Mazda 3 2009 Review

It also means that buyers will view any replacement of that car with great interest.

It is with this in mind that Mazda Australia hopes Australians will fall in love again with the new-generation new Mazda3 sedan and hatch.

Visually there's a lot to like about the newcomer.

It gains a bold `smiling' face, a sharper profile and improved quality and interior ambience but the unmistakably automotive DNA of a Mazda3 in the areas of engineering and design.

Like the previous model, the newest 3 will be available in Neo, Maxx, Maxx Sport, as well as a performance 2.5-litre SP25 variant.

Apart from dual airbags, Mazda has also upped the ante with safety equipment by making dynamic stability control standard across the range.

Inside, the cabin has a distinctly sporty orientation with a new restyled dashboard, more supportive seats and contemporary feel.

The instruments and centre console are positioned to tightly link the driver to the car in a seamless fashion.

The standard engine is 2.0-litre MZR four cylinder with the same class-leading peak power and torque as today.

The lightweight aluminium 2.0-litre develops delivers 108kW at 6500 revs and 182Nm at 4500 revs.

Mazda engineers have worked to improve the 2.0-litre's fuel economy, engine response and mid-range response.

The larger 2.5-litre SP25 engine is borrowed from the Mazda6. In the Mazda3 it develops 125kW 6000 revs and 226Nm at 4000 revs.

All Australian Mazda3s will come with six-speed manual gearbox as standard with the option of a five-speed automatic.

The Mazda3 is the company's most important seller in Australia.

More than 150,000 have been sold here alone since its launch in January 2004 and more than 2 million have been sold globally.

Last year 33,755 Australians put a Mazda3 in their driveway, making it the most popular model in the Japanese lineup.

Around the world, one in every three Mazdas sold is a 3 hatch or sedan.

Mazda spokesman, Glenn Butler, believes the new 3 will carry on the impressive legacy established by the old model.

"We've turned the wick up with a standout new design and sharpened the previous model's reputation for fun driving, affordability and safety," Butler says. "What's not to love?"