Mazda 3 Touring hatch

FirstIy, let me say I like the shape of the new Mazda 3 hatch, it has curves in all the right places and looks very modern and up to date. It's also a bit larger than the old model and in sedan form, almost rivals the bigger Mazda 6. I had to look closely at the boot badge when I saw one recently to work out which model it was.
The only drawback to such an avant-garde look, is poor rearward visibility.
The 3 is not alone here, many modern cars have this issue, and that's why reversing cameras have become so common.

Considering it's an entirely new model, the Mazda 3 is surprisingly, not all sweetness and light.
The ride is very disappointing. Like the Mazda 6 tested elsewhere in this blog, the suspension is just too firm and uncompromising.
On anything other than a billiard table smooth road surface you are jiggled and shaken about in the cabin far too much. Even the excellent supportive seats do little to diminish what should be a more comfortable experience.
Mazda says it has changed the suspension geometry and installed firmer bushes in the setup. In my view that was not a good idea.
Comfort has been thrown out the window.
There's no question the 3 corners very well with little fuss and sits nicely flat, but some buyers might not appreciate the overall harshness of the ride. It could even be a deal breaker.
Drive one down your average uneven, mildly rutted suburban street and you will quickly see what I mean. 
The old Mazda 3 bugbear of tyre noise in the cabin remains in the new car. The drone from the rubber on the road is very noticeable, even at 60kph with all the windows closed. Perhaps it's the tyres themselves, I don't know, but even having the radio on fails to alleviate those aural issues. At highway speeds on course chip surfaces (most roads in Australia) the din from tyre roar is quite unpleasant.
But moving on...the 2 litre " Sky Active" engine is sweet and like Hondas, loves a good rev, becoming quite vocal in the upper rev ranges. It produces 114 kw and 200nm of torque.
Paddles on the steering wheel allow for instant manual gear changes in the six speed auto gearbox when required and they fall easily to the fingertips.
The Touring level of kit doesn't include keyless entry. The door open and lock functions remain on the key fob. Once seated, the start button works with the key in your pocket or bag.
The i- stop fuel saver that cuts the engine and automatically restarts it when stopped at intersections, is a feature found on many cars and it does help keep the economy down to an average of about 5.8 litres per 100 kilometres.

I liked the cream two tone leather seats in the test car, they are really very good and their colour, a pleasant happy change from the dark trim found in other cars. 
The front doors have no pockets for storage, just a slot for a drink bottle.

The 7 centimetre central information screen is non retractable and looks a bit like an afterthought, but it's large enough and user friendly enough to be useful.
Mazda has taken a leaf out of the Audi/BMW/Mercedes control playbook. A console mounted "mouse" allows the driver to select various functions.The audio volume knob is next to it, with steering wheel audio adjustment as well.  
Happily, the new 3 is loaded with kit.
This Touring model comes standard with an impressive 6 speaker sound system, reversing camera, satellite navigation, auto dimming rear view mirror, blind spot sensors in the wing mirrors and all sorts of connectivity plugs. 
Up spec models get even more "fruit" including a heads up speed display for the driver, lane departure warning system, sunroof, radar cruise control, forward obstruction warning, rear cross traffic alert and a premium Bose sound system.

The 3's headlights get my tick of approval, bright and with good depth and spread, although the taillights are quite small compared to the large dazzling designs found on other vehicles.
The Mazda 3 Touring hatch is priced around 25K.
The Mazda 3 is constantly being compared to the segment's benchmark VW Golf, and in most reviews the Golf tends to edge out the 3 for overall refinement.
I would most certainly agree with that.

Still, thousands of Australian car buyers can't be wrong, can they?
In 2011/2012 the Mazda 3 was Australia's top selling car.
The 3 is today still selling well.
Almost four thousand found homes in February 2014, taking a 22% market share, about 650 more than the nearest most popular in the segment, the Toyota Corolla.
However in March the Corolla overtook the Mazda 3 by 500 sales,4086 to 3587.
Despite the abovementioned NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) shortcomings, this new model could help the 3 fight back.
Peter Sellen