Mazda3

drumm01 · February 2003

Trying to find more information on the Mazda 3 and what it might look like. I am a happy Pro ES owner and thinking about an M6S for my next purchase. However, I think I will wait to see what the M3 will offer.

You think THIS might be the car?

http://www.cardesignnews.com/autoshows/2003/geneva/preview/mazda-- mxsportif/index.html

mdaffron · February 2003

Meade

mazdafun · February 2003

Other than the faked-in door handles, I think that's the P5 replacement (with some engine and suspension tweaks...it is a concept vehicle y'know). I wonder if the dynamic stability control will come to NA, and if you can turn it off when you WANT to slide.

drumm01 · February 2003

Ahh, I just read an article in a Spanish webby saying that YES this is the Mazda3. I think it looks good but would like to see what the M3 sedan looks like. IF they make the 3 in a sedan that is... which I hope they do

http://www.km77.com/marcas/mazda/prototipos/mxsportif/texto.asp

drumm01 · February 2003

Ahh, I just read an article in a Spanish webby saying that YES this is the Mazda3. I think it looks good but would like to see what the M3 sedan looks like. IF they make the 3 in a sedan that is... which I hope they do

http://www.km77.com/marcas/mazda/prototipos/mxsportif/texto.asp

mazdafun · February 2003

http://www.autobild.de/aktuell/neuheiten/artikel.php?artikel_id=3- 563&artikel_seite=0&A_SESS=edc2115a97cfa8ff79c58f0651fe03- 95

Click on the page #s below (1 2 3) to see the sedan pics.

drumm01 · February 2003

You mean THAT is what the Mazda 3 Sedan will look like? Ah man, terrible. I have to say I am a little disappointed. It looks to me like a Civic or Corolla. Anybody with me on this one?

The front grill is not too bad. It does have a Mazda flavour to it but that back end looks like something out of a Honda. Oh well, maybe it will grow on me at some point.

Thank you for the link mazdafun

protege_fan · February 2003

Not a fan of the wagon/hatch thing. Where's my sedan??

dudleyr · February 2003

The back of that sedan looks a little like a Neon to me, but the car is very nice looking overall. Not quite as nice as the hatch though.

alternator · February 2003

will be replaced by something looking like a miniature SUV. Sad, sad, sad.

creakid1 · February 2003

Don't worry, the sedan doesn't look like an SUV.

Don't you hate SUVs? To look like an SUV, such as the "Corolla wagon"-- Pontiac Vibe, not Matrix, which looks more like a mini van, these people will become suckers for it & buy it. 'cause most of them don't need real SUVs anyway. It's a good thing to steal sales from real SUVs isn't it? Good job Mazda (& Vibe)! It's not just the gas they waste & pollute. Its the visibility of others' they're blocking while they don't even gain that much interior room compare to fwd vans. Thanks to them, other drivers will also need tall vehicles to see the road now. & every one starts to loose the driving fun of good-handling sport sedans & will tip over easily, even when got rammed by a cop car side way. So besides injuring themselves when tipping over, tipping over itself can also injure other cars near by. Even w/o tipping over, they have tendency to run over cars & children, & smash them badly. Any vehicle w/ tall ground clearance needs a flatter, hence very un-roomy, body to balance out the center of gravity, but then you won't be able to see over the hood & will run over kids & such, unless you have extra glass area all-over below like the GM fuel-cell hydrogen concept car.

Since mini vans look so dorky, people try to look cool by substituting w/ SUVs.

This trend of stupidity all started in America (& many 3rd world countries like to follow America) because people are getting taller & the stupid American car manufactures kept building low chairs in their cars all over like Cavalier & even the front passenger side of the full-size Chevy Caprice. What's worse, American cars are so unreliable that people have to buy Japanese cars, which got the same problem-- low chairs. Japanese people have been short, & you can't blame them much. So, if cars are built like those high-chair VW Jetta, Saabs & Volvos, then people would never start the stupid trend of SUVs. Agree? Since SUVs are much uglier than sport sedans to begin with.

Being as high as a Mercedes S-class is ideal. So the new Mazda3 rules! ;-)

mdaffron · February 2003

Believe me, I KNOW! I had one of those damned things parked in my driveway (inherited by marriage, unfortunately) for five years!!!

Meade

dudleyr · February 2003

Two things can look alike, yet one can be nice looking while the other isn't. Ever look at the parents or siblings of some of the movie stars. They often look alike, but not nearly as good. Same is true with cars. Small details may be similar, but may be executed better for a better overall look.

alternator · February 2003

"Don't worry, the sedan doesn't look like an SUV"

Yeah, I read that earlier herein, but the pictures of the Mazda3 I've seen to date are not encouraging IMO.

Peter, you're views on SUVs match mine almost entirely. And, so many SUV owners have no need whatsoever for the size, weight, expensive, etc. of an SUV.

fowler3 · February 2003

It doesn't show as such, but the grille is framed all around in chrome: the top bar and logo extends down the sides and meets at the V-point. Those who don't like bright metal trim are going to hate this idea.

I hope they cut down on the size of the lower grille opening, it's too big. Takes away from the 5-point grille. Also hope they use better looking alloys.

The pavement reflections on the lower doors would be a nice light grey trim on some models - two-tone treatment. But it would have to have a similar paint scheme on the bumper caps.

The artist who retouched the photo did too much around the foglights.

I also noticed the side mirrors are small like current Pros; where the AutoBild photos show the mirrors larger. Hope they keep those.

fowler3

fowler3 · February 2003

for explaining the *A* and the *AN* of it.

Here's another word I never thought of as an (or is it a?) acronym: Tips

Started in the 1600's in English taverns and means, To Insure Prompt Service.

fowler3

fowler3 · February 2003

Mazda3 C-type platform check out this URL. It's a copy of the '97-'98 Honda Odyssey minivan, complete with the triangle windows ahead of the front doors.

http://www.cardesignnews.com/autoshows/2003/geneva/preview/ford-f- ocuscmax/index.html

Very interesting. Meet the C-Max!

fowler3

dinu01 · February 2003

I like that Ford van: looks like a Focus and a minivan in one.

Dinu

alternator · February 2003

http://info.detnews.com/autosinsider/sneakpeek/index.cfm

I think it also looks like a minivan.

dudleyr · February 2003

That is not the sedan. Scroll up for pictures of the sedan.

mazdafun · February 2003

It's taken from a very low height.

panamaltd2 · February 2003

That blue wagon is a photshop.

alternator · February 2003

There was no scrolling-up to be done was there? I'm referring to the blue vehicle at the top labeled 2004 mazda3. And I'm convinced that is a sedan (maybe not the production model?).

fowler3 · February 2003

more like the 5-door hatchback shown on AutoBild's web site. The sedan has a short trunk and no small windows in the C-pillars.

fowler3

jeff186 · March 2003

Any word if the 3 will have a 5-speed auto or cvt tranny? If it comes with a 4-speed auto, ferget it.

dinu01 · March 2003

If you can't/don't wanna learn/won't drive stick, why are you complaining? Besides, the car will be more fun in 5spd!

So you will ignore the car b/c it doesn't have a CVT? A car this small will not have a 5spd auto.

I wonder what small car has a CVT/5spd auto...

Dinu

bigdaddycoats · March 2003

has a 5spd auto.

jeff186 · March 2003

Hopefully Ford did stay up with the times and give it a 5-speed auto. Most folk buy this type of car as a commuter vehicle and gas mileage matters, as does having a hand free to use the cell phone.

carguy58 · March 2003

5 speed auto's have been a problem lately in the Lexus ES 300 and Acura TL-Type S. You think Mazda's can have problems with the 5 sp auto as opposed to the regular automatic?

wongpres · March 2003

They're starting to work on the packaging for the Mazda3 now. Here's some preliminary info:

4-door sedan:
- 2 models, Mazda3i and Mazda3s (like the Mazda6). 2.0l (148hp) for the i, and 2.3l (160hp) for the s.

5-door wagon:
- only one trim with the 2.3l engine

dudleyr · March 2003

I would prefer the wagon with the smaller, lighter more efficient engine. What about the hatch, or is that going to be called the wagon?

mazdafun · March 2003

Thanks for the info!

Wow, sounds like I'd be happy with either engine, figuring the car will weigh in the neighborhood of 2600lbs or so (unladen).

Any idea what mpg (US) is projected to be for the two engines?

I think the hatch will be a different vehicle from the sportwagon.

fowler3 · March 2003

get the hatch 2.0L, I'd go for the Mazda6i.

fowler3

wongpres · March 2003

dudleyr: by 'wagon' I mean the 5-door hatch model (like the current P5).

mazdafun: to get a rough idea of fuel economy, just look at the Mazda6 2.3l and the Mazda6 2.0l (get the 2.0l from a European or Japanese source), because those are the engines being used by the Mazda3. The fuel numbers will be better than that of the Mazda6 becuase it's a lighter car.

gee35coupe · March 2003

Looks like it was made to modify.

mazdafun · March 2003

That's what I was hoping for. The 6 gets only a bit less mpg than my Protege. I figure the 3 will get at least a couple mpg more than the 6 (depending on how they gear it, but I can't imagine they'd gear it any shorter than the 6), which will make it more powerful yet more miserly (on fuel) than my current ride.

m3fan · March 2003

I'm hoping Mazda will offer a 3-door version of the Mazda3. That coupled with 160hp would get me in the showroom. Make it a Mazdaspeed 3 with 3-doors and I'm there tomorrow.

qddave · March 2003

www.autoweek.com has full coverage of the Geneva Auto Show and has a slew of pictures of the MX Sportif/Pro3. Anybody see the BMW influence in the interior?

dinu01 · March 2003

http://autoweek.com/specials/2003_geneva/mazda/index.htm

The interior screams 98-99 Audi A4 to me. LOVE IT!

Dinu

carguy58 · March 2003

It looks like Mazda should be a German Company now. I can't believe their Japanese anymore. The Protege looks like a Euro Car and the 6 looks Italian(Pinninfarina-like.) It looks like Mazda said well we will dump the Honda and Toyota like styling stuff we were doing in the mid to late 90's. As for the Interior we will dunp the Honda and Toyota stuff we were doing interior wise too. Its like a brand new car company now. The stuff Mazda did in 1995 its totally shedding away from now.

dinu01 · March 2003

"The concept car features a 2.0-litre, 147bhp engine producing 138lb ft of pulling power. It will be joined in the 3 range by 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol units, as well as at least one common-rail diesel."

http://www.whatcar.com/default.asp?a=news&b=story&makeref- =0&modelref=0&cat=1&article=1794

Dinu

magnetophone · March 2003

I'm loving this concept car! It looks great!

creakid1 · March 2003

Good thing this classy "Audi A4-style" interior doesn't come w/ A4's "piling from the ground up" locations for the HVAC/stereo. Hope those HVAC dials are real dials & not soft-touch ones like Mazda6's.

Bottom-cushion got great lateral-support, but might be a tad short for long thighs.

Overall, the interior style puts IS300 to shame. Can't wait to see how it compares to those premium/elegant interiors of the upcoming new Golf/A3.

qddave · March 2003

I'm sorry I didn't post the link, but I wasn't sure how to. Dinu, could you fill me in?

Thanks

dinu01 · March 2003

For the link to show in blue and pop a new window, just copy the ENTIRE web address (right click on your browser's address bar, COPY, then right click in post window, right click PASTE.

Dinu

drumm01 · March 2003

Wow guys, in my opinion, this baby looks awesome. Even though it has a slight resemblance to the Toyota Matrix (from the back-side View) this car looks HOT. I love the front end combination of M6 and RX8. It actually looks very Europeean. And it looks like they are also adding Torque.

And take a look at that last picture at the bottom right. The interiors look amazing. God, I hope the Mazda 3 Sedan looks as good as this.

http://car.kak.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=news&file=- article&sid=789

mazdafun · March 2003

Or at least it will potentially be available, as well as a 5dr hatch (different from the sportwagon/Sportif concept).

gee35coupe · March 2003

sunilb · March 2003

what a great looking hatch! Interior is really nice, too. Will this be offered in the U.S. (ie, 5-door hatch, with 2.3L engine)?

Looks like it might give the VW a run for it's money. (better anticipated reliability and European looks!).

When will there be more info on this car? (ie, packages, pricing, etc.). It'll be available this Fall, right?

drumm01 · March 2003

I am not sure that it will be available this Fall Sunilb. But I agree with you that it looks beautifulllll.

I am a Protege ES owner, so I am real curious what the sedan will look like. Even though i like the Hatch look, I much rather have a sedan type.

Mazda did a great job with the front grille. Not to mention the interiors..

Mazda3

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