THREE has been a good number for Mazda. The neat hatches and sedans bearing that suffix have carved out a solid pointy-end spot in the sales charts ever since they arrived in 2003.
Since then they’ve been snapped up by about 2.5 million people worldwide.
And the trend continues.
The 3 had the looks, the right size, it was well built, nicely finished, handled beautifully and came with most the popular bells and whistles.
For 2009, it gets even better: the body has been resculpted, the interior freshened, the drivetrain has been given a tweak or two – and the grille has been given a wider smile.
Much wider.
The car is also marginally bigger than last year’s model.
Buyers can choose from the new generation Neo, Maxx, Maxx Sport, SP25, and the just-released turbocharged MPS.
The cars come in hatch or sedan, and Mazda is one of the few to have the same price on both.
Today we’re scooting about in the SP25, which, as the badge suggests, has a bigger motor than the 108kW 2.0litre motors in Neos and Maxxes.
The SP25 has a 122kW 2.5litre powerplant, which gives it more urge – and, at $30,690, a bigger price tag. But compared to some rivals, we thought it almost cheap.
Engine size apart, it also gets quite a lot of extra equipment.
Top-dog of the non-turbo 3s, the SP25’s standard fare includes a body kit with aero-style bumpers, foglights, LED taillights, dual-zone climate control, SatNav, leather steering wheel and gearknob trim, a multi-info display with Bluetooth and MP3 connectivity, a six in-dash CD player and a trip computer.
The steering is tilt and reach adjustable, the six-speed gear lever is a bit closer to the driver, the pedals have been repositioned and the seats have better lower back support.
Storage nooks include a big box under the sliding centre armrest which contains an aux-in jack and an extra power supply.
Of course there are cupholders, sunglass holders, split-fold rear seatbacks to hold more cargo; there’s even a space under the boot floor where you can store tools and oddments.
The car runs on 17-inch alloys with low profile tyres.
But that’s all in the cosmetic and convenience basket.
Most people who buy the SP25 model do so because they're enthusiasts.
So the body shell has been made more rigid, the electro-hydraulic assisted steering has been tuned to minimise vibrations, braking stability has been improved and body weight has been slightly reduced.
The free-revving 2.5litre twin-cam engine is matched to a slick six-speed manual gearbox in the SP25, with a five-speed Activematic transmission a $2300 option.
The result: a ride that will give a committed driver a smile nearly as wide as the car’s grille.
The car gets away well, sprints to 100km/h in 8.5seconds and will no doubt reach Ferrari California velocities on Julimar Road any time WA decides to remove its speed limits.
It tracks beautifully through the corners, has the torque to power out fast, and its big wheels and sticky tyres plus nice, firm suspension and a decent set of stoppers complete the picture.
The performance tweakings do not have any adverse effect on fuel consumption.
Economy remains at 8.6litres/100km.
Our car had the $2400 luxury pack (leather, Bose 10-speaker sound) and a $1600 glass sunroof, which looked good.
I’m no fan of concert hall sounds in cars, being of the belief that too much Jimmy Barnes detracts from driver attention.
So the lux pack wouldn’t feature on my SP25. But that sunroof was pretty nifty.
If the SP25 was a hotel, I’m sure it would get pretty close to a five star rating – and more than likely also feature in the Michelin Guide.