Auto Review Maturity stage

FIRST DRIVE

Maturity stage

The all-new 3 promises to look as stylish as before, although it has ditched some sporty driving manners in favour of refinement and comfort

• Published: 14/02/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: Life

These days, carmakers can't fool themselves by selling cars the market don't want. So despite Mazda's past (and arguably successful) efforts in building up its brand image with a sporty touch to it, the next-generation 3 for Thailand will become a more comfortable car to drive and sit in.

You really can't blame them for such a crucial shift because in the real-world customers need good levels of driving ease and cosseting ride. Forget about pampering driving enthusiasts with stiff chassis set-ups merely designed to please them on the move.
And after a first drive with the new 3 at the yet-to-be-opened Bonanza race circuit in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima, Mazda's claim of developing a more refined C-segment family car seems to hold weight.
The people at Mazda have clearly said that some agility had to be ditched in favour of a more relaxed driving manner. And that's the first thing you will notice when driving off the 3 from a standstill.
The steering, for one, feels more effortless and lighter in weight - which bodes well for the average buyer needing a car that's easy to steer in city driving. What has also definitely disappeared is proper steering feel, which is to say that some driving fun has been lost.
You can especially feel this in the slalom course Mazda has set up, as well as in the ultra-fast sweepers of the race course claimed to have the highest driving speeds of all circuits in Thailand (Bonanza will be the fourth racing track in the country).
But that doesn't mean that driving confidence has taken a back seat. In fact, the steering still feels precise in hard cornering - despite the dead feel - and there's plenty of grip around the circuit, although the tyres seem to protest unusually early.

The new 3 feels less agile than it predecessor

But of more importance is the ride quality and external noise suppression which, of course, is something we can't clearly assess yet until we have the chance to properly drive the 3 on public roads.
It's crucial because the previous 3 suffers badly in this aspect when measured against key competitors like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.
The ride in the old 3 was quite stiff at low speeds but compensated by good handling elsewhere. A marginally softer suspension setting should be welcomed, as an increase in the body stiffness (up by a claimed 23%) should help offset any significant loss in body control.
Actually, Mazda admits that cabin noise was a shortcoming in the old 3 and they say that the problem should be rectified in the new model. In layman's terms, that means the interior will be a much quieter place to be in. Let's hope that's true.
Mazda isn't talking about engine specs yet until the car is formally launched to the media on March 17 before the public gets a full glimpse of it at next month's Bangkok motor show.
But surf the 'net and it's no secret. Thais will be getting the same petrol engines as before: a 109hp 1.6-litre and 146hp 2.0-litre four-pot engines (with the same E20-compatibility). Thus, expect performance to virtually the same as before: so-so and not outstanding in its class.
However, a small improvement can be noted in the 2.0-litre variation provided to the Thai media during the driving trial of the so-called "prototype" 3.

Prototype’ s engine is a 2.0-litre petrol unit.

That's because there's a new five-speed automatic in place of the old four-speeder that seems to help out with a tad more responsiveness. And couple it with a 15kg average reduction in weight, the new 3 should be more economical than ever.
The bad news is that the 1.6-litre will still come with a four-speed auto. Therefore, in the transmission race, Mazda is still behind its competitors: Toyota uses an excellent CVT with seven-speed mode, the Mitsubishi Lancer a CVT with six-speed manual override, the Ford Focus a six-speed dual-clutch auto and the Chevrolet Cruze a six-speed torque-convertor auto.
According to sources at Mazda, the third-generation 3 - due in 2014 - will be getting new technologies from the Skyactive philosophy. That's why they didn't want to waste money on new tech for this second-gen model that will last only three years in world markets.
For this reason, the 3 won't be that rich on selling points to attract buyers in the showroom. Probably the only thing that will help sell - like in the old 3 - is looks, which is something we must say is a still a key ingredient in the Mazda.
The interior also beckons (see sidebar). The driver has a more snug feel that before, thanks to a more shapely seat and controls brought forward for closer reach. It works, although the feeling is more cramped than before - just like elsewhere around the cabin which lacks the airiness of the class-leading Civic.
Although we'll reserve our final verdict on the new 3 when it is launched and rated on Thai roads, it's quite safe to say that Mazda has taken a rather cautious approach with it. If looks simply sell, then it really shows that design has become a very important aspect for Thais.

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Of course it's a 3

Mazda may have wished to disguise the new 3, but the car under the skin is essentially the one you see here which has been on sale in world markets for nearly three years. Quite a silly gimmick, you might say.

Exterior focuses on sleekness; the upper front grille has disappeared.

The saloon and hatchback models have several elements distinguishing it from the first-generation 3.
The first is the more fluid or wavy lines along the car's sides, including the accentuated wheel arches up front. Then there are the thinner and sleeker head and tail lamps. Lastly, there's no upper front grille.
To put it briefly, the second-gen 3 is a gentle, if positively forward, evolution over the old (currently in Thai showrooms) model.
The interior has also evolved in a mild manner. The circular instrument dials and air-con vents, plus the three-spoke steering is the same, just that they have been massaged to look more modern. Additionally, the cockpit has a more cocooning effect on the driver.
A new feature is the touch-screen on the console to operate various functions, although it is initially unlikely to feature in Thai-spec models.
Mazda is likely to be generous with other interior features because it's late to the C-segment game. So that means an array of convenience items, remote switches on the steering wheel, as well as paddle-shifters for the automatic gearbox.

The cockpit is now more driver-oriented.

However, those concerned about the safety can be prepared to moan. We hear that the outstanding head airbag feature may be omitted in the range-topper since it's costly - that means an unfortunate shift back in the safety game.
Mazda is working hard to keep prices of the new 3 at the same level as today's model (750,000 to 1 million baht) despite a tougher cost structure. That's because the new 3 has 100% of its parts imported from Japan, as opposed to the 40% procured locally in the predecessor.