The BMW of Economy Cars

Mazda's Protegé has become popular with import tuners, a sure sign of its athletic attitude. OK, so its engine range came up a little shy before the MazdaSpeed version hit the street, but even base cars took to the corners with gusto. Nevertheless, as much as I've enjoyed it over the years both in sedan and sporty 5 trim, it's long gone now.

I can say with a grin that the Mazda3, with its upgraded 2.3-L GT package, goes like there's no tomorrow. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

Now the Mazda3 is here, and in one quick movement cured the engine problem for good. The new model, that pulls much of its go-fast design language from the recently introduced 6, is a literal hotrod. Tossing out the 103-hp 1.6-L four altogether, at least in our market, and beefing up the 2.0-L from 130-hp to a standard 148, is a good first step. While I didn't get the chance to take a run in a base GX or GS car, I can say with a grin its upgraded 2.3-L GT goes like there's no tomorrow. The

The engine's 160-hp and 151 lb-ft of torque spin the front wheels at will, making the GT feel as if it's accelerating as quickly as last year's MazdaSpeed Protegé. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

My GT 4-door tester featured a 5-speed manual shifter which delivered smooth operation in all forward gears, where it matters for performance needs, but was way too difficult to get into reverse. I didn't notice this glitch in the 5-door Sport I drove previous so it's probably only a problem with my loaner. Mazda also offers a 4-speed automatic with Sportronic sequential shifting mode by the way, an impressive feature for this compact class.

Any difficulty getting it into gear soon was a distant memory once underway. Much like the Protegé the 3 dances through the curves, but even more so as its body structure is quite a bit stiffer. Steering turn-in is direct, but not enough to throw it off-line at high-speed where it tracks like a much larger car. This might have something to do with my GT tester's 17-inch alloy rims on 205/50R17 all-season tires - part of the optional GFX package that also includes sportier bumpers, front mud guards, sport fog lights, side sill extensions, a body-color front grille, and a power glass moonroof with integrated front map lamps. Regular GTs wear 205/55R16 all-season tires while base and GS models get 195/65R15 year-round rubber.

The optional GFX package adds a number of stylish goodies, including sportier bumpers, a body-color front grille, and a power glass moonroof. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

I was also blown away with the new 3's larger brakes - discs all-round by the way which is another positively unusual trait for its segment. Assisted by ABS on my test car, response was immediate with hardly any fade after repeated full-on stops, giving me more confidence at higher speeds.

Part of that confidence can be directly related to the layout behind the wheel. The thick 3-spoke steering wheel and leather-aluminum short-throw shifter look and feel as good as Momo aftermarket pieces, and the heavily-bolstered driver's seat fit me perfectly. I was a

The thick 3-spoke steering wheel and aluminum short-throw shifter look and feel as good as Momo aftermarket pieces. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

Now that I'm complaining I don't like the Ford-derived ignition switch either. It forces the driver to press an awkwardly placed button before removing the key. While I'd most likely get used to it over time, it's annoying and unnecessary as every other automaker makes do without such a device.

But these are my only complaints in an interior that should otherwise make some premium brands slither away in embarrassment. After all, with a base price of $16,195 the 3 shouldn't be this well put together. It shouldn't feature high-end plastics,

With a base price of $16,195, the Mazda3's interior should make some premium brands slither away in embarrassment. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

I'd say it's the BMW of economy cars, but Mazda's 3 goes further than the Bavarian by offering a dash-mounted 6-disc CD changer in anything over the base model. What's more, the tilt and telescoping steering wheel features audio/cruise buttons on its spokes.

The Mazda3 4-door turned heads constantly, especially from the young import-tuner target market. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

As for styling it's an exciting design. The 3 4-door turned heads constantly, especially from the young import-tuner target market. The rear end is especially attractive, with its RX-8 influenced taillights and trendy door cutouts jutting into the C-pillar. As for the front, well it looks good but unfortunately a lot like the recently restyled Honda Civic. Let me explain. I had a 2004 Honda parked next to it in the garage for a couple of days, which is why I noticed the incredible similarity in headlight lens and front fascia design. It's not like Mazda copied Honda, or vice-versa, as both models were being designed simultaneously, it's just uncanny that the two brands, which have run into recognition problems for adhering to a nearly identical five-sided grille in the past, are still faced with such problems. Is it another deal breaker? Not in the slightest, as the car is way too impressive for such minute discretions to affect my overall opinion.

In the end the 3 is a major step forward for Mazda, and might just be the best car for sport-oriented drivers in the compact crowd.

Specifications (3 4-Door GT):

• Price Range (MSRP): $21,345 - $24,445 (base 3s start at $16,195)
• Body Type: 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback
• Layout: front engine, FWD
• Engine: 148 hp, 138 lb-ft of torque, 2.0-L, 16-valve, DOHC I-4
• Opt Engine (GT): 160 hp, 151 lb-ft of torque, 2.3-L, 16-valve, DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 5-spd manual (opt 4-spd auto with manual mode)
• Acceleration (0 - 100 km/h): 8.9 seconds
• Top Speed: 188 km/h (117 mph)
• Brakes (front/rear): disc / disc (opt ABS)
• Curb Weight: 1,248 kg (2,751 lbs)
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Cargo Volume (trunk): 323 L (11.4 cu ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 9.2 / 6.7 L/100 km (26 / 35 mpg) (manual)
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/80,000 comprehensive - 60/100,000 powertrain
• Direct Competitors: Chevrolet Cavalier / Optra, Dodge SX 2.0, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Pontiac Sunfire, Saturn ION, Subaru Impreza, Suzuki Aerio, Toyota Corolla, VW Golf
• Web site: www.mazda.ca

Note: Additional larger photos available in photo album.

Protégé is Gone but 3 is Still Class Leader

If you want to see a carmaker's true colors, what it's really made of, don't look to its flagship sedan or SUV. Instead, take a wander across the showroom to an entry level model. Is it enticing? Does it make you want to buy into the brand? More often than not, it doesn't.

If you want to see a carmaker's true colors just spend some time checking out their entry level model; Mazda has this category nailed. (Photo: Mazda)

The grim reality is that some car companies do a great job building cars that normal folks drive, and others, well they've got some serious homework to do. Mazda, on the other hand, has done so well in the cheap seats it deserves to skip a grade.

I've had at least a half dozen or so Protegé test cars over the years, falling head over heals for each one. In recent years the styling has been sharp, interior design trend setting, and materials much better than average. They're real driver's cars too, fantastic in the corners, slick shifting manual transmissions and responsive engines, if sometimes a little low on power. And I'm not the only admirer. The majority of top-10 lists across the continent feature the little Mazda among the chosen - it doesn't happen by chance.

The well respected Protegé nameplate is on the way out, and will be replaced by a simple '3'. (Photo: Mazda)

Neither has its replacement. It's been a long time coming, but looks easily worth the wait. Mazda execs must have spent long sleepless nights sweating over the name change. After all, most rival automakers would gladly trade in their compact offerings for half the respect the Protegé has garnered, and to be changing the name to a simple 3, losing the previous model's brand identity in the process, must have been a tough decision. But just one car can't stand in the way of the entire nameplate's progress, thus 3 it is. And just the same, something tells me it'll have no problems developing a following all its own.

What makes it so special? Start with styling that pulls major cues from the sleek 6, one of the sexiest cars in the midsize class. Of course, the 3 is shorter, and still needing to be as tall to accommodate all shapes and sizes doesn't look quite as rakish. Still, those who like Mazda's sporty new look should have no problem buying into the new 3.

Pulling styling cues from the sleek 6, those who like Mazda's sporty new look should have no problem buying into the new 3. (Photo: Mazda)

I saw the Sport, what was then the MX Sportif concept, in Detroit last January. Actually, I didn't just see it, I mauled it. Hopping in and out, checking out the high gloss black lacquer interior trim, sitting back in the heavily bolstered black and blue seats, gripping the thick 3-spoke steering wheel framing a sweet looking tri-binnacle gauge cluster, it was my kind of car. I knew then that Mazda would build something very similar to replace the current Protegé 5, and it doesn't look that much different in road-going trim.

Not quite as radical as the exterior, the Mazda 3's interior is still bold, sporty and equipped with a great sound system. (Photo: Mazda)

The interior is slightly less radical. Gone is the black lacquer, probably a good thing as in real life it's difficult to keep scratch free. The seats aren't quite as bold, but still sport color fleck to spice things up. The cool red pinstripe across the center stack remains however, something I didn't expect to see make the transfer from prototype to production. It keeps the glow in the dark HVAC knobs too, one of my favorite features in the 6.

Mazda's made a name for itself in audio systems, sporting some of the best name brands in the business, massive subwoofers, removable faceplates and MP3 technology, before any other manufacturer's engineers even knew how to download a music file. Just the same the new 3 doesn't offer a CD changer standard. You've got to move up to the GS model for that. All the same the stereo is integrated seamlessly into the center stack, controlled by two large knobs or via steering wheel mounted switches - a feature not normally offered in the compact class.

But this is a theme the 3 continues over and over. I mean, what compact car features rear disc brakes standard? How about a tilt/telescopic steering wheel? At the risk of repeating the entire standard feature list, something the recently revised www.mazda.ca website does an impressive job achieving, suffice it to say there's a lot on the table.

The phrase "a feature not normally offered in the compact class" keeps coming up when describing the new 3. (Photo: Mazda)

Possibly most impressive to driving enthusiasts, or for that matter just about anyone wanting to pass a slow moving vehicle or alternatively needing to merge from city to highway speeds, the base GX and GS 2.0-L 4-cylinder engine sports 148-hp. Again, this is top of its class. Torque is ample too, at 135 lb-ft, available from a reasonably tractable 4,500 rpm. Those wanting a little more get up and go can opt for the GT package, boasting a 2.3-L four with 160-hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. While rivals offer more powerful tuned versions of their compact cars, so will Mazda. The current 2003.5 MazdaSpeed Protegé is being phased out; set to be replaced by something new based on the 3. Stay tuned.

Standard 3s get a smooth shifting 5-speed manual, with Mazda's 4-speed automatic with Sport mode sequential shifting. (Photo: Mazda)

Standard 3s get a smooth shifting 5-speed manual, with Mazda's 4-speed automatic with Sport mode sequential shifting. Again, try to find another compact that offers a manu-matic gearbox as the base automatic? There isn't one. Both transmissions are available with either engine.

A powerful and flexible drivetrain is wonderful, but would be wasted if the 3 was a dog in the handling department. Fortunately Mazda has been spending its resources, and dipping into the much deeper pockets of parent company Ford Motor, to develop the new model's chassis. It shares architecture with the next-gen Focus and Volvo S40 that recently debuted in Frankfurt, and is said to be set up to Mazda's more driver oriented performance specs.

Part of that handling prowess is due to a rigid body structure, enhancing torsional and flexural stiffness. The steering is said to be "precise, linear and predictable in all situations," according to Mazda's press materials, something I don't doubt being that the older, less sophisticated Protegé was fabulous. The 3 sports larger brakes too, as well as a linear booster for more immediate response to pedal input.

The steering is said to be "precise, linear and predictable in all situations," according to Mazda's press materials. (Photo: Mazda)

Wheels and tires start at 15-inch steel on 195/65R15 all-season tires. GS models get 15-inch alloys, while 16-inch alloys wrapped in 205/55R16 all-season tires are available in GS trim with the Sport Package, standard on the GT. GTs with the GFX package get a set of 17-inch alloy rims on 205/50R17 all-season tires. The GFX package features other go-fast goodies too, including sportier bumpers, front mud guards, sport fog lights, side sill extensions, a body colored front grille, and a power glass moonroof with front map lamps.

The 3 is not only a more sophisticated car than the outgoing Protegé, but it looks more upscale as well. (Photo: Mazda)

There's lots of room for storage too. Sedans feature 323 L (11.4 cu ft) of trunk space, while the more accommodating Sport offers 484 L (17.1 cu ft) with all seats in use, and a substantial 884 L (31.2 cu ft) when both sections of the 60/40 split seatback are folded forward.

But not to get bogged down with features and specs, the car on the whole looks to be a major winner. Only time will tell if it is successful in a much more competitive market than its predecessor, but my hunch is it will break new ground for the sporty Japanese brand. The 3 is not only a more sophisticated car than the outgoing Protegé, but it looks more upscale as well. This will help it do well here in Canada, where small cars rule the sales charts and consumers have to stretch the value for money proposition farther than our friends south of the border.

What is that value proposition? The 3 starts well equipped for $16,195. That's more than much of its Japanese and Korean competition, but less than VW's Golf which targets a similar sport-oriented buyer. Add on the goodies and the price climbs, but not overbearingly so. Fully optioned the sedan sells for $23,340 and the 5-door Sport, which starts at $20,185, goes for a total of $25,085. It's not chump change, but it's hardly a chump car.

Now with the 3 ready to take on the top of its class, Mazda has built up a tight, solid lineup of serious market segment competitors. (Photo: Mazda)

No, judging this automaker by its entry car sheds a promising light on the entire Mazda brand. Now with the impressive 6, the sensational RX-8, legendary Miata, and still strong Tribute compact SUV, MPV minivan and B-series pickup trucks to choose from, Mazda has a tight, solid lineup of serious market segment competitors. The new 3 just might be the leader in its class.

Specifications:

• Price Range (MSRP): $16,195 - $25,085
• Body Type: 4-door sedan, 5-door liftback
• Layout: front engine, FWD
• Engine: 150 hp, 138 lb-ft of torque, 2.0-L, 16-valve, DOHC I-4
• Opt Engine (GT): 160 hp, 150 lb-ft of torque, 2.3-L, 16-valve, DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 5-spd manual (opt 4-spd auto with manual mode)
• Brakes (front/rear): disc / disc (opt ABS)
• Curb Weight (min - max): 1,223 - 1,296 kg (2,696 - 2,857 lbs)
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Cargo Volume (trunk): 323 L (11.4 cu ft)
• Cargo Volume (liftback seats up/folded): 484 - 884 L (17.1 - 31.2 cu ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 9.2 / 6.7 L/100 km (26 / 35 mpg)
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/80,000 comprehensive - 60/100,000 powertrain
• Direct Competitors: Chevrolet Cavalier, Dodge SX 2.0, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Pontiac Sunfire, Saturn ION, Subaru Impreza, Suzuki Aerio, Toyota Corolla, VW Golf
• Web site: www.mazda.ca