Mazda3

dinu01 · November 2003

Beige interior as seen here: http://car.nifty.com/as/newcar/trial/img/0311187115_2_2_l.jpg

When you look at the cloth on the door, it's EXACTLY that pattern that you see. I don't like it - a solid piece of cloth (meaning without a pattern) would be better. I like the black that I have in the PRO ES, but not what is in beige and grey Proteges either. The shade of it is not too appealing to me, but I do like the rest of the interior.

Personally, I like some of the rubbery touches on the dash, but by all means it's not significantly better than a Protege. It's just that the Protege was to me (and maybe many others here) the BEST car in its class without a doubt.

Dinu

PS: Still thinking about the velocity red though...

bluong1 · November 2003

So there's no chrome grille?

It's available as accessory in Japan. Don't know about elsewhere.

What about a grille where the top (the horizontal line above the M-logo) is coloured the same as the car?

It's standard for EU/JP.

All Canadian cars I've seen have the top part black or the sport grille.

Same for US.

bluong1 · November 2003

Personally, I like some of the rubbery touches on the dash

Me too. I think it's the best material inside the 3.

pzev · November 2003

But to get away from that door padding you'll have to get the two-tone interior, which you said may be too much money. The black/grey will have the same design, except a different color obviously. It'll still look and feel cheap right? I guess you take which one is not as bad as the other, but if it's the feel and design that bothers you then there's no way to avoid it on those interiors.

I have yet to see the Mazda3 interior so I can't comment. I never liked that silver stuff on the ES Proteges. Looked cheap and kind of ruined the interior overall. The beige looked a lot better because there was no silver stuff in it.

Personally the Corolla LE interior with the fake wood looks better than the ES Protege interior in my opinion. One thing I like about the Mazda3 interior is they didn't use silver like on the Mazda6 and Protege ES. The quality of the materials is a different story and I'll have to wait and see on that.

How many people think the interior is worse than the Corolla or Civic or some other economy car? Volkswagen is not an apples to apples comparison, they charge significantly more and is built in Mexico which helps keep costs down. Of course most of that money goes into the interior, they cut costs elsewhere. The key is giving a nice balance for the money, if the interior is better than the Corolla, on par, or slightly below then Mazda did very well.

dinu01 · November 2003

Yes the pattern is on beige and grey and yes I won't get the GT, therefore, I'll choose the one that "offends" (this is too strong of a word) me the least.

I like the car though and if the driving experience is good, then I'll make sure it grows on me

I guess playing mind games with myself will solve the issue

Dinu

bluong1 · November 2003

get out and take a testdrive!

buggywhip · November 2003

I'm convinced that the Mazda3 interior is superior to any compact car, period. It's absolutely gorgeous. It's a watershed car for Mazda and it will, I predict, eclipse the 6. I regret that Ford has decided NOT to use the 3 platform for the Focus until 2007 or so. It's a bad move b/c the 3 really raises the bar.

dinu01 · November 2003

Will use the platform in Europe right away. It's just Ford of NA that's not.

Dinu

groovypippin · November 2003

My old man's dealership finally received a fairly large batch of 3's on Friday (they were supposed toreceive the cars about a week ago, but the Port of Vancouver was so socked in with product that they had to wait for some of it to clear out of the way - Grrr!). I was out of town on business, so I first got a chance to see them in person on Saturday night.

The hatch is quite stunning in person. Well porportioned. Looks better in person that in photographs. The sedan takes some getting used to, particularly the back end, but also looks quite stunning in higher trim levels.

The cars were all locked up so I couldn't get inside to see everything up close and touch, but I gotta tell you guys. It looks pretty good to me.

My dad bought my mom a fully loaded GT sean for Christmas and I think I will pull the trigger on one as well.

combustible1 · November 2003

It's bland looking to me. Not ugly or offensive, just kinda generic, nothing that I'd ever bother considering in the first place regardless of whether or not it had good driving/feature attributes. Call me shallow, I guess.

I was at a Mazda dealership today and looked at the Protege interior dash for the first time, since there's been some discussion here about it's interior and.. I thought it was uugly! (the center stack mostly.. couldn't see anything after that).

Maybe there could be a few pieces of plastic here or there in the Protege that are better than the 3's, but that's like being trapped in a room with a bumblebee, worried about being stung, when there's a hungry tiger sitting in the corner.

in other words, fixating on the small stuff (Mazda 3 flaws), when the other option is a whole lot worse (Protege flaws).

IMHO, of course. ;-)

cambo · November 2003

I finally got to see and drive a Mazda3 in northern California. I was rather surprised to see the car since I called the dealer 3 days ago and was told two weeks before they arrive. The dealer had just one delivered and I was the first customer to drive it. It was a white hatch with sport auto, sunroof and 6 disk changer. I will give my impressions in comparison to my wifes 02 P5.

First of all the interior looks great. I think our P5 has more soft plastics but the 3 has an all around better look. The LEDs on the stereo are strange but cool. The seats are very comfortable and the material feels durable.

Driving the 3 feels totally different from the P5. The 3 gives the impression of driving a larger car. I think this is due to a more obstructive dash. I only got to drive around on city streets but I do have an opinion on the handling and power. I engine definitely has more pep but the sport auto still bugs me. It seams to downshift slowly and can jerk you around if you floor it. Especially if it shifts into first gear at a low speed. I do like how the current gear is always displayed not just when in manual mode. I defiantly want a 5 speed. The handling didnt feel as crisp as the P5 and displayed a bit of body roll but I will need to take one out to a country road to truly have an opinion. As far as noise. I think It was quieter than our P5. I didnt feel / hear every bump in the road and the engine is far quieter. The 2.3 does have a buzz sound when accelerating but not bad. I also didnt notice any torque steer.

The stereo didnt sound much different from the P5 but it does look and feel better. The steering wheel controls are a big plus. Also with the telescoping wheel I actually feel like the car fits me.

The sticker listed 80% of the parts are from Japan and 20% other. The dealer had an enormous 3000$ mark up on the vehicle.

I will definitely buy one but have decided to wait a few months for a better selection and price. It will look great parked next to our P5.

bluong1 · November 2003

bluong1 · November 2003

bluong1 · November 2003

I just wonder, where do you live cambo?

cambo · November 2003

In Sacramento California. The markup pushed the price of the car into the 22,000 dollar range without leather or nav.

lavaorange3 · November 2003

I told my dealer, no markup, or I go talk to the other two dealers available to me, and voila!, they took off the markup. It's usually pretty negotiatble, especially if there are multiple dealers around. I'd understand them holding their ground for the RX-8, but not for the 3.

zaimon · November 2003

I drove by my local dealer today and almost missed the 3 that was sitting in between the 6s and RX8s. They're a pretty small dealership and had only 1 in stock (just arrived yesterday): 3i sedan, shimmering sand with beige interior and ABS/SAB, A/C as add ons... asking price was ~$17300, fairly expensive IMO.

The car looked great, even though it wasn't the exact model I'm going for. It's generally larger than a protege and I didn't find the interior suffocating at all (I'm 5'10", 175). The fabric was nice although I saw some black stains on the back seat (probably from prepping the car. The materials seemed fine to me (although coming from a Tribute materials on most other cars are a step up). I was surprised that the 3i doesn't have the storage bin where the navigation system would go in a 3s. Also wasn't too impressed by the HUGE driver's side seat adjustment lever. Overall, very nice car.

What also happened to the talk that the 3 won't have a trip computer? Found that there were two trip computers (Trip A/B) along with the odometer.

They also had a new MPV in. The front looks great and they should have continued to use the rear headlights they used last year. The new tail-lights resemble Altima's which should not be reserved for minivans...

Moving on... lavaorange, you wouldn't happen to deal car loans? hehe. Have fun driving your MZ3-hatch when it arrives!

lavaorange3 · November 2003

No, home loans only, unfortunately... Just got word that they'll have mine on the lot 12/1. The car carrier boat apparently sailed from Oakland or Long Beach yesterday (not sure), but I do know it will dock Honolulu late Thursday.

combustible1 · November 2003

hey, those pics almost ALMOST make me like the Protege interior.. beautifully lit and black leather helps quite a bit. Though, the gauge faces still look a little Tonka-toy like to me.

combustible1 · November 2003

the high cowl-line you complain about in the 3 is becoming very common in cars. At least in part, to help give better protection to the occupants (less glass, more sheet metal) as SUVs and the like are dominating the roadways more and more.

bluong1 · November 2003

I agree, after the cool round gauges of the Mazda3, anything else seems flat and ordinary. However, the Protegé interior is pretty clean and functional and still holds well the candle to Mazda3's IMHO.

Again, at risk of repeating again: I like the Mazda3 interior very much. I just want to point out few minor flaws that Mazda could easily improve. Probably $50 additional cost to bring the interior closer to the perfection. I'm willing to pay for it.

waiting4thebus · November 2003

I test drove the Mazda3 GT, auto, full loaded for 30 minutes and took it through its paces on both highway and city surfaces (Big thanks to Downtown Mazda, Toronto). They had a least 4 to test drive and I believe I saw 4 or 5 customers that morning taking them out. A review from José Vieira (Portugal) best sums up my experience:

The Mazda3 presents a very responsive handling and steering feel, excellent grip, perhaps a little firm. The engines are good, very responsive at low revs, quick in acceleration, but a little noisy, which combined with some road noise, places the Mazda3 in the noisy side.

Overall, I have decided to make this my next car because of its sporty feel, accurate handling, dynamic design and utility for a compact car. (If the Civic made major model overhauls this year 2004, I would given it higher consideration.)

That being said, I know the general consensus is 92% to 93% off the MSRP, but can anyone confirm Canadian invoice pricing? In terms of accessory pricing they did not have it available, any ideas? Also, does anyone know what other cost will be added to the purchase price other then Freight & PDE, Air, and Taxes?

It would be great if anyone could provide or share any negotiated price quotes or final purchase prices for the Mazda3 GT Hatchback.(But any config. would give a great idea to what to expect).

Big thanks to the forum for the information and opinions (good and bad, they are all valid points). It has made my decision to purchase the Mazda3 really easy.

Looking to close the deal!

groovypippin · November 2003

Not to be rude, but if you are looking for anything close to invoice pricing, I don't think shopping a car that's been out for about 37 minutes is very productive.

Dealers will only have these cars in relatively short supply until the new year and they are trying to clear out 03's. If you ask for a anything more than a token discount, they will understandably try and steer you towards the an '03 - since that is the vehicle they can give a large discount on.

If you have to have one now, expect to pay close to MSRP. If you are utterly convinced that it is heresy to pay more than a few dollars over invoice, its probably best that you wait a few months before you try beating your head against that particular brick wall.

lavaorange3 · November 2003

Groovypippin pretty much hits it on the head, so far as new models are concerned. While I refused to pay a dealer markup, I went in comfortably willing to pay MSRP because I'm getting exactly what I want, and I'm getting the first MZ3 hatch to hit my dealer's lot. I'd thought about waiting until March or April, and then hammering the dealer for a thousand or so off...but I decided it was worth the dough to get what I want now. I feel I didn't compromise, and while the dealer won't get the markup, I have confidence they'll do okay. You want invoice? Buy a PR or PR5. They're blowin' em out!

waiting4thebus · November 2003

Valid point... Just trying to determine how much of a major cost difference if I choose to purchase now or after winter (when there are more rebates, incentives and steady supply available). In no way do I expect invoice pricing, but the more information I can get will help me weigh all costs and help determine the best time of purchasing. As for now I'm still waiting 4 the bus. Thanks for the feedback.

pzev · November 2003

http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/focus20_20031120.htm

"Ford Motor Co. has no plans to bring an all-new Focus to North America in the foreseeable future, president and chief operating officer Nick Scheele told the Free Press this week.

Ford is rolling out an all-new Focus for Europe next year, which will also provide the basic underpinnings for Mazda and Volvo small-car models. Suppliers and analysts had once expected that European Focus to be brought to North America in 2005. Later, they believed it had been pushed back to 2007. Now they are finding that nothing more than minor freshenings are planned until at least 2010."

So I guess Ford wants to use the Chevy Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire strategy and first break even and then sell the cars dirt cheap years from now ($3000 rebates?) to try and make the whole thing profitable.

There are several ways I look at this. First it makes it obvious to me that the Big 3 care nothing about small cars and depend on the SUVs as their cash cows. Trucks is where the money is at so cars are not high on the priority list. They better watch out. If the Japanese/European/Korean companies start to make some ground into the truck/SUV sector then they'll be in trouble.

Also seems Ford may want to concentrate on bulk sales and win over the budget crowd and let Mazda handle the more high-end crowd looking for more quality and willing to pay the money for it.

On the other hand maybe Ford doesn't have a lot of confidence in its new platform and instead of risking it they'll play it safe and see how it goes. I mean come on, the Focus came out in 2000. You have to at some point upgrade the car instead of living off mild refreshes. Let the Mazda3, European Focus, and Volvo S40 work the bugs out THEN they switch over. I doubt the current platform would change that much in a span of 5 years.

In the end this is good for Ford from a financial standpoint. This is NOT good however for their image. People driving Corollas/Civics may be very impressed with the car and come back for another one or step up to an Accord/Camry and maybe even someday step up to an Acura/Lexus. Would a Cavalier make you want to buy another GM? I guess if it was reliable then maybe, but otherwise I don't see how.

pzev · November 2003

Also this a fantastic opportunity for companies like Hyundai/Kia to upgrade their cars and make them look like better values and simply better cars than the old dinosaurs the Big 3 keeps trying to push off on us. Hyundai/Kia and other companies on the low-end can take advantage of this and make better cars than the Big 3.

Come on GM, don't let Ford beat you at your own game. You can squeeze another model year out of the Cavalier. Go for the gold!

zaimon · November 2003

Funny... as soon as I mentioned the "Mazda3-hatch" at the car dealership, the salesman pointed me to one of their last Protege5s on the lot. My little bit of sarcasm.

backy · November 2003

It depends a lot on what "minor freshenings" means. Toyota got ten years out of the last Camry platform, with one restyle mid-way, and sold a ton of cars. The chassis is arguably the best part of the Focus. Even after four years, the Focus is still highly rated by the automotive press and sells in large numbers. If Ford can tweak it enough to keep it interesting, they might just be able to stretch it out until 2010. However, it will have to battle the new Epsilon-based Cobalt, a new Civic in '05, an all-new Spectra and Elantra based on a common platform (probably in '05), a new Sentra (late '04?), the Forenza, ultimately the next-Gen Corolla, and of course the 3. So those tweaks had better be significant.

shado4 · November 2003

>> What also happened to the talk that the 3 won't have a trip computer? Found that there were two trip computers (Trip A/B) along with the odometer. <<

Those are just twin trip meters, not computers. A trip computer tells you things like distance to empty, average/instant fuel consumption, average speed, etc. This is being offered in other countries, but not in the US.

On a related note based on my earlier "beefs", looking at the Mazda3 electronic brochure it now seems that the US-spec 3 DOES have variable-intermittent windshield wipers. Take a look at page 11.

Now about that missing traction control...

lmp180psu · November 2003

pzev Nov 23, 2003 10:04pm

"Come on GM, don't let Ford beat you at your own game. You can squeeze another model year out of the Cavalier. Go for the gold!"

LOL!!

pzev · November 2003

"Probably $50 additional cost to bring the interior closer to the perfection. I'm willing to pay for it."

That little amount of money to be able to use the better materials that the Protege supposedly has? I somehow doubt this. Sure $50 savings per car adds up in the long run and helps Mazda make some money, but if Mazda is trying to compete with the Golf and other cars in Europe and trying to move up the ladder, why would they throw away bragging rights of having a very competitive interior with VW by trying to save $50?

One big reason people buy VW is because of the interior. People are already complaining about the slightly lower quality interior of the Golf by saying the current Golf has a better interior. If it was a matter of $50 they would surely do it I would bet.

On the other hand maybe Mazda wants the Mazda6 to have bragging rights of having the better quality interior? Very sad if $50 is all that seperates the Mazda3 from the Protege, or Mazda3 from the Mazda6.

pzev · November 2003

"the high cowl-line you complain about in the 3 is becoming very common in cars. At least in part, to help give better protection to the occupants (less glass, more sheet metal) as SUVs and the like are dominating the roadways more and more."

Yeah I was thinking the same thing, I like this. I'm 5'11 with a long torso (one reason I don't like sunroofs) so this should be no problem for me. I'd much rather have the SUV hitting metal than glass.

pzev · November 2003

I agree, but by the time 2010 rolls around the Focus will seem severely outdated, good chassis or not. If they bother to update the outside looks in a major way and upgrade the interior dramatically as well then they can pull it off. It's just a matter will they take the cheap route and cut costs as much as possible, or will they keep the same chassis and go out of their way to make it seem like a completely different car with thorough exterior and interior enhancements.

Keeping the same shape and chassis and simply reskinning it over and over will make the Focus seem outdated. They'll have to change the overall shape to make it seem fresh and new, I'm not sure if they'll go that far with it.

mazda6s · November 2003

It won't take that long. Just wait until they have a few on the lot, then prices will fall faster than you can say "OK, I'll check with the other dealers and get back to you".

zaimon · November 2003

Aigh... what worried me was that Mazda would have oblidged to remove the trip meters from the car. It was a ncie surprise to see that the trip meters were these nonetheless. I didn't notice the intermittent wiper settings of the car I was in. I sure like the one I have in the my Tribute however.

An actual trip computer I can do without. My brother's A4 has one that tells you everything that's going on: current trip's avg. mpg, your current mpg. Whenever I'm driving it I keep looking at the darn thing. My brother eventually just turned it off.

I'll personally be happy with the rearview mirrow with homelink, compass and outside temperature. Does anyone know how much it'll run on the Mazda3?

regfootball · November 2003

"the high cowl-line you complain about in the 3 is becoming very common in cars. At least in part, to help give better protection to the occupants (less glass, more sheet metal) as SUVs and the like are dominating the roadways more and more."

the high cowl line doens't have much to do with actual safety. Its all perceived. its a classic Detroit ploy. The 'big dash' makes you 'feel' safer. How the front crush space and passenger safety cage is engineered has a lot more to do with actual crash safety than whether the cowl is high or not. A high cowl may add lateral stiffness to the cage at a higher height, but this would not come into play in a frontal crash where the forces are coming at bumper level or slightly higher directly to seat level.

My Taurus has a low cowl, large windshield, open cabin, yet has always had 5 star safety.

Mazda's own 6 has 5 star safety. With a low cowl.

Again, people's psychological perceptions getting in the way of actual truth.

The Japanese cars were originally appealing as choices vs. domestics because of the low cowl heights. Over time, the Accords have been increasing the heights and in the 03 model began to receive criticism for it. They no longer have the same feel like what made them originally appealing.

I feel the same has occured with the 3.

The high cowl is not gonna save your butt in a crash with an SUV. What will is the front and side airbags, the ability of the seat and seat belt to hold your legs and torso in proper position, the head restraints, the knee bumpers on the low part of the dash, and how well the safet cage stays in tact, and how well the crumple zones absorb and diffuse crash energy away from the occupants. Anything above where the knee hits the dash, well, doesn't matter as much. The height of the dash performs no function above the knees. The front airbags accept your body in front of the windshield.

The main reason the dash in the 3 is so high is stylistic. The car is quite a bit taller than the protege, and to get it looking proportionately acceptable in relation to height, they had to raise the dash. Also ergonomic reasons, it gets your gauges closer to your eyes.

gromit45 · November 2003

I was wondering the same thing as regfootfall. I suspect you're right, it's mainly, if not entirely, only a perceived safety benefit. Maybe there's also some aerodynamic gains from making the hood higher where it meets the windshied? I like the low cowl/dash of the hondas of a few yrs back, like my 92 Integra. Makes for good visibility, esp. for shorter drivers.

Can't wait to checkout the 3. Sounds like they're popping up all over now.

I'm curious, anybody know how the tire pressure monitor works? Does it give you the current tire pressure reading or is it an idiot light which goes on only when you drop to a dangerous level?

creakid1 · November 2003

pzev Nov 23, 2003 10:00pm
'Now they are finding that nothing more than minor freshenings are planned until at least 2010.

I mean come on, the Focus came out in 2000. You have to at some point upgrade the car instead of living off mild refreshes. Let the Mazda3, European Focus, and Volvo S40 work the bugs out THEN they switch over.

By 2010, the next Mazda3 & the Focus III will be out. The Focus I was available in Europe since late 98. The 2011 American Focus will be the Focus III, not II.

backy Nov 23, 2003 10:17pm
It depends a lot on what "minor freshenings" means. Toyota got ten years out of the last Camry platform, with one restyle mid-way, and sold a ton of cars

Which means there are only slight differences between the Focus I & the Focus II platform. Expect a bigger difference on the Focus III platform. Theres no way the 2011 American Focus gonna be based on the Focus II.

However, it will have to battle the new Epsilon-based Cobalt

Thats right! American GM finally got rid of the early 80s Cavalier & applying the next Astra, more advanced than Saturns old-Astra Ion.

pzev Nov 23, 2003 10:51pm
Keeping the same shape and chassis and simply reskinning it over and over will make the Focus seem outdated. They'll have to change the overall shape to make it seem fresh and new, I'm not sure if they'll go that far with it.

PZEV, can you see any resemblance between the 95 & 96 American Escort? Theyre both based on the 90 Protégé, just like the Kia Sephia! That Kia, by the way, looked like the 89 Mirage/Summit sedan, not Protégé.

creakid1 · November 2003

pzev Nov 21, 2003 8:22pm
'Volvo is responsible for structural design, crash performance and other safety features.
Besides the chassis, Volvo has no input on safety measures on the Mazda3 correct?

No, lots of other safety technologies are from Volvo, including the flexible front seat back to prevent whiplash &, I believe, the side curtains as well.

creakid1 · November 2003

fowler3 Nov 22, 2003 11:51am

http://www.carkeys.co.uk/launch/LA000223.htm
Where the 3 scores over its bigger brother is in ride quality - the smaller car deals better with minor ripples and surface flaws. Where it doesnt is in suppression of road noise which, on rough surfaces, is too pronounced. I suspect this is mainly a tyre-related problem."

Ive been predicting this all along. As my 90 Protégés long-travel suspension rides way more absorbent then the buckboard 90 626, just noisier.

creakid1 · November 2003

wongpres Nov 20, 2003 1:36pm
The BMW 320 I drove had 205/55R16. So in comparison to the Mazda3:
Mazda3 17's were a bit firmer than the Mazda3 16's, and the Mazda3 16's was quite a bit firmer than the BMW 320 16's..

Let's see, so its more reasonable to compare the 195/65-15 Mazda3 to the 205/55-16 BMW 3-series, since the RWD BMW is heavier.

comeback2morro · November 2003

Hi guys.. Just been reading through all this mazda 3 stuff .. well not all of it. Just the last 2 months or so to catch up with what is going on.

Im currently in a mazda 626.. er.. 1979 (if you must know

) and its time to retire it and get something nice. No points for guessing what car im interested in.

Im not sure if I like the setup that Australia has got (compared to the US setup, although not much info is out about it in regards to models and options for AU yet), except that it comes in January, starts at A$22500 (n\c on road costs ect) in 'neo', 'maxx' and 'SP23' models.

Dont have the ability to spend stacks on it but I know that ill probably end up getting a 2.0L hatch (yup.. we can get them in Aus), auto, abs\airbags, and .. now hopefully the maxx will come with the power option, black\blue seats and 16" alloys (or 17") + the fancy dash and fog lights?.

Also gotta say that I dont like the 5 point grill as much as the mesh.

Any thoughts on what the neo and the maxx model might include (I really hope they dont bump up the prices of the models over here, I couldnt imagine you'd get anything over and above what the 2.3L hatch inc's in the states).

Another question - relatively trivial, but where does the spare tyre go?

David

bluong1 · November 2003

first welcome! I'm glad we have finally someone from Australia.

Another question - relatively trivial, but where does the spare tyre go?

Under the subtrunk. http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/brunoluong/vwp?.dir=/My+Testdriv- e&.dnm=img016.jpg&.view=t

bluong1 · November 2003

groovypippin makes a good point. But I would even go father and say that the price will not drop much after winter.

- The N/A marketing decides to make a huge ads from January for the same reason: More people will shop for car after winter. There will be larger supply after winter but also much more demands.

Also the following is entirely from me, so consider it as a rumor, and with big grain of salt read at your own risk:

- It seems that MNAO decide a more aggressive incentive from January.

bluong1 · November 2003

I must admit I don't understand very well the decision for not using the Focus II in N/A until 2007/2010. Ford spend money in developing the new platform and don't want to take advantage. Unbelievable. May be they regret their effort during two years to fix the current Focus so they just make it last as long as it could? Ford N/A needs to hire better engineers within the passenger car department.

But as long as Mazda take advantage of it (I heard an estimate of 10% saving in development cost and one year earlier for product launch), I'm happy. Let's imagine a minute that the Ford Focus II would arrive in December 03 and the Mazda3 will not arrive before 2007! That would suck big time for you guys/gales!!!

bluong1 · November 2003

Yeap, the driving information center is what shado4 describes.

Also, shado4 is right the brochure now lists the 2-speed intermittent wipers. That would be better. I coudn't believe a modern car would have fix-intermittent front wipers. I guess they simply make a misktake previously in copy-past the rear wiper characteristic.

bluong1 · November 2003

That little amount of money to be able to use the better materials that the Protege supposedly has?

I think so. It doesn't need much of improvement. They just need to change the top of the centre stack and the cheap rectangular air vents, or alternatively vinyl pad the whole top dash as they did with the Protegé/Mazda6. You wouldn't believe how cheap those plastic are in a mass production. They also should redesign the centre stack so that the gaps on the two side look less gross.

pzev, keep in mind that I can't compare Mazda3 with the current/upcoming Golf (which I haven't seen and can't make any comment). I compare the material of the Mazda3 with the model that will be replaced, aka Protegé. The new design supposes to be better at all aspect, which is not the case. Sorry if you don't like, but this is the fact. I know my P5 as the back of my hand, and I take a look at the Mazda3 with a more critical eyes than most of the reviewers out there.

One big reason people buy VW is because of the interior. People are already complaining about the slightly lower quality interior of the Golf by saying the current Golf has a better interior. If it was a matter of $50 they would surely do it I would bet.

Things might be not as simple as that. The Golf costs very high, may be the highest in the segment, beside the Audi A3 and the BMW 3-series hatch (N/A don't have those). VW will not make the Golf as good as the Audi, that would kill the Audi and would be a suicide for them. I'm sure when the Golf V was designed, VW engineers MUST not go over the top of an aggressive cost target, and they can't afford to put better material. Mazda3 is very competitive in price so far, and I think they can afford to raise the bar a little.

bluong1 · November 2003

Yeap, I second regfootball and gromit45 that the high cowl is only a perceived safety benefit.

Don't forget that the Mazda3 seat is 3cm higher than the Protegé and even higher if the headroom is not a problem for you, thanks to the height seat adjustment.

bluong1 · November 2003

"I'm curious, anybody know how the tire pressure monitor works? Does it give you the current tire pressure reading or is it an idiot light which goes on only when you drop to a dangerous level?"

From what I read, it seems it only warns you. But the bad thing is it doesn't even tell you which tire is under-inflated. You have to check all tires, but then it's not a bad idea to always even the pressure for the left and right tire.

I wonder if the system is battery-less or not, if not how long the battery would last (probably pretty long)? Also I suspect there is no a problem when changing for after market rims.

Bruno

Mazda3

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