Of
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Actually, the Mazda3 hasn’t been the Mazda3 for all that long. The current designation only came into existence 11 years ago for the 2004 model year. Happy belated anniversary, by the way. What is the 10-year anniversary present anyway? Diamonds? Hmmm… I think the traditional gift of tin or aluminum is more fitting, but I seriously digress. Prior to the 3, the misspelled Protegé was Mazda’s
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
The Mazda3 GT is a fun car to drive. Its DOHC, 16-valve, direct-injected 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine creates up to 184 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque, while a quick-shifting six-speed automatic transmission with an engaging set of paddle shifters
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
While the current Mazda3 GT would certainly be more fun to drive if offered with a manual, the six-speed autobox is very good as far as torque-converted automatics go.
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
The 2.5 doesn’t eke as much out of the 3’s 50-litre tank of gas as the base model’s 2.0, but both rate well against comparatively powered competition. FYI, the thriftiest 3 is the base engine with the optional automatic rated at 6.7 L/100km city and 4.7 highway, but the GT’s 2.5-litre four isn’t much thirstier at a claimed
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
This last item is just one of many fuel- and emissions-friendly components to Mazda’s unique approach to saving at the pump while going green, dubbed Skyactiv. It’s a philosophy the Japanese automaker calls Jinba Ittai, or more specifically in characters, 人馬一体, which directly translated means person [and] horse [as] one body. Mazda first adopted this term, which is normally used for Yabusame (Japanese mounted archery), to describe a driver’s connection to its MX-5 roadster, but now Jinba Ittai takes on a new more holistic meaning for the entire brand. Compared to many hybrids, which can eliminate driving pleasure via aforementioned
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
On that note the chassis does as good a job of managing curves as it soaks up road
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
But there’s more than just performance that makes the Mazda 3 GT special. My tester was a four-door sedan, a five-door liftback appropriately dubbed Mazda3 Sport
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Back to that BMW 3 Series comparo, perched atop the dash is a very similarly styled touchscreen infotainment display to the popular premium model, which looks like someone slotted a seven-inch silver-rimmed Samsung Galaxy Tab into a perfectly fitted holder. The look is a bit aftermarket, but cool just the same. Again, if it’s good enough for a Bimmer why should we complain about it in a Mazda3? It’s controlled via a very slick BMW iDrive-esque rotating knob surrounded by menu buttons, plus a radio volume knob that you can adjust without the need to take your eyes from the road. This, of course, is the premise behind the redundant controls on the car’s steering wheel spokes, so we can either appreciate
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Adding to the 3 GT’s premium look and feel is a head-up display unit above the primary instruments, also redundant if you just use it for vehicle speed, but quite useful for flicking through the multi-function display unit’s various features via steering wheel toggles. The GT also boasts standard proximity sensing remote access with pushbutton ignition, a nice dual-zone automatic climate control system, three-way front seat heaters, great sounding nine-speaker Bose audio with USB and aux inputs, plus Bluetooth hands-free, voice-activated navigation, a rearview camera, rain-sensing wipers, tilt and telescopic steering, a powered glass sunroof and, just like the base Mazda3 but worthy of mention, a handy sunglass holder in the overhead console. Other standard GT features include bi-xenon HID headlights,
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Additionally my tester included two packages, the $1,500 Luxury Package boasting the leather upholstery I mentioned before, a six-way powered driver’s seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and leather-like rear console lid, plus the $2,500 Technology Package that adds the previously mentioned i-ELOOP regenerative braking system, satellite radio, adaptive headlights, automatic highbeam control, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and Smart City Brake Support (SCBS), all for under $30k, or specifically $29,855 before adding on the $1,695 freight and pre-delivery preparation charge. If you don’t need your GT with all these features, the well equipped four-door goes for $25,855 plus freight, while a base Mazda3 GX Sedan starts off at $15,995.
All in all, the 2014 Mazda3 GT combines respectable levels of performance with an impressive suite of Skyactive fuel-saving features, not to mention top-tier safety and what I think is best-in-class luxury. Its superb style is just a bonus.
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