Ian Lamming goes back to the future in Mazda’s latest hatchback
JUST cancelled an electric vehicle and the decision has been vindicated three times over.
With a long trip to the Cotswolds on the cards, followed by a sojourn to London, I was never going to trust my fortunes to the vagaries of an EV – and this is why.
As and I write this particularly piece, sitting in yet another EV, I’m only just beginning to calm down having visited three electric charging stations before finding one that actually works.
So harking back to my trip away it was definitely the right decision to swap EV for petrol in the form of a tasty little hatchback from Mazda fitted with the brand new 2.0 Skyactiv-x engine.
The Mazda3 might not have been an obvious choice but in reality it should have been. What a brilliant job it does on the motorway, in town and on the twisty stuff.
First of all, it looks great with stunning sleek nose, slender LED headlights, bold grille and broad haunches, in fact, as I park up one day, the lady getting out of her car next to mine actually says ‘ooh, that’s a lovely looking car’ and she is right.
The interior is great too. It could have been plucked from any in the Mazda range and boasts peerless build quality and ergonomics. It feels special and much plusher than the 3’s affordable price tag would suggest.
The switches and dials are perfect and you don’t have to wade through countless menus on a touchscreen to get to the functions you need, which tend to live on easily recognisable switches. There is a mouse affair – or multimedia commander control dial to be precise – on the transmission tunnel which you use to plumb in your savtnav and it is all mercifully easy.
Interior space is impressive and the rear seats swallow a lanky teenager complete with all his gubbins while the boot is large enough for his hair products and mum and dad’s solitary suitcase.
But the best thing lies under the bonnet. It’s called an internal combustion engine and it is one of the most advanced there is.
Mazda has always prided itself on ploughing its own furrow. Look at its range and you will not find many EVs. There’s only one, the MX-30, because it doesn’t see the future as being fully electric.
Just think of all the car factories in the world that, for generations, have been churning out engines and consider the scale of the task of retooling them for electric. Then add in the required electric infrastructure and there is no way it is going to happen any time soon.
Then there’s the problem of mining lithium for batteries and the fact they aren’t recyclable and it is easy to see that the future must lie in combustion, just not one that chucks out greenhouse gases.
So we can keep our factories, keep our engines, keep our it-only-takes-a-minute-to-refuel fuel stations.
That premise established Mazda then bucks the trend on cubic capacity with the Mazda3. Where many manufacturers have opted for highly tuned three cylinder 1.0 litre turbos, Mazda plumps for a much less stressed 2.0, a big lump for a relatively small car.
This Skyactiv-X engine takes technology to the next step. The GT Sport turns out a healthy 186ps offering silky smooth performance aplenty while accelerating or cruising the highways. But incredibly it returns 55mpg and at one point I see 63mpg on the trip computer, figures the smaller turbo-powered engines can only gawk at in wonder. The distance to empty reads 524 miles – that’ll do me.
The other string to the bow with any Mazda is the driving experience. If you love to drive then you will love the Mazda3. It shares traits with the iconic MX-5, so the clutch and gearbox are a joy to use; gear-changing is a pleasure and something that becomes second nature and slick. Ride, handling and grip are also impressive and the Mazda3 feels peppy and perky to pilot.
The Mazda also features high-end technology, such as a windscreen projecting colour head-up display with Traffic Sign Recognition, Mazda Radar Cruise Control and LED headlights. It features navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, an advanced eight speaker Bose audio system, a reversing camera, smart keyless entry and heated front seats.
In fact, Mazda3 is everything you could want in a car and without the anxiety of going electric.
Fact File
Mazda3 2.0 Skyactiv-X
Engine: 2.0 petrol
Power: 186PS
Top speed: 134mph
0-62mph: 8.1 secs
Combined MPG: 53.3
Transmission: Six-speed manual
CO2 g/km: 121
Price: from £29,320.00
