Test drive Mazda Mazda 3 (Axela) Sedan 2004 - 2009 sedan

The power of emotions

She is alive

Just in the depths of round spaces-springs around the shirts, blue paths glowed. Turning the key, and numbers, arrows, odometer screens and control systems flash bright scarlet. And the on-board computer from the liquid crystal screen greets merrily: hello, just not in Russian, but in English. The complete illusion that it was I who inhaled here life.

Just in the depths of round spaces-springs around the shirts, blue paths glowed. Turning the key, and numbers, arrows, odometer screens and control systems flash bright scarlet. And the on-board computer from the liquid crystal screen greets merrily: hello, just not in Russian, but in English. The complete illusion that it was I who inhaled here life.

I touch the stereo system to turn on the button, and the machine responds with revitalized LED paths scattering in different directions from the switch. I ask, she answers. A pair of such tricks in the car dealership, and the buyer almost agrees to leave your blood. We wanted to interest the people of young and emotional, admitted the head of the project Mazda-3 Akira Tanioka. Five points! Interested. I’m just a couple of minutes in the cabin, but I already want to know everything about this seducer.

Especially for Eastern Europe

Initially, it was assumed that, developing a sports image, they would be released with a new three -wing one with a body of hatchback. A 5-door concept of EM-X-Sportif appeared on the Geneva salon-2003, which externally almost did not differ from the serial sample. However, it soon became clear: there will be a 4-door car. We are well aware that in the countries of Eastern Europe the sedan is much more popular than the hatchback, noted the project manager of the Mazda-3 project Akira Tanioka. And, of course, we cannot afford to lose customers.

For sparks of emotions

Theoretically, I knew that Naokhito Saga worked over the interior of the new Mazda for more than eight months, an engineer quite rare for other firms of a specialty studying tactile sensations. And now he himself touched the pens of climate control, made of transparent soft plastic, tapped plastic on the visor, looked around the prostrated skin on the steering wheel and a case framing the gearbox lever, no, it is not for nothing that Mr. Saga receives a salary. Everything is not only very soundly, but also the coldness that many Germans and the Japanese sin are not in sight. With the temperature in the cabin, everything is already in order, but I also want to rotate the rounds on the front panel.
 
When the volume changes in different directions from the center of the console, LED paths scatter
Before turning the key, the scale of the devices shine with blue light
 



But just what the stereo system handles are located in an unusual order: closer to the driver setting up the tuner, then the sound setting? Why did the handbrave be closer to the passenger chair? Why is the lid covering the cup holders, and not from itself, as on most cars, and when it is open, the driver clings to her every now and then? Have you guessed? Well, of course! The central console on cars for the domestic left -handed and European markets is the same. Saving serial production, there is no getting away from it.
 
In a volume of 11 l with a glove box, if desired, even a small bag will fit
Part of the shelf of the trunk can be opened from the cabin
The armrest between the front seats will easily accept a dozen docks
 
 

Cheap exactly like in Japanese, the end of the 80s pieces of plastic, playing the role of windows buttons, the same savings. That's just if you are about this, it is hardly long. The Japanese cunning correctly calculated the sparks of positive emotions about these disadvantages very soon forget.
 
From 300 to 635 liters (volume is measured to the window line) of the cargo will easily fit in the hatchback.
The trunk has a double -bottomed traditional
 
 

Search for passion

I smoothly move, noticing the inaudible operation of the motor, the softness of pedals, good visibility. And where is the strength, passion, emotions that the backlight screams about, the nozzles are trumpeted, which is so skillfully demonstrated by each dash of the body covered with blue enamel? Are they really reflected only in the suspension strict in small irregularities? Maybe we are just moving too slowly?

Even in the colorful stream of cars, the treshka is not lost for a minute. Expressive eyes, a slender figure, pleasant features of swift lines, originating on a radiator grill, stretched through the body and successfully broke off at the intricacies of the rear racks

But I already drove a kilometer or two along the tight winding streets and so far I have not found the desired passion. Ordinary golf-class hatchback. Moreover, if you evaluate the car from the point of view of a family person, it turns out that there are enough disadvantages.
 
It is spacious on the back sofa, but sitting on it is not too comfortable

 

The front is comfortable, with good lateral support of the chair. Thanks to the special texture of the transverse inserts on the fabric of the pillows to admit, it is very reminiscent of a black T -shirt, who is guaranteed to fidget on top of the vest, which is guaranteed to fidget even on the long journey. The steering wheel is adjustable at 40 mm in height and 50 along the length of the departure. Everything is as if thought out, harmoniously. But the rear passengers paid a little less attention. Yes, here is a comfortable pillow and back, two are very spacious in the shoulders, the ocean of the place above the head. Only on the gallery is strongly inconvenient to sit. And all because of the insufficiently wide doorway. Surely you will probably immediately feel how difficult it is to pair the fifth point around the protruding rear wing. You have to stretch out almost into the string. Miscalculation? Or is the calculation that your homemade cars fascinated by the bright appearance are quickly dived into the rear seats and will they relax there?

However, in the latter I doubt very much. Because, when, when I finally got the opportunity to go a little faster, the sparkles of passions rained down like a cornucopia.

In a state of affect

Simulted the speed! I do not want. Take care! I can not. You violate all the rules! I can’t do anything with myself. The law -abiding, always correct and cautious inner voice that lives in the soul of even the most desperate of us, now unable to prevail over feelings. On the way, looping like a crazy snake, I rush at crazy speed. Inhibition, down, turn, and on a short straight line, take off emotions again.

Even nature tried to give me an unexpectedly clear winter calm day. Under the wheels, dry asphalt, and Mazda again requires not to slow down. At high speeds, she breathes in full chest and is ready to rush so that her breaths are breathtaking. It is worth the red arrow of the tachometer to hang around one and a half to two thousand, and the car is boring and common again. On three, she makes it possible to understand much more. And on four I am almost sure of hot dancing in the corners there will be no end. The car spurifies to violate the rules, unrestrainedly pass the turn behind the turn, and on direct without the slightest swing overcomes serious potholes.

Where does such a passion come from suddenly? Much will become clear if you try to deal with technical filling.

European platform with Japanese improvements

A treshka was built on a common with new focus and a Volvo-S40 platform. Together with which Mazda also got the front modified McExonson, one of the important features of which is hydroelyweds in the mounts of the lower levers, similar to those that are on Si-Max. There is a multi -link rear suspension with a steering effect and the ability to keep a trajectory in uneven turns. Add here the steering with a gear ratio of only 14.6: 1 (most classmates have 1617: 1) and you will understand where the ointment has its sharpness of control. The car easily screws into very steep turns. And if you exceed the speed, it will be easier to cope with the three-lashka than, for example, with Alfa-Romeo-147, on which, along with the namesake of BMW, Peugeot, 307, golf IV, the Japanese were equal.

We tried to significantly increase the speed limit on which the driver can feel relaxed, says Hitonori Wada, one of the suspension specialists. By the way, it was he who proposed to equip the rear multi -link with an additional stabilizer. Compared to Ford, there are more rigid springs and differently configured shock absorbers. The solution is simple, but, it seems to me, thanks to him, the car received perhaps the best handling in the class.

Once again, I quickly pull out the Mazda gas out of the bend, I notice small rolls, bully reactions. Vada succeeded. The symbiosis of such a suspension, a 150-horsepower engine, competently selected and to the best of the active steering wheel amplifier, really allows, without straining, to control the machine at high speed and not experience difficulties. And what about elasticity?

Ahead of a protracted rise. I specifically reduce speed to 50 km/h and force the car to drive in the fifth gear. It turns out that with all the ease of recruitment, the motor does not stew from such bullying. Even on the rise, he strives to accelerate the car.

With American generosity

The minimum price of a 105-horsepower sedan is $ 16,600, $ 100 hatchback is more expensive. You can add air conditioning for the basic equipment (ABS, 6 pillows, electric windows and heated mirrors) for $ 600. More generous modifications in the equipment of touring-1,6 (climate control, on-board computer, fog lights, leather steering wheel, gearbox levers and manual brakes, audio system, heating the front seats, 16-inch discs from a light alloy) will cost $ 18,600 and $ 18 800, respectively. For another $ 600, the car will be equipped with an electronic DSC trajectory stabilization system. 1.6-liter sedan and hatchback with automatic transmission cost $ 19,600 and $ 19,800. Two-liter machines are sold only with a mechanics from $ 21,900. And, finally, the top-end hatchback sport-2.0 (photo) Touring + rain sensor, DSC, hatch, hatch With an electric drive, finishing the cabin for carbon, sports aerodynamic bumpers, rear spoiler, R17 discs, xenon headlights will cost $ 23,250. A sedan in a similar equipment of $ 200 is cheaper.

Passion for sounds

Of course, all this would give birth only to positive emotions. If not for one minus. How noise these studded tires! An hour torture with such an orchestra forces me to crawl 80 km/h and lower. In front is solid sound insulation. But the sound from the stern at first makes you think about some kind of breakdown in the rear hubs. Nothing like this with an increase in speed sings the spikes.

In wooden Japanese dwellings, all sounds are clearly heard even through the walls. But specifically for Europeans, we tried to separate the salon of the car with a deaf impregnable wall, noticed Tanioka-san already mentioned by me at the presentation of the car. What can I say: they wanted the best, yes, apparently, it did not work out.

Oddly enough, the only salvation for the driver was by no means for passengers. No, it didn’t become quieter. I just had to represent himself as a racer living in the constantly frantic rhythm of sports tracks. And at five to six thousand revolutions, I again and again enjoyed the most powerful sound of the bass ginger of the motor. 130, 140, braking, turning and again a surge of emotions. Are you ready to live like that? Decide for yourself. To feel all the charms of Japanese treshka, the temperament, good equipment, expressive appearance, a very stylish high -quality interior is not so much on current standards: from $ 16,700 to $ 23,250. Only one advice: in winter, no matter how the dealer persuades, do not even look closely studded tires.

Better yet, spend money on additional sound insulation. This machine gives more emotions so much.

We'll have to be patient

Due to the lack of a single importer, Russian dealers of Mazda do not adhere to the same prices. For example, the difference in sellers of Moscow and St. Petersburg can reach $ 1.52 thousand. In addition, in the northern capital it is much more difficult to buy a car in basic equipment. In February, that St. Petersburg, that Moscow dealers did not have living cars, and orders were accepted only for October. In the future, the delivery time is promised to reduce to 2.53 months.

For Japanese origin, expressive appearance, good elasticity of the motor, spacious, stylishly decorated salon, acute controllability, generous equipment, profitable price.

Against a rather stiff suspension, a wide rear door opening is not enough, poor sound insulation of the rear wheel arches, a dock instead of a full -fledged spare.
 

Source: Magazine "Limousine" [04-04]