Vehicle Overview
Mazda's larger, more powerful replacements for the departed Protege sedan and Protege5 hatchback went on sale in the 2004 model year. Built on the same platform as the Volvo S40, the compact, front-wheel-drive Mazda3 displayed entirely different styling. A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine goes into the Mazda3 i sedan, while the Mazda3 s sedan and hatchback hold a more powerful 2.3-liter four-cylinder. Competitors include the Honda Civic and Volkswagen Jetta.
The Mazda3 received minor modifications for the 2007 model year. The front bumper was redesigned and fitted with square fog lamps, and the 16- and 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels also got a new look. The audio system has a standard auxiliary audio input for MP3 players. Both the sedan and hatchback have rear armrests with cupholders, and the i sedan has zebra-striped wood-finish dash trim. For 2008, s Sport models have standard side-impact and side curtain airbags.
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Money-Saving Suggestions
How you operate your Mazda determines
how far it will travel on a tank of fuel. Use
these suggestions to help save money on
fuel and repairs.
- Avoid long warm-ups. Once the engine
runs smoothly, ...
Revised Six-Speed Manual Transmission
This is particularly true when this engine is combined with the revised
six-speed manual transmission. Its optimised synchronisation allows shifting
gears even more quickly and smoothly than befor ...
Features
When you test cars for a living, it's easy to fall for them from the driver's
seat. Testing a new Mercedes or even a new Toyota can be great — until you see
the price. Yes, we get sticker shock, t ...


