Yes, it looks absolutely stunning! The appearance of this car on the street causes a real commotion. Next to it, even Maserati and Bentley seem like ordinary mutts next to a purebred beauty. Pedestrians, passengers in trolleybuses, drivers in neighboring cars — everyone forgets about their business and freezes with their mouths open. You feel like a real star — they just don't ask for autographs yet.
Not only passers-by stared at our white beauty. Even owners of expensive and flashy foreign cars, which Moscow is literally teeming with, could not hide their curiosity and envy.
Perhaps, over time, there will be so many "threes" that they will become familiar and stop shocking the public. Or maybe Mazda3 will start to be considered a sign not of good taste, but on the contrary — its complete absence?.. No, I refuse to believe that!
See for yourself! Can these lines get boring? Can such shapes become pop? Never! If before the restyling the car seemed boring and ordinary, then after the update… Just look at how many changes — new bumpers and wheel rims! In my opinion, this is a real bull's-eye.
But Mazda3 is not only stunning on the outside. And what an interior it has! Sporty notes everywhere. Especially impressive are the "wells" of the instruments with needles that point strictly down in the zero position. And at night they are illuminated in red on a blue background. Complete schizophren… That is, excuse me, very stylish! And also on the central panel there is a strip with lights that blink amusingly with any action — you change the music volume, switch tracks, scratch your head, or pick your nose. If I were a fan of Chinese music centers, I would definitely like it…
There was, however, one person on whom the appearance of our car made absolutely no impression. But photographing him, alas, did not work out — at the most inopportune moment the film ran out in the camera.
And so my white Mazda drives… no, doesn't drive — majestically glides! — through the gray city. It seems time has stopped. "Look, look!" — passers-by whisper in surprise. Around are oohs, sighs, aahs. "What is that?!" — comes from a passing car. "Mazda three!" — I answer with pride. Yes, it's a sin not to be proud of such a beauty. And it is especially good in white — like mine.
But not everyone is sincerely happy about my happiness. Some, when they see my beauty, drill me with a look worse than a drilling rig UKB-4SA4. White Mazda — black envy! They think this beauty belongs to me. No, we just have a fleeting date. Well, while it lasts — look and envy, losers! And you, man in the "Kalina", look at a truly bright (I don't mean the color!) car. Yes, yes, and you, guy in the mouse-gray Toyota Corolla, too. And you, oligarch in the back seat of a Rolls-Royce Phantom, also look at what a cool car I have!
Concept car? Eccentric mock-up from a private workshop? Car from the movie "I, Robot-2"? No, a production car!
But after an acute attack of pride, bitter disappointment awaited me. Just as beautiful girls can hide a bitchy character behind an attractive appearance, so cars can hide "raw" and ill-conceived filling behind stunning design. Just imagine how annoying that is! You look at the car, and it seems — here it is, the car of my dreams. You wait with trepidation for the first ride, and then you get a hard letdown. It doesn't go, doesn't turn, the interior is squeaky and ill-conceived, the "music" is terrible. And in general, it's terribly uncomfortable. After just half an hour, love turns into hatred: you begin to hate this car for shattered hopes, for deceived expectations. And you think: to hell with this design, if the car itself is complete crap! Better to drive a boring, nondescript box!..
Stop, I've gotten completely distracted. What was I talking about? Oh yes, about disappointment. So, I decided to wash the beauty. I drive away from the car wash literally a couple of hundred meters, get out of the car — and it's already all dirty. The weather is wet, nasty, and unpleasant. Needless to say, white is beautiful, but terribly impractical.
Many of us dream of being in the embrace of this seat, firmly gripping the steering wheel and looking into these bottomless wells of instruments endlessly…
There were no other disappointments, fortunately. No, the Mazda3 certainly has flaws. The quality of the plastic, frankly, doesn't blow the mind, and compared to the Mercedes-Benz S600 — it's downright terrible! True, the plastic in the interior of that "six hundred" probably costs as much as everything in our Mazda except the plastic. Moreover, the interior's shortcomings are fully compensated by the design: if you don't touch anything inside, but just look, everything is just great. Also — it's quite noisy. But nothing terrible, you can live (and beautifully at that). And otherwise — everything is as it should be. The seating position is normal, and there are no complaints about visibility. In the back, you can carry not only long loads (for that you need to fold the rear seat back), but also long-legged girls — the dimensions allow.
But the main thing — it also drives! No, of course, I'm not talking about acceleration dynamics. 1.6 liters and an automatic transmission — with such an arsenal, you can compete only with grandpa's "Zhiguli". Up to 100 km/h the car still accelerates somehow, and then the speedometer needle crawls up about the same way as the fuel gauge needle — down. I'm talking about something else — about handling. And it's very good for cars of the Mazda3 class. I don't know what its ultimate capabilities are, but honestly, it doesn't matter to me. The main thing is that it's fun to drive! It's pleasant to take corners, to hooligan. True, all this — at low speed or "with a running start": to be nimble, you constantly have to press the gas pedal almost to the floor. In general, those who switch from domestic cars to a Mazda3 1.6 with an automatic will feel right at home.
What you'll have to get used to is universal attention. If you have an innate social phobia — don't even think about getting into a Mazda3 even as a passenger. But those who love bright, unique things will like it. They'll like taking care of it, washing it several times a day, feeding it at expensive gas stations, buying various trinkets in auto accessory boutiques. And waiting for this beauty to reciprocate…
But seriously, the Mazda3, of course, has long become an integral part of the city traffic. And no one pays any attention to it. But that doesn't diminish its qualities in the least. It's still a very balanced and stylish car. Isn't it wonderful when there are many beautiful cars? A few years ago, it really looked like a bright spot on the gray background of the flow, and today… Let a thousand flowers bloom!
Technical specifications
| Specifications | $22990 |
| Engine |
| Type | I4 DOHC 16 valve |
| Engine displacement | 1.6 L |
| Number and arrangement of cylinders | 4, inline |
| Power, hp@rpm | 105 @ 6000 |
| Torque, Nm@rpm | 145 @ 4000 |
| Fuel supply system | Sequential injection |
| Dynamic characteristics |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 174 |
| Acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h, s | 12.6 |
| Fuel consumption l/100km |
| Urban / Highway / Combined cycles | 10.2 / 6.4 / 7.8 |
| Transmission |
| Type | 4EAT |
| Chassis |
| Front suspension | Independent, double wishbone, MacPherson |
| Rear suspension | Independent, multi-link |
| Drive | Front-wheel drive |
| Power steering | Electro-hydraulic |
| Brakes | Front ventilated discs / rear discs |
| Dimensions |
| Length, mm | 4415 |
| Width (without mirrors), mm | 1 755 |
| Height, mm | 1 465 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2 640 |
| Track, mm | 1 530 |
| Trunk volume, L | 346 |
| Fuel tank capacity, L | 55 |
| Weight, kg |
| Curb weight | 1215 |
| Gross weight | 1750 |
Equipment of the tested car
- Exterior
- Side mirrors, moldings and door handles in body color
- Rear LED taillights
- Interior
- Upholstery material — fabric
The interior door handles have a silver finish, and the steering wheel and gear shift lever are trimmed in leather. The comfort equipment list includes remote central locking and power windows, air conditioning, driver's seat height adjustment, and lumbar support. The front seats are heated, and the rear row has a center armrest. The audio system can be controlled directly from the steering wheel, and there are additional reading lights in the cabin. The side mirrors are power-adjustable and heated, and all four power windows are electric. There is a function for always-on low beam, an outside temperature sensor, and a washer fluid level warning light, and the washer reservoir itself is enlarged.
Safety is ensured by ABS and electronic brake-force distribution EBD, front and side airbags, as well as side curtain airbags. The car is equipped with an immobilizer. Lighting is provided by halogen headlights with washers and fog lights. The base version comes with steel wheels 15×6J with hubcaps and tires 195/65 R15, and a compact spare tire in the trunk. The audio system includes an AM/FM radio with RDS, a CD player, and four speakers.
Available options include metallic paint, as well as Package 3, which adds dual-zone climate control, 16-inch alloy wheels, and the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system.
The test car was provided by the official representative office of Mazda Motor Rus LLC.
Behind the scenes
