By Candy Chung: I’ve reviewed the Mazda3 hatchback with AWD a while go and recently I had the opportunity to do a follow-up review on the sedan. What the Mazda3 sedan impresses me the most is the driving experience. It is not a quick car off the line but the Mazda3 is easy to toss around casually. Kick down and power delivery are both adequate for its class. Engine, road and cabin noise are kept at a minimum and noticeably less than previous generation Mazda products.
Looks
I had reservations about the looks of the hatchback but I’m in love with the looks of the sedan. It’s sleek and beautiful with the right amount of European flair. To me, it’s the best looking compact sedan in the market.
Drive
My tester didn’t come with AWD so that’s the biggest difference between it and the hatchback I reviewed earlier. To be honest, unless I’m driving in an extremely wet or snowy situation, it’s not easy to detect the AWD kicking in. I felt like the sedan (FWD) didn’t have quite as much grip as the hatchback (AWD) but the sedan is more than adequate for everyday driving.
Fuel economy with mixed highway and city is a little over 9L/100km, which is not better than the AWD hatchback. I expected the FWD sedan would achieve better fuel economy compared to the AWD hatchback.
Quirks
Parking brake is automatically engaged when you push the shifter to Park, so every time I have to press the gas pedal to disengage the parking brake. Another thing I noticed is the heated steering wheel or the heated seats seem to dictate the temperature of the HVAC system. Numerous times I had the temperature set at 16 or 17, and hot air is blown because I had the heated steering wheel and the heated seats turned on. Not sure if I like that. Another quirk I found is the car wouldn’t move if you are not wearing the seatbelt – good for safety reasons.
Verdict
The 2019 Mazda3 sedan looks beautiful, drives well and has a premium interior. What’s not to like? Well, space in the rear seats is still the weak point of the Mazda3. It’s just not as roomy as some of the competitors such as Civic and Elantra. Yet, if you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of space in the second row, the Mazda3 should be at the top of your list. Priced at $30,695 after delivery, I think the loaded GT trim is great value for money.
To read the review of the Mazda3 hatchback, please click http://www.rackandopinion.ca/automotive/2020-mazda3-sport-awd/
