Road Test Review: 2015 Mazda 3 Sedan in Dubai, UAE

The emergence of Mazda 3 Sedan has added a bit of color and spice to the boring economy compact sedan market. Let's face it, it's either a price war or a resigned reliance on models that have earned their reliability credentials over a period of years. While Korean models like Hyundai and Kia have dented the market with penetrative pricing and stylish looks, Mazda has largely been ignored, thanks to minimal product evolution and boring marketing. Until now. Mazda has launched a very stylish compact, yet is it really what buyers want? 

From the style perspective, the Mazda team has done a fabulous job, picking up from where Mazda 6 left off to create a model that they should be proud of. The only model that comes close to the dynamic design is the new Yaris Sedan and it's not even a proper rival. The real rivals are Corolla and Civic and they both fail miserably in the style department. The Mazda 3 Sedan comes as a 1.6 liter or a 2.0 liter R full options model, our test car in this case. 

Step inside and you find abundance in good quality seats, but hard plastics as can be expected in a compact like this. Yet, the interior is admirably better looking than Corolla and Civic and very stylish too. The base model is likely to be plainer as our test car was a full options R model. 

The stylish design of Mazda 3 sedan takes away a crucial element of practicality most buyers look for: interior space. Sadly the rear leg room is not good at all and even the head room is affected due to the sloping design. The visibility is also below average with side visibility and rear visibility lesser than usual. 

Interior technology and features in our test car included adaptive cruise control, leather gearbox and Bose speakers. The base model though has the same 4 speakers found in both Corolla and Civic (compare them here) and has the usual two airbags, ABS, EBD. The base model comes with Push Button Start which is cool and MP3 support as well. 

Mazda 3 has the lowest horsepower in 1.6 engine compared to both Civic and Corolla, however when it comes to Mazda 2.0 vs Corolla 2.0, you see a stark difference. The power is higher, the torque is higher (and more accessible) and it's a 6 speed transmission which improves fuel efficiency as well. It's not at all amazing in any way, but it's crucially better in performance compared to rivals. 

In terms of handling, the power steering predictably domesticates Mazda 3 sedan but considering the competition, it's still a better feel on the road. Maybe it's the interior design but you actually feel you're driving something resembling a fun car but as you drive further it becomes apparent that it's basically another compact sedan that just looks better while driving. The steering feedback is barely noticeable but still a tad better than rivals. 

Price wise, Mazda 3 remains roughly at the same level as Corolla and Civic, which on surface seems like a good idea, considering it's a stylish looking car and has more technology. Yet, in my opinion, the price should have been 10% lower as Mazda is competing with stalwarts like Civic and Corolla which have built their reputation for practicality and reliability over the years. It's not the most practical car but it's good for drivers who want a sporty looking compact car at an economy price and who cannot stand the boring looks of Japanese cars in general!