Auto Express: Mazda 3 Sport

[Biker16]

Mazda 3 Sport

Rating:

 

When was the last time you saw a Mazda 3 on the road? Mazda wants to remedy the situation and has launched a revised version of the 3

By Ross Pinnock

 

02nd August 2006

It’s clear Mazda knows a thing or two about British motoring tastes. The company which brought us the MX-5 and RX-8 is currently enjoying record success here in the UK.

 

 

Performance is strong and the handling agile, but keen drivers would be better off looking elsewhere because the chassis doesn’t have the polish of the class leaders

Yet while it’s all smiles in some areas, it’s not so good in others. For instance, when was the last time you saw a Mazda 3 on the road? Can’t remember? Don’t be surprised – last year, the family car was outsold 10-to-one by Ford’s Focus, with which it shares its chassis.

 

This is a situation Mazda wants to remedy, so the firm has launched a revised version of the 3. Auto Express has driven the model on UK roads to see if it’s good enough to do the job.

 

Telling the revised car apart from its predecessor requires a discerning eye for detail. The grille, headlamps and bumper are merely tweaked; the trendy LED rear lights are a far more obvious addition.

 

Work has also been carried out in hidden areas. Revised suspension com­bines with a stiffer and more aerodynamic bodyshell to improve the Mazda’s handling and refinement.

 

But how do the changes stack up? On the road, you would need to compare the old and new cars back-to-back to tell the difference. As before, the 3 goes and stops well, yet the steering, while precise, is numb and lacks any form of communication.

 

Performance is strong and the handling agile, but keen drivers would be better off looking elsewhere because the chassis doesn’t have the polish of the class leaders. Refinement is disappointing, too. The low overall gearing of the new smooth-shifting six-speed transmission has the engine buzzing at high motorway speeds, compromising the model’s long-distance credentials.

 

At least our test car was fitted with the optional new seven-speaker Bose stereo, available with a 20GB hard drive capable of storing 3,000 songs. But will the revised model be music to Mazda’s ears? Good as it undoubtedly is, the changes carried out don’t do enough to lift the 3 to the top of the class.Your local Ford salesman is un-likely to be having sleepless nights.

[silvrsvt]

Just because the C1 based Focus is better suited to UK tastes, that means that Americans will like it more then say the Mazada 3, which sells pretty well here?

[630land]

yeah yeah yeah, we all know, but it's not coming here. Wait for the c2.

 

I can see BON and Focaljet in 2029, will still be posting "Why why why no C1, waaaaaaaahhhh".

[Blueblood]

yeah yeah yeah, we all know, but it's not coming here. Wait for the c2.

 

I can see BON and Focaljet in 2029, will still be posting "Why why why no C1, waaaaaaaahhhh".

 

And in 2029 apologists for mediocrity such as yourself will wonder why Ford went out of business..

 

 

Edited August 8, 2006 by Blueblood

[pcsario]

And 2029 apologists for mediocrity such as yourself will wonder why Ford went out of business..

 

 

 

LOL

[silvrsvt]

And in 2029 apologists for mediocrity such as yourself will wonder why Ford went out of business..

 

 

Do you seriously think that the Focus, just going over to the C1 platform will single handly turn the company around? Come on, lets get a reality check right now.

 

I'm starting to wonder if the Focus fananics are as bad as the Panther Mafia here.

 

For the Record...No Single Platform will be enough for Ford turn the current corner its in now. If you want to see what a successful single platform gets you, just check out DCX and its almightly LX platform..and its recovery was about an inch deep.

 

Ford has the right mindset on how to fix its problems. Unfuck whats wrong with the current Focus and then move it over to a new platform in 2010 and build it in a plant where they can make money on it if they decide to keep it in the States. Theres no way in hell a C1 will be sold in the US anytime before 2010.

[156n3rd]

Mazda 3 Sport

Rating:

 

When was the last time you saw a Mazda 3 on the road? Mazda wants to remedy the situation and has launched a revised version of the 3

By Ross Pinnock

 

02nd August 2006

It’s clear Mazda knows a thing or two about British motoring tastes. The company which brought us the MX-5 and RX-8 is currently enjoying record success here in the UK.

 

 

Performance is strong and the handling agile, but keen drivers would be better off looking elsewhere because the chassis doesn’t have the polish of the class leaders

Yet while it’s all smiles in some areas, it’s not so good in others. For instance, when was the last time you saw a Mazda 3 on the road? Can’t remember? Don’t be surprised – last year, the family car was outsold 10-to-one by Ford’s Focus, with which it shares its chassis.

 

This is a situation Mazda wants to remedy, so the firm has launched a revised version of the 3. Auto Express has driven the model on UK roads to see if it’s good enough to do the job.

 

Telling the revised car apart from its predecessor requires a discerning eye for detail. The grille, headlamps and bumper are merely tweaked; the trendy LED rear lights are a far more obvious addition.

 

Work has also been carried out in hidden areas. Revised suspension com­bines with a stiffer and more aerodynamic bodyshell to improve the Mazda’s handling and refinement.

 

But how do the changes stack up? On the road, you would need to compare the old and new cars back-to-back to tell the difference. As before, the 3 goes and stops well, yet the steering, while precise, is numb and lacks any form of communication.

 

Performance is strong and the handling agile, but keen drivers would be better off looking elsewhere because the chassis doesn’t have the polish of the class leaders. Refinement is disappointing, too. The low overall gearing of the new smooth-shifting six-speed transmission has the engine buzzing at high motorway speeds, compromising the model’s long-distance credentials.

 

At least our test car was fitted with the optional new seven-speaker Bose stereo, available with a 20GB hard drive capable of storing 3,000 songs. But will the revised model be music to Mazda’s ears? Good as it undoubtedly is, the changes carried out don’t do enough to lift the 3 to the top of the class.Your local Ford salesman is un-likely to be having sleepless nights.

You must live in a backyard dog house and are hooked up to a short leash. I see Mazda 3's everywhere I go, along with everything else sold in this country. They are right before your eyes.

[Biker16]

And in 2029 apologists for mediocrity such as yourself will wonder why Ford went out of business..

:lol:

[Biker16]

Do you seriously think that the Focus, just going over to the C1 platform will single handly turn the company around? Come on, lets get a reality check right now.

 

I'm starting to wonder if the Focus fananics are as bad as the Panther Mafia here.

 

For the Record...No Single Platform will be enough for Ford turn the current corner its in now. If you want to see what a successful single platform gets you, just check out DCX and its almightly LX platform..and its recovery was about an inch deep.

 

Ford has the right mindset on how to fix its problems. Unfuck whats wrong with the current Focus and then move it over to a new platform in 2010 and build it in a plant where they can make money on it if they decide to keep it in the States. Theres no way in hell a C1 will be sold in the US anytime before 2010.

you are again tying to make sense of what doesn't make sense.

 

We should have been on C1 2 years ago.

 

dumping the hatch is a really bad idea. that even you don't agree with, but you as always trymake t seem like a good move for ford. Like richard said "Already its Focus range offers more configurations than any competing compact range" but how can this be a positive when they make the linup "conventional" with a simple coupe and sedan?

 

I understand what they want to do, but i still disagree with it. I understand why we don't have a modern flexbile C-platform, retooling costs, but I still know it was shortsighted, and the wrong thing to do long term.

 

As to the LX, DCX still has A large cache of new products today built on flexible archtechtures made in plants that are more efficent than Ford. more new products+ lower costs = success, at least better than Ford.

 

 

 

 

 

You must live in a backyard dog house and are hooked up to a short leash. I see Mazda 3's everywhere I go, along with everything else sold in this country. They are right before your eyes.

this is form the UK where the focus still is king, best selling car in the UK and Europe. A success.

[Catalepsy]

When was the last time you saw a Mazda 3 on the road?

 

I'm looking outside my office window at the parking lot...I counted 12 Mazda 3s that I can see. Where do you live? They are EVERYWHERE in the tri-state area.

[Biker16]

When was the last time you saw a Mazda 3 on the road?

 

I'm looking outside my office window at the parking lot...I counted 12 Mazda 3s that I can see. Where do you live? They are EVERYWHERE in the tri-state area.

this is form the Uk where the C1 focus and Mazda3 compete with each other. andn leaves no doubt which car is better.

[silvrsvt]

We should have been on C1 2 years ago.

 

When was that ever the plan? Everything I've read pointed towards a 10 year run of the C170 when it was first introed to the US

 

Why didnt we get the C1? Because Ford was still amortizing the costs of the C170 in the States and will countine to do so till its replaced by the C2. It was Ford's intention to make a profit on the Focus, but well that remains to be seen.

[Biker16]

When was that ever the plan? Everything I've read pointed towards a 10 year run of the C170 when it was first introed to the US

 

Why didnt we get the C1? Because Ford was still amortizing the costs of the C170 in the States and will countine to do so till its replaced by the C2. It was Ford's intention to make a profit on the Focus, but well that remains to be seen.

you sound like a god damned press release.

 

 

They only make money on C-cars if the cost more than 15k. that has not happen While we were "amortizing the costs of the C170" so we lose money. When that "amortizing the costs of the C170" decision was ade the focu had one of the highest ASP in the C-car market, they were shortsighted, and by trying to widen the audience with the 2005 they lost the buyers that would actually pay the prices ford wanted to charge.

 

please stop apologizing for ford's mistake, and have the balls to admit that it was a mistake.

[630land]

The only way Ford can sell a C class car in the US at a "premium" is with the Mazda or Volvo badges on it. As to "should woulda", no one at all knows.

 

Civic, Corolla, and Elantra are the price leaders in C class. C1 Focus made by UAW? No way would it sell well at $20-25K. How much do MZ3's go out the door? How much real profit? And how of that is due to Japan???????

 

Only way C1 would have made $$ is if we were Cuba, Ford had no competition and prices were set high by "El papi".

 

In the UK, chronic unemployment is the norm. And 'it sucks' there, too

 

I'd rather live here and not care about Ford not selling a C1 Focus.

[Biker16]

The only way Ford can sell a C class car in the US at a "premium" is with the Mazda or Volvo badges on it. As to "should woulda", no one at all knows.

 

Civic, Corolla, and Elantra are the price leaders in C class. C1 Focus made by UAW? No way would it sell well at $20-25K. How much do MZ3's go out the door? How much real profit? And how of that is due to Japan???????

 

Only way C1 would have made $$ is if we were Cuba, Ford had no competition and prices were set high by "El papi".

 

In the UK, chronic unemployment is the norm. And 'it sucks' there, too

 

I'd rather live here and not care about Ford not selling a C1 Focus.

 

 

do you believe that ford is less than honda, toyota or even huyndai? if yes why are you here. if not why can't we charge what they charge for the same or even better product? If you make a cheap feeling car people will not pay a premium for it.

 

You can't really balme te UAW it was frd that has tolerated class low productiity for its Focus plants for the past 5 years. you have so many excuses, labor is too expensive, we have "leagacy issues", people don't like us. Look at the harbour report, we are wasting labor making,stamping, engines, transmissions, and cars. so what have we done to help ourselves? Nothing, it has been easier to take things aways from our cars and trucks than it has been to fix the way we build cars and trucks. The consumer knows what we have done, and have shown with thier feet, how they feel.

 

The Civic, and Corolla, are not price leaders, the focus, sentra, ion, spectra, lancer, and Forenza are.

 

If we could charge 20-25k for a focus what would be the problem with that?????

 

 

If I told you that C1 focus would be profitable at 16k why shouldn't we charge 20-25k for a fully options uber performance model? do you not believe that Ford makes great products worth the conusmer money?

 

I think we have low self esteem. becuase you don't believe in ford. when I say the Focus is the best compact car in the world you should be proud. It shows what Ford can do, and we should always hold ford to that standard, we build the best cars and trucks in the world.

 

BTW when did ever say we should charge 25k for the Focus. If you have an AWD, 220hp, loaded focus. then maybe, maybe, but the average would be below 20k.