The new Mazda3 sedan has arrived in Australia to join the hatch introduced in March. The sedan can be fitted with either 2.0-litre or 2.5-litre petrol engines. An interesting feature of the 2.5 is its ability to run on only two cylinders in light driving conditions to reduce emissions and fuel consumption.
Unusually all models are offered with six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions – many other marques only give you a manual in the el-cheapo variant.
There are seven body colour options including Mazda’s very popular Soul Red Crystal Metallic. Others are Machine Grey Metallic, Snowflake White Pearl Mica, Sonic Silver Metallic, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, Jet Black Mica and Titanium Flash Mica.
Safety features include Smart Brake Support (SBS), Lane-keep Assist System (LAS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) and Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW).
Additionally, Vision Technologies are standard on the top-grade G25 Astina and optional on all others. These include Driver Monitoring, Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA) Cruising & Traffic Support (CTS).
We have yet to drive the new Mazda3 sedan but will do so soon. We were certainly impressed by the hatches we have driven and anticipate the sedan body will make it even smoother and quieter. (That’s because sedans have a metal support below the rear window adding to rigidity.)
Next-Gen Mazda3 sedan and hatchback are on sale now and come with Mazda’s five-year warranty and five-year Mazda Premium Roadside Assistance.
MODEL RANGE
Pure 2.0-litre: $24,990 (manual), $25,990 (automatic)
Evolve 2.0-litre: $26,690 (manual), $27,690 (automatic)
Touring 2.0-litre: $28,990 (manual), $29,990 (automatic)
Evolve 2.5-litre: $29,490 (manual), $30,490 (automatic)
GT 2.5-litre: $33,490 (manual), $34,490 (automatic)
Astina 2.5-litre: $36,990 (manual), $37,990 (automatic)
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Mazda for drive-away prices.
