Cargazing
By Derek Price
After driving the Mazda3 sedan for a couple of days, I decided to finally take a closer look at the price sheet.
There, in bold type, was a number that seemed too good to be true: 41, as in 41 miles per gallon on the highway.
The fact that a small sedan can get that kind of stratospheric mileage rating today isn’t too unusual. But the fact that this car — one that feels zippy, fun and fast — was blessed with a 41 from the EPA, well, it just felt wrong. Most cars that get that kind of mileage are slow and wheezy, like they have chronic emphysema.
Granted, the people who hand out fuel-economy ratings at the EPA are spectacular fiction writers. No one actually hits their numbers in the real world, not unless they drive like the gas pedal is made of thin-stemmed fine crystal that can never be mashed.
The 2016 Mazda3 is one of the sportiest, most fuel-efficient compact sedans on the market today.
In my test, I treated the Mazda3 like a typical Mazda driver — the kind of person Toyota drivers are scared to ride with — and still came away with miserly, 30+ mpg numbers showing up on the trip computer despite my less-than-gentle relationship with the accelerator.
Does that matter at a time when oil prices are so cheap that the Saudi king wakes up in a cold sweat every morning? I’m not so sure. But when, not if, gasoline prices return to more normal levels, people will be looking to cars like this to salvage some semblance of an enjoyable driving experience.
And the Mazda3 really is a blast. It may have the best handling of any front-wheel-drive family car I’ve ever driven, with a steering, brake and suspension feel tuned in Mazda’s deliciously sporty way that sends all the right sensations to the driver. It corners and accelerates beautifully, despite having just 155 horsepower on tap in my test car.
Mazda calls this black magic SKYACTIV, a marketing moniker for the engineering philosophy that resulted in such a great car. The engine, transmission and chassis all work together to squeeze the most fun out of every drop of fuel.
A bigger, more powerful, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine also is available in the Mazda3, and it makes you pay a surprisingly small penalty for the power. It makes 29 more horses but only cuts your fuel economy by 1 mpg in both city and highway driving, according to the EPA. That’s remarkable.
Changes for 2016 are minimal, mainly having to do with new equipment packages and a standard backup camera across the lineup.
A tachometer dominates the instrument cluster in the driver-focused Mazda3. A digital display mounted high on the dash help’s keep the driver’s eyes on the road.
A “preferred equipment package” is available on the Mazda3 i Sport to give you a blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers, among other upgrades.
There’s a new “touring popular equipment package” that takes it a step further, adding dual-zone climate control, a nine-speaker Bose stereo system, satellite radio, a snazzy shark-fin antenna and a CD player (do people still use those?)
Mazda offers some unusual high-end options for this compact class, too, like a heads-up display, high-intensity headlights and radar cruise control.
Pricing starts at $17,845. My tester, which came with the comfy Grand Touring trim level, was priced at $23,435, a number I think is quite reasonable for a car that comes with navigation and leather-like seats. I’ve driven similarly equipped cars priced closer to $30 grand in this class.
At a Glance
What was tested?
2016 Mazda3 i 4-Door Grand Touring ($22,545). Options: Cargo mat ($70). Price as tested (including $820 destination charge): $23,435
Wheelbase: 106.3 in.
Length: 180.3 in.
Width: 70.7 in.
Height: 57.3 in.
Engine: 2.0-liter four-cylinder (155 horsepower, 150 lbs.-ft.)
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Estimated Mileage: 29 city, 41 highway
RATINGS
Style: 9
Performance: 9
Price: 8
Handling: 10
Ride: 8
Comfort: 8
Quality: 9
Overall: 9
Video Review:
2016 Mazda3
bit.ly/16mazda3
Why buy it?
It’s a fun, affordable, fuel-efficient sedan. From its looks to its driving feel, it seems like a thoroughly modern, next-generation, surprisingly sophisticated compact car.