A smooth operator

Tebogo Sekobe recommend the ticking the box for the optional Bose sound package when ordering the new Mazda3.

THE most frequently asked question we get is: “What is the best car to buy?”
Without knowing what roads and loads the vehicle will drive and carry, my stock answer is always: “The one you can buy cash, which your neighbour can fix, using generic parts”.
For many years, the car that ticked  all three these boxes was the Mazda 323.
It was a cheap and cheerful hatch, with an engine that went on and on and handling that could keep
up — and sometimes even pass — the City Golfs and Toyota Conquests of the day.

The seventh generation Mazda 3 that was launched on Tuesday builds on the 323’s foundation, but these days you can say goodbye to “cheap and cheerful” and hallo to “premium” when kicking the tyres of a Mazda.
For as Craig Roberts, managing director of Mazda Southern Africa explains, the aim is to take on the Golf and Audi A3, and to compete against these brilliant cars doesn’t come cheap.

The Red Dot Award for the Mazda3 has earned it a place in the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen

Already a museum piece

The all-new Mazda3 has captured the “Red Dot: Best of the Best” prize at the 2019 Red Dot product design awards.
Criteria for selection include innovation, functionality, ergonomics and longevity.
The international jury selected fewer than 100 products for the “Best of the Best” prize from the more than 5,500 entries received from 55 countries.
The award, which was made on July 8 at the 2019 Red Dot award ceremony in Essen’s Aalto Theatre, Germany, means the new Mazda3 will join the “Design on Stage” exhibition of award-winning products at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen.
Claudia Walters head of marketing and communications at Mazda SA, said the award shows Mazda’s designs are on the right path in its goal to foster make objects of universal desire that foster a deep engagement with the owners. “I think the seventh generation Mazda3 is the best yet” she said.

Under the hood

At the heart Mazda’s premium offer are something called Skyactive, the name Mazda gave its new generation naturally-aspirated petrol engines that act more like diesel in that the fuel is compressed at a 14.0:1 ratio.
This is ratio is quite an achievement. Diesel engines do not have sparkplugs, but ignite the fuel through pressure, typically operating between 15:1 to 20:1 compression ratios to do so. Petrol engines typically compress between 8:1 to 1:1. This is why diesels are more frugal and offer more torque — or bigger muscles — than petrol engines, which are thirstier thanks to their higher revolutions.
Mazda says the higher compression  of their Skyactive engine make it more like a diesel, delivering 15% increases in fuel efficiency and torque, with improved everyday driving  at low- to mid-engine speeds.
While on the topic of low speeds, I finally relate civilly to Mazda’s stop start, system, which in the sixth generation takes just a little too long to react for my boy-racing tastes.
The previous generation Mazda 3 has a 1,6 (77kW/144Nm) and 2-litre (121 kW/210 Nm), but the latest iteration improves on this with a smaller 1.5-litre making 88 kW and 153 Nm.
The new 2.0-litre is tweaked to produce 121 kW and 213 Nm. The 1,5-litre is available with either a manual and auto box, while the 2.0 comes only with an automatic.
This power goes to the front wheels, which produced surprisingly little understeer when I made the 16-inch tyres squeal a bit around the odd corner. 

In overseas markets with high snowfalls, Mazda also sells an all-wheel drive model, but product manager Tebogo Sekobe told Wheels this is not coming to Mzansi, mostly because of price.But despite this handling prowess, the SkyActive's lack of a turbo means it will always be for that person with the slow hand whom the Pointer sisters sang about -- the one with the easy touch, who doesn't come and go in a heated rush. Listen to the sisters explain the joys of going slower below:

Under the roof

Inside, the layout, cladding and seats are all top notch and on par with the German competition Mazda have set their sights on.
Mazda typically appeals to a more sedate driver, thanks to the brand’s reputation for reliable engines and good second-hand values, but I would urge them to get radical and splash out on the optional Bose amplifier and 12-speaker sound system.
Sekobe, who admits to be a bit pedantic about the sound in the car, said while the normal sound system is more than adequate, the 12 speakers, two of which are under the A-pillar instead of in the door, is on another level entirely — what Bose calls being surrounded by “liquid base”.
Connectivity on the 8.8-inch widescreen display is easy with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto® as standard, just plug in a cable. To use the now dated Bluetooth connection instead, you have to park the car.

Future used value 

Car dealers are also well aware that what sell new cars are used cars’ prices and what keeps used prices high are the trade-in prices dealers’ offer to clients.
Dealers can only offer good trade-in prices if they have good turnovers and
here Mazda is growing every year.
The 2018 dealer throughput is on average 278 units a month, which is why
Mazda retained its position as the fourth highest ranked South African motor brand in overall dealer satisfaction at the 2019 National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) Dealer Satisfaction Index, held in July.
Roberts told Wheels there are no plans to increase the 52 dealers selling the brand in southern Africa, despite daily calls from car dealers who want to get on board.
And instead of building “palatial facilities with expensive refreshments”,  Roberts say Mazda dealers will continue focusing on forging strong bonds with customers by doing the basics right.

Two Teutonic competitors

Prices for the 12 Mazda3 models (half hatches and half sedans) start at  R357 000 for the 1,5 Active Manual sedan, with the entry level hatch costing R2 k more. The range tops out at R474 000 for the 2.0L Astina Auto hatch. The 1,4-litre  Golf and Audi A3 that Roberts see as worthy competitors are in this ballpark, with the Golf 1,4 TSI Comfortline listing for R394 600 and the A3 Sportback 35TFSI for R469 000.  The Golf makes less power (92 kW  and 200 Nm) while the A3 churns out more (110 kW and 250 Nm), but around corners there will be very little difference in these numbers.
The Mazda3 has a 3-year unlimited kilometre service plan and warranty.
The Golf’s warranty is three years or 120 000 km while the A3’s is only one year or unlimited kilometres.
These are the numbers that may yet clinch the deal for the Mazda3.