Jared Syrenne

2018 Mazda3 – Review

April 23, 2018

So much for so little. The Mazda3 is and continues to be a very well rounded car, where it’s clear driving matters. So much so that the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) voted the MAZDA3 Best Small Car in Canada for 2018.

The Mazda3 is always something that never blows me away but always has me taking a second look. This car has everything you need, and even a few things you won’t soon be able to be without. To truly enjoy the Mazda3 you need to look past the numbers, and realize there is so much more to the whole experience than A vs. B. What the Mazda3 really is… is consistency, you know what you’re getting with this car, and you know what to expect, and that isn’t a bad thing. With the Mazda3 they saw the value in not having to swing for the fences, they don’t need to spend finite resources reaching for that one incrementally higher number… Instead, they can offer consistently mid to high-level quality in every aspect of the vehicle.

This is shown in the implementation of technologies like SKYACTIV-VEHICLE DYNAMICS with G-Vectoring Control (GVC). This technology works behind the scenes to do this to minimize driver effort on their daily commute. It can make micro corrections to the steering, and the GVC will reduce the amount of body sway while going around corners or curves. My favorite feature, which I was pleasantly surprised to see at this price range was the Colour Active Driving Display, a visual display of things like posted speed signage and your current speed projected on the road ahead of you. This HUD reminds me of when I first started seeing backup cameras cars, something at first you think might think is gimmicky or unneeded, but it quickly becomes a necessary feature on every vehicle.

The base and special 50^th edition Mazda3 is powered by the SKYACTIV-G 2.0L which produces an unsatisfying 155 hp, but upgrading to the premium GT model will include the 2.5L which might sacrifice some fuel economy but will give you a little more impressive 184 hp. Also found on the premium GT is a whole slew of safety features like lane assist making minor corrections to keep you where you need to be monitoring and support to detect objects ahead and either slow you downing or stop the car. Size wise the Mazda3 rightly fits into the small car category. Do not expect the 2^nd-row seating to have much or any leg room if you’re a larger person that requires extending the driver’s seat back any further than that of an old lady who drives hugging the steering wheel.

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