Sedan adds extra practicality to Mazda3 range

MAZDA Australia is edging closer to completing the rollout of its fourth-generation Mazda3 small-car range, with the four-door sedan now in showrooms alongside the five-door hatch that the company says is already off to a solid start following its launch last month.

Speaking to GoAuto last week, Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak said buyer reaction to the hatch has been “very good” in its first five weeks on sale, and that the sedan would act as a fresh catalyst for the new series.

“The mix (of hatch sales) has gone very rich, but you expect that at launch because obviously you have customers who have been waiting,” he said.

“Early adopters tend to be at the higher end. (G25) GT has taken the majority of sales so far, followed by (G20) Touring, so that’s a really nice start to the sales campaign.

“Having said that, we haven’t sold a huge number yet, but we expected that, only because April was not the best month to launch. We basically launched at the start of Easter and then we had ANZAC Day and school holidays.

“Our first ‘proper’ month of the car won’t be until next month, June, because we’ll have hatch and sedan on sale. So, we’re looking forward to that.

“Having said that, our marketing campaign has been very well received. We placed our ads in some very high-rating shows … (such as) Game of Thrones and Avengers: Endgame. So, we’ve certainly ticked all the boxes in terms of getting our creative message out there.”

Apart from the sedan’s 200mm increase in length that results in a roomier second row and 150 litres of extra cargo capacity over the hatch (294L), Mr Doak said the two body styles are identical on the specification sheet.

“That’s something we’ve always done; we’ve made it a pure body-style choice all the way through the history of Mazda3 and that’s worked very well for us, to give the people a very clear choice between the two models,” he said.

“You could say that maybe that choice is even starker here with obviously the focus on design of hatch into a more sporty and aggressive look, and sedan is then free to become longer and more elegant … in its design.

“These two have a very clear personality, which is great to stand out in the marketplace.”

Nonetheless, Mr Doak said Mazda Australia is “reasonably confident” that the split between hatch and sedan will be similar to the previous-generation model alongside their buyer type.

“We’ve found that hatch tends to skew more female in the past,” he said. “Whether that will change this time around, we’ll wait and see, but that’s traditionally been the case for us.

“The good news is we have total flexibility, so we’re calling 60 per cent hatch, 40 per cent sedan. If that changes, we’ll be able to react and have a different mix coming into the country.

“We’re not constrained in any way, so let’s see what people think.”

As GoAuto has reported, the Mazda3 hatch and sedan are identically priced, with two naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engines available: a 114kW/200Nm 2.0-litre known as G20, and a 139kW/252Nm 2.5-litre dubbed G25.

The G20 opens the range at $24,990 plus on-road costs in Pure manual form, while the Evolve and Touring grades start at $26,690 and $28,990 respectively.

Conversely, the G25 kicks off with Evolve manual, at $29,490, while the $33,490 GT and $36,990 Astina assume flagship responsibilities.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard on all variants, but a six-speed torque-converter automatic can be optioned for $1000.

A third powertrain option is due later this year, with Mr Doak confirming that the Australian-market Mazda3 will only be offered with the regular version of the upcoming SkyActiv-X unit, which Mazda claims is the world’s first compression-ignition petrol engine.

Other markets have access to a mild-hybrid derivative.

“Production for us will start this year,” he said. “When it will come? We still hope it will be December, but that’ll just be depending on shipping and all the things.

“It’ll obviously be the higher end of the model range given it’s world-first technology. It is a pretty special engine, so the expectation is it will be the fastest car in the range, but it will also be the most efficient one.”

Standard equipment in G20 Pure includes 16-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing LED headlights and tail-lights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, an 8.8-inch Mazda Connect infotainment system, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, DAB+ digital radio, an eight-speaker sound system, a 7.0-inch multifunction display, a head-up display, keyless start and black cloth upholstery.

Advanced driver-assist systems include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, traffic-sign recognition, driver attention alert, high-beam assist, tyre pressure monitoring, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors. There are also seven airbags on board.

G20 Evolve adds 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control with rear air vents, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a leather-trimmed gear selector and steering wheel, paddle-shifters (automatic only) and a rear centre fold-down armrest.

Stepping up to G20 Touring nets buyers auto-dimming side mirrors with heating, keyless entry, an overhead sunglasses storage compartment, illuminated vanity mirrors and black leather upholstery.

G25 Evolve shares its standard equipment with G20 Evolve but also picks up keyless entry and a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory functionality.

Paying extra for G25 GT adds auto-dimming side mirrors with heating, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, heated front seats and steering wheel, an overhead sunglasses storage compartment, illuminated vanity mirrors and black leather upholstery.

G25 Astina gains unique 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof and front parking sensors, as well as adaptive LED headlights, rear AEB, front cross-traffic alert, Cruising and Traffic Support (CTS) and surround-view cameras, all of which are optionally available on other variants as part of a $1500 Vision Technology package.

Furthermore, G25 Astina sedan buyers have the choice between black or Pure White leather upholstery, while the latter is substituted for burgundy in the hatch.

The sedan is available with seven paintwork options, including Snowflake White Pearl Mica, Sonic Silver Metallic, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, Jet Black Mica, Titanium Flash Mica, Soul Red Crystal Metallic and Machine Grey Metallic, with the latter two attracting a $495 premium.

The Mazda3 sedan is not available with Polymetal Grey Metallic, which is exclusive to the hatch.