Mazda 3 Fastback long-term test review: First report

Salon can cut like a hatchback? Mazda thought it could

I've had before here. The first car I bought with my own money is a sedan - the 2007 Ford Focus four-door - and I loved it.

I love it because it did everything Focus hatchback used to do, but also including a few pictures myself, a little flair and individuality. Trash, you might think: a sedan version of the popular hatch is no longer practical - and far less popular - of the cars on which they are based.

They also rarely make it to the UK. the sedan version of the Vauxhall Astra and Focus sold widely throughout Europe, but is not available here, because buyers tend to choose either English small family hatch or SUV. Mazda wants to change that and, so far, 22% of the three buyers who opt for the fastback saloon version on hold.

Fastback is a notably different form of the hatchback that we ran in 2014-2015 and has a smaller, 1.5-liter diesel engine is more efficient. So although this trim level is the same, that's where the similarities end.

With 104bhp available, the diesel engine is not what you'd call sporty. 0-62mph sprint taking 11.0sec and top speed is 115mph. What you lose performance, though, you gain in fuel economy. Mazda says we should expect a combined 74.3mpg and CO2 emissions are rated at a company car tax-friendly 99g / km.

So far, and given that we are only about 1000 miles to the 'ownership', we average about 55mpg without trying too hard. Some ways of Mazda official figures, then, but impressive nonetheless. I also enjoyed a six-speed manual gearbox. Having come directly from an eight-speed automatic in our about-to-go Jaguar XE, it was a welcome change to do the job themselves.

On the body. I thought it looked great 3 Fastback. It's in the back 10% of the cars that you see changes in styling, and I'm a big fan of the way integrated into the rear boot lip spoiler and you'll find there also.

However, despite the fact that this sedan is 120mm longer than the hatch, was more practical, on paper at least. boot offers 364 liters of the same as the hatch with the rear seatbacks in place - and up to 1263 liters with them folded down. That's less than the Audi A3 sedan is 425 liters, but a late night run airport has proven that Mazda boot will swallow two suitcases with ease.

Sitting in the car park a short-lived Heathrow, passengers waiting for me to appear, I also had some time to assess the interior of this 3. As before 3 Our cabin is equipped with a fastback models well. You get luxuries like heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, sat-nav and a reversing camera as standard here, and we've found some features 3 - like head-up display that is - to be very welcome. The chairs are very comfortable and supportive, and the steering wheel is thin and middle pedal layout encourages enthusiastic driving style.

Another part of the interior is less impressive, especially the faux carbonfibre trim that comes with the model higher-end. As we noted in the hatchback version of the old, it shows dust and fingerprints easily and feels cheap to the touch.

There have been a few hiccups so far. I’ll need to consult the owner’s manual to find out where the child lock is for the doors; more than one colleague has had to reach through the window and unlock their door from the outside to be set free. Also, although getting into and out of the car is a breeze thanks to its large door openings, the trim around the door edges is getting scuffed fairly easily.

In my care, the 3 will have the kind of varied life expected of a mass-market car. During the week it will be an urban commuting companion, but come the weekend there will be motorway journeys and occasional treks into the countryside. We’d expect the best family hatches to conquer all three tasks with ease. The question is whether a saloon can cut the mustard here, too.

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