By Carol Traeger
Enquirer contributor
2004 Mazda3
![[photo]](../img/122003_mazda3T.jpg)
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Wheels rating: (out of 5)
Economy car that doesn't think it's one
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Vital Statistics
What I drove: 2004 Mazda3, five-passenger, four-door sedan or five-door hatchback,
Base price range: $13,680 to $16,895 (not including $520 destination charge)
Drivetrain layout: Front-engine, front-wheel drive
Engines: 2.0-liter inline 4-clyinder producing 148 hp and 135 lb-ft torque, or 2.3-liter inline 4-cylinder producing 160 hp and 150 lb-ft torque
Transmissions: standard 5-speed manual; optional 4-speed automatic with manu-shifter
Wheelbase: 103.9 inches
Length: 178.3 inches (sedan), 176.6 inches (hatchback)
Width: 69.1 inches
Height: 57.7 inches
Weight: 2,762-2,857 pounds
EPA mileage, city/hwy: 28/35 (sedan); 25/32 (hatchback)
Warranty: Basic: 4 years/50,000 miles; drivetrain: 4 years/50,000 miles; roadside assist: 4 years/50,000 miles
Safety: Dual front airbags and passenger weight sensors, "crashable" brake pedal, child-safety rear door locks, LATCH child seat anchorage system.
Cool: Styling, feature-packed interior, sporty handling, price, bottle holders in doors, cargo management system, optional navigation system
Uncool: Price of base "i" sedan quickly escalates with options, semi-thrashy exhaust note
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Sometimes what you don't know doesn't hurt you, it helps. Such is the case with the all-new Mazda3, which apparently never read the manual on what an economy car is supposed to be.
Because instead of being a cheap, generic econo-box, this front-wheel-drive Mazda looks and feels more like a European sports sedan. The only thing about the Mazda3 that smacks of "economy" is the price, which ranges from $13,680 to $16,895.
The Mazda3 is longer, wider, taller and more powerful than the Protege, which it replaces as Mazda's entry-level subcompact. The Protege is a tough act to follow, but the Mazda3 actually surpasses that car on all fronts, including style, standard features and handling.
Arriving in dealerships this month, the Mazda3 will compete among such subcompact heavyweights as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla/Matrix, Nissan Sentra and VW Golf. Mazda hopes to sell 70,000 Mazda3s annually in the U.S. and 250,000 worldwide.
From first glance, it's clear that the Mazda3's designers and engineers benchmarked something above and beyond the Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas of the world. Their goal wasn't to match the competition feature for feature, but to raise the bar in the subcompact segment.
Based on the one short afternoon I spent with the Mazda3, I'd say Mazda achieved its goal.
For the Mazda3, raising the bar entailed a three-way collaboration among Ford, Mazda and Volvo. (Ford owns all of Volvo and one-third of Mazda.) Mazda's engineers concentrated on the powertrain, Volvo provided its safety expertise, and Ford of Europe developed the platform. Ford's "Global C" platform - which also will serve as the basis for the new Volvo S40 and European Ford Focus - makes the Mazda3's body shell 40 percent stiffer than the outgoing Protege.
The Mazda3 is available in two distinct body styles: a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. The two bodies are so different, the only exterior parts they share are the door handles. The sedan is the more elegant of the two, with a solid, compact body and a roofline that calls to mind a BMW 3-Series. The five-door hatchback looks more French sportif. Actually, it bears a striking resemblance to the Protege5, but is distinguished from that car by a longer nose and flared-nostril headlights like those on the Mazda RX-8.
The sedan can be dressed up with a Sport Package that includes 17-inch wheels and side sill extensions. The hatchback comes standard with the Sport Package.
The sedan is offered in two trim levels: the base "i" and upgraded "s." The hatchback comes exclusively in "s" trim. The base sedan is powered by a 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, while upgraded models get the same 160-horsepower, 2.3-liter four-cylinder that powers the Mazda6. Both engines can be harnessed to a five-speed manual or an automatic four-speed transmission with a manual mode - a rarity in this class.
The exterior paint alone is worth the price of admission. The Mazda3 is offered in a broad palette of luscious colors (wait till you see the Canary Yellow), and the finish is so rich and creamy, you'll have to restrain yourself from putting your paw prints all over the car. Best of all, the paint covers every inch of the exterior - you'll never see black bumpers, door handles or mirror housings marring the lines of a Mazda3.
The high-class look extends into the cabin, which is much hipper than your average Japanese economy car. The materials look and feel solid, as opposed to brittle and plastic-like, and the fit-and-finish is top-notch. The dash panel and gauges are black, with red needles and numbers, and at night they're bathed in a cobalt-blue light. The controls are logically placed and easy to use, and the steering wheel tilts and telescopes. Upscale options include a navigation system (unusual in this price segment), xenon headlights, and leather seats.
The high ceiling allows for a semi-upright seating position (for better outward visibility), and the rear seats offer plenty of leg and shoulder room. Both the sedan and hatchback feature 60/40-split folding rear seats, which expand cargo space to an impressive 31.2 cubic feet. The hatchback is equipped with a "cargo management system," consisting of shelves and panels that can be reconfigured to optimize storage capacity and security.
The Mazda3 is full of nifty little features that add up to a lot. For instance, the glove box door and the ceiling grab handles are spring dampened, so instead of falling open or snapping back, they glide into position. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is equipped with illuminated audio controls (a rare standard feature in an "economy" car), and every door has its own bottle holder.
Mazda even gave special attention to the trunk: the ceiling is lined (to cover those unsightly metal beams), the struts are pushed to the outside (to provide more usable space), and the trunk latch is covered by a little trap door (to prevent it from catching on your cargo or clothes).
During a Mazda3 press introduction held in Irvine, Calif., I hopped in a hatchback with a writer from Automobile magazine. We drove on southern California's congested freeways and through the twisty back roads of Orange County. The steering felt on-center and responsive, and the 2.3-liter engine was right there with the power, though it was a tad noisy and the exhaust note was more "thrashy" than melodic.
Ride and handling were sporty and competent, never jostling, and when we punched the accelerator through hairpin turns, the tires stuck and never squealed.
The power-assisted disc brakes were responsive to the point of feeling grabby (but maybe that's because the cars were so new).
Volvo's contributions to the Mazda3 can be found (but not seen) in the form of advanced dual front airbags, a "crashable" brake pedal, collapsible steering column, and the availability of side-impact airbags and head-protection curtain airbags front and rear.
By delivering impeccable quality, Euro-style looks and fun-to-drivability - all for an affordable price - the Mazda3 has raised the bar in its segment, and in the process rewritten the book on what an economy car can be.
Honda, Toyota and Nissan had better wake up and start reading.
Contact Carol Traeger by e-mail at ctrigger@enquirer.com
![[photo]](../img/122003_mazda3.jpg)
