Mazda3 2019 Review - Australia

The rise of SUVs might mean the Mazda3 small car’s sales numbers are muted compared to its halcyon days, but that hasn’t stopped Mazda giving the fourth-generation a thorough overhaul.

We’ve covered off the international launch, the international first drive, the reveal of local Mazda 3 pricing and equipment levels and even snuck in a quick first drive, but now it’s time to hit Aussie roads properly for the first time and see if the new Mazda3 is up to the task.

Mazda has pushed the human-centric focus of its development philosophy for this car, highlighted its refinement, premium quality and comfort, simplified some tech and left other stuff like the drivetrains basically untouched.

Oh yeah, it’s also pushed up pricing between $3500 and $4500 across the 24-model range, while arguing that increase is covered by a significant equipment boost and the improved driving behaviour of the new Mazda 3.

We’re focused here on the hatchback, which is on-sale now. Due to production scheduling the Mazda3 sedan goes on-sale in June. We sampled two models; the $27,690 2.0-litre six-speed automatic Evolve G20 and the $37,990 2.5-litre six-speed automatic Astina G25.

Now if you haven’t read any of the above stories, we’ll just fill you in: Mazda has done some fiddling to the way its range is structured to coincide with its price increases. Neo and Maxx Sport are gone as model names and instead we now get Pure and Evolve joining Tourer, GT and Astina.

You’ve probably already sussed that G20 and G25 denote engine sizes. Pure and Touring only comes as G20s, GT and Astina only as G25s, while Evolve offers both engine choices.

You can get a manual in any model, just deduct $1000. Only about 10 per cent of the 21,000 estimated Mazda3 buyers over the next 12 months are expected to do just that.

Read the new Mazda3 Review

OK, so having taken in the striking exterior of the Mazda3 hatch – I like it, others are less convinced, especially by the mass of metal around the C-pillar – it’s time to step inside.

And there’s no doubt the dashboard presentation is a victory for style and substance over busy confusion. It looks great and is proof a simple dashboard and button array is still achievable.

OK, not everyone is going to be enamoured by the non-touch media screen that means a bit more drilling via the commander dial, the limited configurability of the instrument panel or the tiny font size on some of the buttons and labels.

But there’s upside in the lack of distraction and especially the quality of the interior materials. Perceived build quality of the cars we drove was also excellent, underlining the fact that Japanese-built cars remain among the best-built in the world.

But the further back you go the less convincing the Mazda3 is. There’s no more rear-seat space than before despite a longer wheelbase. And those tiny rear-side windows emphasise how deep and dark it is in here. The boot too is smaller than the old car, which is just plain wrong.

At least there are adjustable rear air-conditioning vents (in all bar the Pure base model) for rear-seat passengers, something we didn’t expect to see even a couple of months ago.

OK, there are a number of stories we’ve published that explain the equipment inventory for the new 3. But in summary... All models include radar cruise control with traffic sign recognition, autonomous emergency braking, rear parking sensors and camera, a head-up display projected on the windscreen, seven airbags, active lane keeping assist and that high-res 8.8-inch non-touch media screen.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard across the range, as is satellite-navigation, a digital radio and an eight- or 12-speaker stereo system depending on the grade. All 3s get alloy wheels and a space-saver spare tyre.

Higher in the range there’s leather trim and power seat adjustment, while right at the top-end the G25 Astina alone adds adaptive front headlights, a 360-degree parking monitor, traffic-jam assistant, front cross traffic alert and an infra-red facial tracking system that works day or night and forms part of a driver attention alert system.

You can add these features to any other Mazda3 for $1500.

All models come with a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty and 12 months/10,000km service intervals – the latter figure is now short by Aussie standards.

So, having dug into the back story of the new Mazda 3, let’s test that driving claim out.

Our drive program looped out from urban Sydney through beautiful Wisemans Ferry to the tourism centre that is the central coast, then back to the NSW capital. It was a varied and challenging route, including smooth and coarse-chip bitumen, hills and flats, fast and slow corners, potholes, jagged edges and lateral joins.

Nestle into the supportive seat, deposit your stuff in one of numerous storage boltholes and get rolling and the extensive efforts Mazda has made to quieten the cabin are quickly obvious. Even the indicators make a quiet plick-plock rather than noisy click-clack.

It’s still challenged by Aussie coarse chip though, generating some tyre roar. But it’s much better than before.

And what about the ride quality over those challenging country roads? Well, the 3’s still got a touch of that traditional Mazda firmness but there’s no doubt it copes with most hits well. You do get some bump-thump from the suspension and 18-inch tyres. but it’s contained.

With the aid of a stiffer new architecture, this car still steers and handles with that traditional Mazda3 litheness, enthusiasm and feedback, despite the seemingly retrograde step from a multi-link to the cheaper torsion beam rear-end.

The new electric-assist power steering is light, precise and responsive and the suspension system – tuned for Australian conditions – offers a resistance to the grip-loss that bedevils some front-drivers and reduces body roll to encourage confidence.

It’s going to be fascinating to put the 3 up against the likes of the Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and the Hyundai i30 – one of our favourites – and see how it stacks up.

If the Mazda3 is going to be found out by those sorts of rivals somewhere then it’s going to be the powertrains that do it. The 2.5-litre engine lacks pulling power compared to the turbocharged and hybrid engines rivals now offer, but it at least gives a solid account of itself.

The 2.0-litre version – which Mazda expects 66 per cent of buyers to opt for – is less convincing. It certainly tries hard enough with prompt step-in response like the 2.5, but hills and overtaking are not its forte. A low-blow Volkswagen Golf turbo would eviscerate this thing through the all-important mid-range.

There is a sport button but it’s little more than a placebo, dropping a gear and raising revs. There is also a mild hybrid version of this engine that could be more helpful, but it’s been ruled out for Australia.

Maybe the new Skyactiv-X engine due later this year will resolve these issues. But it’s going to be expensive so someone shopping for a G20 Pure is unlikely to make that jump.

While the engines are the 3’s weakness, our drive also revealed some other issues. The new radar cruise control system hyper-actively jumped on the brakes in bends whether there was another vehicle in front or not. Switch back to orthodox cruise control and the problem pretty much disappeared.

Lane keeping misread a smooth smear of bitumen and warned me about driving off the road when I was very much planted in the lane, while the driver alert system tended to give me trilling reminders to watch where I was going, steer the car et cetera. Off thanks.

And while there’s no issues with around-town driving behaviour, the style-over-function C-pillar does make it hard to see what’s in your left-side rear three-quarter.

Very kindly, Mazda supplied a water bottle for the drive, but that exposed a minor ergonomic snafu. Sitting in the cupholders at the head of the centre console it was tall enough to switch on the seat heater in the Astina G25. It also hid the USB input in the dash. There’s another one in the huge centre lidded bin.

The new Mazda3 is an impressive progression from its predecessors in many important aspects – except for the starting price. It’s that simple. You’re paying more for a better car.

It’s a car past its sales prime but in its fourth incarnation undoubtedly it's the best of the breed so far.

If you don’t want to go there then there are other cheaper small cars available that offer a decent combination of skills. Alternatively, Mazda can sell you a Mazda2 mini or, more to the point, a CX-3 SUV.

The powertrain stasis is the most disappointing aspect of the new 3, its increase in refinement and equipment its most obvious improvement.

It’s a quality small-car contender that will justifiably appeal to a substantial number of Aussie new car buyers.

How much does the 2019 Mazda3 G20 Evolve cost?
Price: $27,690 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 114kW/200Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.2L/100km
CO2: 144 g/km
Safety Rating: N/A

How much does the 2019 Mazda3 G25 Astina cost?
Price: $36,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 139kW/252Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.6L/100km
CO2: 153 g/km
Safety Rating: N/A