A short history of Mazda 3
From odd-ball runabout to top-selling trend-setter, we drive the Mazda3 family treeManhandling the wobbly shifter into fourth gear, the seating position better suited to romantic pursuits than driving, the 1980 Mazda 323 feels makes you feel alive. It's almost 40 years old and is a completely different vehicle to drive compared to the highly advanced 2017 Mazda3, its modern-day descendant.
The bright orange sh*tbox comes from a time when Bluetooth streaming was considered science-fiction and as it slowly nudges 80km/h, it feels as if it's going to shake itself to pieces.
It's a pile of junk by modern standards... yet there's something undeniably satisfying about plodding about in it.
The steering is as sharp as a bowling ball and torrential rain makes the experience even more exhilarating, particularly as the vintage car rides on bicycle-thin tyres and has no air-conditioning. Erratic laughter from the driver – stemming as much from pure terror as from delight – is making things a little foggy.
Let it be said, however, that back in 1978 when this car first hit the Aussie market, drivers laughed in the face of such shortcomings. Foggy windows were cool. Big hair was awesome, orange carpet in your lounge room was chic. Wearing seatbelts was frowned upon by the cool kids and back then driving sober was optional.
Thankfully I'm sober (but not convinced I'm entirely in control of the vehicle) as the twin-barrel downdraft carburettors feebly but precisely squirt fuel into the tiny 1.4-litre engine's four cylinders. It generated 61kW and 98Nm when new and there's no tachometer, so it's not clear when the engine's gonna pop. Even so, the simplicity of the dashboard design is oddly soothing.
A tight corner looms, so I jump on the brakes. Big mistake. The tiny front discs and rear drums respond with the enthusiasm of a stoned sloth and by then the corner's upon me.
The 840kg car is rotating somewhat… pity it's not gripping.
It rolls like a row boat in a storm, arms a blur of movement as I spin the steering wheel trying to maintain intended trajectory as the wheels lose grip. Scary, yes, but boy is it engaging. With no anti-lock brakes, no power steering, no airbags and no stability control, the driver needs 100 per cent focus.
Although it's a rubbish car in many respects, not to mention a death-trap – one driver speared off the closed road during the test – the 1977 Mazda 323 marked the beginning of Mazda's assault on the mainstream small car segment in Australia.
This dorky-looking bright-orange four-wheeled nugget has evolved into the modern-day Mazda3, an ultra-safe vehicle so smart it can accelerate and brake without any input from the driver. Best of all, it's got a windscreen demister! Bless.
Seven generations of Mazda3
I've just driven seven generations of Mazda 323/Mazda3 vehicles spanning four decades and it's been an edifying experience.
The first two generations of Mazda 323 (badged Familia in Japan) that spanned the late 1970s and 1980s are frightful, but the 1990s brought the Mazda Astina hatchbacks which represented a quantum leap in terms of chassis control.
The early 2000s saw a return to the classic hatchback shape with the Astina, then by 2005 the first generation Mazda3 hatch hit the scene. Three generations on, the latest
2017 Mazda3 Astina hatch drives like a Porsche compared to its 1977 ancestor.
1984 Mazda 323
After driving the 1980 Mazda 323, next up is the 1984 Mazda 323 – whose exterior design is all angles and sharp edges. The interior is much the same (brown is the new black!), rectangular shapes dominating the dashboard.
It's slightly less wibbly-wobbly to drive than the first-generation 323, with an easier-shifting five-speed manual gearbox and more tyre grip. That said, the car's roadholding inspires as much confidence as a resurrected Steven Seagal movie turning a profit outside of Russia.
1991 Mazda Astina SP hatch
Engineering reaches a new level in the early 1990s, and I'm not just talking about the epic pop-up headlights. This Mazda Astina hatch represented a major shift forward for
Mazda small cars in terms of road holding and steering and this one glides through the corners confidently. It's a surprisingly fun car to drive.
Being the SP model it had the 'big' 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with 92kW and 155Nm, and its high-lift cams means it likes to rev, pulling with purpose. The interior is quintessential '90s with a largely sensible but dull layout. That said, the heavily bolstered sports seats are a highlight – and electric windows? Be still my beating heart!
1996 Mazda Astina V6 hatch
Looking less like a munted block of plastic, glass and metal than its predecessor, the 1996 Astina's clean design won't embarrass you like toothless aunty Beryl… and what's this? A miniature 2.0-litre V6 engine? Mazda was clearly engaging its sporty ju-ju in the mid-'90s, with vehicles like the RX-7 influencing the minds of product designers and engineers alike.
Creamy smooth but requiring plenty of work – a bit like getting mash potato just right – the lovely V6 engine pumps 107kW and 179Nm through an awful four-speed auto that almost hampers all the fun. The four-speed cog-swapper is as sluggish as Jabba the Hutt.
But how's this: air conditioning was standard by 1998 and this was the first Mazda small car to get an engine immobiliser! Cop that 1990s car thieves, who were probably wearing hypercolour t-shirts.
2001 Mazda Astina SP20 hatch
Welcome to the early 2000s, and this bright yellow Mazda 323 Astina shows just how bold buyers are willing to be. It feels a bit hum-drum inside but grips the damp roads with gumption and steers predictably. It's no Mazda3 MPS but engine response is decent and the large upright windows deliver clear vision. Things like airbags are nice touches too.
2005 Mazda3 hatch
It may be 12 years old but at the time of writing, but the 2005 Mazda3 feels as modern as MySpace. I mean FaceGram. Whatever. The interior has a contemporary motif with its crimson-lit instrumentation and although there's no reversing camera yet, it's effortless to drive thanks to a responsive engine and savvy automatic gearbox. Priced from $22,500 back in the day it came standard with air-conditioning and delivered increased levels of safety. In the wet conditions it shows a clean pair of heels, with a chassis almost as engaging as a JK Rowling novel. So I've heard.
2017 Mazda3 Astina hatch
Sleek inside and out, the modern-day Mazda hatchback has a decidedly upmarket feel.
It's like the Anne Heche of the car world. Wait, Anne Hathaway. From the soft leather steering wheel to the sporty, concise instrument panel, sensible control layout and plush leather seats, this is the culmination of four decades of small car development.
It's got power everything, radar cruise control, voice operation and even a head-up display. If an electromagnetic pulse went off this car would be up sh*t creek without a paddle, such is the amount of electronic sorcery, but until that happens it's a class-leader.
What's next – a flying car?
Since 1977 a total of 728,293 Mazda 323 and Mazda3 vehicles have been sold in Australia, but it wasn't until the second-generation Mazda3 toward the late 2000s that the car really began to fire on all cylinders.
Okay, so the catchy 'Zoom Zoom' marketing helped propel the cars into the public eye, but it was the design and subsequent improvements in road holding and chassis dynamics, safety and standard features that helped the Mazda3 secure a bigger slice of the new car pie.
It will be fascinating to see what lies ahead for the Mazda nameplate and whether in another 40 years' time we'll look back at the 2017 Mazda3 and poke fun at the fact it had a steering wheel. Or why there's no cold fusion generator or augmented reality windscreen. How quaint.
Mazda small car history
1963-68 Mazda Familia specifications (typical):
Engines: 0.8 and 1.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Outputs: 31kW/59Nm and 50kW/79Nm
Transmissions: Four-speed manual / two-speed automatic
Length: 3700mm
Weight: 720kg (min. kerb)
Design: Bonnet mirrors? Zing!
1967-77 Mazda 1000/1200/1300/R100 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.0, 1.2 and 1.3-litre four-cylinder and 1.0-litre rotary petrol
Outputs: 37kW/76Nm, 43kW/94Nm, 51kW/91Nm and 82kW/130Nm
Transmissions: Four-speed manual / three-speed automatic
Length: 3845mm
Weight: 840kg (min. kerb)
Design: Dumpy and/or ugly
1977-80 Mazda 323 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.0, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 four-cylinder petrol
Outputs: 33kW/69Nm, 44kW/94Nm, 61kW/98Nm, 51kW/103Nm and 65kW/120Nm
Transmissions: Four-speed manual / three-speed automatic
Length: 3820mm
Weight: 812kg (min. kerb)
Design: Retro trash
1980-85 Mazda 323 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.1, 1.3, 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Outputs: 40kW/79Nm, 50kW/95Nm and 65kW/120Nm
Transmissions: Four and five-speed manual / three-speed automatic
Length: 3955mm
Weight: 780kg (min. kerb)
Design: Angular '80s = win!
1985-89 Mazda 323 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and 1.7-litre four-cylinder diesel
Outputs: 40kW/80Nm, 50kW/96Nm, 54kW/110Nm, 63kW/122Nm, 87kW/178Nm and 42kW/145Nm
Transmissions: Four and five-speed manual / three-speed automatic
Length: 4110mm
Weight: 936kg (min. kerb)
Design: Burn it with fire!
1989-94 Mazda 323 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol and 1.7-litre four-cylinder diesel
Outputs: 56kW/101Nm, 69kW/123Nm, 77kW/146Nm, 104kW/160Nm and 42kW/112Nm
Transmissions: Five-speed manual / three and four-speed automatic
Length: 4215mm
Weight: 910kg (min. kerb)
Design: Unsophisticated tedium
1994-98 Mazda 323 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8-litre four-cylinder and 2.0-litre V6 petrol, 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel
Outputs: 56kW/104Nm, 66kW/132Nm, 77kW/146Nm, 85kW/156Nm, 107kW/179Nm and 53kW/127Nm
Transmissions: Five-speed manual / three and four-speed automatic
Length: 4435mm
Weight: 920kg (min. kerb)
Design: Try-hard
1998-2003 Mazda 323 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel
Outputs: 56kW/104Nm, 66kW/132Nm, 77kW/146Nm, 85kW/156Nm, 97kW/183Nm and 53kW/127Nm
Transmissions: Five-speed manual / four-speed automatic
Length: 4435mm
Weight: 990kg (min. kerb)
Design: Sad
2003-09 Mazda Mazda3 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.0, 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol and 1.6, 2.0, 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel
Outputs: 62kW/90Nm, 87kW/140Nm, 77kW/145Nm, 110kW/138Nm, 126kW/214Nm and 80kW/240Nm, 105kW/360Nm, 136kW/400Nm
Transmissions: Five and six-speed manual / four and five-speed automatic
Length: 4540mm
Weight: 1253kg (min. kerb)
Design: Curvy and/or alien freak
2009-13 Mazda Mazda3 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.6, 2.0, 2.3, 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol and 1.6, 2.0, 2.2-litre diesel
Outputs: 77kW/145Nm, 110kW/187Nm, 194kW/380Nm, 124kW/228Nm and 80kW/240Nm, 105kW/360Nm, 136kW/400Nm
Transmissions: Five and six-speed manual / Four, five and six-speed automatic
Length: 4595mm
Weight: 1295kg (min. kerb)
Design: Predatory
2013-current Mazda Mazda3 specifications (typical):
Engines: 1.5, 2.0, 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol and 1.5, 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel
Outputs: 74kW/150Nm, 114kW/200Nm, 138kW/250Nm and 77kW/270Nm, 129kW/420Nm
Transmissions: Six-speed manual / six-speed automatic
Length: 4580mm
Weight: 1300kg (min. kerb)
Design: Anne Heche/Hathaway
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