2012 Mazda Mazda3 i Grand Touring
10/17/2012
Shahed Hussain
The Mazda3 has been one of the few compacts that have placed driving pleasure as a priority. While its competitors have rarely offered premium technologies in affordable vehicles, Mazda continues to cater to knowledgeable enthusiasts. Where the Mazda3 lagged behind the class leaders was in fuel efficiency, but Mazda's new Skyactiv-G powertrain achieves a 39 MPG highway rating, placing it among the best in its class.
The Mazda3 is available in a 4-door sedan or 5-door hatchback model. The new Skyactiv-G 2.0L inline-4 is standard in the Touring and Grand Touring versions of the sedan and hatchback. Base 4-door models are equipped with the older MZR 2.0L powerplant. Available as an option for Touring and Grand Touring models is the MZR 2.5L I-4. The sporty Mazdaspeed3 gets a 263-bhp turbocharged MZR 2.3L mated to 6-speed manual only.
Mazda has attempted to span the entire compact segment with a Mazda3 model from entry level to premium price points. At the affordable end of the lineup is the Mazda3 i SV sedan, which starts at only $15,200. At the top of the range are the Grand Touring and Mazdaspeed3 5-door hatchbacks. The premium Grand Touring gets a long list of standard equipment typically optional or unavailable in other competitive models. Examples include GPS navigation, Blind Spot Monitoring, swiveling HID headlights, moonroof, pushbutton start, and a Bose audio system. Our test vehicle was a 5-door Grand Touring with the Skyactiv-G and 6-speed automatic powertrain. Added to the list price of $23,150 was the $1,400 Technology Package and $795 destination charge, totaling up to $25,345.
Inside the Mazda3 is a sober palette of dark gray hues relieved by a few bits of chrome and silver trim. Gauges consist of an 8,000 RPM tachometer, a 160-MPH speedometer, and digital bar graph fuel level indicator within the trip computer. A coolant temperature gauge is conspicuously missing. The steering wheel is wrapped in textured leather with integrated controls for cruise, Bluetooth phone, audio, and navigation. A 5.8-in. display for the GPS navigation system is tucked into the top of the dash. Controls for the 10-speaker Bose AM/FM/XM Satellite audio system are arrayed within easy reach. Rotary knobs for heating and A/C are refreshingly simple to operate. At night, the interior is bathed in blue ambiance lighting from the overhead console and doors.
Grand Touring models include standard leather upholstery and door panel inserts. The front seats provide excellent support with ample thigh and torso bolstering, although some occupants may find the seats fit too snugly. The driver's seat has 8-way power adjustments, but the front passenger makes do with manual seat controls. Control knobs for the front seat heaters are conveniently located on the center console. The standard moonroof cuts headroom by less than one inch, but taller passengers may notice the loss. Rear seats are comfortable for two passengers, with decent headroom for 6-ft. tall occupants; legroom is adequate but not especially generous. The 60/40 split seats fold down to increase cargo capacity from 17.0 to 42.8 cu. ft.
Mazda optimized the new Skyactiv-G 2.0L for fuel-efficiency, but power and torque numbers are also up compared to the MZR 2.0L. Direct fuel injection and a higher 12:1 compression ratio yield 155-bhp @ 6,000 RPM and 148 lb.-ft. @ 4,100 RPM. The net result is a 7-bhp and 13 lb.-ft. increase in power and torque, respectively. Like the older MZR powerplant, the Skyactiv-G is a DOHC all-aluminum unit with variable valve-timing. If the Skyactiv-G isn't quite powerful enough, Mazda has an optional MZR 2.5L rated at 167-bhp and 168 lb.-ft.
The 2.0L Skyactiv-G powerplant is available with a choice a 6-speed manual or a new 6-speed Skyactiv-Drive Sport AT gearbox. The automatic's overdrive fifth and sixth ratios help achieve an EPA fuel economy rating of 39 MPG highway and 28 MPG in the city. The 6-speed manual has higher numerical fifth and sixth gears, as well as a higher final drive ratio, resulting in a one MPG reduction in the city and highway ratings. In our typical 20-30 miles trips on the highway the Mazda3 delivered 33 MPG overall. Longer distances would likely yield improved fuel consumption, but we didn't take any extended road trips during our evaluation.
Mazda uses the typical MacPherson struts, coil springs, and stabilizer bar in the front suspension. A multi-link rear setup has coil springs, dampers, and a stabilizer bar. Standard P205/55R16 Bridgestone Turanza all-season tires are mounted on 16-inch alloy wheels. Brakes consist of ventilated front discs and solid rear discs. ABS, Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control are standard. Mazda's rack-and-pinion steering is electro-hydraulically boosted with 2.94 turns lock-to-lock.
The current Mazda3 continues its tradition of lively handling, accurate steering, and high speed stability, attributes missing from most of its competition. Mazda's suspension tuning favors stiff damping and high spring rates. Although the ride remains relatively supple, suspension hop over rough roads can become tiresome. Mazda tuned the rack-and-pinion system to provide ample feedback; road surface textures are clearly transmitted via the steering wheel. Excellent turn-in response and minimal body roll allow the Mazda to carve a line around curves without requiring mid-corner steering correction. On the highway, the chassis is rock solid far beyond the speed limit. Tire and wind noise are subdued, even on concrete-surfaced roads. Mazda's chassis development expertise sets it apart from most of its segment rivals.
Although the 2.0L inline-4 is optimized for fuel economy, the Skyactiv-G powerplant revs eagerly to its 6,500 RPM redline. Like most small displacement fours, torque output is underwhelming at low revs, but improves considerably above 3,000 RPM. Mild torque steer occurs under full throttle acceleration, but requires only minor steering correction. The 6-speed automatic shifts smoothly through the closely-spaced first four ratios, but acceleration tapers off significantly as the transmission engages the overdrive fifth and sixth gears. Consider the 6-speed manual to extract maximum performance, as the economy-minded automatic dulls the easy-revving character of the 2.0L four.
Mazda's have always appealed to enthusiasts, and as the company that reinvented the affordable sports car, it's obvious that their engineers know what Mazda customers want. Like many other recent compact cars, the Mazda3 now offers standard and optional equipment once reserved for larger, more expensive cars, which can rapidly inflate the sticker price past $25K. But exercising restraint with options can get a Mazda3 sedan for under $20K, a superb value for a fuel-efficient compact that is actually enjoyable to drive.
