Mazda has joined the majority of brands in the small car segment by launching a diesel-powered Mazda3. Amongst the segment's top-10 best-sellers, now only Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza, Honda Civic, Mitsubishi Lancer and Nissan Tiida are sold without a diesel alternative.
Available in both sedan and hatchback bodies, the Mazda3 diesel is powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder common rail turbocharged engine that delivers 110kW of power at 3,500rpm and best-in-class peak torque of 360Nm at 1,800 rpm. Drive is to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission (there is no optional automatic).
Both Mazda3 diesel sedan and hathcback are priced at $29,715. Hyundai's i30 diesel is the segment's price leader at $21,890, Volkswagen's 1.6-litre diesel Golf is priced from $28,690 and Ford's diesel Focus is priced from $28,290.
The Mazda3 diesel is the company's most fuel-efficient small car with combined cycle fuel economy of 5.7l/100 kms and exhaust emissions of 150g/km. With a 55-litre fuel tank, that should give the '3' plenty of range between refills.
Externally, the Mazda3 diesel mirrors the Mazda3 Maxx Sport with a rear spoiler and side skirts plus 16-inch alloy wheels with 205/55R16 tyres. Diesel models also have an air duct for the intercooler on the left hand side near the fog light bezel and a 'MZR-CD' badge on the rear.
Inside are the usual Mazda3 features including standard satellite navigation with the 4.1-inch colour screen and Bluetooth compatible six-speaker in-dash 6-disc MP3 audio system.
Safety features abound including Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Traction Control, ABS anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), eight airbags and active front head restraints.
So far this year, the Mazda3 is Australia's number two best-selling small car and with the surge in popularity of diesel power, the newcomer should provide a further boost for the company.
