2019 Mazda3 Hatchback Review: Quick, Fun & Beautiful

Source: 2019 Mazda3 Hatchback Review: Quick, Fun & Beautiful

The 2019 Mazda3 is the compact car you should buy if you’re looking for a compact car with great handling, a nice interior, an easy-to-use infotainment system and a surprising amount of boot space.

With a new design for 2019, Mazda upgrades interior quality and a sharp, eye-catching exterior. In addition to the upgraded technology, you also get safety and driver comfort features that many buyers are looking for.

With options and the all-wheel drive upgrade, the Mazda3’s price can quickly go from $21,000 for the sedan and $23,600 for the hatchback to the $31,335 Mazda3 Hatchback AWD with Premium Package and options that I tested , rise.

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The design of the Mazda3 2019 is eye-catching.

I love the Mazda3 hatchback’s flowing, sporty lines. The dominating grille and the aggressive front end give this compact car a lot of character and go well with the driving dynamics. The polymetallic gray mica finish looks perfect for the Mazda3 and nicely accentuates the appeal of this new design.

Although there is a very large C-pillar, the section of the car behind the tailgate and rear window, the design still works very well and visibility isn’t bad. You also get blind spot monitoring on Select Trim and up. At the rear of the vehicle, the small spoiler and the twin LED taillights emphasize the style and complete the overall look of this hatchback.

Inside the Premium Package Tester, you’re treated to a premium look with two-tone red and black throughout the cabin. This combination and the new interior style looks like something you would find on a much more expensive vehicle.

The seats are comfortable and heated on this unit. Both front seats offer good support throughout and the bolsters are not aggressive, so comfortable for a longer drive. Headroom and legroom in the front seats are decent, but you’ll know you’re in a compact car while you’re in the cabin. The back seat is very small. Sitting in the back seat of the Mazzda3 for a long drive isn’t comfortable if you’re a tall adult. There’s a fold-down center to the rear seat to offer cup holders, and that works for small children. The rear seat doesn’t have center console vents or a place to plug in for charging.

Cargo space is down slightly from the 2018 model and even with a hatchback, it’s limited. A week’s worth of groceries for two fits in the back, or a set of golf clubs, but if you have a lot of luggage or other items to carry, plan on folding the seats.

Drive

The 2019 Mazda3 packs a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder Skyactive-G engine under the hood. This delivers 186 hp and 186 lb-ft. torque and is the only motor option. I tested the six-speed automatic with four-wheel drive. You can configure the Mazda 3 with a six-speed manual or with front-wheel drive options.

This combination holds up well on the road with quick acceleration off the line. Mazda says you’ll go from 0 to 60 in 7 seconds, but it feels quicker when you’re in the driver’s seat. This is a fun car, especially when you drive on a winding road and throw the car in turns. The all-wheel drive delivers impressive grip when driving at high speed and on wet roads.

The Mazda3 2019 is fun to drive.

Handling is impressive and steering weight is spot on, increasing in Sport mode. With Sport mode engaged, you get faster performance from the factory, and the paddle shifters offer more control over this automatic option.

Our rental car with AWD and the automatic is rated at 27 mpg combined, 24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. Front-wheel drive is more efficient at 26 mpg city and 35 mpg highway. IF efficiency is high on your list, check out the Toyota Corolla hatchback and Honda Civic hatchback.

technology

Mazda really upped the technology in the 2019 Mazda3. It comes with a nice 8.8-inch display and runs Mazda’s new version of the infotainment system. The display looks great and rises from the dashboard with a nice angular design. This is deeply embedded in the dash as you use the dial on the center console for control. This isn’t a touchscreen, but the dial works better than trackpads on some other vehicles. After a few days I got used to using the watch face in the Mazda software. This system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard, easy to operate with the rotary controls. You can also connect with Bluetooth. The sound system is very good in this small cabin.

There’s an optional $275 wireless charger, $475 navigation, and an auto-dimming frameless mirror with garage door opener buttons. The wireless charger is handy, as is the upgraded mirror, but you can skip the navigation pack if you want to use Android Auto or Apple Carplay.

Safety & driving aids

There are many driving aids available that boost driver confidence and are very useful for longer journeys. You get some of my favorite features on Select trim levels and higher, including:

• Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Keeping Assist
• Radar cruise control with Stop and Go.
• Intelligent brake support

Blind spot monitoring makes changing lanes in traffic less stressful, cross traffic warning helps when reversing out of a parking space and the radar cruise simplifies long journeys and traffic jams. Smart Brake Assist can help slow the vehicle down if the car detects a potential collision ahead. Lane Keeping Assist helps you stay in your lane when driving on the Autobahn and takes some of the need for constant corrections out of the driving experience.

With the Premium package you get Adaptive Front Lighting, which is a fancy way of saying the headlights rotate slightly with the steering wheel so they illuminate the road you’re driving on, rather than pointing away from your corner. Combined with the already great LED headlights, this greatly improves night driving.

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