Road Test: Mazda 3 1.6 Diesel Sport SE

Price as tested: €23,645

+ Handsome, quality, handling, space
– Still too noisy, poor economy
= Decent family hatch that will likely outlive you. And your grandkids.


Spotting the changes on the new Mazda 3 takes the anorak-y knowledge of a true car nut, and possibly a magnifying glass or two. Let me give you the briefest of run-throughs to save you the bother, and then we can get on with what the car is actually like.

So, the new 3 gets new bumpers and grille, new wheels and an updated cabin that’s supposed to be better in terms of both quality and noise suppression. The bigger changes have gone on underneath, where the suspension and steering have been tweaked to improve both ride and handling, and steering feel. A car company actually listing improved steering feel as an update feature? Sounds like my kind of thing...

And while you would be hard pressed to tell a 2012 3 from a 2011 3 on the outside, there’s no denying that it’s a good looking car. That gaping grille and those staring lights make it look more agressive than the family hatch norm and even in the plain metallic grey of our test car, it looked distinctive and handsome.

A shame then that the update to the cabin doesn’t seem to have made much of a difference. Yes, it’s all very well built and will doubtless be in perfect working order when you pass it on to your kids, or even their kids, but the changes have been too subtle and the 3 still feels behind the curve compared to the VW Golf when it comes to touchy-feely surfaces. There is compensation in the form of lots and lots of cabin space and a bucket of equipment on our reasonably priced Sport SE version that included auto aircon, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, heated seats, trip computer, cruise control and very comfy sports seats. Essential items like a spot-on driving position and clear, simple ergonomics are also high points.

Under that striking bonnet is the familiar 1.6-litre 115bhp turbo diesel that Mazda shares with Ford, Peugeot, Citroen and Volvo. It’s not an exceptional unit, by any means, but it has refinement and a solid 270Nm of torque which can kick you neatly from 0-100kmh in a reasonably brisk 11.0secs. With the slick, MX-5-like six speed gearshift on the stir, the 3 feels nicely quick, if hardly a hot hatch. There is a question mark over fuel economy though. Mazda claims combined consumption of 4.3-litres per 100km, which would be good enough to give the mighty Golf Bluemotion a headache. But the best I could get out of it was an average of 6.5-l/100km. Now, our test car was brand new and barely run-in, which could account for some of the discrepancy, but clearly, Mazda has come catching up to do in the economy stakes. At least the 115g/km Co2 emissions figure means you’ll only have to shell out €160 a year in road tax.

But if the economy isn’t what you expect, then the ride and handling certainly are. Mazda is pretty much unique in being able to combine that traditional Japanese fluid and light feel to its controls with a sensation of still being connected to the road surface by something more than just luck. The steering, despite feeling light and almost delicate, does feed back to you, tells you whats going on underneath and generally feels lovely. The suspension is supple and flexible at pretty much all times and only seems to thump or crash when presented with an especially vicious speed ramp. It is, in other words, a delight to drive. It is not, sadly, up to the mark in terms of refinement. Whatever Mazda has tried to do to improve noise suppression, it hasn’t worked and a Focus or Golf remain much quieter companions on long runs.

The 3 does have one final trump card to play, though. In the 2011 survey of vehicle reliability by the influential JD Power group, three brands came out on top. Acura, which is of course Honda’s expensive luxury car unit. Lexus, which is of course Toyota’s expensive luxury car unit. And Mazda, which makes this affordable, useable €23k hatchback. In an Ireland where spending money mending or fixing your car simply isn’t an option for many hard-pressed motorists, it’s that kind of reliability and longevity that could make the difference come purchase time.


Facts & Figures

Mazda 3 1.6 Diesel Sport SE
Price: €23,645
Range price: €19,795 to €23,895
Capacity: 1,560cc
Power: 115bhp
Torque: 270Nm
Top speed: 188kmh
0-100kmh: 11.0sec
Economy: 4.3-100km (64mpg)
CO2 emissions: 115g/km
Tax Band: A. €160 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: 5-star: 86% adult, 84% child, 51% pedestrian, 71% safety assist