2019 Mazda 3 New Review Interior Exterior

2019 Mazda 3 New Review Interior Exterior.

Usually, the more manufacturers talk about handling dynamics the more sceptical we get, but on the road the Mazda 3 delivers.

Quite simply, the Mazda 3 drives beautifully. The technically minded might spot torsion beam rear suspension instead of the old car’s multi-link rear axle, but you’ll not notice it on the road. The ride comfort is perfectly judged, that achieved, too, with the sort of precise agility that’s become something of a Mazda signature.

What else? A stubby and satisfying manual gearbox, precise steering and genuinely relaxing refinement at speed. Handling-wise, it’s as fun to throw around asThese thoughts were echoed when we got to drive the Skyactiv-X variant in mid-2019 near Frankfurt. it is just to bask in how quiet it is on a motorway. Mazda’s work on refinement is clear when wringing the conventional 2.0-litre engine out as is required. It’s quiet. Elsewhere that work on NVH pays dividends: the cabin isolating noise beautifully, be it wind, or road - the latter doubly impressive on the difficult combed concrete and expansion jointed surfaces that make up a good proportion of America’s highway network, or the huge suspension bridges of the European launch location – Lisbon. These thoughts were echoed when we got to drive the Skyactiv-X variant in mid-2019 near Frankfurt.

Given it’ll be the bigger seller, we spent most of our time in the 2.0-litre Skyactiv-G petrol engine. In the case of the 3, it has 120bhp, which has tech that comprises a 24V ‘M Hybrid’ system that uses an integrated starter motor for quick restarts and smooth start/stop activation, stretching the phrase ‘mild hybrid’ to similar limits like that of Suzuki’s Boosterjet SHVS kit.

It's perfectly fine around town, bumbling around quietly and minding its own business. It’s when you demand almost anything of it does it not comply. That stubby gearshift is key here; the flat power band demands to be revved out through long gearing, as the juiciest bit of the powerplant is reserved for those comfortable reaching the top shelf.

Even so, the sweetest bit isn’t all that sweet; the petrol feels gutless, sounds strained and just isn’t all that satisfying. And while some car fans may still hold a valiant candle out for brands like Mazda that still stoically build naturally-aspirated engines despite changing trends, those whom have been weaned onto small capacity, turbocharged (and more powerful) units from Ford, VW Group and PSA et al. will wonder how on earth Mazda has only managed to squeeze out 120bhp out of two whole litres – especially given the brand itself already sells a 2.0-litre with 181bhp in the updated MX-5 now.

It’s a little bit of a shame, then, that Mazda’s UK division only expects the diesel variant to make up less than 5% of total sales in Blighty, as it’s arguably the better car out of the two initially available. The engine itself is no more intrusive than the petrol while revving and there’s a useful bit of extra torque in the low-to-mid rev range, egging you on to use that satisfying stubby and snappy manual shifter much more. There’s a 25kg weight penalty over the petrol (1299kg kerb weight instead of 1274kg) but you don’t notice the difference getting out of one and into the other, and the diesel manages the 0-62mph sprint 0.1sec quicker than the petrol when both are equipped with a manual ‘box.

Although we were sold on the merits of the audio system, we didn't fully buy into Mazda's newfound obsession with the pelvis. Okay, that sounded a little weird. Engineers on hand tried to convince us that the 3's new front seats locate the pelvis in a way that eases the work required by the occupant's upper body to control itself in response to bumps and corners. They made a lot of hay about the importance of the new driver's seat, which offers more thigh support to improve the driving position and, of course, that pelvic position. Indeed, it's a comfortable seat, but it doesn't feel any different versus our preferred driving position. We thought the chassis tuning and the extra 0.8 inch added to the telescoping action of the steering wheel were substantially more important.

The big news with this 3 is that the multilink rear suspension has been replaced with a simpler torsion-beam axle. Fortunately, this doesn't lead to the collapse of civilization that you might expect. The sedan and hatchback both get the same tune, so even though we only drove sedans, we can expect the hatch to handle similarly. A 16-inch wheel is standard, and our sedan came on optional 18-inch wheels. All-season tires are fitted to both wheel sizes. As you might expect with relatively low-profile 215/45R-18 all-season tires, the ride is definitely firm, but impacts are dispatched quickly, and even harsh ones are dissipated without drama.

#SDADan