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Mazda'southward completely new 2019 Mazda3 is a benchmark for the auto industry. Information technology is a mainstream compact sedan with the silence and cockpit quality nearly that of a luxury car, plus the treatment that makes the Mazda3 feel at home on the racetrack. The Mazda3 defines what the contest talks almost: class-to a higher place capabilities, a big heart panel, matte wood trim, a new Bose audio system with woofers subconscious in unused space near your anxiety, and a big (for a modest automobile) eight.8-inch center stack screen.

Mazda makes standard a complete safe and driver-assistance package except on the decontented entry trim. All in, the new Mazda3 runs from $21,890 for a Mazda3 with front end-bulldoze to $29,390 for the Mazda3 Premium all-wheel-drive with Soul Ruby Crystal paint bright plenty to immolate insects before they touch downward on the bodywork. That's for the 4-door sedan that arrives in March. A hatchback comes afterward in the year for well-nigh $1,000 more.

This is both the start of the fourth generation for the Mazda3 and the beginning of a new, more than restrained design language for all of Mazda, also as a driver-assist safety suite, a bigger eye stack brandish and interface, and more harmony between man and auto. Every push button and every knob is tuned to have the aforementioned stroke and strength to plow or actuate.

The annoying warning beeps on many cars have been replaced by melodious tones. Why it took Asia'due south second tiniest automaker to figure this out should be a wakeup call to Toyota, Honda, Hyundai et al. Goliath doesn't e'er win.

If you've driven a Mazda3, any trim level, you know it's an affordable sporty sedan on par with the Honda Civic Si, Subaru (Impreza) WRX, Hyundai Veloster Turbo Ultimate, Ford Focus ST, or Volkswagen Golf GTI. One divergence is that Mazda's base suspension is its sport intermission. The others likewise add more powerful engines. Mazda uses the same 2.v-liter, 186-hp SkyActive-G in-line four across the board to get 0-60 mph dispatch of nearly 7 seconds. Mazda enthusiasts will want to know if and when Mazda might drop in the 250-hp turbo-four from the CX-5 SUV.

In a one-half-day exam, we drove Southern California's Angeles Crest highway northeast of Los Angeles, the same roads Mazda's engineers utilize to sort out their pre-product cars. Our test cars were forepart-drive, automated-transmission, pinnacle-trim Mazda3 Premiums, with comparatively depression profile 215/45R-18 wheels and tires that gave a firm ride, whereas the entry Mazda3's run 16-inch wheels are less likely to suffer pothole damage. The sophisticated rear multilink pause on the past Mazda3 is now a elementary torsion-axle axle. No matter. The intermission limits lean going around corners, bumps are nicely damped, and steering is precise. The 2019 Mazda3 uses the company's latest iteration of Mazda GVC, or Thou-force vectoring control, an algorithm that subtly reduces engine power as you start into a turn then the front end wheels grip better and the car carves a smoother arc. The upshot in plain English: The Mazda3 rides and handles well; drivers will appreciate the handling and passengers will appreciate the ride.

Proper position of the pelvis through the seat's thigh bolster keeps the spine and head upright, maintaining a stable view of the route, Mazda says.

The Pelvis-Coddling Driver's Seat

Mazda believes in the car and commuter working in unison. Mazda calls this jinba ittai, or rider and horse as one. About recently, Mazda researched how people walk, run and drive. They concluded that to go on the driver's head upright — of import even when going around precipitous corners, even if car racing movies show the commuter's cocked at a 45-degree angle — the pelvis needs to be properly canted to back up the spine and head. To that cease, the seats have adaptable side bolsters that concord the driver, and pelvis, in place. The pause has as well been modified. Many of the editors and reviewers testing the 2019 automobile said the seats were excellent and that the seats on previous Mazdas felt very skillful, too.

Mazda also added an extra inch of adjustment to the telescoping steering wheel. That probably helps tall and short people exist every bit 1 with the motorcar, too.

Most every automaker describes its "grade-above" cockpit. Mazda can say that with a straight face up. Information technology'due south sensational.

Cockpit equally Good as It Gets in a Sub-$30K Car

Mazda upped its game in the cockpit. The car looks high-form. The leather-wait trim is nicely stitched, and reflective surfaces have been minimized. Chrome finishes are brushed satin. Mazda moved the two cupholders forrard, and then made the panel wider, lower, and closer to the control wheel (Commander, in Mazda parlance) and volume control knob. For their part, the control wheel and volume knob are bigger. Now you tin press the volume knob sideways; depending on whether it's a short or long press, you spring to the side by side rail or fast forwards. You can as well jump among stations this way, which is useful since the presets take more one button button to recall.

A head-up brandish ("Agile Driving Display") is offered that uses the windshield; it's no longer a tiny crescent of plastic chosen a collimator. Steering wheel buttons have been reconfigured to be easier to activate. The cruise control button still cycles among off, adaptive cruise control, and traditional cruise control; press the wrong button and the adjacent time you think you're invoking ACC, you're only turning on CC. (There are small indicator lights and icons, though they're easily confused. Not to worry, the automobile as well has forrad collision alert that'due south e'er on.)

The car is three inches longer now to make it wait sleeker. That makes the back seat more spacious and reduces one reward of the sales leaders, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla: back seat room. Passengers in the back should use their phones and tablets sparingly; Mazda went inexpensive and offers just two USB jacks, one up front and i in the console. Shameful. There's no telematics system.

On the other hand, the ultra-broad center stack display is up to 8.8 inches. Information technology'southward farther forward, slightly left of centre, slightly tilted toward the driver, and no longer has whatsoever touch functions. The interface is better, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included. The standard six-speaker sound is pretty good. The 12-speaker Bose sound is excellent and marks the commencement use of Bose woofers embedded in the cowl to the outside of the driver'due south and rider's anxiety.

The top, Premium, trim line gets adaptive (steerable) headlamps and LED tail lights. Add together the Soul Ruby-red Crystal paint ($595) and yous're past $29K.

The Mazda3 Trim Walk

The Mazda3 dates to the 2003 model year. The fourth generation in the United states uses only the 2.5-liter gasoline engine. It comes in four trim lines, with forepart- or all-wheel-drive ($1,400 extra), sedan or five-door hatchback ($1,000 extra, due subsequently in the year). The manual manual is now offered only on the Mazda3 Premium hatchback, the same price every bit the automatic. Except where noted, the features pertain to the sedan.

Every Mazda3 except the base of operations model gets a solid driver-aid package, which Mazda calls i-ActiveSense. There is a drowsy commuter detection system using a photographic camera and IR illuminators (for nighttime and sunglasses) that watch the commuter's attentiveness. In depression-speed traffic, the car volition follow the car ahead, steering, stopping, and going; it won't do the same at speed. Mazda now has a comprehensive driver-assist suite with all the fundamental components in the package, which it calls i-ActiveSense.

Mazda i-ActiveSense comprises:

  • ACC: Full-range adaptive cruise command (Mazda: "radar prowl control") with stop and go
  • BSD/RCTA: Blind spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert
  • LDW/LKA: Lane difference warning with lane-keep help (pulls the car back when it reaches the lane edge; does not self-center the car)
  • SCBS/SBS: Metropolis and highway forward collision warning and braking (Smart City Brake Support, Smart Restriction Support)
  • Automatic high-beam command

Perchance to underscore the zoom-zoom, driver's-machine reputation, Mazda has gone from lane deviation alert to lane keep assist only not to lane centering — considering if you and then activated adaptive cruise command, you lot'd accept a Level 2 autonomous automobile, and equally the old country preacher fears, that might lead to dancing. It's something Mazda should revisit over the side by side year or two. On a nine-60 minutes drive, which the Mazda3 tin can achieve comfortably, even the most skilled driver might appreciate a little more than input from the car on the second half of the drive. 1 Lap of America competitors turn to these features, along with onboard navigation, on their transit stages to the next competitive segment and nobody calls them wimps. Mazda does offer limited cocky-driving at slow speeds, in traffic, called Cruising & Traffic Back up (CTS).

This is the pricing for the sedan:

Mazda3 ($21,895 with freight).This gives Mazda a $21,000 toll signal before freight, forepart drive only. Features include 16-inch alloy wheels, cloth seats, and door trims, and ability windows with one-touch down/up. For this trim line only, the hatchback is $ii,600 and non $ane,00 extra considering it has more than standard content.

Mazda3 Select ($23,495 forepart-drive / $24,895 AWD). In Honda style where the trim line (model variant) encompasses all the features (no options boxes to check), it includes Apple CarPlay/Android Car, leatherette seating and door trims, a leather-wrapped steering cycle/shift knob, dual-zone climate control, 18-inch wheels, automated headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, and keyless entry.

Mazda3 Preferred ($25,095/$26,495). To the Select trim line, the Preferred adds the Bose premium 12-speaker audio system, a satellite radio tuner, heated front seats, an eight-way power driver's seat, a ability lumbar support and two-position driver memory system, and retention-position side mirrors.

Mazd3 Premium ($27,395/$28,795).The $3,600 stride brings a head-up display, steerable LED headlamps, LED tail lamps, paddle shifters, leather seats, and a power moonroof. The HUD limits itself tocommuter information; if you want to see who'due south calling, or what station you're tuned to, that's for the center stack display.

Three reasons why the Mazda3 will climb the sales ranks: 1) Cruze is being discontinued, 2) Ford Focus except hatchback is being discontinued and 3) the 2019 Mazda3 is dazzling.

Should You lot Buy?

Mazda has six models in the US, with 300,325 sold terminal year, 16th best among 35 brands. Only amidst mainstream Asian brands, simply Mitsubishi sells fewer vehicles. The Mazda CX-5 and Mazda3 last year accounted for iii of every four sales. The CX-five is the best compact SUV in its class. The Mazda3 is amongst the very all-time minor sedans and is the auto to crush for sporty drivers who don't want to shell out twice as much for an Audi A4 or BMW iii Serial. It is a solid car with skilful handling, a truly upscale cockpit, and a solid safe suite.

While the car is bigger especially in the dorsum seat, trunk space hasn't improved on the sedan. Providing only two USB jacks is skimpy. The drivetrain yet lives with a half dozen-speed transmission. Americans can't get the Mazda3 with the turbo-four, not the SkyActive-D diesel-four (non yet at least), nor the compression-ignition SkyActive-Ten engine that runs on gasoline and works like a diesel most of the time (still in development). The manual transmission is now merely offered on the Premium trim line hatchback, simply that's all the market demands; automakers have learned to ignore online fanboys who gripe but don't purchase.

If a sedan is the kind of car you want, at least test drive the Mazda3. The Honda Borough and the outgoing Toyota Corolla (new model coming shortly) may outsell the Mazda each past 5-1, but Mazda holds its ain on desirability. Mazda and Subaru Impreza are unique in offer all-bike-drive, and the slightly smaller Subaru Crosstrek, were it classified a sedan/hatchback and non a crossover, would be No. 5 on the sales list above. Mazda now matches and raises the big boys with a safety suite more complete than Honda Sensing and Toyota Safety Sense; the latter two don't take bullheaded spot detection in their suites.

If y'all get for the Mazda3, featherbed the base Mazda3 that is shy on features for the Select or Preferred trims, both with the i-ActivSense safety suite. The Preferred has nicer seats, ameliorate audio, and heated seats. The superlative trim Mazda3 Premium adds luxury items, better headlamps, and the HUD for driving enthusiasts. At that near-$30K price bespeak, though, Mazda runs into contest from the VW GTI and other pocket rockets with engines over 200 hp.

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