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Mazda3 Saloon

THREE TO THE FOUR (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

In Saloon form, the Mazda3 might just be at its best. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 43

The Mazda3 Saloon is the four-door version of this Japanese brand's engaging family hatch. This notchback body style is one not many manufacturers bother to offer in the family hatch segment these days, but it's welcome here. Read on to find out why.

Backgroundword count: 124

Here's a car that bucks the trend. It's conventionally shaped when fashion says it should be an SUV. It's got a normally aspirated engine when virtually every other car on the road has a turbo. And it's also that rarest of things, an affordable volume branded compact saloon. Welcome to the Mazda3 Saloon. It was originally called the Mazda3 Fastback, the Japanese brand reckoning that that moniker might make the car more likely to sell. And it needs some help: compact saloons don't traditionally do very well in our market unless they come with premium price tags and a posh badge on the bonnet. But this one might carve out a useful niche for itself - and here, we're going to find out why.

Driving Experienceword count: 186

We think the Mazda3 in any form is one of the best handling family hatch sector cars you could choose. We'd take it over a Ford Focus; it's that good. And it has the slickest manual gearbox of any car of this kind you could choose. Automatic transmission is optional, but for goodness sake try the stick shifter before you stump up for a self-shifter. There's only one engine option, a so-called 'Skyactiv-X' powerplant. It's a development of the Skyactiv-G 2.0-litre petrol unit used in base versions of the Mazda3 Hatch but is very different, developing 180PS and using what the brand calls 'Spark Controlled Compressed Ignition' or 'SPCCI', a patented lean burn process that delivers exceptional efficiency. Interestingly, it incorporates a supercharger, not for extra performance (though torque is increased by up to 30% over the Skyactiv-G unit) but instead to ensure that there's enough air in the engine for the compression ignition to work properly. Rest to 62mph takes 8.2s en route to 134mph. Unlike in the Mazda3 Hatch, you can't choose to have this powerplant mated with the brand's i-Activ AWD all-wheel-drive system.

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Pictures (high res disabled)

Statistics (subset of data only)

Min

Max

Price:

£23,320.00

£29,840.00

Insurance group:

21

23

CO2 (g/km):

122

Max Speed (mph):

134

0-62 mph (s):

8.2

Combined Mpg:

52.3

Length (mm):

4660

Width (mm):

1795

Height (mm):

1440

Boot Capacity (l):

419

Scoring (subset of scores)

Category: Compact Family Cars

Performance
70%
Handling
80%
Comfort
60%
Space
70%
Styling, Build, Value, Equipment, Depreciation, Handling, Insurance and Total scores are available with our full data feed.

This is an excerpt from our full review.
To access the full content library please contact us on 0330 0020 227 or click here

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