TEST DRIVE: Mazda3 1.6

MANILA, Philippines - Last April, Mazda took the wraps off its new Mazda3 sedan and hatchback. At the launch, Kenichiro Saruwatari, Mazda3 Program Manager said that the 3 “must offer both exhilarating driving and appealing design in addition to exceptional fuel economy.” I’d give him an “A” for exhilarating driving and a “B” for appealing design and exceptional fuel economy.

I’ve driven a lot of superb-handling high-performance cars but I can’t think of any car in the Mazda3’s size, power, and price range that can approach its sheer responsiveness on the road. The only front-wheel-drive car that surpasses the Mazda3’s nimbleness, razor-sharp handling and flat cornering is the Mini Cooper. That’s saying a lot. And that’s despite the 3’s use of stock suspension components (no harsh-riding springs or struts here) and with the car maintaining a compliant ride. Credit goes to its astute front strut/rear multi-link suspension tuning, generous rubber, and very well-developed chassis rigidity. This 3 is truly an embodiment of Mazda’s zoom-zoom philosophy.

The zoom-zoom carries over into the engine compartment. The 1.6 and 2.0-liter engines won’t set horsepower records in their classes (a seemingly middling 103hp and 144Nm of torque for the 1.6; a more creditable 145hp for the 2-liter), but they feel oh-so-zippy nonetheless. You get most of the power and torque in the midrange which makes accelerating and overtaking a joy rather than a chore. Even the exhaust note is a very aggressive burble at idle—almost like that of a BMW Z4’s. The engine computer even subtly blips the engine when you start it, just like any sports car. Nice!

The now-made-in-Japan Mazda3 (the previous model was assembled in the Ford plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna) has a higher price tag compared to its predecessor. It now starts out at P999,000 for the Mazda3 1.6LV sedan; goes up to P1,099,000 for my hatchback test unit, and tops out at P1,299,000 for the top-of-the-line 2.0L R sedan. Thankfully, the 3 also now feels decidedly more upmarket with higher overall refinement and build quality and uses better and more upscale materials inside the sporty and driver-centric cabin—even if rear seat legroom leaves a bit to be desired.

Style-wise, the new 3 sports a new front fascia with Mazda’s “smiling” bumper air intake opening. The cat’s eye headlamps sweep back towards another Mazda styling trademark: the sexy Coke-bottle front fender curves.

Overall, while I like the new 3’s styling, it still leaves me with the impression that more could have been done—particularly with the side and rear views—to make it look even more different from its predecessor, especially considering that the previous-generation 3 came out a good eight years ago. As it is, I would describe the new model as a very well-executed facelift, but not an “all-new” look.

All things considered, if an entertaining driving experience is high on your hierarchy of needs and wants, the Mazda3 should vault itself on top of your list.

The highs

• fantastic handling

 and responsiveness

• energetic engine

• high build quality

• low NVH levels

The lows

• still looks too much like

 its predecessor

• mediocre rear seat legroom

• pricey 

The verdict

The car to have if you want a driving experience closest to a Mini Cooper’s. These two cars may look nothing alike, but they certainly speak the same language on the road.