Mazda3 2006 Review

Mazda3

Not so much
>> Neo base is still very base
>> Steering still sanitised
>> Not much else

OVERVIEW
Since its launch in January 2004 Mazda's small car, the 3, has been a runaway success. In short supply or even back-ordered almost constantly, it has averaged better than 2200 sales per month -- every month.

This year it is the second biggest-selling car in the VFACTs small car segment, behind Toyota's Corolla. With the Mazda selling few if any 3s to fleet purchasers, such as rental car companies and government departments, the little sedan/hatch has taken the battle for private buyers' dollars right up to the top-selling Toyo.

Aussies like the Mazda3 -- in all its variants.

As the saying goes, when you're on a good thing, stick to it. So, it'll take a very keen eye to pick the latest update of the 3.

New for the latter half of 2006, the updated 3 gets only minor bodywork changes. Indeed, it's under the skin where the work's been done. There's a revised 2.0-litre engine and the SP23 range-topper gets a new six-speed manual gearbox or five-speed Activematic auto. ABS brakes are now standard fitment across the range; DSC is optional and Mazda has declared war on the main criticism of the original 3 -- noise.

Bodywork changes are subtle. Across the entry-level Neo and better-equipped Maxx and Maxx Sport the front and rear bumpers have been reprofiled and there have been small changes to the front and rear lamps. New alloy wheel designs (the Neo still gets 15-inch steel wheels and trims) are probably the most obvious difference and Mazda has debuted seven new body colours with the new model (bringing the total from which to choose to 11).

The SP23 gets a makeover too with new 17-inch alloys and reprofiled angular front fog lamps that resemble the 'floating' fogs on the turbocharged 3MPS (for CarPoint's review click here ). The SP23 sedan gets new side skirts and rear spoiler and rear LED lamps to match the hatch (which has had them since launch).

The Neo, Maxx and Maxx Sport are powered by revised 2.0-litre engine (see Mechanical below) now rated at 108kW -- up 4kW. This is mated to a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed Activematic auto.

Pricing now kicks off at 20,990 for the manual Neo ($200 more than the superseded model) with auto an extra $2000. The Neo gets air-conditioning standard but only manual windows and mirrors -- still. Mazda offers the Neo Power pack which adds power windows, mirrors and MP3-player stereo input and 12V socket. This is priced at $610 -- down from $960.

Maxx and Maxx Sport are now $25,500 and $26,500 respectively with auto the same $2000 premium. These mid-rangers offer a step up in terms of trim level and standard offerings from the Neo. Included in their standard spec are six-disc, six-speaker stereo, body-coloured door handles and side protection strips and cruise control, with the Sport also getting 16-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and side skirts in both hatch and sedan variants.

The handsome and usefully quick SP23's Mazda6-sourced 2.3-litre four is unchanged at 115kW but does benefit from two new gearboxes (see below). Priced from $29,600 for six-speed manual and $31,860 for the Activematic five-speed auto, the SP23s are well-equipped and can be upgraded to Luxury Pack versions for a further $3000.

Your three-gees delivers leather, a 222W BOSE stereo, high-gloss alloy wheels and door handles and DSC.

Criticised for above average levels of noise, in particular ingress of engine and road and tyre noise, in this update the new 3 has received extra sound deadening material, a revised tyre design and mechanical changes.

The mechanical changes include a new alternator (the old version's fan and electrical operation was noisy, says Mazda) and revised engine mounts and bracketry. Wheels have been stiffened and the rear suspension cross member was also modified. Extra noise dampening material has been installed under the bonnet and in the cabin roof liner.

The overall result is a reduction of up to 1.5 decibels claims Mazda (NB: decibels are funny things, a reduction of 4dB is to halve the noise). We can't verify the measurement but we can attest to the fact the 3s we drove are quieter in both hatch and sedan form than previous models.

Current owners of 3 will feel at home in the new cabin -- trim materials are new (Neo gets a grey theme with Maxx models and above basic black) -- but in reality little has changed. Owners may notice the change to white/silver instruments (with blue illumination) and piano black dash décor on non-SP23 grades. The SP23's blackout style gauges and new dark silver centre console gives the 3 MPS a run for its money in sporty ambience.

Serious shoppers and golfers will appreciate the re-profiling of the new sedan's boot interior. There's more useable width inside and a cutaway above the bumper makes the lid easier to lift when the Callaways are on your other shoulder.

Check out our previous Mazda3 coverage for more details on the interior.

SAFETY
Safety is on more Aussie car buyers' shopping lists, and thus higher on the agenda of the car makers.

That said Mazda has been at the pointy end of volume-selling brands' safety packaging for some time -- the original 3 offered a 'safety pack.' With the latest 3 it has raised the bar for the small car segment delivering antilock brakes as standard equipment across the range, and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) as an option across the range (and standard equipment on the top of the range 3 -- the SP23 Luxury Pack).

DSC incorporates traction control and an anti-skid system that can correct front and rear-wheel slides without driver intervention.

As the (other) saying goes "ya can ne'r change the laws of physics" but in DSC the computing power of the modern car and the associated brake and traction control hardware have been claimed to be able to reduce single vehicle accidents by as much as 30 per cent. The benefits of ABS are equally convincing.

The 3 Maxx, Maxx Sport and SP23 all get six airbags (twin-front, side and curtain bags) as standard equipment. DSC is an extra $1000 on these models. The Neo's twin front airbags are par for the course in the segment and the model's $1830 safety pack lifts the base to the same level as the rest of the range including DSC.

The 3's body structure has been strengthened in its latest guise (thanks in part to the 190kW 3 MPS development program) and its steering column and pedal box has been redesigned to reduce injury in a frontal collision. There's a five-belt seatbelt reminder system as standard equipment.

Perhaps the best part of the 3's safety suite is its chassis. Sure-footed and capable, even without DSC you have to be doing something pretty stupid to get in trouble in a Mazda3.

As noted above, ABS with EBD (electronic brake-force distribution) and EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) is standard across the range. As are four wheel discs: Neo, Maxx and Maxx Sport get 278mm vented at the front, 265mm solid at the rear. The SP23 wears 300mm discs front and 280mm discs rear.

MECHANICAL
The Mazda3's base engine got the most attention during this update. The 2.0-litre MZR DOHC four-cylinder now produces 108kW and 182Nm (up 4kW and 1Nm on the original) and boasts S-VT Sequential Valve Timing (on inlet cam only) as fitted to the SP23 and Mazda 6.

Changes are aimed at improving economy and torque characteristics, particularly in the 2000-4000rpm range. As part of the makeover, the 2.0-litre also gets a drive-by-wire throttle.

Mazda says all 3s are happy on 91 RON standard unleaded and claims improved fuel economy for both five-speed manual and four-speed Activematic auto versions of the 2.0-litre. A 0.4lt/100km improvement is claimed for the manual (now 8.2lt/100km) and the auto is pegged at 8.4lt/100km -- down from 8.9.

Though the SP23's 2.3-litre version of the MZR four is unchanged at 115kW/203Nm, Mazda says the new six-speed manual and five-speed auto deliver both better performance and economy. In the case of the latter the manual improves 0.4lt/100km to 8.6, while the auto is 0.6lt/100 more frugal at 8.7lt/100km.

The five-speed Activematic auto features steering wheel controls for manual gear selection.

As noted in 'Safety' above, Mazda's engineers have fettled the 3's structure as part of the 3 MPS program. This benefits the standard car by minimising chassis deformation and giving the suspension and stronger and stiffer 'foundation' from which to work.

At the front end the new model gets revised steering arm mounting points for sharper response and less understeer by reducing the amount of wheel toe-out on bumps by about 25 per cent. Rear suspension changes further improve stability and upgraded dampers all-round (damping changes and larger diameter rear shockers) yield a better balance of ride and handling, claims Mazda.

COMPETITORS
Welcome to the hottest segment in the Australian car market. You name 'em, they've got a car ready to throw at the Mazda3.

As noted in our 'Overview', the 3 plays second fiddle to the Toyota Corolla in the sales race but the tables are turned on the road. We'd take the Mazda every time.

Holden's latest Astra has 3 in its sights as do the Euros like Golf, Renault's five-star and DSC-equipped updated Megane and Pug 307. Then there's Ford's Focus, Honda's Civic, Nissan's Puls... err, Tiida and more.

Do we really have to list them all?

Mazda is canny, pricing the 3 keenly but asks a slight premium for the respective models. Are they worth the extra money? In a word, yes...

Buyers have voted with their feet and their cash ever since -- Mazda's initial estimate of 1700 sale per month was conservative: Too conservative if you were one of the many who had to wait for their car...

In the latest update Mazda's engineers have built on the great basic platform the original delivered.

The result is the new 3 is undeniably quieter inside. Though some of the good work might be undone by a careless replacement tyre choice down the track (Mazda says significant noise reduction has come from new tyre carcass construction), the new 3 has significantly less road and wind noise. And while you can hear the engine, there's less of the drone and 'pulsing' that seemed to afflict some examples of the older 2.0-litre car.

Ride and handling is well balanced. The base version gives little away to the wider tyred, bigger wheeled SP23 and though a touch firm for some tastes, the reward is a spirited drive with well controlled body roll and well resolved spring and damping rates.

Mazda says turn-in is sharper though you'd probably have to drive the cars back-to-back to appreciate the change. There wasn't a lot wrong with the original. We'd like a little more life through the steering, though the weighting is just about right.

All the cars on the launch drive through the hills to Melbourne's north were fitted with DSC. In patchy conditions there was little to complain about as the DSC (or more accurately its integrated TCS) intervened subtly, even when provoked. Most drivers will never know its there -- even when it does save their butt. You can switch it off if you must.

We didn't get to sample the six-speed SP23 but can vouch for the effectiveness of the new five-speed auto. Like the pleasant surprise we got when we drove Mazda's auto-equipped MX-5, the SP23 with Activematic is an attractive and still sporty package.

Left to its own devices the SP's auto is smooth and given the car's on-road performance obviously efficient. If you feel the need for more involvement, just move the console-mounted lever to manual mode and use the wheel-mounted thumb and finger controls. Changes are crisp though it's still no DSG.

Our personal choice would always be a manual, however, as autos go, this is a goodie!

Performance of the updated 2.0-litre engine is good though it still needs 3500-4000rpm to really get percolating. Is it class-leading? We'd still say no, but the improved midrange oomph hasn't hurt the 3's cause one bit...