Mazda3 Hatchback

mazdafun

icvci

Since it'll be built alongside the rest of the world's Mazda3's then it may be easier for them to simply leave the rear headrests on, or to add Navigation, or to add ESP or something else.

I think it's going to be built right here in the U.S.A.. And, I'm pretty sure there isn't going to be much you can't get on it.

wongpres

There is only 1 production site for all worldwide Mazda3's:

Hatch - Hofu, Japan, plant I

Sedan - Hiroshima, Japan, (probably in the re-opened plant II)

As for bodystyles, as of now, there are only 3 confirmed bodystyles: 4-door sedan, 5-door hatch (like the Pro5), and mini-MPV (to replace the Premacy, will be called the Mazda4 and to be introduced in Geneva '04. Not for N. America).

cantthinkofone

I work for Mazda, and my boss told me that they will be coming out in December. Has anyone heard different?

bluong1

I heard the same from Mazda. Minor additional news: they said that they will hold however the full advertisement potential for Q1 2004.

Bruno

icvci

I drove home behind one of these last night. Looked kind of neat. It was a 2.0VVT with M plates on it.

http://www.renault.co.uk/RenaultSITe/cars/vn_car_home.jsp?BV_Sess- ionID=@@@@0760114180.1060178224@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdadcimmkhk- kfcfngcfkmdfkjdfni.0&car=Meganep2

bluong1

Please give us your cookies too!

But I know what are you talking about. I see many of those every day.

icvci

Works for me. It's a Megane Sport Hatchback. I figured you'd see them daily, as it's a Renault. The one I saw could be the only one in the States though.

bluong1

Apparently the regular front end is the black mesh, where as the front end with body-colored plastic and two horizontal bars is from the optional Appearance Sport Package. This is consistent with the Mazda6.

bluong1

I just saw a new picture where the fog light is oval instead of round. The rest is identical.

wongpres

Are you seeing these new pictures on mms-press?

bluong1

dinu01

Can you guys provide the link again?

I went from using IE to Netscape and lost it (:

Thanks!
Dinu

bluong1

http://www.mme-press.com/pics/mazda3_blue_driving_JPG.zip

dinu01

I'l try it when I get home - it's 4MBs!

I just don't like the fact you always have to register on their site (unless you REALLY are a member of the Press).

Dinu

wongpres

Wishful thinking on my part, but:

- any pictures of the interior
- any pictures of the sedan (though based on what's going on in the Sedan board I guess probably no pics)

bluong1

I have eleven pictures at different angle of the interior, but unfortunately it's all from the MX Sportif. No Sedan picture at all.

fowler3

the MZ3 dash looks better than the MZ6's?

That cars don't need interior decoration;
just be functional and non-intrusive, as in
in-your-face the way some of the current
metals are.

fowler3

bluong1

I don't particularly like neither one.

mazdafun

Without the platinum color. Glossy or nicely-textured black plastic suits me fine.

I'm not a fan of binnacled instruments. All looks, worse visibility. I like the round vent details of the 6.

But I have to compare the two interiors side-by-side.

pzev

I like the Mazda3 better, but a lot of that is influenced by no standard carbon-trim. The s trim which will probably have it standard may not be any better or worse than the Mazda6 in my opinion. I'd rather have black gloss or just the regular with no silver, carbon-fiber stuff. I like the Mazda interiors better than the pod-like interiors like the Honda Civic and Toyota Camry. On the other hand I like the Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla interiors, very nice both of them.

What I would like to see with the Mazda3:

- chrome interior door handles in the regular versions (no carbon-trim)

- beige interior to have a black dashboard, black middle part with black buttons/controls, black steering wheel and have the glovebox, seats and everything else beige, basically how Honda and VW does its beige interiors (I have a feeling this won't happen though, it'll be like the Mazda6 I'm sure with gray or beige dash and beige steering wheel, etc.)

- optitron gauges, although not necessary, but I like the hint of blue with the red lighting

- make black gloss available on sport package equipped cars (probably won't happen either, I guess they want RX-8 owners to have bragging rights with the black glossy interiors)

- make 16" alloys, side curtains, and ABS available on i trim without having to take a moonroof

- put chrome on front grill if the mazda symbol is going to be that high up, black chrome like the Protege ES would be better

- good quality cloth, Mazda6 seats with cloth are too firm and uncomfortable to me, Protege ES seats are very comfortable and cloth feels nicer

- offer an upgraded Bose stereo system, at the very least make 6-speakers with tweeters standard on both i and s trim

- make steering wheel audio/cruise control buttons standard on both i and s trim

mazdafun

I don't like them. Usually they hint at a poorly designed audio system in the first place (I'd use them in place of BMW's iDrive system, for instance), and they don't work with most aftermarket units, making them useless and obtrusive.

I'd prefer little horn buttons in place of the audio controls. Great for just "tootling" the horn when all you want to do is get someone's attention in a nice way.

boggse

"- offer an upgraded Bose stereo system, at the very least make 6-speakers with tweeters standard on both i and s trim"

It wouldn't be worth the money if it is anything like the Bose system in the Miata. Apparently, someone at Bose thinks Bass means one frequency and one only, not a range of frequencies like you would expect. Weird. I would expect them to at least offer tweeters as standard on the s trim like they do on the ES and P5 now.

Speaking of the Miata and RX-8, I think they have much more attractive interiors than either the 3 or 6. While I find none of the interiors on Mazdas to be ugly (although the Tribute is pushing it with its Ford 2nd Generation Explorer-ness, and the Truck doesn't count), they certainly do an excellent job with their sports cars. I find the 6 to be a little on the flashy side, and I fear the 3 will follow suit. Give me an elegant, simple design any day.

pzev

I agree. I've heard about the Bose systems in the Miata and Millenia, and most people say it's simply not worth the money. When I made my earlier statement though I had the Bose system in the Mazda6 in mind. Most everyone says the Bose system in the Mazda6 is good and in most cases is worth the extra money, especially when you get a 6-cd changer with it. I'm not an audiophile by any means, but the 2001 Protege ES stereo I listened to when I test drove it sounded downright pathetic. I think Mazda can do better than this and I hope they will with the Mazda3.

pzev

I can deal without them, but it would be nice to have them. I don't plan to upgrade the stereo so compatibility with an aftermarket unit is not a concern with me. I just want adequate sound and unfortunately the 2001 Protege stereo was not very good at all in my opinion. Cruise control buttons on the steering wheel would be nice as well.

muffin_man

ever seen the non-mainstream French entries in a car show? Artistic isn't the words I would use...

knhill

My Miata has the tan leather interior, but the dash top, wheel, and center stack are dark. I would like this contrast in the 3.

I have the Bose stereo. Like every Bose I have heard, it sucks.

My friend has a new 6. I don't care for the plitanium center stack, but it wouldn't be bad with the tan interior instead of black. I know, I'm weird, I prefer silver+tan to silver+black.

bluong1

The protege5 center stack is silver+black.

You are not alone, I don't like the silver center stack of the Mazda6: it makes the buttons look too big (and they are indeed big). The center stack looks like a big smily pale face that stares at you... Arrg.;-) I also don't like the metallic contour around the speedometer and the tachometer.

The Mazda3 interior is too edgy and busy for my taste. You know, the panels of those cheap taiwanese electronic stereo with multicolor light and button everywhere, that's what the Mz3 converges too. For example they mix the round air vents (side) with rectangular ones (center). When something looks busy, it's lack of clarity.

Bruno

creakid1

Since, back in high school, my French friend pointed out the car designs, I just don't find French cars do this kind of uncomfortable clashing lines or awkward styling.

I think the Japanese has this "competing to be max" mentality that they don't care about real beauty, & just want to beat the other guy.

Another joker from Japan was the 2nd-generation RX-7. It wants to be everything from a Porsche 928/944 to a Supra, etc., & ended up morphing into something boring looking w/ no theme what so ever.

I think the Mazda3's dash is still somewhat old A4-ish so it's not that bad. Besides, it doesn't have the recent VW/Audi's idiotic piling-from-the-bottom HVAC/stereo locations. Maybe its "Japanese tackyness" is a way to disguise the Focus origin? ;-)

It's the 6's interior that looks too embarrassing for me, shame on that as the exterior is great.

I also find black interiors w/ light-silver panels disgusting, as seen in some recent BMW 3-series in the U.S. Even the '76 Chevette I used to drive had a dashboard like that, too, plus the chrome rings around each of the gauges, a la BMW 330.

I wonder why BMW offers even a completely stripped 3-series grey interior w/ glossy black panels in Canada, but not here in the U.S. at any price. Is it because there are so many high-taste French in Canada & we don't?

knhill

That's another thing that bugs me about the 3 interior - round vents on the sides and square vents in the middle. They should match as they do in the 6. I'll have to sit in one to pass final judgement.

I sure did like the glossy black in the Sportif. Too bad.

Oddly enough, the interior that has impressed me the most lately is in my dad's 2003 Accord. It is clean and well laid out with tight panel gaps and quality feel. Too bad about the ugly stick festival they had with the rear end.

Although I didn't like the plitanium in my friend's 6, the switchgear felt very high quality. Maybe they will go to glossy black on that trim in a year or two. Too bad about the side impact crash ratings, though.

pzev

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/rx8/images/gallery/rx8_images_30.- jpg

I kind of like it. I've seen better but it's not too bad either. The mismatched vents don't bother me that much, kind of makes the interior interesting. I have to admit though the black gloss really helps the interior a lot, makes it look more upscale. I think having black gloss in the Mazda3 would make it look too much better than the Mazda6, and possibly better than the RX-8 so I doubt Mazda wants to do that. The regular interior pictures on MazdaUSA of the Mazda3 look kind of dull and watered-down compared to the Sportif so now the Mazda6 and RX-8 look a little more interesting compared to it. I still like the Mazda3 the best though, but I haven't seen an RX-8 or Mazda3 interior in person yet so I may change my mind.

carguy58

What was that the mid to late 80's model? Thats still one of my favorite cars exterior styling wise. I don't care for the 93-95 RX-7 exterior styling. Its nice and is considered one of the best looking Japanese cars exterior styling wise ever buy its not what I like.

As for the Mazda 6 interior its not the worst I have ever seen and its not the best either.

qbrozen

FYI - adapters do exist to make stock steering controls work with aftermarket stereos.

mazdafun

I hit my cruise controls by accident sometimes. I think all those buttons just get in the way of spirited driving. I don't mind reaching over to the actual stereo or HVAC panels to twist some knob or push some button. Those buttons only come in useful for being lazy while cruising down a straight road. You're supposed to move around a bit to keep from getting cramped anyway.

But to each their own. If they offer a trim level without the wheel-mounted controls, I'd probably go for that one, assuming they don't leave someting out (like AC) at that level.

qbrozen

Having experienced the absolute terror that comes from driving with my wife and she tries to change the radio station and accidentally changes lanes at the same time, I am VERY glad her new Pilot has those controls on the steering wheel. It was a HUGE selling point for me just from a passenger standpoint.

creakid1

"Having experienced the absolute terror that comes from driving with my wife and she tries to change the radio station and accidentally changes lanes at the same time..."

I used to teach driving. By bracing her left elbow on the door either the arm rest or the by the lower edge of the window, the steering wheel shouldn't move even when looking over the shoulder. Unless the design of the stereo location is extremely far or just way down by the floor, there should be no danger. That's the difference between the 6 & the 3 - One has low locations for the controls in the center console like the Audi A4, the other one doesn't but actually looks more like the classy A4.

fowler3

heater/AC ducts in the Mazda3 are the answer to critics who say the amount of air flow in the circular ones can not be controled. They can only be turned away from the body or face or closed.

Note the vertical wheels on the dash for regulating air flow and the louver controls. The last time I saw circular ducts was on a Fiat Spider of 1960s ventage. They were not popular back then.

As for instruments in binecals, I prefer them that way myself. The hood and recessed placement prevents glare and reflections from the side windows and the windshield, which can blind the driver at critical times when he needs to know his speed and RPMs.

One can design the most beautiful dash and instrument cluster made, but if it doesn't work in real-world conditions it's useless. Sports cars are not trucks and shouldn't be crippled with ugly, utilitarian dashes. I do agree the platinum center stack on the 6 is a bit too much in such a small cockpit, which forced the designers to use garish control knobs. Having an all-in-one display at the top of the stack may be an alternate to an LCD display in the cheaper Mazda3. It gives the entry level car a bit of style.

Another thing I wouldn't buy is the self-dimming mirror with compass. Most of the time it would be just another gadget to take your eyes off of the road. A compass on a car is not a navigational aide.

fowler3

ashutoshsm

Circular Ducts - I've started seeing them on MANY vehicles over the last few years. As far as I'm concerned, they're effective on the 6, and their extra mobility and orientations make them worthwhile! I find I can control airflow rate as well as direction.

Sure, the compass is not a critical navigating aide, but can come in handy when you over-shoot a destination, and have to double back and around it using an alternate path, through non-busy residential areas. I've already used it

As for the autodimming mirror, it has to be one of the top ten inventions since sliced bread. Nuff said!

johnclineii

Agreed. My last three cars have all had the autodimming mirror with compass. I wouldn't want to own a car without it.

bluong1

Multimedia 3D view of the Mazda3 hatch in nine selected colors here:
http://www.axela.mazda.co.jp/product07.html

Then click on the "Axela 3DCG" blue button

Bruno

mazdafun

You can even spin it around upside-down. Giggles galore!

iamz

I was'nt sure I liked the new M3 at first, but I think it is starting to grow on me. Gotta see one in person before I make my final judgement.

zlotnick

"I was'nt sure I liked the new M3 at first, but I think it is starting to grow on me. Gotta see one in person before I make my final judgement."

No kidding. They Pro5 has finally grown on me, and they're replacing it. Have to say I'm liking the 3 a lot more now than I did a few months ago. Looks like a baby 6 with a Golf rear-end (not a bad combination).

So... how long 'til we get a Mazdaspeed version? : )

dinu01

ALL M6 models (except the base 4cyl one) get 17" alloys in Canada, along with standard ABS. Even for the base I4 you pay $900 CAD and get 17" alloys, pwr driver's seat and leather-wrapped goodies.

Dinu

fowler3

those wheels can be downsized? If they are 17" can they be minus-zeroed to 16" with thicker tires? I know the low profile wheels look best, but I wouldn't buy them. They ride too rough and wear out too fast.

Never mind twisty roads, I moved from Virginia to North Carolina to get away from mountains and twisty roads. NC's roads are straight and flat just the way I like them.

fowler3

boggse

"NC's roads are straight and flat just the way I like them."

You've obviously never been to Deal's Gap.

http://www.dealsgap.com/index2.php

pzev

Those wheels may actually be 18". I think the specs for the Sportif said the wheels were 19" and those look a bit smaller. I hope they are 17" though because I think those wheels look great. With the shape of the sedan the way it is it may need at least 16" to look halfway decent, possibly 17". Those may be the 17" sport-package wheels but they look very similar to the RX-8 wheels and not sure if they would want the Mazda3 to have similar wheels to the RX-8.

By the way, I noticed on Mazda's website in the accessories it never has any optional wheels available. Does Mazda have different wheels available for sale if someone wants different ones? I know Honda sells different wheels and some other brands do too, does Mazda do this or does the customer have to go aftermarket to change the wheels?

bluong1

The MX Sportive has 225/45R18 tires.

You can buy optional 17" wheels for the Mazda6 (only from 2004). I have no idea which constructor takes care to recalibrate the speedometer with respect to the wheel sizes. Can someone answers that?

No such option are available for Protegé(5).

I don't understand why bigger wheels are more and more demanded.

Bruno

pzev

"I don't understand why bigger wheels are more and more demanded."

Personally, I couldn't see myself ever going above 17". With the Mazda3, 15" would be ok with me but if the wheels look really small on it then I'm going with 16". I was wondering more if someone didn't like the stock 15" or 16" alloys if they could switch to a different style of the same size. It seems Mazda only offers one style for each size. I'm not too impressed with the 16" ones on the red sedan, but they may look better in different pictures and in person.

bluong1

The Protegé5 offers optional polish alloy rims (vs non polish).

I was shopping for car two years ago. When visiting the second Mazda dealers, I saw an awesome yellow little hachback with aftermarket rims, moonroof, and tinted windows seating on the middle of the show room. Coincidently, this is exactly how I wanted my car. The same one is now in my garage. Lucky me!