Mazda3 builds on its all world credentials Fun to drive or great utility. Why not both?

After being in the market for three years, the Mazda3 gets several upgrades for 2022 that makes it more competitive in the Thai C-segment market.

The Thai C-segment is currently made up of just three models — the Mazda3, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla — with combined sales of approximately 30,000 units per year.

While Mazda has just a 10% share in this segment, the Mazda3 has always been the best-selling hatchback since it was first introduced in 2004. To date, more than 85,000 units have been sold in the Kingdom.

In addition to the new platinum quartz exterior colour that is also offered in other 2022 Mazda models such as the Mazda2 and CX-30 and is now the most popular Mazda colour taking up 30% of the orders placed, the updated Mazda3 also comes with a power sunroof (only car in this segment), while autonomous emergency braking has been added to the i-Activesense intelligent safety package.

With Mazda recently staging a driving event from Bangkok to Khao Yai featuring a mix of its product lineup in Thailand, I had a chance to drive the improved Mazda3 Hatchback (Mazda calls it Fastback) 2.0 SP SPORT to see whether it’s still a good choice in 2022.

Design

Design has always been a strong point for Mazda and the Mazda3 is a great example.

Winner of various design awards around the world including the World Car Design of the Year in 2020, the Mazda3 features the “Kodo: Soul Of Motion” design language that stands out with subtle undulations on the body surface that results in remarkable light shifting and reflections gliding over the body. It’s basically a car with exceptional design and high road presence.

The front end features a large glossy black front grille and matt black lower spoiler lip, while the lighting system is comprised of LED daytime running lights and adaptive headlamps that are synchronised with the steering angle for better visibility around corners.

The side profile of the Mazda3 is one of the sexiest in the market. There are no straight lines, just curvy surfaces that are really pleasing to the senses, and somewhat has a strong, seductive sex appeal. This is one car that doesn’t need any aftermarket customisation as it already looks fantastic.

The Mazda3 gets sporty 18-inch alloy wheels fitted with 215/45 Yokohama tyres both front and rear.

The rear end features a glossy black roof spoiler and LED taillights along with an aggressive-looking dual exhaust layout, but the tailgate is not powered.

The luggage area isn’t a strong point in the Mazda3, with the 358 litres expanding to 1,028 litres with the rear seat backrests folded. The loading lip is pretty high as well, making it difficult to load or unload heavy objects.

And while the cabin isn’t the most spacious, it surely is the best-looking and most premium, featuring full leather upholstery, piano black fittings and chrome accents. The large number of soft-touch materials on the console, door panel and centre console provides occupants with a premium feel and added comfort. While some manufacturers offer soft-touch panels only in front, Mazda has gone a step further to give soft-touch door panels for the rear as well, which is commendable.

The driver’s seat features a 10-way power adjustment (the front passenger seat is manual), and the multi-function steering wheel is adjustable for both reach and rake, offering a good driving position. In fact, the Mazda3’s driving position is pretty sporty, and the only setback seems to be the small glass area on the windows (especially at the rear), which is pretty common among Mazda-designed cars.

Despite the low seat position, there isn’t much headroom for both front and rear occupants, while the legroom is just enough. Anything less and it would be a problem, especially for six-footers like me. Rear visibility isn’t too good either, with the large C-pillars and small rear windshields being the main culprits. It will be difficult to back up the Mazda3 without glancing at the rear camera just to make sure the area is clear.

The instrument panel features a small round digital display in the centre showing the speedometer and some driving information, flanked by an analogue rev counter on the left and fuel/temperature gauges on the right.

There’s a slim 8.8-inch centre display that features a 360-degree view with good image quality, but it isn’t a touchscreen — all functions are controlled by the Center Commander controller located near the gearshift lever. Head-up display, voice recognition, Apple Carplay and Android Auto are offered as standard across the range.

All three trim levels of the Mazda3 now come with 12-speaker Bose audio as standard. There are aluminium speaker grilles on the front door panel that looks great, and the sound quality is also on the premium side, being able to dig out a high level of details from regular MP3 files.

There are just two USB ports (for MP3 and video playback) plus a 12-volt outlet, which is just mediocre, but the walk-away auto door lock is a blessing for convenience.

Performance

The Thai-spec Mazda3 doesn’t get the latest engine choices that also include mild hybrids or high-powered turbos. What’s offered is a normally-aspirated four-pot Skyactiv-G engine capable of producing 165 horsepower and 213Nm (the current Honda Civic Hatchback’s 1.5-litre turbo engine pumps out 173 horsepower and 220Nm).

The Skyactiv-G engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and has an average fuel economy of 15.9kpl. It’s capable of various fuel types, ranging from regular unleaded to E10 gasohol right up to E85 gasohol.

Weighing in at 1,382kg, the 165hp engine gives the Mazda3 acceptable performance, with 0-100kph acceleration in 8.6 seconds and a top end of 210kph. It may feel a little sluggish in normal mode, but with the sports mode engaged, the Mazda3 becomes more eager, with quicker throttle response and more punch (in exchange for higher fuel consumption).

Manual shift mode can be done via both the gear lever and steering wheel paddle shifters. In the first case, the direction of the plus/minus is backward/forward, which is opposite to what most automakers offer, but is actually the correct one, considering the inertia forces while accelerating or decelerating, which is the same technology racing cars use.

Suspension tuning is something that this Hiroshima-based manufacturer has excelled upon over the years, and is one of the main reasons you would want to buy a Mazda.

The front McPherson strut (with stabiliser) and rear semi-independent torsion beam suspension provide a smooth drive, with good comfort at low speeds, although it doesn’t do so well if driven on poorer road conditions, being unable to absorb hard impacts from deep potholes effectively.

But get into winding country roads or the highway, and the Mazda3 starts to shine with its well-weighted, precise steering and tidy body control. The Mazda3 also features a torque vectoring system (GVC-Plus) that helps fine-tune inertia forces during cornering by manipulating engine torque and braking, resulting in smoother all-round performance and increased comfort, even for the passenger.

Four-wheel disc brakes come standard, although the rear discs are pretty small. Mazda’s brakes are linear, which means that stopping power doesn’t come all at once, allowing the driver to gauge it more precisely. The downside is that it can feel pretty dull at lower speeds requiring you to apply more pressure than you might be used to. It feels more balanced at higher speeds though, perhaps with more foot pressure at the pedal.

Conclusion

It’s not totally new, but the 2022 Mazda3 remains one of the most desirable cars in the C-segment. It capitalises on eye-catching design, good driving dynamics and luxurious cabin, although it’s not the best in terms of interior space and could do with a few more minor features.

Pros — Seductive design, premium interior, fun-to-drive Cons — Not much interior space, limited rear visibility, no touchscreen

Mazda3 Hatchback 2.0 SP SPORT

Engine: 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve

Displacement: 1,998cc

Compression ratio: 13.0:1

Max power: 165ps/6,000rpm

Max torque: 213Nm/4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Suspension (f/r): McPherson strut, stabiliser/semi-independent torsion beam

Wheels: 18-in alloy

Tyres: 215/45 R18

Steering: electrically-powered

Turning circle: 10.6m

Brakes (f/r): vented disc/disc

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 4,460

Width: 1,795

Height: 1,435

Wheelbase: 2,725