Another Look

2006 Mazda3 S Touring:Entry level zoom-zoom

Mazda is the car company that’s paying its Japanese employees to walk to work rather than drive, so one would expect them to, as the Apple ads used to put it, think different. Mazda has never disappointed, with an array of quirky cars with interesting styling – in other words, personality.

Personality, however, is not as easy to achieve when one has to keep the price low. Granted Mazda has always delivered cars that felt like they cost a lot more than the sticker, but a car that costs less than $20 grand, can serve as reliable transportation that you won’t be ashamed to be seen in, and that still has the soul of a sports car is rare indeed. Except on the lots at Mazda dealerships. There you will find the 2006 Mazda Mazda3 S Touring sedan. Unless some smart buyer just snatched the last one up.

If you’re in the market for what some would call an economy car, go get yourself some luxury and sportiness instead and try the Mazda3 S. This is an economy sedan that defies the image of boring, underpowered, barely adequate transportation that its price point might dredge up. For a mere $19,065 on my well-equipped Mazda3 S, I found myself in a car that’s as much fun to throw around corners as many far more acclaimed and far pricier sports sedans.

The Mazda3 is Mazda’s entry level compact car, replacing the Protégé, and you could get it for less than I did by skipping the 2.3 liter Double Overhead Cam 16-valve VVT inline 4-cylinder engine in favor of the base 2.0 liter, but why miss out on the fun. My upmarket S Touring edition with the 2.3 liter engine came in at a base price of $17,615. That included all the basics like air conditioning with a pollen filter, cruise control, power windows and doors, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, a Sirius satellite radio, a 6-speaker AM/FM/CD system, advanced dual front airbags and side impact airbags and curtains, antilock brakes with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), anti-theft engine immobilizer, remote keyless entry and much more, including fun.

All this comes in a body that can only be termed stylish – fun and aggressive without being overbearing, all swoopy lines and well-turned angles. The interior, apart from the glow of the electroluminescent instruments (Mazda likes the otherworldly orange look, and so would aliens attracted to the lights of Vegas) is pleasant with controls that are well laid out and intuitive.

Seats are comfortable, with more than enough space for four. According to Mazda, “the interior is longer, wider and taller than any other in its class, offering the most front and rear shoulder room among compact sedans and one of the best in its class for knee room.”

Fit and finish were excellent in the sedan I had. You can tell a lot about what went into a car just by looking at the layout of the dashboard, and the Mazda3’s dash said that lots of thought was just the start. Sure, the Mazda3 looks great outside, but you have to look on that dash every day you drive it, and with this car, that’s no sacrifice. The instruments look good, they feel good, they’re well-designed – again, much more expensive than the sticker is the impression the dash gives you. The cabin is quiet and refined. Build quality, overall, is superb.

There’s lots of storage space. The glove compartment, for example, can hold a laptop computer or 16 DVDs, Mazda claims. I didn’t verify the details, but it did look big. There are the usual cupholders and storage nooks. The trunk could hold a body or two, and the rear seats fold sixty-forty, in case the body you need to dispose of belongs to someone who spent too much time at the deli.

Speaking of the sticker again, by the way, the price I quoted on my test vehicle came after the addition of a power moonroof and in-dash 6-CD changer ($890 total) and delivery charge of $560.

Nor is there a price to pay at the pump. With my slick 5-speed manual transmission, which shares the same short throw as the five-speeds in the MX-5 and the RX-8 sports cars, EPA estimated mileage is 26 city, 32 highway. As if that weren’t enough, the engine is also rated as a PZEV – Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle.

But what about the Zoom-Zoom, you may ask? Rest assured, it is there.

With the five speed manual and the very responsive variable valve engine, the power you need is always there when you need it. Handling is superb, a Mazda hallmark, with tight cornering, good steering response and minimal torque steer. The ride is comfortable but sporty, with the suspension clearly tuned for roadholding, which means it’s stiffer than one normally gets in an economy car. The brakes worked well, although I will tell you they were tested less than I would have expected. Because of the handling characteristics of the Mazda3, one feels so secure in its abilities that one does not hesitate to power out of a situation where in a lesser car, one might choose to stomp hard on the brakes and pray loudly. The chassis feels stiff and strong. The engine puts out 160 horses at 6,500 rpm, with 150 lb.-ft. of torque available at 4,500 rpm.

“The new s Touring and s Grand Touring models offer the value a compact-car buyer demands and the luxury appointments they would expect from a car costing thousands more,” said David Dildy, MAZDA3 vehicle line manager for Mazda North American Operations. Well, he has to say that, it’s his job, but after driving the 2006 Mazda Mazda3 S Touring sedan, I do have to tell you, he’s right.

posted by Andy Mais @ 3:45 PM