Mazda has made the Mazda3 a little different.
First are its looks. This five-door family car boasts gorgeous contoured surfaces combined with a sloped roofline tailing off neatly into its rear screen.
Then there are the engine options: a naturally aspirated 2L petrol with a mild-hybrid system, or a smart cylinder deactivation technology in another engine.
Equipment, options and extras
No matter the trim, Mazda has been generous with the equipment that comes as standard with the Mazda3. Even the entry-level Prime-Line has aircon, 16in alloy wheels, parking aids and LED headlights, although for only a little more we recommend stepping up to the Centre-Line, for its dual-zone climate control, front parking sensors, heated seats, keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers and auto-dimming rearview mirror. Or if you’re feeling fancy, the Homura and Exclusive-Line both introduce 18in alloy wheels and unique styling. At the top of the range sits the Takumi, with a heated steering wheel, additional safety kit, a 360° parking camera and electrically adjustable leather front seats.
Costs, insurance groups, mpg and CO2
As a cash purchase the Mazda3 costs the same as its rivals the Kia Ceed and Škoda Scala, and less than the VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra and Mercedes A-Class. Even more notably, every one of those rivals is predicted to depreciate more slowly, which affects how much the Mazda3 will set you back monthly on a PCP finance deal.
The Mazda3’s fuel consumption is impressive by the standards of a family car. Our preferred e-Skyactiv G hits 51mpg, while the most efficient option, the e-Skyactiv X with manual gearbox, returns 53mpg. (Going for the automatic gearbox drops efficiency to 46 and 47mpg respectively.)
The Mazda3’s CO2 emissions are relatively low, but not the best in the class for company car drivers paying BIK tax. But the e-Skyactiv X is the saving grace here, with its impressively low emissions for the manual version which beat the SEAT Leon 1.5 150 and Focus 1.0 155 Ecoboost.
Safety and security
Euro NCAP awarded the Mazda3 five stars for safety, and it scored particularly highly for adult occupant safety.
All versions of the Mazda3 come packed with safety kit. As standard you get automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistant, blind spot monitoring, rear–cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, and eCall, an emergency call service.
Additionally, the range-topping Takumi trim automatically applies the brakes if it senses you’re about to reverse into an obstacle, and adds front–cross-traffic alert.
Reliability
Every Mazda3 comes with a 3-year, 60,000-mile warranty. That’s normal for the class, and doesn’t come close to Kia’s 7-year cover or Toyota’s 10 years.
The Car Planet verdict
The Mazda3 isn’t as sporty or spacious as some of its competitors, but it boasts huge strengths of its own, including a raft of equipment, a superb infotainment system, and exceptional interiors. What’s more, the fuel-efficient e-Skyactiv X engine offers especially low CO2 emissions—ideal for company car drivers.
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