The new 2014 Mazda3 is the latest model to pick up on the Kodo design language.
The Mazda3 has been around for a while now and familiarity has no doubt bred an array of preconceptions about the car.
With the launch of 2014 Mazda3 with SkyActiv technology, however, Mazda3 is going to force a lot of buyers to drop their pre-conceived notions about compact cars. The new Mazda3 is definitely not your aunt’s econobox.
Instead it’s sleek and nimble, as well as comfortable, efficient and versatile. In fact, the exterior design of the new Mazda3 — which carries on the distinctively sculpted Kodo design language the automaker has highlighted with recent concept vehicles — makes it one of the most stylish vehicles in a crowded segment.
That’s no faint praise when you consider the alternatives include the Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus, Honda Civic and the new Toyota Corolla.
But while some of those competitors are content with a single body style, the new Mazda3 will be offered in both four–door sedan and five-door hatchback form.
The 2014 Mazda3 will be offered in either sedan or 5-door hatch configuration.
Of course, styling is only one factor at work in the small car segment. Cars like the Mazda3 need to make dollars and sense, and that means both an affordable price tag and good fuel economy. With the base SkyActiv engine, one can get into a Mazda3 delivering as much as 41 miles per gallon on the highway for as little as $16,945 — though the well-equipped Grand Touring five-door bumps that up to $26,495, with the full-technology option package adding $1,600 to the sticker price.
By comparison, the Ford Focus base car comes in at $17,105, the Elantra at $17,760, and the Honda Civic at $18,995, and the new 2014 Corolla at $16,800 – though one has to consider equipment levels to get a more accurate, apples-to-apples comparison.
(For a review of the new 2014 Toyota Corolla. Click Here.)
Overall, the new Mazda3, with its long hood, shapely sides and nicely tailored front and rear corners, more than holds its own against the competition and actually looks better, to our eyes, than the midsize Mazda6, which shares the Kodo design language and has won plenty of plaudits for its exterior styling.
Mazda is one of a shrinking list of makers still offering manual gearbox options.
The strong exterior design of the smaller Mazda3 carries over into the interior where the adoption of better grades of materials and the solid architecture of the instrument panel help elevate the overall impression of the vehicle.
Mazda designers said they were looking to create a class-above impression and by and large they succeeded. If you were led to the car blindfolded and placed in the driver’s seat, you might think you were in a much more expensive car.
Enhancing that perception while driving, the cabin is surprisingly quiet thanks to the use of a new lighter-weight sound deadening material around the cabin.
At the same time, the longer wheelbase and wider track have also made the car roomier inside even though overall length actually has been reduced slightly. The 2014 Mazda3 isn’t as tall as its predecessor, either. Meanwhile, it weighs about 100 pounds less, a factor that has multiple benefits.
The weight reduction, along with the redesigned rear suspension, gives the car very nice handling characteristics. It moves efficiently through corners, handles bumps nicely and is quite maneuverable thanks to an electric power steering unit that offers ample feedback to the driver so it doesn’t feel loose or disjointed when the driver turns the wheel. The Mazda3 also is equipped with four-wheel-disc brakes, which give the car plenty of stopping power when needed.
(Strong sales strain Mazda’s supplies. Click Here for the full story.)
The 2014 Mazda3 offers two Skyactiv powertrains, including a 41 mpg 2-liter I-4.
The power available in the 2014 Mazda3 also is quite adequate. A 2.0-liter version of the SkyActiv, inline-4 is the base engine in the Mazda3, producing 155 horsepower and 150 foot pounds of torque. As earlier noted, it also delivers 41 mpg on the highway – and 29 mpg in city driving, with an EPA-rated 33 mpg combined in the sedan equipped with the six-speed manual transmission.
The 2.0-liter powertrain with a six-speed speed automatic gets 30 mpg in the city and 41 on the highway and 34 combined mpg.
An optional 2.5-liter engine produces 184 horsepower and 185 foot pounds and a combined fuel economy rating of 32 mpg with either the automatic or manual.
Mazda is one of the few companies that still makes manual transmissions available across the line and the 6-speed stick in the Mazda3 was fun to drive since the clutch was easy to use and the manual gearbox shifted easily.
A new infotainment system is part of the array of new technologies on the 2014 Mazda3
In addition to the requisite multiple air bags, tire pressure monitor and stability control, Mazda is also making more advanced safety features such as adaptive high-beam controls and blind spot monitoring available on the Mazda3.
In addition, features such as lane departure warning, forward obstruction warning, radar-based cruise controls and smart brakes, which will actually stop the car at low speeds if the sensors detect a potential collision without the driver stepping on the brake pedal, are available in the technology package.
Mazda is launching a new connectivity system in the Mazda3 and the entertainment system is very good.
The 2014 Mazda3 also is the first vehicle equipped with an optional Active Driving Display, a clear pop-up panel facing the driver that delivers speed, navigation directions and other information to the driver’s line of sight. In theory, the system, like other head-up displays carmakers have been fiddling with over the years, helps drivers keep their eyes on the road. But the system didn’t quite live up to its promise out on the road since it seemed difficult to read.
All in all, though, the 2014 Mazda3 is a very impressive vehicle. It’s stylish, delivers good mileage, is fun to drive and the base price, while a bit steeper than the Corolla, is at the lower end of the competitive set. Mazda has been gaining momentum with new models like the CX-5 crossover and midsize Mazda6 sedan, and this new Mazda3 should continue to buoy sales.