Mazda 3 Reviews

Hyundai i30 Active and Mazda 3 Neo go head-to-head in this comparative review.

Do you buy a second hand Commodore for $25,000 or a new Mazda 3 Neo automatic for $22,330 plus on-road costs?

Mazda 3 SP20 and Honda Insight VTi go head-to-head in this comparative review.

The hot hatch has been part of the motoring landscape since the Mini Cooper became a cult classic back in the 1960s.

Saving cash is more important than saving the planet for buyers of Australia's most popular car. The Mazda3 Neo and Maxx Sport both run a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that officially uses 7.9 litres/100km. In this class that's a long way off bragging rights, yet those models account for around 83 per cent of Mazda3

Mazda 3’s ongoing success on the new car market has resulted in a surge in interest in the small-medium model as a used car.

Australia's favourite car in 2011 was the Mazda3.  The Japanese compact also topped the small-car class despite a solid challenge from the Toyota Corolla and opposition from more than 20 other babies.But does that make it the best small car in Australia today? There is only one way to find out, which is why we have the Mazda3 lined up against its toughest showroom rivals for the first in a series of Carsguide title fights.Picking the top four for this punch-up is - relatively - easy. We might like the idea of an Alfa Romeo, or the patriotism of a Holden Cruze, or the space in a Mitsubishi Lancer, but we would not recommend one of those to our best friend.And, apart from personal preferences and bias, that's what car choice really comes down to. Which car would you choose to drive away if it was your life and your money?The Mazda3 is an automatic choice since it's the reigning champion, and the Toyota Corolla gets an automatic spot as the number one contender. We also have to take the Volkswagen Golf because it's the best car in the small-car class - if not the best value - and the final spot goes to the Ford Focus because it's the sweetest drive and was a finalist in last year's Carsguide Car of the Year award.VALUEYou can spend just over $20,000 to put a quality small car on the road, but it's easy to go much higher with high-performance models such as the $39,490 Mazda3 MPS and $52,490 Golf R. So we settled in the midrange, where most private buyers spend their own cash, with four fighters with prices covered by only $2000. The Corolla Levin ZR comes in at $29,990 and the Golf 118TSI Comfortline is $31,990.All come with a host of creature features that just five years ago were standard only in luxury cars. Apart from being the cheapest, the popular Corolla is also a valued asset because it is easier to sell at trade-in and is the only one here with the security of capped-price service costs. It also doesn't scrimp on features with a totally keyless entry and start system that detects when you approach the car and automatically unlocks, Bluetooth, an MP3 compatible CD player, front fog lights, cruise control, moonroof, rain-sensing wipers, auto-on HID headlights and climate control airconditioning.Our Mazda comes with much the same gear, but this luxury version adds $3000 to the $27,990 price for Bi-Xenon headlamps, a sliding centre armrest console, leather seat trim and a 10-speaker Bose 242-watt sound system. The Focus Sport includes a spoiler, sports seats, auto wipers, Sony sound, leather steering wheel, dual-zone airconditioning and, since December, satnav as standard.The Golf is the only one here with daytime running lights. It also has an optional park assist system at $1400 and rearview camera at $500.TECHNOLOGYThe newest engine here is the Mazda Skyactiv-G 2.0-litre with an auto stop-start system called i-stop. It's not the most powerful unit at 113 kiloWatts, well down on the 125kW Focus However, Mazda's engine is married to a new Skyactiv six-speed transmission which is not only silky smooth but, together with the i-stop function, helps the vehicle achieve the best fuel figures of 6.1-6.2L/100km.It is marginally lighter on fuel than the VW which has the smallest 1.4 engine, but boosted to 118kW with a turbo. It manages 6.2L/100km due also to the transmission, a seven-speed DSG auto. Toyota's ageing 1.8-litre engine is the weakest with only 100kW and is relatively thirsty at 7.3L/100km because it only has a four-speed auto.On the electronics side, the Mazda and Ford have voice recognition and satnav, although the high-mounted screen in the Mazda is almost impossible to see in direct sunlight or for anyone over 50. On the low-tech side, the Corolla is the only vehicle with a full-size spare.SAFETYCarsguide takes safety seriously and all four cars have a five-star ANCAP rating. The Toyota and VW lead the pack with seven airbags, adding knee protection for the driver, while the Mazda and Ford have six airbags each. All have parking sensors to avoid carpark bingles, but the Focus and Golf have an optional self-parking feature which is a real show-stopper.DRIVINGJumping back into the cars is a reminder that small-car buyers have never had better choices than they do today. All four of the so-called babies have plenty of space, good performance and the sort of equipment that used to make time in a Mercedes-Benz special. But there are significant differences.Looking first at the champion, the Mazda's cabin feels surprisingly cramped and dark, there is lots of noise from the tyres, and there is also bumping and thumping on poor surfaces. The Focus is a nicely sporty drive, but the cabin controls are complicated and confusing and it doesn't seem all that big.The Corolla has the roomiest feel and update work last year has made the cabin a nice place, while the suspension is great. It's just a pity about the four-speed gearbox. And the Golf? We expected to drive best and it goes, but the cabin is dark and not particularly inviting, and the DSG gearbox - once a first choice with Carsguide testers - now has us worried. We get lots of owner complaints and poor feedback, and that's not good.VERDICTNo drum roll, no fanfare, just the bottom line: it's the Toyota Corolla. The world's favourite small car is my choice - back at the top again, after a long run down the field - as the best small car in showrooms today.The Mazda3 is still the people's choice, and consistently Australia's favourite, while the Volkswagen Golf is the class of the field and the Ford Focus is the most fun. But picking a winner in a very tight contest means I have no friends and must consider everything.The Golf is quality but you pay the price, the cabin is like a cave, and I cannot help wondering and worrying - after a string of owner questions and complaints - about the DSG transmission. It's a lovely car, and one I love to drive, but I could not buy one. The Mazda3 is, plain and simple, showing its age. The cabin is cheap, there is too much road noise and suspension thump, the engine is nothing special, and - even though it's a little thing - the satnav screen is tiny. It's nice, but not as good as I remembered. And the Focus, a COTY contender last year? The thing it does best, corners, is the one thing most Australians don't care about. It's a good car, but not a great car. And the messy dashboard and confusing switches drive me batty.In a field of four, the Corolla is ordinary but extraordinary. It sneaks up on you with surprising strengths that reflect a deep and long-term understanding of the real needs of small-car buyers. It's only got a four-speed automatic, but that is easily offset by capped-price servicing through the warranty period. The Corolla is the car I would be happiest to drive away and own, and that makes it my winner.Paul Gover Rating1. Toyota Corolla2. Volkswagen Golf3. Mazda34. Ford FocusToyota Corolla Levin ZRPrice: $29,990Warranty: 3 years, 100,000kmService: capped-price for 3 years or 60,000kmSafety: 5-star ANCAP, 7 airbags, stability and traction control, ABS, EBD and BAEngine: 1.8L 4-cylinder 100kW/175NmBody: 5-door, 5-seater hatchDimensions: 4245mm (L), 1760mm (W), 1515mm (H), 2600mm (WB)Weight: 1280kgTransmission: 4-speed auto, FWDEconomy: 7.3L/100kmVW Golf 118 TSI ComfortlinePrice: $31,990Warratny: 3 years, unlimited kmService: 15,000kmSafety: 5-star ANCAP, 7 airbags, stability and traction control, ABS, EBD, BA and hill startEngine: 1.4L, turbo 4-cylinder, 118kW/240NmBody: 5-door, 5-seater hatchDimensions: 4199mm (L), 1785mm (W), 1479mm (H), 2574mm (WB)Weight: 1330kgTransmission: 7-speed auto DSG, FWDEconomy: 6.2L/100km, 144g/kmMazda3 SP20 Skyactiv luxuryPrice: $30,990Warranty: 3 years / unlimited kmsService: 6mths/10,000kmSafety: 5-star ANCAP, 6 airbags, stability and traction control, ABS, EBD and BAEngine: 2-litre 4-cylinder, 113kW/194NmBody: 5-door hatchDimensions: 4460mm (L), 1755mm (W), 1470mm (H), 2640mm (WB)Weight: 1346kgTransmission: 6-speed Skyactiv auto, FWDEconomy: 6.1-6.2L/100km Ford Focus SportPrice: $30,190Warranty: 3 years, 100,000kmService: 15,000km/annualSafety: 5-star ANCAP, 6 airbags, stability and traction control, hill launch, ABS, EBD and BAEngine: 2.0L 4-cylinder, 125kW/202NmBody: 5-door, 5-seater hatchDimensions: 4538-4362mm (L), 2010mm (W), 1451-1484mm (H), 2648mm (WB)Weight: 1900kgTransmission: 6-speed auto, FWDEconomy: 6.6L/100km, 154g/km

Ford Focus Sport and Mazda3 SP20 Luxury go head-to-head in this comparative review.

You can see why the Mazda 3 is a winner. It is one of the great all-rounders scoring more than enough runs to dominate a market known for its cut-throat competition.

As assassins go, this one doesn't look threatening - along the lines of some of the prettier femme-fatale James Bond villains - but the Mazda 3 has the killer modus operandi, just ask Holden.