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Week at the wheel: Mazda3 2.2 Sport Diesel. Image by Mark Nichol.

Week at the wheel: Mazda3 2.2 Sport Diesel
Don't expect the addition of a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine to the Mazda3 to mean that it's a diesel hot hatch. It does appeal though.

   



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| Week at the Wheel | Mazda3 2.2 Sport Diesel |

Inside & Out: star star star star star

The Mazda3 is awash with sharp creases and particularly in Sport form it's got a toned, aggressive stance, evidently based heavily on the look defined by the RX-8 coupé. From the front three-quarter view in particular, the 3 manages to look detailed without coming across too fussy, with the deep, sculpted chin setting the tone for the rest of the car nicely. Sadly, from there backwards it's still all a little generic - not unpleasant, but not groundbreaking either.

That's an accusation that can be levelled at the interior too, which manages to arrange its plethora of buttons, dials and screens neatly and intuitively, but without much charm in the mix. The 3 follows the pattern of many a Mazda in feeling extremely solid and well built, but of materials that are slightly hard and not of the same tactility of the class leaders. There's a distinct lack of headroom too, though most won't have a problem getting comfortable in there.

As an aside, the neatly integrated satnav screen appears at first to be hilariously tiny, though it's still readable and really easy to operate.

Engine & Transmission: star star star star star

Initially the 2.2-litre diesel - an all-new unit - is disappointing because it doesn't feel like it generates its claimed 182bhp and particularly it seems to have significantly less than its official figure of 295lb.ft of maximum torque. But it soon becomes apparent that's because it's so smooth in its power delivery - and so quiet - that it's deceptively quick. Personally, I happen to prefer a whopping great chunk of low-end diesel shove from high-power turbodiesels (the type that old VW PD units used to serve up), but there's much to laud about the rev-happy, clean, linear power that the Mazda unit serves up.

It's not dramatic, but the oil burner is hugely refined and it's mated to a six-speed gearbox with a tight action across the gate and perfectly spaced ratios to make the most of the engine's abundant torque reserves. With figures like 50.4mpg on the combined cycle and 149g/km of CO2, there isn't a massive price to pay for the performance either, and it's quiet. There's a faint, metallic rattle in the background under hard acceleration, but otherwise it's as hushed as could be expected of a diesel.

Ride & Handling: star star star star star

The company that brings you the MX-5 is no stranger to making a car handle properly, and the 3 is no different; Mazda's new hatch has a chassis that's among the class best. It's simultaneously an engaging driving tool and a comfortable, powerful cruiser. Again, and not surprisingly, it retains characteristics similar to other Mazdas in that it has an edge of firmness to the ride (much like the 6), but it's been dampened down so it never feels anything less than settled. Very lumpy stretches of tarmac can shudder through the cabin with a little too much veracity, but that's to be expected with a car that has the amount of cornering feel the 3 does.

It falls short of wrestling away the Ford Focus's crown in the dynamic stakes, but in 2.2-litre diesel form the 3 is a very complete car. Looking for a proper hot hatch, though? Look elsewhere, because as competent as this car is, it's too grown up to provide proper performance car thrills.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money: star star star star star

The 3 makes plenty of sense as a buying prospect when you look at the price tag - at £100 below £20k, the Sport Diesel isn't cheap, but it's priced akin to, say, a Golf 2.0-litre TDI GT, yet it's plenty more powerful and has infinitely more standard kit. It will be less ubiquitous too and though it's not officially as clean or economical as the Golf TDI, it's hardly the last word in profligacy. Its CO2 rating means you only have to pay £125 in road tax - just a fiver more than the Golf's annual bill. You'll easily stay in the forties mpg wise too, no matter how leaden your right foot.

Kit wise, it gets the utterly pointless/all-important engine start button (I'm in the latter camp), climate control, 17-inch alloys, cruise control, satnav, parking sensors, sports seats and a mega Bose sound system. That's thousands of pounds worth of kit to most other manufacturers.

Overall: star star star star star

The Mazda3 is a solid, enjoyable, good-looking and well-equipped car, which we like very much indeed - especially in top-whack trim with this particular engine; the 2.2-litre diesel is quiet, powerful and cheap to run. Yet, despite having all the right ingredients, the 3 still lacks something in the excitement department. It will no doubt prove a faithful and fun ownership proposition though. Recommended.

Mark Nichol - 27 Jul 2009



  www.mazda.co.uk    - Mazda road tests
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2009 Mazda 3 specifications: (2.2 Sport Diesel five-door)
Price: £19,900 on-the-road.
0-62mph: 8.2 seconds
Top speed: 132mph
Combined economy: 50.4mpg
Emissions: 149g/km
Kerb weight: 1450kg

2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.

2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.



2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.
 

2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.
 

2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.
 

2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.
 

2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.
 

2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.
 

2009 Mazda3 five-door hatchback. Image by Mark Nichol.
 






 

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