2004 Mazda 3 Reviews

The BK Mazda3 was a conventional front-wheel drive (FWD) small car that came in four-door sedan and five-door hatch styles.

Ewan Kennedy reviews the first, second and third generation Mazda 3 from 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 as a used buy.

Volkswagen set the bar high with last year's seventh-generation Golf, combining a brilliant chassis, ergonomic efficiency and responsive turbo engines.

Mazda3 topped the overall sales race in 2011 and 2012 and already has a huge lead in the early days of 2014. Meaning there is a wide choice in the used-car scene.

The table has turned. Now it's not your masculinity under question for owning a large car, but your sanity. Simply, small cars work. They are quick, comfortable, well equipped, economical on fuel and ownership costs plus fit into small parking bays or tuck neatly into peak-hour traffic queues.They are also relatively inexpensive - the cheapest is a Chery J1 at $9990 drive away - and there's about 30 different car models and 280 distinct versions to choose from. More importantly, budget motoring means there are thousands of near-new used small cars on the market.Pick your next pre-owned car carefully and it's likely you'd find one that retains a portion of the new-car warranty. I realise that many small-car buyers may look at features and paint colour before safety ratings and reliability.But even if the buyer has few aspirations to venture outside the city perimeter, it's important to keep safety, reliability, comfort and durability as part of the purchase criteria. Consider also factory-fit Bluetooth and audio streaming.Hands-free telephone calls and portable and interactive music are pivotal to young car owners and increasingly to the people who end up buying your car.Final tips: Ensure the car has been serviced to the manufacturer's requirements (it's stamped in the service book that should be in the glovebox - if it's not there, neither should you. - Bent or buckled number plates indicate a prang. - Tyre tread worn on the edge or in the centre indicates the car needs a wheel alignment (or may have been in an accident). - Always get the car checked out.THE CARS: We've selected three small cars that come up trumps as used cars after starting life as sensible new car choices. Note that these are examples and variations will occur given the car's location, service and driving condition, distance travelled and general body and mechanical condition.1. 2010 Toyota Corolla AscentPrice: $16,990Odometer: 35,266Engine: 1.8L 4-cylinder petrolTransmission: 4-speed automaticThirst: 7.7L/100Carsguide says, “second series of the Z-code Corolla that started in 2000 just improves year after year. It's solid, dependable (no camshaft belt to break), inexpensive to own and fuel, roomy and holds its value. Capped service can save money but Corolla still has a twice-yearly maintenance schedule. In a five and six-speed auto world, the Corolla's four-speed auto is ordinary. But it's strong and reliable. This car is in line with average annual driving distances.” 2.  2010 Mazda3 MaxxPrice: $16,990Odometer: 107,445Engine: 2L 4-cylinder petrolTransmission: 5-speed automaticThirst: 8.2L/100Carsguide says, “well equipped version of Australia's most popular car appears to have covered a big distance given its age. That may be due to use as a country car and hence has resulted in a small price concession over a similar model with a lower mileage. Mazda's 3 is a very good all-round car with excellent safety standards and generally a nice ride, though cabin noise is more intrusive than most rival cars. Twice yearly servicing needed and no capped service program means it may be a bit more expensive to maintain that, say, a Corolla.” 3.  2010 Hyundai i30 SLXPrice: $14,990Odometer: 87,412|Engine: 2L 4-cylinder petrolTransmission: 4-speed automaticThirst: 7.6L/100Carsguide says, “the one that won Carsguide's Car of the Year for 2010 is a smart buy, even two years down the track. It retains about three years of its five-year warranty. As a driving machine, the i30 is simple, secure and fuss-free. It's relatively economical but not as sprightly as the Mazda3 that has a similar engine. Mileage is a bit high and car may be due for a new camshaft belt. But it looks good with 16-inch alloy wheels, has a high five-star safety rating and a comfortable cabin.” 

Mazda 3’s ongoing success on the new car market has resulted in a surge in interest in the small-medium model as a used car.

Mazda has undergone a reincarnation in recent times with a raft of new and exciting models like the 3. The respected Japanese company has renewed its entire range in just six years or so, from the diminutive 2 in 2002 to the exhilarating RX8 in 2003, and then the 3 a year later.The 3 replaced the highly regarded 323 in the old range, a car that had won the hearts and minds of many Australians over the previous 30 years, but brought with it a touch of the Mazda ‘Zoom-Zoom’.MODEL WATCH While it was a popular small car the 323 had lost much of its gloss by the time the 3 was launched amid Mazda’s ‘Zoom-Zoom’ renewal. As a result the 3 faced a big task. It had to win back 323 buyers to the fold and make new conquests to keep the Mazda resurgence zooming along.At first glance the 3 was unmistakably new, from top to bottom, bumper to bumper. It looked good from all angles with its striking lines and balanced proportions. Mazda offered two body styles, a five-door hatch for the young and progressive, and a four-door sedan for older motorists who liked the familiarity and security a sedan offered. It not only looked different to the middle-of-the-road 323 it replaced, it was also bigger in all dimensions compared to its illustrious predecessor.The larger exterior dimensions resulted in a roomier interior with good front and rear shoulder room and plenty of leg room for the five adults it’s capable of accommodating. Add to that a large and flexible luggage compartment, and a number of useful storage options and the Mazda 3 is more than capable of satisfying the needs of a modern family.The upright design of the 3, along with a higher seating position also makes its easier to get in an out, an important consideration for ageing motorists who might be thinking of a 3.There were two engines offered in the Mazda 3. The first was a 2.0-litre all-alloy, double overhead camshaft unit boasting 104 kW at 6000 revs and 181 Nm at 4500 revs, respectively 13 per cent and eight per cent more than the 1.8-litre engine in the old 323.A 2.0-litre engine powered the Neo, Maxx and Maxx Sport models, but the sports SP23 had the extra zip of a 2.3-litre engine, which featured variable valve timing, and gave out 115 kW at 6500 revs and 203 Nm at 4500 revs.Buyers could choose between a four-speed automatic tuned for lively acceleration, or a five-speed manual with improved synchronisers for smoother shifting and a cable shift for quieter operation and less vibration. Underneath there was new front and rear suspension that was tuned for a more dynamic drive, new electro-hydraulic power steering and more powerful brakes for better stopping.The 3 range began with the Neo, which came with air, a CD player, remote central locking, tilt and reach adjustable steering column, and a height adjustable driver’s seat. Go to the Maxx and you got side and curtain airbags, ABS anti-skid brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and emergency brake assist, alloy wheels, power windows and mirrors, a six in-dash CD player and steering wheel-mounted controls. If you went for the Maxx Sport you also got front fog lamps, side skirts, rear spoiler and 16-inch alloy wheels.Then, at the very top of the range sat the SP23 sports hatch. It had everything, from a full body kit, 17-inch alloys, climate control air, sports trim, to a leather wheel and shift knob.IN THE SHOP Mazdas generally cause their owners little concern; they are robust and reliable. The only complaint that is regularly aired by owners is the level of road noise that is audible in the cabin. It is of more concern to hatch owners than it is to those who own sedans, but there’s little that can be done about it. Make the usual checks for evidence of a bingle, and carefully check around the fringes for parking scrapes.Under the bonnet check the oil. Missed oil changes can lead to sludge and ultimately cause the demise of the engine. Make sure of servicing to ensure your car of choice has regularly seen the inside of a service garage during its life.IN A CRASH All models in the 3 range had dual-stage front airbags for the driver and passenger with seatbelt pretensioners, load limiters, and lap/sash belts for all five occupants. For more protection in the Neo you could option it up with a Safety Pack, which gave you front side and curtain airbags, anti-skid brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and emergency brake assist. All of that came standard on the rest of the range.AT THE PUMP The Mazda3 is in the small car mix in terms of fuel consumption. It will return 8.5-9.0 L/100 km in manual form; the auto will sip about half a litre more per 100 km.LOOK FOR • Dynamic styling• Roomy interior• Zippy performance• Good build quality• Respected brandTHE BOTTOM LINE Good-looking, well-built small car with plenty of room and economical performance.RATING 78/100

Indicative of the Mazda3's pronounced effect on the Australian car market is the instant reaction by rival manufacturers.Toyota, which admitted this week that the Mazda3 was a force, presented its feature-added Corolla.Nissan is holding firm on its $19,990 equipment-laden Pulsar and there's free fuel from Hyundai dealers, free automatic gearboxes at Volkswagen and discounts on Mitsubishi.Meanwhile, an unfazed Mazda refuses to enter the sub-$20,000 price war and trots out the Mazda3 from $21,490.Which pretty much says everything about the car that a few months ago replaced the extremely popular Mazda 323.From a driving viewpoint, there's good reason for other car companies to fear the Mazda3.But West Australians are very price conscious and the extra $1500 is sure to temper demand to a level that Mazda can accommodate. The sedan version tested came with the standard 2-litre engine, as compared with the 2.3-litre fitted to the SP23 model.Straight up, you won't need the bigger engine unless you really need extra performance ; a licence to lose your licence in Perth.The two-litre is quiet, flexible, sparkling and fuel-efficient.Matched to the five-speed manual, it made driving the children around a pleasure.Mazda says the engine runs perfectly on standard unleaded, but mentions there's another kilowatt or two on tap if you can afford to fill up with premium unleaded.The relatively modest power output gets to the ground cleanly and, importantly, works perfectly with an excellent suspension layout. The unusual rear-suspension combination of long-travel rear shock absorbers and squat coil springs housed in a rigid box offers a compliant ride with sports-car levels of road grip.A second part of the precise roadholding is the rigid body that not only improves handling but aims to stand up better in an almighty prang.Through the bends the steering is precise and well weighted, though it feels vague when driving straight ahead.Four adults can fit within a pleasantly trimmed cabin and while the boot is huge, the opening is relatively small.The Maxx Sport model tested comes with a host of equipment, including a neat bodykit that gives it a distinctive appearance.Also included is a six-airbag package that rates this car as potentially one of the safest small cars on the Australian market.It also gets 16-inch alloy wheels, six-disc CD player, airconditioning, electric windows and mirrors, rear spoiler and bodykit, and front foglights.

We have all come to expect the best from Mazda.