If you hear the name Mazda3 you instantly think of a car that’s attractive, active on the road and great to drive. You might not normally think of high end features or a perfectly laid out interior, but when you see the model for 2017 you will. This new Mazda3 gives you features that are normally reserved for vehicles that cost thousands more while giving you the ride you want at a great price. You’ll feel comfortable inside this car the first time you drive it and enjoy the ride in a compact car that gives you the active drive you’ve been looking for.
When you want a great car at a fair price you should think Mazda3. This car doesn’t always come to mind first, but when it comes to the compact car segment this is the one that will give the satisfaction of an active ride on the road to let you have the most fun you can without being a sports car. The look and feel of this car will entice and excite you while you enjoy the features and space that you need. For 2017 the Mazda 3 has moved some features and trim names around and brings in a new interior look. The G-Vectoring control is a standard offering along with the electronic parking brake. Models that have the 2.0-liter Skyactiv engine and automatic transmission receive a Sport Mode function for more driver choices.
Many companies try to tell you their car is fun to drive; Mazda proves it with their entire lineup, starting with the Mazda3. This car is one that gives you the active suspension and strong brakes to ensure you can be aggressive on the road while still allowing you to enjoy excellent fuel mileage numbers.
The power from under the hood comes from two engines that you can choose from. The base engine is a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder model that brings you 155 horsepower and 150 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engines can be attached to either the manual or automatic transmission, both of which are six-speed in nature. For this smaller engine the fuel mileage is 27 city/37 hwy mpg for the manual and 28 city/37 hwy mpg for automatic.
Moving up to the more powerful engine you find a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine that produces 184 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque. Attached the transmissions this powertrain is good for 25 city/34 hwy mpg in the manual and 27 city/36 hwy mpg in the automatic. This is also the engine used for the hatchback models of the Mazda3 and fuel numbers are similar to what we see on the sedan.
Even at the base price, when you step inside the Mazda3 Sport model you have the electronic parking brake, a Mazda Connect infotainment system with a seven-inch screen, a six-speaker audio system with a USB port, Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview camera, push button starting and cruise control. Moving up a trim to the Touring model you will add blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alerts, Smart City Brake Support, 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, dual zone automatic climate controls, a power driver’s seat, heated front seats, halogen fog lights, rain sensing windshield wipers and Leatherette upholstery. The Grand Touring models add a sunroof, a Bose audio system, a head up display and real leather seating to the mix if standard equipment.
You can add the Preferred Equipment package to the car which brings you 16-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, rain sensing wipers and much more all for the Sport model. The Touring model can be upgrade with the Popular Equipment package to have the Bose nine-speaker audio system, a rear spoiler, a shark-fin antenna and a power moonroof. The Touring and Grand Touring models can be had with the iActivesense safety system and the Grand Touring allows you to add the i-Eloop regenerative braking feature to the car along with self-leveling HID headlights, adaptive front lighting, steering wheel mounted paddle shifters and a navigation system.
It’s time for you to enjoy driving and the Mazda3 is the perfect car to let you do just that. Don’t let your driving just be a chore that gets you from one place to another, stop by the Mazda dealer today and pick up your Mazda3 to start finding the long way home that will put a smile on your face.
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