WASHINGTON — The compact car isn’t always known for its sporty ways, but Mazda thinks differently, making cars and crossovers that tend to be driver’s cars first and foremost. The Mazda 3 compact hatch seems to take that to heart.
Lately, I’ve been driving compact cars, but this Mazda 3 Grand Touring really is more engaging to drive than others. You feel the road more, and there is a bit more noise filtered in from the engine as well.
The steering wheel feels as if it is connected to the road, and the car communicates to you like a sports car rather than a compact car. These are great things if you love to drive, but it could be too sporty for those who don’t like that feel and who go for the quieter cabin.
The Grand Touring has larger wheels than other versions of the Mazda 3, so you also feel those larger bumps more. But for an everyday driver, it’s never too much, and the ability to take a turn helps spice up this compact.
The 184 hp seems like plenty of power. The automatic does a good job, though I like the manual version from 2015 more. Gas mileage was a bit under the 31 mpg combined sticker; I could only manage 28 mpg for the week.
The interior is a strong suit. If you choose the $26,495 Grand Touring, you have a more luxury high-dollar interior than the price of admission. The heated leather seats look and feel good, with the two-tone colors, and the red stitching adds more class. The materials are soft to the touch, and the leather steering wheel, shift knob and handbrake boot have the red stitching. The rear seats are good for two adults with nice headroom, thanks to the hatchback design, and there is pretty good storage behind the rear seats. Lower those rear seats and there’s more space for your things.
The instrument panel is easy to see, and the heads-up display looks cool and gives useful information. The large center screen sticks up from the dash. It needs to be a little lower; it looks out of place and not like an integrated piece (I think I might be in the minority, though, based on what I heard from some others I showed it to). The NAV and radio have many ways to play. From the knob on the center console to the touch screen and some controls on the steering wheel, it’s easy to operate the electronic systems on this car.
The look of the Mazda 3 still stands out after a few years on the road. My tester had the $1,750 appearance package to help add a bit more curb appeal. This includes a front air dam, side lower sill extensions and small spoiler on the rear hatch to add a bit sportier look. In black, they stand out against the Soul Red paint.
The large 18-inch wheels are also black. There isn’t much wasted space on the car and I really like the way the rear styling is with the dual exhaust and a little overhang. It’s a look that stands out.
Mazda has created a fun-to-drive compact with good looks and a really nice interior. With more than enough power and space, the compact Mazda 3 doesn’t have the biggest market share, but it deserves your attention as the fun alternative to the normal compact competition.
