There were language barriers, cultural peculiarities and a small army of translators to try and comprehend, and jet lag was kicking in just as several hours of incomprehensible presentations got into swing. But having driven the new Mazda 3 earlier, the message was already clear: Mazda is on a mission to change the way people feel about its cars.
Review: 2019 Mazda 3
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It knows that it’s no longer enough to make sensible cars at sensible prices, with sensible safety systems and sensible levels of space and, well, a sensible driving experience. Sensible just won’t cut it any more.
So the new 3 looks better than any Alfa Romeo, has an interior to give an Audi A3 a run for its money and handles with a flair that even the Volkswagen Golf would struggle to match. After driving it around Hollywood, and into the hills beyond, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to conclude the once humble hatchback has undergone the sort of character transformation that big-screen dreams are made of.
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Where the last three generations of Mazda 3 have been sensible cars, probably bought on the basis of price, the new 3 could just prove to be the iPhone moment for the Japanese car maker, bringing desirability to one of the most conservative parts of the car market – the humble hatchback.
See for yourself, when the new 3 goes on sale in the Spring. It will probably cost from around £21,000, and the most popular model – driven here – will be the 2-litre petrol. A 1.8-litre diesel will also be available, as will a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes, and all-wheel-drive.
By the autumn, the 3 will be the first Mazda to be powered by its new, patented, Skyactiv-X engine. Like a supercharged petrol engine cross-bred with a diesel, it is claimed to be 30 per cent more fuel efficient than a petrol but just as much fun to drive. That will be the flagship model for the UK, offered with all-wheel-drive and top-spec trim levels.
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Even if you choose the humdrum 2-litre petrol model, the 3 has all the right ingredients to make it one of those cars you’ll be pleased you bought. The driving position is comfortable, the dashboard looks elegantly stylish and the way the car’s controls have such a consistent, smooth action is a lesson to others.
Drive it, and whether around town, on the motorway or on an empty B-road, the 3 doesn’t put a foot wrong. It is quiet, smooth riding and reassuringly responsive. Early impressions suggest it could shake up the pecking order and ruffle a few feathers.
Downsides? Well, it’s on the snug side in the back seats, so anyone approaching six-foot tall will have their head on the roof, and fitting high-backed child seats and lifting kids into them through the shallow door opening could be challenging. And the boot has shrunk, down to 295 litres. But if these aren’t concerns for you, then the 3 – a car you’ve probably never even considered before – should be inked onto your shortlist.
Stat attack
Price: £21,000 (estimated)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel-drive
Power/torque: 120bhp @ 6,000rpm/157Ib ft @ 4,000rpm
0-62mph: TBA
Top speed: TBA
Economy: 44.8mpg
Kerbweight: 1350kg (est)
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