Mazda3

boggse · September 2003

I can see the resemblance, but I think the Mazda3 tail lights come off looking a little better. Of course, I may just be distracted by that horribly ugly spoiler on the Cavalier.

mazdafun · September 2003

It's the part I like the least about my Protege sedan.

But I think that on the Mazda3 is worse.

I can see why it looks like a shrunken 6. It's got to fit people, bear some family resemblance, but with less length and width. The only thing remaining is height.

I actually find the wagon appealing from some angles. However, I really dislike the views from certain angles, especially those that accentuate the sharply-defined haunches over the rear wheel fenders. I guess they're trying to work in some resemblance to the RX-8's fenders (front and rear), but they just don't go over well on the 3, whereas they look fabulous on the RX-8. I guess I'm just not a fan of excessive sharp creases.

bluong1 · September 2003

The sedan seems to be a little bit faster than the Hatch for the same tranny. Sedan has better Cx?

Bruno

bluong1 · September 2003

what is the deal with the warranty for the Mazda3?

Thanks,

Bruno

audia8q · September 2003

Warranty is the same as it is now....4 yr / 50K

crikey · September 2003

Yes, styling is subjective. At least, the Mazda3 rear doesn't have those unneccessary bulges that the Cav has. It's cleaner but not necessarily flattering, to me, anyway.

I'll get the wagon, if I ever got a 3.

mdaffron · September 2003

Well, my wife's Cav (she drives a Protege5 now, thank God) had no spoiler -- and the resemblance was even more apparent.

You guys keep in mind that the ES trim level on the 3 will probably have a spoiler and the other levels won't. By the looks of the line, Mazda seems to enjoy adding a spoiler to signify ES membership!

Meade

boggse · September 2003

I think you mean the "s" trim level. Does the 6s have a spoiler or is it part of the Sport package?

bluong1 · September 2003

I'm almost certain that the 3 will not have the spoiler, regardless the trims and the presene of the sport package.

carguy58 · September 2003

Needs a dual exhaust to look good like the 6. As for the Protege it is more distinguishable than the 3. I'll agree with that. The red tailights on the 3 are kinda bright looking from the photo. Does anybody think the 3 sedan is kinda tall looking on the back end? I'm not sure if i like it or not.

dinu01 · September 2003

You mean I can't have a raised spoiler on the 3 even if I go with the GFX (skirts, etc) package?

I need a spoiler!

Dinu

mazdafun · September 2003

The current Protege sedan has a tall tail as well. I think it's fine as long as rearward visibility is not seriously impacted.

I think there'll be some cosmetic tail-pipe garnishes available for those folks wanting to mimic the twin-tailpipe look of the 6. I'm surprised there aren't any now.

baggs32 · September 2003

I think bluong is right about the sedan not having a spoiler at all. The link below, taken from Edmunds' own coverage, shows a 3s sedan with the sport package. I can't see a spoiler on it.

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/2003- /frankfurt/04.mazda.3/04.mazda.3.sedan.f34.500.jpg

bluong1 · September 2003

actually it's not totally clear to me either. But when I look at the pictures "Dark sedan" and "Sedan at auto show" on my host site, both cars is equipped with skirts but I don't see any spoiler. May be the rear spoiler is small?

crikey · September 2003

I have to admit that the picture really shows a good-looking Mazda3 sedan. Please change the taillights, Mazda, please!

wongpres · September 2003

Mazda3 sedan:

- for Canada, the spoiler is an accessory for all trims and packages - it is NOT included in the GFX package. The US may or may not be the same
- the spoiler is not raised like the Mazda6 sport/gfx package. Instead it's a lip-style, like the Mazda6's accessory lip spoiler (even more similar is the RX-8 lip spoiler)

Mazda3 Sport (hatch):

- the spoiler is similar to the one on the Pro5
- for Canada, the spoiler is unavailable on the lower GS trim and standard on the higher GT trim. I suspect it'll be an accessory for the GS though.

dinu01 · September 2003

So it'll be the 3sedan w/2.3L engine, 5spd, GFX, moonroof and 17" alloys and no spoiler.

Dinu

mdaffron · September 2003

What color?

Meade

dinu01 · September 2003

Red - I always wanted a bright red car, the same type of red you see on the RX-8

or

Titanium Grey - Looks good in the pics...

So now we have to wait to see it here in NA, drive it, read the brochure, build a few on mazda.ca (that's always fun), then when I get my position next summer, I can order it.

As you can tell Meade I've been following this car VERY close and will continue to do so until I'm ready to sign the papers.

Let's hope not too much of that Protege fun to drive feeling is lost in the 3.

Dinu

bluong1 · September 2003

can be seen here http://groups.msn.com/BrunoLuong/mazda3.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&amp- ;amp- ;PhotoID=38

dinu01 · September 2003

Ok. I thought this was just sheetmetal not the spoiler when i saw it but from that angle it looks like a lip spoiler. Not a bad looker, but I would still prefer a raised one. It's not a deal-breaker that's for sure

Dinu

boggse · September 2003

Yuck! Give me a wing any day instead of that.

wildhawk14 · September 2003

I think this car may look better without a spoiler. That's always been my opinion on the Jetta.

blueguydotcom · September 2003

Wing-type spoilers are generally all about show and have zero impact on go - sort of like chrome 19s on a Civic. Spoilers on cars that really can't find their way much into the triple digit realm have always caused me to laugh and point. A spoiler on a Jetta? Is that in case that FWD speedster generates so much lift at 130 mph the backend might pull a TT and lift off the ground? don't think so. At least the lip spoiler on a the mazda3 is subdued. It's still a look at me but done in a manner that's not as modder-look-at-me-as a 3 inch or high spoiler.

dinu01 · September 2003

It's about looks - the current PRO sedan w/out a wing lacks character IMO and is not that good looking, but with a wing it defines the back end of the car and yes it does give it a more "sporty" appearance.

I factory wing is not about performance because being the reasonable and educated people that we are (right everyone?) we know that a FWD with 150 ponies cannot lift itself at its max speed of around 120-130mph - it's just a cosmetic touch like chrome muffler tips on the 6.

Dinu

boggse · September 2003

My point was that if it must have a spoiler, I like the looks of the wing type over the lip type. Neither has much utility on the Protege (non-Mazdaspeed) which has trouble reaching 120.

disclaimer: I am referring to the ES wing, not the Mazdaspeed wing.

newcar31 · September 2003

I like the new tail lights better than the ones on the Protege. The tail lights of the Protege were one of the only things I didn't like about the Protege. Someone in here mentioned that the Protege tail lights were styling genius, but Audi invented that style with the A4. Mazda copied them, made the tail lights taller than the A4's, and made them uglier. If you see a Protege's behind from a distance, and if you squint a little bit, it looks like an A4.

I also prefer the Protege without a spoiler, but when I bought mine you had to get a spoiler in order to get 4 wheel discs (ES model). Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten the spoiler.

"it's just a cosmetic touch like chrome muffler tips on the 6."

Yeah, a MUCH less subtle cosmetic touch.

Overall, I like the way the new Mazda3 looks.

pzev · September 2003

http://www.carenthusiast.com/frankfurt2003/frankfurt2003_sod_193.- jpg

http://www.carenthusiast.com/frankfurt2003/frankfurt2003_sod_194.- jpg

http://www.carenthusiast.com/frankfurt2003/frankfurt2003_sod_197.- jpg

http://www.edmunds.com/media/2003/frankfurt/04.mazda.3/04.mazda.3- .sedan.f34.500.jpg

http://www.edmunds.com/media/2003/frankfurt/04.mazda.3/04.mazda.3- .f34.500.jpg

http://www.edmunds.com/media/2003/frankfurt/04.mazda.3/04.mazda.3- .r34.500.jpg

I like the non-sport package sedan much better. I hope the 16-inch alloys will look ok on the sedan. On the hatchback the 17-inch wheels make it look much better, and the sport package makes it look pretty good as well.

pzev · September 2003

Thanks for posting the press release. Quite a bit of info in it I wasn't aware of.

pzev · September 2003

Sounds like the EH steering won't be too bad. As long as it feels halfway decent I probably won't be complaining. I don't think Mazda will totally mess it up so I think it'll be ok. On the other hand I don't have much experience with really sporty cars so people like you might notice a big difference. All I know is the Mazda Protege steering and handling felt great to me so if it's close to that I'll be happy.

baggs32 · September 2003

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if the 3's moonroof will be the pop-up and slide back style or just the slide into the roof style?

pzev · September 2003

Do you have any idea if the bubbles will be put on the taillights of the Mazda3? Didn't you say in another post that it might not need it?

blueguydotcom · September 2003

That is one stylish looking little sedan.

fowler3 · September 2003

when I asked what a gadget was on the rear parcel shelf of a Mercury (which looked like a hood ornament), he replied, "Oh, that's just and ointment." Same thing with lip spoilers.

Boggsie: No, I'm not running OS 9.2. I'm using OS 8.1 with 64MB and Netscape 4.5 (7 years old). The Mac is a 604e 7300.

BUT, I'm still trying to get my G4 online with an newer browser, Mozella. Hope to make the change next month and then it won't take 10 minutes to get to this forum from Edmunds front page, hopefully.

Here's my 2-cents worth: The MZ3 sedan doesn't have the peppy, ready to zoom stance of the Protegé. Neither does it have the Pro's cool styling. And I do like the Pro's taillamps much better than the "school bus" lamps used on the MZ3, MZ6 and the Altima. Did you notice on the photos, especially the titanium grey model, one can not see both taillamps glowing (or as red) at the same time? In the photo they aren't on, but on the road one can not see both of an Altima's lamps when the driver brakes. You have to be in line (straight ahead) with one or the other. This makes me thankful for the upper, middle brake lamp. Makes me wonder if the highway patrol might think one taillamp is burned out, causing many pull-overs.

The MZ3 will have less trunk space than the Protegé. The hatch is a much better design by far! The bold "shoulders" make it look different from everything else on the road. I can see a couple, or two friends, packing the hatch with a dome tent, cooler, and sleeping bags for a weekend camping trip or to the nearest beach. The sedan doesn't spark the imagination.

fowler3

wongpres · September 2003

The rear taillights have the potential to be DOT legal. Both the red and black taillights have a small rear reflector on the side and I'd imagine that Mazda designed it just big enough to be DOT legal.

I don't know the exact DOT rear-side reflector size requirements, so maybe a bulge is needed, but there is the potential to not need it. Until we see a N. American-spec Mazda3 we won't know for sure (I still have yet to see a N. American-spec Mazda3).

Also of note is that the sport/gfx rear bumper has an additional side reflector mounted on the bumper. This bumper-mounted side reflector is not on the regular/non-gfx bumper. I personally don't like the side reflector on the sport/gfx bumper but that's just my opinion (to each their own).

wongpres · September 2003

"The MZ3 will have less trunk space than the Protegé."

That is completely incorrect:

Protege: 365.3l
Mazda3 sedan: 419l

Again, Mazda did an amazing job of giving the Mazda3 a coupe-like profile while retaining a HUGE trunk.

boggse · September 2003

"Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if the 3's moonroof will be the pop-up and slide back style or just the slide into the roof style?"

AFAIK:

Power Sunroof = pop-up and slide back

Moonroof = slide into roof

wongpres · September 2003

Do you have the interior codes for the US-spec Mazda3? If so, is the US-spec 2-tone cloth BP5/BP6 or BP7/BP8?

It seems like Canada is only getting BP5/BP6, which is a bit disappointing to me (I hope it's an error in my docs).

creakid1 · September 2003

The non-sport sedan's front end is still very Protege-ish, as if Mazda wants to keep the Protege customers.

But the non-sport's front end has black grills both above & below the bumper. So it's a bit distracting. Ditto the fog-light surround that shaped like the outer corner of the headlights. Maybe it won't seem so obvious to me if I'm standing up.

The sport's front end has a more "dive-down" looks due to more painted surface above the bumper. I'm still not sure if it looks better than the non-sport, at least it doesn't have the distracting over-lapping stuff.

Is HID available only on w/ sport package?

The displayed sedans probably got the color I want, sort of like the Acura TSX Meteor Silver, unless I prefer the Saab 9000-ish rose color, but I'll probably won't 'cause I want blue over red cloth. So I might be repeating my '90 Protege LX color again - light silvery blue w/ dark blue interior. I really want a light-color interior w/o going to beige. Mazda is leaving me no choice.

Those black taillights got to stay. They give this jet-outlet looks that propels this "zoom zoom" car forward. Besides, the whole black surround, especially when look from 3/4-view, also shaped like having those "jets" ready to blast off.

The rear view of the silver non-sport hatch looks neat w/ huge protruding-shape rear glass & the taillight shape that supports it.

zaimon · September 2003

Do you know the storage capacity of the Mazda3 Sport with the seats up? Seats down?

The auto show photos put the grey/silver sedan in a different light - IMO - much better looking with the right lighting and angles. Ironically, I like the styling of the Sedan with the sport package than I do without. Feelings are still the same on the hatch: Copper w/out sports package!

bluong1 · September 2003

I'm not wongpres but here we go: 300/635 Litres. BTW, those specs are on the folder "Dimensions" in my host site.

bluong1 · September 2003

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if the 3's moonroof will be the pop-up and slide back style or just the slide into the roof style?

The factory moonroof of my Protegé5 can either:

- close
- pop up
- or pop-down and slide back into the roof.

Bruno

bluong1 · September 2003

Also of note is that the sport/gfx rear bumper has an additional side reflector mounted on the bumper. This bumper-mounted side reflector is not on the regular/non-gfx bumper. I personally don't like the side reflector on the sport/gfx bumper but that's just my opinion (to each their own).

Yes, I agree: too many reflectors! There are already the back reflectors/light (?) (on the lower part of the bumper, which are also mounted on the bumper of the normal Mz3, i.e., without sport package).

http://groups.msn.com/BrunoLuong/mazda3.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&amp- ;amp- ;PhotoID=21

creakid1 · September 2003

The cool-looking black taillights don't got them, or at least not the illuminated ones. Ditto the IS300. So the N.A. spec had to add those tacky ones that also light up.

The non-sport w/ red taillights that probably also light up side way won't need the additional bumper ones & probably won't have'em. If that's the case, & you want black taillights, then you might as well get the entire sport package w/ bumper side lights for your safety. 'cause w/o these N.A. safety features, lane changers can cut you off accidentally at night. & that's an acceptable behavior only outside of America! ;-)

By the way, are we getting these black taillights at all? Even w/ sport package.

boggse · September 2003

By "pop-up and slide back", I think he meant the type of sunroof that Honda uses/used on its cars where the glass is outside the vehicle when retracted, and not the "vent" feature of the Protege moonroof, but I could be wrong...

baggs32 · September 2003

"Power Sunroof = pop-up and slide back

Moonroof = slide into roof"

That's almost what I was looking for but I was really asking for a different reason. I used to think the above logic was true but not all manufacturers follow it anymore. For example, and correct me if I'm wrong, the current Focus' moonroof pops up and slides back (not the vent feature) but Ford calls it a moonroof instead of a power sunroof. I'm just wondering if the 3's, moonroof as it's listed, will do the same or if it will slide back between the roof and headliner.

If headroom becomes an issue with the moonroof I will only opt for it if it's of the slide into the roof variety. I'm not particularly fond of the pop-up and slide back kind and probably won't pay for it if it's going to compromise head room. But I do want a moonroof. I'm too used to having one now.

Of course, if I have to get the moonroof in order to have the SAB/SAC package then I have no choice but to get whatever they offer. Aftermarkets are out of the question.

johnclineii · September 2003

If I HAVE to get a moonroof in order to have the SAB/SAC package, I will have another choice than whatever Mazda offers. It will be called a GM, Toyota, Saab or something else.

Why can't Mazda get this through their thick heads? People who want safety equipment are not automatic suckers for everything the car company can throw on it too. We do have other choices. And some of us WILL walk rather than take a sunroof/moonroof/BOSE/Lord knows what in order to get SAB/SAC, ABS or stability control.

boggse · September 2003

That is a good question. I was unaware of the Focus' marketing inaccuracies. I hope Mazda keeps to the current Protege5 packaging where it is SAB & ABS and/or Moonroof & 6CD.

bluong1 · September 2003

IIRC, since a year or so, the ABS/Side airbags option offered for the Protegé(5) no longer requires the moonroof.

merckx · September 2003

Sometime ago,when the roof panel went from painted metal to tinted glass,the term changed from "sun" to "moon". And for a while,manufacturers seemed to adhere to this distinction.
I think the question was when open,does the panel slide back on top of the roof,or does it slide back and down into the interior of the roof. If it slided up above the roof,it does not rob so much headroom. So I really don't know why they don't slide back and up. Does it take a more powerful motor to move that heavy glass panel up? Are there conserns about the roof panel getting overly soiled and staining the headliner when it's retracted back?

By the way,I'm not really seriously thinking about buying a Mazda3,but from the pictures I've seen in the buff books,I think it's a great design...it's really got a lot of eye appeal.

Mazda3

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