Zoom-Zoom! I love my sports cars, but I also love efficient cars…I’m semi-green if you will. When the 2013 Mazda 3 with SkyActiv Technology was delivered to me for review, I knew I was going to have some fun with this sporty little car. The exterior is sleek and just gorgeous. The Mazda 3 has all new aluminum alloy wheel designs, which also add to the beauty of this vehicle.
Efficiency
The Skyactive Technology is impressive! The Mazda 3 has a 2.0 liter gasoline engine, with a manual shift mode (my husband had a lot of fun with this). He enjoyed the 155 Horsepower with 148 lb-ft torque and we both though this little machine was pretty zippy for being so fuel efficient. Fuel economy: 33 MPH combined city/highway (28 city, 40 highway). This means you can save up to $3,600 in fuel costs over 5 years (compared to other new cars).
Safety is important to Mazda, and the Mazda 3 boasts some very impressive safety features, including:
- Traction Control System
- Whiplash-reducing front seat headrests (I especially appreciated this, as I have had whiplash before!)
- Anti-lock brakes
- Triple-H body construction
- Six airbags (front seat mounted side impact, full-length side curtain and dual advanced front seat)
- Lower anchors and tethers for Children (LATCH) as well as child safety-seat anchors
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System
- and so much more…
Let’s talk about the interior. Well this kind of goes without saying (just look at the picture below) – the inside is gorgeous. Everything is very well laid out for the ease of use for the driver. It’s not too shabby for the passengers either! The stereo makes me swoon, with 265 watts of Bose Centerpoint (10-speaker) Surround Sound. After all, if you are driving a sporty car, you need some good cruising tunes to go with it.
For technology loving folks like myself, there is a standard Bluetooth hands-free phone system,and the model I had included the following extra options: Sirius Satellite Radio, and full-color compact navigation system.
One of my favorite features (and my husband’s too) of the Mazda 3 was the Blind Spot Monitoring System (BSM). Mazda is the only C-segment vehicle to offer this, but I think it should be standard in every car. When you are driving, little lights flash on the outside of the passenger side mirror when there is a car in the lane next to you. This lets you know that it is NOT a good time to change lanes! The lights stop flashing when the car has passed and all is clear. Unless of course another car suddenly appears. Without this feature you might not see the other car. The lights are not distracting at all, they are a huge relief actually. Love this!
The backseat of the Mazda 3 is fairly roomy. Of course, I am really short, and might not be the best judge of legroom, but it does seem to have plenty.
MSRP for standard equipment: $23,650. MSRP with optional equipment: $26,420.
Overall, I really like the Mazda 3. Not only would I feel safe driving this on a daily basis, but I would have lots of fun with it. I would also feel very good letting my kids drive this (well the safety part!). This would be a great car for new drivers and students heading off to college!
*I test drove this car for 4 days, to facilitate this review. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own.
2 Responses
Nice car! My first car was a Mazda MX6 and I loved it! I would definitely consider buying a Mazda again.
That is a sexy little car. Mat drove a Mazda 3 in college. 🙂