Mazda Mazda3 2.0 TS2 Automatic 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The driving position for the Mazda3 is perfectly reasonable, with a fully adjustable steering wheel and a driver’s seat that is height adjustable. The ride in the car is quite firm, and bumps in the road certainly make themselves felt especially at slow speeds. The car does have plenty of grip and there isn’t much body movement in the corners, but the handling is a little twitchy, and the inert steering gives the driver no indication of how the car is handling.

The 2.0 litre petrol engine does deliver some quite good performance figures, and the ability to accelerate from 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds is certainly reasonable for the class. The top speed of 128mph also means that it has more than enough pace to comfortably handle the longest motorway journeys with ease.

Where other medium sized hatchbacks have been styled conservatively, many people will be attracted to the Mazda3 because of the beautiful sporty look of the car. The eye-shaped headlights and narrow grille give the car a nice look, with the air intake small and well hidden on the low front bumper. The height of the car does fade towards the back, which does affect the space available, but the rear lights are partially mounted on the boot, meaning the larger boot door gives easier access.

The level of equipment to be found in this version is quite impressive, and the six CD changer stereo with chunky controls is certainly one of the nicer features of the car. The alloy wheels that are included also help to improve the overall look. Rain sensing wipers and darkness sensing headlights are also innovative features which are normally found on more expensive cars.

Although this is a larger car, there really is only space for four people to ride comfortably, as the centre armrest for the driver does encroach on the space in the back. The boot is spacious and the access is good, and the fully adjustable driving position does make long journeys more comfortable.

In terms of the safety of the Mazda3, it has been awarded five stars by the Euro NCAP safety test, and is also supplied with six airbags. The car also has ESP, ABS and traction control which will help the driver to remain in control and to keep all four wheels on the road in poor driving conditions. Mazda have a long reputation for producing reliable cars, and they provide a three year warranty to support this.

The list price of this Mazda3 including the automatic gearbox is £19,270, which places it firmly in the sights of cars such as the VW Golf, which is a very difficult hurdle car to beat. Although the Mazda3 is a very attractive car that does have a reasonable level of equipment, it is hard to recommend it over cars such as the Golf.

One area in which the 2.0 litre petrol engine does suffer is in terms of fuel economy, and it is only able to deliver an average 42.2mpg. This does mean that running the car in the long term can be quite expensive. Depreciation on the Mazda is quite reasonable, meaning that the car will lose relatively little value. As well as the three year warranty, the Mazda3 also comes with the equivalent period of roadside breakdown cover, which is also reassuring should anything go wrong with the car.