It’s the sexiest car I have ever owned in looks.
Owner: Amit C
What we love
- Looks and comfort
What we don’t
- Performance of the safety features
It’s the sexiest car I have ever owned in looks.
I fell in love with the blue colour and the overall performance of the car. The engine is quick to respond, the controls are in easy reach, and it has a nice infotainment system. What I don’t like is it is missing wireless Apple CarPlay, and the immature security features, i.e. Forward Obstruction Warning, Smart Brake Support and Lane-keep Assist System to name a few.
I like the overall performance, response of the car, the number of included safety features is very good, and I did fall in love with the looks and design of the car. My instant dislike was wired Apple CarPlay and the need for the parking brake to make changes in the infotainment unit settings.
What I hate in this car is the level of maturity (or lack of it) in the security features provided. The FOW, SBS and LAS are buggy and do not respond very well. The promised TPMS functionality is not found at all. If you like your mobile to be in front of you even while connected, or not connected, to CarPlay, you are up for a struggle.
The air vents are so close to the signal/wiper bars that you can’t use them. The dashboard is curvy so you can’t use that either. The only option that remains is to use windscreen-mounted or cupholder-mounted mobile holders. This car does not leave a lot new to desire; however, it does leave you expecting existing technology to work flawlessly.
Performance – I will rate it 4 out of 5. The car is packed with a 2.0-litre engine that runs great in general, but does struggle while on hilly roads, even with two people on board.
Technology – the Mazda comes with lots of technologically advanced features as standard from the base model, like a reverse camera and LDW. Features like proximity keyless entry, wireless CarPlay, and multiple Bluetooth phone connections could have been added. However, the technology needs a bit of fine-tuning as the sensors don’t work as expected. Rating 3 out of 5.
Comfort – it was a bit of a struggle for me after moving from an MPV to a small car, but after a few months of driving, I found it comfortable to drive and travel in as a passenger as well. Only drawback, the second-row passenger needs to be short. Tall people will find it small and congested. It has a spacious boot, though is limited with the width and items like bodyboards are hard to fit. Rating 4 out of 5.
Safety – the Mazda comes with a lot of safety features as standard, and a 360-view monitor can be added as an extra. Mazda should reduce the price of this technology to offer it as a standalone add-on. Reverse camera, sensors, auto door lock, driver attention alert, emergency brake assist, six airbags and a lot more features come as standard. It makes the car very secure. However, many of these functionalities seem to still be in development and lack the desired result. This has affected the security rating for this car. Rating 3 out of 5.
Price – when I purchased this car, I shopped around for an i30, Golf, and Mini as well. I found the overall price with respect to available features, looks, comfort etc as good value for money. Rating 4.5 out of 5.
For future models, I suggest improvements to make the safety features more fine-tuned, and add front sensors and keyless proximity entry.
Owner: Amit C
MORE: Everything Mazda
Keyword: 2021 Mazda 3 Evolve: owner review