All-New 2019 Mazda3 Looks Sleek Inside And Out In Best Photos Yet

[Eye of the Tiger]

This has a lot of high praise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taQDqwecojc

High praise? It looks like the rear wheels are about to fall off. Must be a torsion beam axle.

[Laconian]

I'm feeling that Mazda engineering is going through something akin to Citroen's glory days of the 50's and 60's.

[2o6]

I'm feeling that Mazda engineering is going through something akin to Citroen's glory days of the 50's and 60's.

I don't know about all that....

[FoMoJo]

I'm feeling that Mazda engineering is going through something akin to Citroen's glory days of the 50's and 60's.

They might be left in the dust if they don't get with more electrics.

[Laconian]

I don't know about all that....

* Low-travel, high-effort brake pedal, just like the Citroen mushroom.
* A rear-end that squats while braking to eliminate nose dive, just like Citroen.
* Holistic thinking about how the driver interfaces with the car. A lot of contemporary cars are the result of focus grouping and parts-bin engineering. It looks like there's a lot of new tech here.
* Audacious R&D in the drivertrain department (SkyActive X, rotary). Hit and miss but they've got guts.
* Emphasis on well-roundedness, their cars aren't overly *anything*.
* Unappreciated in their time.

[2o6]

* Low-travel, high-effort brake pedal, just like the Citroen mushroom.
* A rear-end that squats while braking to eliminate nose dive, just like Citroen.
* Holistic thinking about how the driver interfaces with the car. A lot of contemporary cars are the result of focus grouping and parts-bin engineering. It looks like there's a lot of new tech here.
* Audacious R&D in the drivertrain department (SkyActive X, rotary). Hit and miss but they've got guts.
* Emphasis on well-roundedness, their cars aren't overly *anything*.
* Unappreciated in their time.

That seems like a stretch; most of the reviews right now are really using a lot of Mazda PR etc. the Mazda 3 is probably a great car; but aside from the new skyactiv X engine (which isn't even on sale anywhere yet) I fail to see how it's that much different in ethos than a regular compact car.


I also don't think the "parts bin engineering" is accurate for most other cars, either, or at least don't apply to Mazda as well as any other manufacturer. I mean, Mazda doesn't have any hybrid or EV worth a damn, and the old Skyactiv engines are...average. Not as nifty and cutting edge as the Ford Ecoboost engines. And I don't mean to shit on Mazda, but I don't see what's so outstanding about them.

Also, it's expensive.

[HurricaneSteve]

They combine design, driving dynamics and reliability better than any manufacturer. Their overall lineup is one of Consumer Reports' best (in both road tests and reliability) and this is all done with one of the smallest budgets in the industry. When you're comparing Skyactiv motors to Ecoboost, are you talking NA to turbo or turbo to turbo? Because as far as NA engines go, Mazda's are still pretty good and so far their turbos are too.

That seems like a stretch; most of the reviews right now are really using a lot of Mazda PR etc. the Mazda 3 is probably a great car; but aside from the new skyactiv X engine (which isn't even on sale anywhere yet) I fail to see how it's that much different in ethos than a regular compact car.


I also don't think the "parts bin engineering" is accurate for most other cars, either, or at least don't apply to Mazda as well as any other manufacturer. I mean, Mazda doesn't have any hybrid or EV worth a damn, and the old Skyactiv engines are...average. Not as nifty and cutting edge as the Ford Ecoboost engines. And I don't mean to shit on Mazda, but I don't see what's so outstanding about them.

Also, it's expensive.

[MrH]

Mazda is killing the mainstream game right now. Honda makes a slightly better appliance but Mazda is more well rounded in most segments.

There's rumors of an AWD Mazdaspeed3 again. I'd be very very interested if they actually came out with that.

[12,000 RPM]

I'm tired of the "torsion beam" argument. Five years ago, no one online knew what they were. This is the new "flash to pass" internet outrage.

Just weird that a push upmarket came with a theoretical push downmarket in a key chassis component. But they made it work. I don't think people were wrong to be skeptical.

[CaminoRacer]

Just weird that a push upmarket came with a theoretical push downmarket in a key chassis component. But they made it work. I don't think people were wrong to be skeptical.

Did you watch the video I posted? He said the Mazda engineers liked the torsion beam better because they could tune it better at this price point. I don't know how true it is, but it kinda makes sense. This new model seems to be about perfecting and simplifying things vs. coming out with crazy new stuff. They're figuring out how to make cars better through ingenuity and design instead of throwing features at it.

[giant_mtb]

Sometimes old-school is the way to go.

[FoMoJo]

Sometimes old-school is the way to go.

Leaf springs?

[93JC]

Got my first chance to have a seat in one at our local auto show.

The interior is very nice. The hype there is real. Lots of soft touch surfaces, very well screwed together. Very comfortable behind the wheel, but I wish the seat cushion was longer for better thigh support (pretty common complaint for me).

That said the back seats and cargo area in the hatch are waaay too small. Disastrously small. I think they really screwed the pooch with this. The biggest complaint I think one can levy against my car is the back seat room, which the third generation rectified, but this new one is not only smaller than the last it's smaller than mine. The door openings at the back are too small, headroom sucks, and with the driver's seat set for my comfort there's no legroom at all.

The hatch's cargo area seems teeny tiny. The rake of the hatch window cuts deeply into it.

The view out the back is abysmally small as expected.

The sedan does not have these issues and is therefore the far more compelling buy. Why they made the hatch so much smaller baffles me.

[CaminoRacer]

I think the sedan looks better, too

[2o6]

Got my first chance to have a seat in one at our local auto show.

The interior is very nice. The hype there is real. Lots of soft touch surfaces, very well screwed together. Very comfortable being the wheel, but I wish the seat cushion was longer for better thigh support (pretty common complaint for me).

That said the back seats and cargo area in the hatch are waaay too small. Disastrously small. I think they really screwed the pooch with this. The biggest complaint I think one can levy against my car is the back seat room, which the third generation rectified, but this new one is not only smaller than the last it's smaller than mine. The door openings at the back are too small, headroom sucks, and with the driver's seat set for my comfort there's no legroom at all.

The hatch's cargo area seems teeny tiny. The rake of the hatch window cuts deeply into it.

The view out the back is abysmally small as expected.

The sedan does not have these issues and is therefore the far more compelling buy. Why they made the hatch so much smaller baffles me.

At least Canada gets more budget oriented pricing. The US gets a tight interior and an expensive price....

[Laconian]

Well, that's good news for my parents who bought a 2018. Tight quarters in the back would've been a deal killer for them.

[FoMoJo]

Well, that's good news for my parents who bought a 2018. Tight quarters in the back would've been a deal killer for them.

Multi-link rear suspension as well .

[2o6]

Multi-link rear suspension as well .

If I hear this one more time I'm going to have a stroke

[giant_mtb]

If I hear this one more time I'm going to have a stroke

[CaminoRacer]

If I hear this one more time I'm going to have a stroke

MULTI-LINK SUSPENSION

[93JC]

MULTI-LINK SUSPENSION?

[Eye of the Tiger]

Multi-Link Torsion Beam?

[93JC]

Well, that's good news for my parents who bought a 2018. Tight quarters in the back would've been a deal killer for them.

2010:


2015:


2019:

[93JC]

Multi-Link Torsion Beam?

LEAF SPRINGS

[Eye of the Tiger]

LEAF SPRINGS

[Laconian]

That's a pretty big regression. Wow, the third gen really had it going on! Heuge back seat!

[93JC]

I don't know what they were thinking when they made that compromise. Maybe someone along the line reeeeeeeeally liked the looks of the hatch at the mockup stage and let the far worse practicality of the thing slide. Maybe they figured someone wanting the hatch would want something 'sporty' more than the practicality aspect; if you want practicality maybe they figured you'd buy a CX-5 instead.

The sedan still has a pretty generous back seat. And it looks great from the outside. It's a compelling product if you're in the market for a compact sedan. Makes people buying Audi A3s, Mercedes-Benz A-classes and the like look pretty silly. Unfortunately I think the new Mazda 3 might end up in a bit of a no man's land in the market: "too expensive" for people in the market for a Corolla, Sentra or the like, but won't capture market share from the Audis and Mercedes-Benzes because those buyers care more about the badges in their grilles than any objective measure.

[2o6]

I don't know what they were thinking when they made that compromise. Maybe someone along the line reeeeeeeeally liked the looks of the hatch at the mockup stage and let the far worse practicality of the thing slide. Maybe they figured someone wanting the hatch would want something 'sporty' more than the practicality aspect; if you want practicality maybe they figured you'd buy a CX-5 instead.

It's probably the "we're in too deep" stage. Mazda's have really nice looking proportions, but that cab-rearward look isn't really good for packaging.

Shame.

[BimmerM3]

The sedan still has a pretty generous back seat. And it looks great from the outside. It's a compelling product if you're in the market for a compact sedan. Makes people buying Audi A3s, Mercedes-Benz A-classes and the like look pretty silly. Unfortunately I think the new Mazda 3 might end up in a bit of a no man's land in the market: "too expensive" for people in the market for a Corolla, Sentra or the like, but won't capture market share from the Audis and Mercedes-Benzes because those buyers care more about the badges in their grilles than any objective measure.

Both the Audi and MB have like 40 more torque than the Mazda and at a low RPM, plus the A3 has an upgraded engine option. Especially after hearing some reviewers call the Mazda unpowered, I'm sure both of the Germans feel much faster in real world driving scenarios.

Mazda seems to be going more for VW's market - slotting in between the mainstreamers and luxury brands. And while I haven't seen the new 3 in person yet, they seem to be doing a much better job than veedub.

[93JC]

The Benz power train does not feel fast at all, and the A3's optional engine pushes the MSRP up almost 30% over a fully-loaded Mazda 3. And to get the Audi or Benz comparably equipped to the fully-loaded Mazda the price is about 50% more.

Mazda was already at VW's level. The level of fit and finish in the new car is every bit as good as Audi. (And embarrasses the Mercedes CLA.)