First Test: 2012 Mazda3 Skyactiv-G

Mazda is really doing some neat things with this SkyActiv tech.  They get what a car should be IMO.  This is what Honda or Toyota should be trying to do with their cars.

On another point, the '3 is NOT the best selling car in Canada.  Scroll to the chart and see where the 3 is.

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/07/canada-100-best-selling-vehicles-2011.html

Nice research Lieberman. lol

WTH!!!!!!!!!!

No SkyActiv with that hatch at launch?  Just as with the Focus, why would anyone want the sedan?  The hatch is great and should get the SkyActiv.  If I were to buy a car now, the Ford Focus hatch, Hyundai Elantra Touring (when it is refreshed), Jetta TDI Sportwagen, Subaru Impreza hatch, and Mazda 3 hatch would be at the top of my list.  The Focus is my favorite looking car, the Mazda shows major promise, and the Subaru is super practical in the midwest with its AWD.  The Elantra Touring could be the darkhorse if it retains or improves on the current model's excellent driving manners and chassis (yes, Hyundai can make a car like this).

I would cross-shop midsize sedans including the Camry (the king), Accord (bulletproof), Fusion (best balanced), Sonata (great value), Optima (best looking), Pasat (favorite driver), Kizashi (perfect size and really fun), and redesigned Malibu (shows promise) if I wanted more interior passenger space.

jd - The 3s hatch only comes in Grand Touring trim. I don't think there is much difference in the GT trim between the 3i hatch and the 3s hatch, except for the fog lights and larger wheels. And I know the fog lights are an option on the 3i hatch.

Give it some time, and I imagine the 2.5 will be phased out completely.

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2012 Mazda Mazda3

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The Mazda3 has long been one of the most fun-to-drive compacts on the market, combining flamboyant styling with crisp handling and a little more eagerness and sports-car attitude than most other small cars. But for shoppers putting a priority on gas mileage numbers, too, this model used to disappoint.

For 2012, Mazda has made good to both enthusiasts and the eco-conscious with a new Sky-G engine, paired to either an all-new six-speed automatic transmission or a new six-speed manual. This engine makes a respectable 155 horsepower and feels very refined and responsive, yet it goes about 20 percent farther on a gallon of gas—with fuel economy ratings of up to 40 mpg highway.

Beware, however, that if you want these new powertrains, you'll have to go for the Mazda3i Touring or Grand Touring models; base 3i SV and Sport models still get the old base 2.0-liter engine, while 3s versions get the 167-horsepower, 2.5-liter engine that's somewhat more torquey but much thirstier (we really don't consider it worth the extra money).

No matter which model, handling is the Mazda3's key to delivering 'zoom-zoom' behind the wheel. The suspension tuning is firm, and the overall feel of the Mazda3 is athletic, without sacrificing too much comfort. Brakes are strong four-wheel discs (unusual in this class), and the steering is surely the best among small, affordable cars—thanks to a sure-feeling electro-hydraulic setup rather than the iffy electric units that rival models now have.

Inside, you'll find generous, supportive front seats and a reasonably accommodating back seat—plus a low, flat cargo floor with the seats folded down. However, in addition to somewhat difficult rear-seat entry, the 3's downfall remains road noise.

Outside of the new powertrains, the Mazda3 gets a few other relatively minor changes for 2012. The instrument panel lighting has changed, and display screens are now a cool blue. Most notably, Mazda has redone the front and rear airdams, added more body-color trim, and toned down the look of the 3's front end, which was not well received on introduction a couple of years ago; it's now a smirk, rather than clownish grin. Inside, the cockpit is sophisticated and plush, but some will find fault with all the rather drab, hard plastic trim within.

Base cars are surprisingly well-equipped for around the $16k mark, but it's some of the tech features available in the Grand Touring—including bi-xenon adaptive lighting, three-position memory power seats, rain-sensing wipers, ten-speaker Bose surround sound, and (new for 2012) a blind-spot monitoring system—that really set this model above most of the competition, all for around $26k loaded.

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2012 Mazda Mazda3 Skyactiv: First Drive

2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv - First Drive

Newsletter Stay up to date on car reviews, buying guides, articles and more In less than a couple of years, 40 miles per gallon has gone from a lofty goal, met by only a few select high-mileage machines (almost entirely hybrids and diesels), to, almost the small-car highway norm.

Now even Mazda is laying claim on 40 mpg in the 2012 Mazda3, with a new-generation engine and all-new transmissions that all fall under the ‘Skyactiv’ badge—that's Mazda's engineering-based initiative for efficiency, eco-friendliness, and safety.

At the same time, Mazda has a 'zoom-zoom' reputation to uphold. And with the Mazda3 a long-time best-seller, making up nearly half of Mazda's U.S. sales, the automaker says that it's kept this a top priority.

Does the Skyactiv version of the Mazda3 maintain the more enthusiastic driving feel that's characterized this lineup, despite going more than 20 percent farther on a gallon of gas? That's the reality check we tried to make earlier this week, in a first drive of refreshed 2012 Mazda3 models with the new technology.

The 'eco' choice that doesn't drive like one

And the answer, without hesitation, is a solid 'yes.' From the first impression on, it's clear that the new Sky-G 2.0-liter engine isn't as strong and torquey as the 2.5-liter 'MZR' engine, which remains available at the top of the lineup (along with the base MZR 2.0-liter); but in short, it's the eco-conscious choice that doesn't feel like an eco-conscious one—and yes, it's zoomy.

Skyactiv, as we’ve learned from Mazda, is more than new engines and transmissions (even though that's all the 3 gets for now); it’s an initiative that looks at body structures and design philosophies as well, and we’ll see some of these ideas showing up in stronger and safer yet lighter next-generation vehicles—like the 2013 Mazda CX-5.

For 2012, all Mazda3 models get a resculpted front airdam and fascia that turns the Mazda3’s freakshow clown smile into more of a relaxed grin. We like the look, as it seems to flow more smoothly anyhow through to the flared front fenders. To match the somewhat different look, there's a new rear fascia as well, with two new wheel designs to complement. And throughout, what you might notice more than anything else is that there's more trim that's body-color than ever—no more dark molded plastic. Through those few subtle changes—mainly those to the front end—Mazda has cut its coefficient of drag to 0.27 for the sedan, 0.29 for the five-door.

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Mazda hits 3 million mark for Mazda3

Just under eight years into its lifespan, the 3 millionth Mazda3 compact car rolled out of the automaker’s Hofu Plant in Yamaguchi, Japan, yesterday.

Although the plant was spared damage during the earthquake that rocked northern Japan in March, Mazda has nonetheless dramatically cut back on domestic production. As a result, the 3 millionth Mazda3 happened a few weeks later than Mazda intended – but the automaker is still happy to celebrate.

Mazda also builds Mazda3s at two joint-venture plants in Nanjing, China, and Rayong, Thailand, although the 3 millionth car was officially built in Japan.

The automaker says that the 3 millionth Mazda3 was a Japanese-specification Axela, as it is known in Japan, five-door hatchback with the company’s 2.0-liter MZR four-cylinder engine and i-Stop, the automaker’s start/stop system.

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