Out & About January 2017

I wish I could be sharper, smarter and more sophisticated. So does my wife. I guess it’s an age thing. But Mazda doesn’t suffer my failings and they are exactly the three improvements promised in the all-new Mazda3 now on sale. That’s only half the story, though. The popular Mazda3 (it’s sold more than five million models globally) features a host of new features inside and out, and big efforts have been made to reduce cabin noise, too, making this one of the most quietly efficient cars in class. Up front there’s a revised grille and other exterior changes include different door mirrors and a redesigned rear bumper. Sharply cut, high-sheen finish alloys are also ultra smart. Inside there’s smarter trim, a new leather steering wheel and an electronic parking brake, which frees up more space. I like the excellent full-colour, head-up display reflected onto the front screen which shows a digital speedo, plus a traffic sign reminder of speed limit. This at-a-glance feature saves Michael Allen finds the revised Mazda3 a smart move Sharp’s the word

knob based on the centre console – you don’t have to be a techie to get to grips with it all pretty quickly. As a family car, the Mazda3 excels, with bags of interior space and a highly practical boot – there’s a surprisingly large amount of room out the back. Rear seats fold down in one smooth, fast action to reveal a really useful, almost completely flat load floor. With more dynamic and curvaceous looks than a Golf, the Mazda3’s latest revisions have ensured that is a serious contender for best in class. It’s that good. Rivals beware. n Price: £20,545 (Mazda3 range from £17,595-£24,195). n Engine: SKYACTIV-G, four-cylinder 16v 1,998cc petrol unit; 120PS at 6,000rpm. n Drivetrain: Six-speed manual gearbox (auto available), front-wheel drive. n Performance: 0-62mph in 8.9 secs, top speed: 121mph. n Economy: Combined 55.4mpg. n CO2 emissions: 119g/km. n Dimensions (mm): Overall length 4470, overall height 1465, overall width 1795. n Sport Nav model key features: 28-inch alloys; LED headlights with auto levelling; LED rear lights and daytime running lights; adaptive front lighting system; reversing camera; front and rear parking sensors. Mazda3 2.0 120PS Sport Nav

the driver taking eyes off the road without being intrusive – all cars will surely work this way one day. Mazda are still very modest about two of their greatest attributes – reliability and handling – this is the DNA that runs through the entire range. Suspension revisions mean that the hatchback’s pin-sharp handling is even more advanced, while also improving ride comfort and reducing vibration. Also new is the rather baffling sounding G-Vectoring Control (or GVC) which varies engine torque to optimise load on the front wheels and add more allure to handling and comfort. The 2.0 120PS Sport Nav model I have been testing (£20,645) is deceptively quick and though there’s little impression of speed, 0- 62mph comes up in a creditable sub-nine seconds time while the four-cylinder petrol unit is supremely smooth and refined. A peachy six-speed, wristy manual gear change is about the best you’ll get in any car. To those in the know, smart handling is what you expect from any Mazda – instantly enjoyable and involving, while ride quality is uniformly excellent, even over the worst of surfaces. Taking a leaf out of the Germans’ book, Mazda wisely chooses classic all black for the Mazda3 cabin for doors, dash and seats and simplicity of layout and sensible ergonomics mean that the driver instantly feels at home and in control. A centre-dash ‘infotainment’ screen pokes rather self-consciously out of the dash but is managed and sorted quite simply by a rotary

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