accent around the front grille and black leather seats with an elegant suede trim. But for some reason it misses out on rear parking sensors.

For all the kit, Mazda admits that only a percentage point or two of 3 shoppers are actually going to gravitate all the way to the top of the range model.

And you can see why when the same sort of money will buy a diesel Audi A3, BMW 1 Series or Mercedes-Benz A-Class. We’re not saying they are necessarily better cars, but badge cred counts for a lot.

So is the XD a good drive? It really depends on your point of view. In line with its driver-oriented philosophy, Mazda has injected it with a sporting-oriented tune. It runs fundamentally the same set-up as the SP25 model, although the rear suspension is beefed-up somewhat, reflecting a kerb weight 100kg beyond any other 3 at 1465kg (auto).

But the 18-inch Dunlop SP Sport Maxx rubber is the same, as is the connected feel to the road. In fact sometimes it’s just too connected. You are left in doubt which roads are rough and which are smooth.

The tyres also ensure you know when the bitumen is coarse or smooth as well, with the wrong surface producing a roar in the cabin that reminds us that Mazda still has work to do on sound isolation.

And for those who like to explore such things, this is one of the wildest lift-off oversteerers this road tester has sampled in a while, which again emphasises just where Mazda’s priority has been in setting the character of this car.

So while the exterior and interior look promise something a little more upmarket, the drive is grungier and earthier than that.

It’s a friskiness that doesn’t really gel that well with the engine itself. The XD doesn’t have the top-end ability of the petrol engines, even if it does well by diesel engines to rev beyond 5000rpm, albeit sounding a bit like a vacuum cleaner via its synthesised audio.

So while the front-wheel drive chassis is edgy and a bit delinquent, the engine is pretty strait-laced. Once a little tip-in throttle hesitation is resolved, the dual turbo engine’s mid-range makes it flexibly enjoyable, especially as the six-speed auto is intuitive operating on its own or responsive when being flicked about via flappy paddles.

But then it runs out of revs. It’s vaguely dissatisfying, a bit like reading a book and having the last few pages missing.

There are other ways the engine definitely delivers, including fuel economy.  Mazda claims a stellar 5.2L/100km average for the XD auto and we managed 6.0 during our week-long test. On the media launch http://www.motoring.com.au road test editor Matt Brogan obviously drove it like he stole it, because he saw 7.9.

If you are fleeing the scene, or simply cruising, then you will feel comfortable and somewhat pampered, as 3s don’t get any more up-market than this interior. The leather and suede front seats are deeply winged and supportive. The driver’s seat adjusts with power assistance for everything bar lumbar. The steering wheel adjust for reach and rake and there is a sizeable left footrest.

There are a series of notable attractions; a head-up display available for the driver on the windscreen, an instrument panel dominated by the tacho that looks like the cross-section of a single-engine plane and a 7.0-inch MZD Connect touch screen, which sits like an iPad proud of the dashboard. It can be controlled via the screen itself (in some circumstances) and by an iDrive-style dial on the centre console.

Vehicle information, navigation, smart-phone functions and entertainment systems are all accessed by the system, while Pandora, Stitcher, Aha Radio as well as Android and iPhone operating systems are all supported along with a variety of other applications.

Drill down to the details and the XD has a quality feel. For instance the indicator stalk operates firmly and cleanly. It’s a little thing, but it counts. The trim is done in a pleasing combination of piano black and metallic-look plastics, faux carbon-fibre and stitched leather. Less pleasing is the merely adequate amount of storage on offer.

So count up the plusses and minuses and the XD emerges as the sort of car you’d really have to want to own, not one that’s an easy purchase to make – as a Mazda3 Neo at literally half the money might be.

The XD’s expensive but well equipped and sporty yet relaxed. There’s a series of contradictions going on here that most small car buyers are going to opt out of.

2015 Mazda Mazda3 XD Astina pricing and specifications:
Price: $41,290 (plus on-road costs)
Engines: 2.2-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel
Outputs: 129kW/420Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 137g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP