Mazda Mazda3

The Mazda3 is a compact automobile manufactured by the Mazda Motor Corporation. It is the third generation of compact vehicles designed and produced by Mazda. In Japan, The 4-Door Mazda3 is called the Axela and the 5-Door Mazda3 is called the Axela Sport.

The Mazda3 will be getting a minor facelift for the model year 2007. There will be a redesigned grille and fog lights, redesigned rims, new interior color scheme, auxiliary audio input jack, a second 12V power outlet, rear seat armrest with cupholders, LED taillights on top trim of the sedan, higher fuel economy and available stability control/traction control.

A high performance version known as the MazdaSpeed3 has been released on June 22nd of 2006, with first shipments to the US arriving in September. It is powered by a 2.3L turbocharged engine producing approximately 260hp.

See WikiCars' comprehensive Mazda3 Review.

Recent Changes

 * At the 2009 Geneva Motor Show Mazda unveiled two new variants for the Mazda3. The first is the Mazda3 i-stop which is, essentially, Mazda's new stop-start technology. It is mated to Mazda's MZR 2.0 DISI engine developing 150 hp and 138 lb·ft (187Nm) of torque and delivering a 12 percent improvement in fuel economy for the Mazda3 over the previous 2.0 liter version. The second is the long-awaited performance variant of the new 3. The Mazda3 MPS has Mazda's MZR 2.3 liter Direct Injection Spark Ignition turbocharged engine with 260 hp and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) of torque.

Mazda3 MPS

Design
The Mazda3 is based on Ford's global Ford C1 platform, which was developed by Volvo and which is shared with the latest European Ford Focus and Volvo S40. Chassis development was carried out by Mazda and suspension designed by Ford. Based on the styling of the MX-Sportif concept car, the Mazda3 is available in two body styles, a four-door sedan, marketed as "coupé style" in Europe, and a five-door hatchback, branded the Sport version in America and Japan.

Front suspension is by MacPherson struts, with coil springs and an anti-roll bar. Rear suspension is a Ford-designed "E-link" multi-link suspension, with four locating links per wheel and an anti-roll bar, suspended on coil springs that are mounted inboard of the shock absorbers to reduce suspension intrusion into the cargo area. Disc brakes are standard at all four wheels, with 300 mm (11.8 in) discs front and 279 mm (11 in) discs rear; anti-lock braking system and Electronic Brake-force Distribution are available or standard, depending on the model. Wheel and tire sizes vary with model, from 15-inch (381 mm) on base models to option 17-inch (432 mm) wheels on upper-level models.

When first introduced, American Mazda3 models were available in only two trim levels, i and s, with the 2.0L and 2.3L engines, respectively. Since then Mazda has introduced a proliferation of additional models under the Touring and Grand Touring labels. UK Mazda3s are offered in S, TS, TS2, and Sport models.

All Mazda3 models except the European diesel-powered model use the inline-4 Mazda MZR engine, with various displacements and outputs depending on model and market. Transmissions are a 5-speed manual transmission and a 4-speed automatic transmission; for the 2006 model year, a 5-speed automatic became optional on models with the 2.3L (137 cu. in.) engine.

Styles
The Mazda3 comes in 8 different styles:
 * Mazda3i 4-door sedan
 * Mazda3i Touring sedan
 * Mazda3s 4-door sedan
 * Mazda3s Touring sedan
 * Mazda3s Grand Touring sedan
 * Mazda3s 4-door Hatchback
 * Mazda3s Touring Hatchback
 * Mazda3s Grand Touring Hatchback

Details about each of these styles can be found at CarsDirect.

Pricing
Today's actual prices by city can be found at CarsDirect.

Gas Mileage
EPA Estimates.
 * 4 Cylinder 2.0L: 28/32 MPG
 * 4 Cylinder 2.3L: 25/32 MPG

Fuel efficiency also varies between automatic and manual transmission models.

Engine and Transmission
Specifications, details, graphs, pictures and other information regarding the powertrain is placed in this section.

Performance
0-62 MPH: 6.1 seconds (MazdaSpeed3)

Reliability
Epinions.com users give the 2004 Mazda3 "4 out of 5 stars" for reliability. Consumer Reports gave the Mazda3 an above-average reliability rating.
 * RECALL ALERT: First Recall for 2010 Mazda3 in the U.S.

The Mazda3 is ranked 10th place in Top Gear's latest reliability survey.

Safety
NHTSA gave the Mazda3 4 out of 5 stars for the frontal crash test rating and 3 out of 5 stars for the side impact test rating.

Colors
Colors available vary by trim. Exterior
 * Black Mica
 * Copper Red Mica
 * Nordic Green Mica
 * Rally White
 * Shimmering Sand Metallic
 * Strato Blue Mica
 * Sunlight Silver Metallic
 * Titanium Gray Metallic
 * Velocity Red Mica
 * Whitewater Pearl Mica
 * Winning Blue Metallic

Interior
 * Beige
 * Black
 * Black/Blue
 * Black/Charcoal
 * Black/Red

Main Competitors

 * Nissan Micra
 * Hyundai Getz
 * Mitsubishi Colt
 * Toyota Yaris
 * Honda Fit/Jazz
 * Tata Indica
 * Hyundai i20
 * Chevrolet Aveo

Sports Sedan and Mods
Mazda has always been known for producing sporty vehicles, the Mazda3 is no exception. The Mazda3's competitors offer less horsepower and fewer "sporty" features. The Mazda3 is not a typical family sedan, check out ModernRacer to see some pros and cons of the Mazda3's sporty attributes.

Resale Values
The Mazda3 is priced to beat out the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. It is generally $3,000 to $4,000 less expensive than these competitors. CarsDirect offers examples of used Mazda3 values, dealer and private party.

Criticisms
Criticisms of the 2004 Mazda3 include:
 * Passenger Space: Rear passengers have little leg room if the front occupants are above average height.
 * LED lights on audio system: The LEDs look a bit "cheesy" (to some) and controls don't seem to have the high quality feel that the Civic and Corolla do.

Current Generation (2010 - present)


Inside the MazdaSpeed3, refinement has been made with the suspension. These include larger diameter stabilisers, dampers set for higher roll stiffness, spring rates tuned to the stiffer chassis and new wider Dunlop tyres with increased sidewall strength.

First Generation (2004 - 2009)
Aside from the (optional) availability of electronic stability control, the Mazda Mazda3 has received only minor cosmetic changes for the 2007 model year. The exterior changes are minimal, but extend to revised bumpers with the lower air intake opening resembling the shape of the traditional Mazda 5-point grille, a revised range of alloy wheels and several new interior colour combinations. The interor also has an audio jack and an improved keyless entry system.

Mazda3 MZR CD
The Mazda3 MZR CD is the diesel version sold for European and Australian markets. Its engine produces 135 hp @ 3500 rpm and 266 lb-ft of torque @ 2000 rpm but it only comes with a six speed manual gearbox. The car's capable for fuel economy of 6 L/100 km.

The car is aimed to compete with the European diesel cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 307 and the Holden Astra.

The Protege (1999-2003)
In 1999 Mazda redesigned its "entry level" 4 door sedan with new european styling and called it the Protege. Three versions again went on sale: base DX, well-equipped LX, and sporty ES. DX and LX models got a new 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine, rated at 105-horsepower (13 more than the prior 1.5-liter).

2000 Mazda Protege
Front side airbags became available as part of the premium package on the LX and ES models. Other changes were minimal.

2001 Mazda Protege
The Protege earned a front-end facelift for 2001, along with available 4-wheel disc brakes. A 130-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine became available, too. Otherwise, the Protege was essentially a carryover. During the 2001 model year, Mazda launched a special MP3 edition of the Protege. Not only did it feature a Kenwood MP3-capable audio system, but it included a higher-output (140-horsepower) engine and a host of performance components from racing suppliers. The extras included low-profile tires on 17-inch Racing Hart wheels, a large front air dam with integrated driving lights, side sill extension, and a big rear spoiler. Only about 1500 were built, painted either Laser Blue or Vivid Yellow. (Source: Consumer Guide.com)

2002 Mazda Protege
The Protege5 joined the lineup in 2002 as a sport wagon/hatchback model.

2003 Mazda Protege
The 170-hp MazdaSpeed version of the Protege joined the line up. ES and Protege5 got revised alloy wheels, silver gauge faces (2002 had off-white), and some differing options packages (leather, 6-cd, subwoofer) for 2003. Most of the changes of the 2003 model were actually released with the 2002.5 models. A 2002.5 model is notable for having fender-mounted turn signal repeaters on a 2002, which only the 2001 Protege MP3 had previously.

The 2003 Mazda Protege had a critical recall involving loose screws in the intake manifold entering the combustion chamber and damaging the engine, sometimes irrecoverably. The culprit screws come from the two butterfly valve systems housed in the intake manifolds of almost all 2.0 litre third-gen Proteges. Not all 2003 models were affected, a dealership can check based on your VIN. The recall issue has been reported to happen to some outside of the recall range, with limited success obtaining repairs from the dealership.

The 323 (1990-1994)
Two distinct models resulted from the redesign of Mazda's front-drive subcompact for 1990: a 2-door hatchback, again called 323; and a longer, more costly 4-door sedan named Protege. Though similar in front-end appearance, the two shared no sheetmetal. An 82-horsepower, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine again powered the 323. A 5-speed manual gearbox was standard; 4-speed automatic optional. Base and SE editions went on sale. The latter got cloth upholstery instead of vinyl, as well as tinted glass and upgraded interior trim. Motorized front shoulder belts and manual lap belts were installed. (Source: ConsumerGuide.com

1991 Mazda 323
Minor standard equipment changes were made.

1992 Mazda 323
New taillight lenses installed.

1993 Mazda 323
No changes except the addition of Mazda's new logo.

1994 Mazda 323
Yet again, this model did not receive any updates. Still lacking safety features, sales were slow.

Worldwide
The Mazda3 is a compact automobile manufactured by the Mazda Motor Corporation. The name "Mazda3" is used in some markets, where as in Japan, Mazda's home market, it is the Axela. The Axela was introduced for the 2004 model year, replacing the Mazda Protegé.

The Axela has been very well-received in all markets, and in 2005 was the second best-selling car in Canada. Mazda is increasing production of the Axela at its Hofu 1 and 2 factories to meet heavy worldwide demand of over 300,000 units per year.

Design quirks and oddities
The only frequently mentioned oddity the Mazda3 possesses is the ergonomics. It isn't proportioned correctly for someone over 6' tall, driver or passenger.

Awards
The Mazda3 has receieved 55 awards worldwide since it's introduction to the market in 2004.


 * 2004 Driver's Choice Awards, MotorWeek.
 * 2004 AAA AutoGuide award winner: "under $15,000" category ,AAA.
 * RJC Car of the Year 2004: Best6, RJC.
 * Car of the Year 2004 (National Title), Croatian Association of Car Journalists
 * Editor's Most Wanted Vehicles for 2004; Most Wanted Sedan Under $15,000, Edmunds.com.
 * 2004 Denmark's Car Of The Year
 * 2004 Turkey's Car Of The Year
 * 2004 Croatia's Car Of The Year
 * 2004 Czech Republic's Car Of The Year
 * 2009 Carsales Small Car People's Choice Award