Coty – The Grand Final

The top three are put through the ride and handling wringer

- Byron Mathioudakis & Ash Westerman

Mazda 3

AUSTRALIA’S SMALL-CAR STALWART SMARTENS UP FOR ITS SWEET SIXTEENTH

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO, Australia fell hard for the Mazda 3. More than just a sales success, it joined the Toyota RAV4 SUV in embodying the changing landscape of Australian motoring – one that would swiftly ensure the glory days of the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon were numbered. Such transformative cars don’t come along very often.

However, our relationship with the 3 has been complicated. While each evolution – from the Ford Focus-based BK original to the wholly Mazda-engineered ‘SkyActiv’ BM series of 2014 – brought specification and safety improvements, abundant noise and refinement issues always undermined it. Four generations on, though, Hiroshima is finally listening. Benchmarking the class-redefining Volkswagen Golf, Mazda claims the latest 3 delivers a profoundly quieter, higher-quality, lighter yet stronger, more engaging, safer and more advanced proposition. In emulating the Germans, the 3 has moved upmarket: the old base Neo is gone, bumping up the entry price by $4000.

Still, even in much more expensive company on COTY, you can see where the 3’s value lies. Whether talking about the sculpted hatchback or suave sedan, Mazda’s exterior surfacing is first class. Obsessive detailing permeates many of the touchpoints inside, from the wheel to the gorgeous instruments. However, functionality issues do arise. The five-doors sloping roofline and small back-door apertures hindered entry and egress for our taller judges while the shallow window line hurts vision out. And the hatch’s cargo space is a disappointing 295 liters. That’s 40 liters less than that of the smaller Audi A1.