Mazda 3 Overview

The Mazda 3 is a C-segment car offered in both sedan and hatchback/liftback styles. It has a higher price tag than its Japanese competitors but it makes up for it in the design, material quality, and driving dynamics. Like other cars in Mazda’s stable, the Mazda 3 aims to provide driving pleasure through its “Jinba-Ittai” philosophy - the sense of car and driver as one.

General Information

Mazda 3 Variants

There are a total of five Mazda 3 variants in Malaysia.  The Mazda 3 sedan has three; the base 1.5L, 2.0L High, and 2.0L High +. The Mazda 3 Liftback has two; the base 1.5L and 2.0L High +.

Mazda 3 Pricing

Pricing for a new Mazda 3 in Malaysia is identical for both sedan and liftback models. The 1.5L is priced starting from RM137,000, while the 2.0L High starts from RM144,000, and the 2.0L High + starts from RM154,000.

Colors Available

The Mazda 3 is available in seven total colors with one being exclusive to the liftback model which is Polymetal Gray. The other shared colors are Sonic Silver, Deep Crystal Blue, Snowflake White Pearl, Jet Black, Machine Gray, and Soul Red Crystal.

Mazda 3 Basic Features

Interior

The cabin is trimmed in soft-touch material throughout giving it a premium feel. The leather steering wheel (tilt and telescopic) has paddle shifters (except the base 1.5L models), audio controls, and Bluetooth switches. There is also an engine start/stop button, auto-dimming rearview mirror, reverse camera with guide lines, and a Sport Mode drive selection switch. 

The 2.0L variants get dual-zone auto climate control while the 1.5L ones get manual air conditioning. The driver’s seat of the 2.0L variants also has 10-way power adjustment with tilt, lift, lumbar, slide, and recline adjustment with a two-position memory function. The 1.5L, however, gets only manual seat adjustment. All variants also get a 7-inch TFT LCD multi-info display that shows all the info the driver needs.

Exterior

The Mazda 3 in Malaysia gets LED front headlights with auto-leveling and auto on/off function, LED taillights, and variable intermittent windshield wipers with rain sensing throughout the variants. The sedan and liftback High + variants get Signature Illumination and LED daytime running lights (DRLs) while lower variants get only regular bulb DRLs. All 2.0L variants also get Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry and a sunroof with sliding and tilt glass.

Cabin Space

The Mazda 3 sedan measures 4,660 mm long, 1,795 mm wide, and 1,440 mm tall with a boot space of 450 liters. The Mazda 3 liftback, on the other hand, measures 4,460 mm long, 1,795 mm wide, and 1435 mm tall with a boot that holds only 351-liters which is smaller than a Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus.

Infotainment system

Music and navigation can be controlled on an 8.8-inch Mazda Connect Infotainment System with Multi-FUnction Commander Control which is a control knob located below the shift stick and Voice Command. It supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for easy access to a connected smartphone’s contacts, music, and more.

Mazda 3 Driving Performance

The 1.5L versions of the Mazda 3 are powered by a 1.5L SKYACTIV-G engine which produces a maximum power of 119 PS at 6,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 153 Nm at 4,000 rpm. The 2.0L SKYACTIV-G engine on the other versions, however, produces a maximum power of 164 PS at 6,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 213 Nm at 4,000 rpm. Both engines are mated to a SKYACTIV DRIVE six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode. The fuel consumption of the 2.0L variant Mazda 3 is 6.2 L/100 km while the 1.5L variants consume 5.8 L/100 km. In terms of acceleration, the Mazda 3 does the 0-100 km/h sprint in 10.8 seconds.

Mazda 3 Safety Features

The Mazda 3 in Malaysia features advanced safety technology such as the i-ACTIVSENSE (available on the High + variants only), Mazda i-Stop Idling Technology, and G-Vectoring Control Plus (GVC Plus). i-Stop Idling is a smart technology that turns off the engine when the car stops and restarts it when the car starts moving again. This feature saves fuel, especially in stop-and-go traffic. 

GVC Plus is Mazda’s vehicle dynamics control technology that improves the handling of the car for better control on winding and slippery roads, as well as when avoiding obstacles. However, GVC Plus also refines the overall ride quality which provides better comfort for all passengers.

Other standard safety features on the Mazda 3 include seven SRS airbags (front driver, passenger, side, curtain, and driver knee airbags), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Traction Control System (TCS), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Walk Away Lock, and an Engine Immobilizer Anti-Theft System. Inside, the car has ISOFIX and seat belts with pretensioner, load limiter, and height-adjustable anchorages.

Mazda i-ACTIVSENSE

i-ACTIVSENSE is Mazda’s advanced safety suite that has advanced features including Adaptive Front-Lighting System (AFS), High Beam Control (HBC), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Lane-Keep Assist System (LAS), Driver Attention Alert (DAA), front and rear Smart Brake Support (SBS), and lastly, Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC)

The Mazda 3 sacrifices space and practicality for a premium interior and class-leading driving performance. That being said, although it doesn’t have as much passenger and cargo space as its competitors, it’s still adequate for the average family. And for drivers who want to enjoy driving while having enough space for the occasional passengers, the Mazda 3 is a great choice.