Mazda 3 Sedan – a hard classic

The Mazda 3 is a model that has been better and better with each new generation. It is also representative of the old school, which is completely unique among today's cars. We tested the more controversial Mazda 3 hatchback at the beginning of the summer and now it's time to find out how the latest generation is doing in the sedan version.

Mazda is a brand that is interesting in its approach to potential customers. She is the only one who goes against the grain and her marketing slogans really live up to their words in reality. In today's unified era, you won't find any other brand that would so much cough up all possible standards, whether in terms of driving characteristics, technology or design. Mazda is one of the last few brands that makes cars for drivers. Despite the fact that it will never achieve the same sales as large European or American concerns…

It is very difficult to avoid evaluating the design, because it is so prominent in the new Mazda that it is basically impossible to ignore. I don't want to impose my opinion on aesthetics to anyone, but the new Mazda 3 looks several times better in person than in photos. In terms of size, it doesn't even compare with its bigger sister, marked 6…

Currently, there is no competitor in this segment on the market that could match the interior of the "troika". The direction indicated by the significantly modernized Mazda 6 has been developed here in all its beauty and sophistication. Mazda not only used top-of-the-line materials in the entire cockpit, the minimalist concept and the final processing of individual parts are stunning above all. This is what the interior of a modern compact hatchback should look like. Even the free-standing infotainment display (which is NOT touchscreen, of course) is integrated into the dashboard in a completely non-violent and elegant way.

Mazda coins the slogan "Jinba Ittai", meaning the fusion of rider and horse, which it applies with Japanese perseverance. Behind the wheel of the new Mazda 3, you will immediately realize that this car is really not an average sedan, but a part of your personality. Anyone who likes to drive a little bit will feel right at home behind the wheel as soon as they sit down. Maybe only the driver's seat could go a good few cm lower…

In the interior, everything is aimed at the driver, who is not distracted by anything. Mazda continues to reject touch screens, which they say are distracting. Instead, you use intuitive controls similar to BMW's iDrive. The control display is very visible, clear and has a resolution that far more premium cars could envy.

The seats lack lumbar support, which froze my lower back a bit. There is plenty of room in the front, but the back seats are not for everyone. With my 186 cm, I sat down behind me just so. From the rear seats, the view outside is a little worse due to the smaller side windows, but from the driver's position you will hardly take this as an argument.

The luggage compartment is characterized by a regular shape, but it has a high loading edge and overall I would describe it as average in terms of practicality. But the size of the trunk is an aspect that probably won't be a priority for the Mazda 3 in the sedan version. To his credit, after folding the rear seats, you can transport a 2.5 m pipe with complete clarity. Tried and tested…

However, what Mazda prioritizes are driving characteristics. I still remember the MPS version, which for me is one of the top-hardcore sharp hatchbacks. Not with speed, but with the way you had to earn speed and momentum. This car could almost break your hands on the steering wheel with its rawness.

The new Mazda 3 takes a similar approach, although of course much, much more tolerant. The tested specimen is not a speedster. 122 hp and 213 Nm are just enough to find out if you are a driver or just an ordinary driver. This sensation is helped by the excellently balanced steering, which for the time being transmits an above-average amount of information from the front wheels and the short-folded gearbox, which even in the automatic version lets the revs soar beautifully.

The two-liter likes to be dialed in, which is a task you will treat it to most of the time. That is, if you are concerned with at least average dynamics. Up to 4000 rpm, the engine is mild, even a little lethargic. But get it revving and it shows its true colors. Many manufacturers today claim that it cannot be done without turbocharging. Mazda is giving them a humiliating slap with their own glove with their petrol engines. Yes, it requires a slightly different way of driving, and the consumption is not exactly what can be "laid out" on a worn-out engine, but in the city you can drive in the range of 7-8 liters in complete peace and without lags.

If until now this test reminded you more of an ode, now comes the biggest disappointment that can cost Mazda many potential customers. On a smooth road, the new Mazda 3 is obedient and, thanks to G-vectoring (in other words, inner wheel braking), enables high dynamics even in fast-moving corners. The body almost does not tilt, and on such roads you will forgive the "three" even the cheaper torsion axle at the back, which is very well tuned for sporty driving.

However, there are few such roads in our country, most of them are driven through broken districts, which have a long way to go. And on broken roads, this car just doesn't work very well. The chassis is extremely rigid and is tuned in a similar way to the more adjustable chassis of tuning companies, steeled to max. Especially on lateral bumps, the car is very unstable and extremely hard.

Mazda 3 is not an ordinary car that has given up on the basic characteristics of a car, such as joy behind the wheel. In addition, it has a beautifully simple and at the same time elegant interior, so you will be happy behind the wheel even if you just go shopping. This cannot be said about many cars today…

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