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MAZDA3 IS BEING REFRESHED, WRITES COLIN SMITH
Some 30 months into its model life- cycle, the third generation Mazda3 has been refreshed with detail styling changes and equipment upgrades.
Mazda New Zealand debuted its small- medium segment contender in early 2014 and the five- door hatch and four- door sedan family has been a consistently strong contributor to Mazda’s regular ranking as the No. 2 brand in Kiwi passenger car sales.
The four- tier GLX, GSX, SP25 and SP25 Limited model range is unchanged with carried over 2- litre and 2.5- litre SkyActiv- G direct injection petrol engine choices.
The diesel- engined SP22 Limited hatch — which had found favour with a handful of buyers as a stealthy hot- hatch alternative — has been deleted from the line- up.
Pricing is unchanged with a $ 32,795 starting point for entrylevel 2.0- litre GLX hatch and sedan models while the second tier 2.0- litre GSX models — which arguably provide the strongest value in the Mazda3 range — are $ 35,595.
Mazda will continue to offer a sole manual transmission model in SP25 hatch configuration at $ 38,395 while SP25 auto models are $ 39,895 and the top- of- therange SP25 Limited continues at $ 47,495.
The exterior changes are subtle. A slightly revised grille treatment has the Mazda symbol positioned lower while the signature “wing” motif is more prominent. The front indicators are integrated into the The Mazda3 line- up continues to offer five- door hatch and four- door sedan bodystyle choices. MAZDA3 LINE- UP 2.0 GLX HATCH/ SEDAN ( AUTO) —$ 32,795 2.0 GSX hatch/ sedan ( auto) —$ 35,595 2.5 SP25 hatch ( manual) —$ 38,395 2.5 SP25 hatch/ sedan ( auto) —$ 39,895 2.5 SP25 Limited hatch/ sedan ( auto) —$ 47,495 chrome fog- lamp bezels and the front and rear bumpers have a slightly changed profile — detail changes that give the car a widened stance.
For SP25 and SP25 Limited models there is rear privacy glass and 18- inch dark gloss alloy wheels and the SP25 Limited gains new LED adaptive headlamps with auto high- beam function.
Inside the cabin details include a new steering wheel ( leather trimmed on all models) with a smaller centre pad that has rearranged switchgear and revised instrumentation. Satin chrome finish ventilation louvres and metallic door handle finish are new features.
But the most obvious interior update is a farewell to a conventional handbrake lever and replacement ( on all grades) with a push button park brake that opens up additional space on the centre console layout.
The application of Mazda’s i- Activsense safety technologies has been widened.
Of note, by adding the Advanced Smart City Brake Support- Forward function to the GLX and GSX models, Mazda has the first full range of cars available in New Zealand outside of the luxury segment that offers a lowspeed autonomous emergency braking solution with pedestrian recognition.
A Sport mode drive select function is also introduced on all models and Mazda’s new G- Vectoring Control system is standard ( see right).
There are eight exterior colours in the Mazda3 palette with new choices being the Machine Grey Metallic — shared with the new CX- 9 — along with Sonic Silver Metallic and Eternal Blue Mica. A $ 250 premium for Soul Red Metallic and Machine Grey Metallic applies.