2019 Mazda3

[Keef]

Y

Yes, as per that video above.

Mazda seem like they want to start covering their bases. They've got more SUVs, a small FF/AWD, they have a turbo engine and cars with manual transmissions. They only way up from here, is to offer a rwd 4-door coupe.

I think Mazda probably needs to build the brand more. Pretty much everything they've been doing for the past decade, or at least post-RX-8, is seek better profitability. It's worked, but a car like the Stinger is definitely not compatible with that model. It's also why they don't do Mazdaspeeds anymore.

EDIT: And in the US they offer *one* single trim level with a manual, so they effectively don't do manuals anymore either, in the name of profitability. This company almost died when Ford left them.

 

[05XR8]

I think Mazda probably needs to build the brand more. Pretty much everything they've been doing for the past decade, or at least post-RX-8, is seek better profitability. It's worked, but a car like the Stinger is definitely not compatible with that model. It's also why they don't do Mazdaspeeds anymore.

EDIT: And in the US they offer *one* single trim level with a manual, so they effectively don't do manuals anymore either, in the name of profitability. This company almost died when Ford left them.

If Mazda build this, I feel they'd be one step away from completing the brand.

Funny to read you type, Mazda needing to build the brand more. It's so weird how in Australia, Honda and Mazda flip roles. Mazda far outweighs Honda here and Honda is the bigger brand in the USA. Also, many people here see Mazdas as a performance brand and now more of luxury. With Holden shutting down, they've also had many cross over to Mazda. No doubt Toyotas are the brand of choice, but sometimes, it feels more like Mazda country.

 

[coryclifford]

In Columbus, Ohio, I can't not see a Honda CRV or Accord or Civic or Fit for every third car.

Then, Toyota. Then, Mazda. Nevermind the others such as Hyundai and Kia. Fords. Chevrolet. Jeep. Chrysler crap... Benz, BMW, etc. are down the list.

Easily Hondas all over.

 

[Keef]

If Mazda build this, I feel they'd be one step away from completing the brand.

From a car enthusiast perspective, sure. But car enthusiasts are an extreme minority of people actually buying cars. Halo cars typically don't make any money and are barely worth their investment, if at all, which is why they never last very long.

What raises the brand image is literally seeing the cars on the road which is something that doesn't happen with lower-volume sports cars or expensive sedans. And Mazda knows this, which is why within the past two years they have started selling their cars to Enterprise rental fleets. I've rented four models myself, found out I really liked one of them, got exposed to their upscale materials in others, and in general have noticed more Mazdas on the road everywhere I look. That is how you raise brand image and awareness in an efficient, profitable way. Increase sales by selling to fleets and the increased exposure to people utilizing those fleets is basically free and tangible advertising.

In Columbus, Ohio, I can't not see a Honda CRV or Accord or Civic or Fit for every third car.

There's an Accord factory in Marysville and Honda has a big presence all over Ohio. Lots of employee discounts. Go Buckeyes.

 

[coryclifford]

There's an Accord factory in Marysville and Honda has a big presence all over Ohio. Lots of employee discounts. Go Buckeyes.

More than just Accords. 30 minutes away from my back door... I used to race against the Anna Honda engine R&D guys, too. 👍

 

[05XR8]

From a car enthusiast perspective, sure. But car enthusiasts are an extreme minority of people actually buying cars. Halo cars typically don't make any money and are barely worth their investment, if at all, which is why they never last very long.

What raises the brand image is literally seeing the cars on the road which is something that doesn't happen with lower-volume sports cars or expensive sedans. And Mazda knows this, which is why within the past two years they have started selling their cars to Enterprise rental fleets. I've rented four models myself, found out I really liked one of them, got exposed to their upscale materials in others, and in general have noticed more Mazdas on the road everywhere I look. That is how you raise brand image and awareness in an efficient, profitable way. Increase sales by selling to fleets and the increased exposure to people utilizing those fleets is basically free and tangible advertising.


There's an Accord factory in Marysville and Honda has a big presence all over Ohio. Lots of employee discounts. Go Buckeyes.

I don't see that concept as a a performance enthusiasts car. More like a higher spec Mazda6 or something like a Genesis rwd luxury sedan.

I'm talking more about what they seem to be missing. Again, I understand the Aust and USA market differ. It would certainly be viable in the Aust market. Even with the heavy Ute/CUV/SUV market.

 

[mustafur]

I don't see that concept as a a performance enthusiasts car. More like a higher spec Mazda6 or something like a Genesis rwd luxury sedan.

I'm talking more about what they seem to be missing. Again, I understand the Aust and USA market differ. It would certainly be viable in the Aust market. Even with the heavy Ute/CUV/SUV market.

Big Sedans don't sell anymore, it's a dying market.

 

[05XR8]

Big Sedans don't sell anymore, it's a dying market.

Sports cars too. So has the micro car market. Small hatches as well. Yet, some are still selling them.

I haven't looked at what Mazda have targeted as sales numbers for the 6. Or Kia for the Stinger, BMW for their big sedans and Mercedes and Audi. It may be similar to how Toyota are marketing the Supra. Low volume. Toyota are not expecting big numbers.

 

[bloodyboyblue]

Sports cars too. So has the micro car market. Small hatches as well. Yet, some are still selling them.

I haven't looked at what Mazda have targeted as sales numbers for the 6. Or Kia for the Stinger, BMW for their big sedans and Mercedes and Audi. It may be similar to how Toyota are marketing the Supra. Low volume. Toyota are not expecting big numbers.

The difference between all of those (except the Stinger) is that they’re halo cars that pretty much have to exist to sell the rest of the range. The Germans have to keep the big sedans to be considered luxury by the “old money” crowd. The Stinger is just there to make sure Kia is taken seriously, and also to amortize the (stupid IMO) Genesis science project.

A big sedan would be meaningless for Mazda. Enthusiasts wouldn’t buy it, since it’s not what Mazda’s known for (barely anyone remembers the 929 or Millenia or Xedos cars) and it probably wouldn’t be available with a manual and would probably be based off of the FWD CX-9 platform, and no one else would buy it, just like no one buys the Stinger. Mazda’s halo cars are the Miata and RX-7. They really only need one, and the Miata is the much more sensible option. It’d be much more worth Mazda’s while to make a 2 row CX-9 (7?) which is more premium than even the 9 with tons of effort put into materials, tech, quietness and smoothness.

The only RWD vehicle Mazda should be developing is a new small pickup truck to sell worldwide.

 

[bloodyboyblue]

From a car enthusiast perspective, sure. But car enthusiasts are an extreme minority of people actually buying cars. Halo cars typically don't make any money and are barely worth their investment, if at all, which is why they never last very long.

What raises the brand image is literally seeing the cars on the road which is something that doesn't happen with lower-volume sports cars or expensive sedans. And Mazda knows this, which is why within the past two years they have started selling their cars to Enterprise rental fleets. I've rented four models myself, found out I really liked one of them, got exposed to their upscale materials in others, and in general have noticed more Mazdas on the road everywhere I look. That is how you raise brand image and awareness in an efficient, profitable way. Increase sales by selling to fleets and the increased exposure to people utilizing those fleets is basically free and tangible advertising.


There's an Accord factory in Marysville and Honda has a big presence all over Ohio. Lots of employee discounts. Go Buckeyes.

Fleet sales are good revenue and word of mouth generators in the short run, but kill residual values and desirability in the long run, Nissan has learned that the hard way recently. I don’t see Mazda with their new “premium” attitude doing fleet sales for too long or too heavily.

 

[05XR8]

The difference between all of those (except the Stinger) is that they’re halo cars that pretty much have to exist to sell the rest of the range. The Germans have to keep the big sedans to be considered luxury by the “old money” crowd. The Stinger is just there to make sure Kia is taken seriously, and also to amortize the (stupid IMO) Genesis science project.

A big sedan would be meaningless for Mazda. Enthusiasts wouldn’t buy it, since it’s not what Mazda’s known for (barely anyone remembers the 929 or Millenia or Xedos cars) and it probably wouldn’t be available with a manual and would probably be based off of the FWD CX-9 platform, and no one else would buy it, just like no one buys the Stinger. Mazda’s halo cars are the Miata and RX-7. They really only need one, and the Miata is the much more sensible option. It’d be much more worth Mazda’s while to make a 2 row CX-9 (7?) which is more premium than even the 9 with tons of effort put into materials, tech, quietness and smoothness.

The only RWD vehicle Mazda should be developing is a new small pickup truck to sell worldwide.

I think the CX-9 has an extra row of seats. In Australia, anyway.

Mazda3 and Mazda6 have gone upscale. As have all their models. I said a rwd sedan wouldn't be with Performance enthusiasts in mind. Mazda isn't Kia. 929, Milleniawere good cars, but didn't sell well at a time when LS400 and Q45 were successful(both still on the market?). So, a luxurious sedan like that concept, doesn't have to be MX-5 RX-7 status.

Pretty much, the CX-5 and Mazda3 pay the bills.

On topic about the 3, I'm staring to warm up to the sedan.

 

[88GTA]

The CX-9 in the US seats 7 as well.

 

[CodeRedR51]

In Columbus, Ohio, I can't not see a Honda CRV or Accord or Civic or Fit for every third car.

There's an Accord factory in Marysville and Honda has a big presence all over Ohio.

Similar situation for most other manufacturing plants. When I go to Tennessee or Mississippi to the Nissan plants all I see on the roads are Nissans.

 

[dice1998]

It’d be much more worth Mazda’s while to make a 2 row CX-9 (7?)

In Japan (and now australia), there's a Mazda CX-8.

 

[mustafur]

The CX-8 is basically a 3 Row extended CX-5.

 

[Keef]

Similar situation for most other manufacturing plants. When I go to Tennessee or Mississippi to the Nissan plants all I see on the roads are Nissans.

Dat employee family discount!

 

[mustafur]

The Interior on the Top of the Range is a Huge step up, the design of the Sedan really looks like it's an Alfa.

The Size though is massive this looks almost like a New Mazda 6.

 

[Obelisk]

The Interior on the Top of the Range is a Huge step up, the design of the Sedan really looks like it's an Alfa.

The Size though is massive this looks almost like a New Mazda 6.

They look bigger than they are. It's maybe a few inches bigger than the previous 3.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I've yet to see one of the new 3s in the wild. I wonder how early sales are. It is on the pricier side, but a base model 3 and a base model Civic/Corolla are kind of in different leagues. I really wish they had a nice green color...

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Here's a very thorough and very detailed review of the Mazda3. Definitely worth watching the whole 30 minutes. It seems like Mazda has put a lot of thought into it unlike many other manufacturers.

(Language warning)

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Is the AWD's rear suspension layout now technically a De Dion configuration?

 

[Keef]

The Size though is massive this looks almost like a New Mazda 6.

A lot of the competition is bigger now. The interior volume of most small cars is rather impressive. The Jetta is so big now that Enterprise (I rent a lot of cars) calls it a "standard" class which is one bigger than the Elantra which is competes against. Mazda are putting very long front ends on all their cars now, presumably for styling or safety or something, so they look bigger than their interiors actually are. And if this hatch review is anything to go by...



...then the interior isn't nearly as big as it could be.

Btw, the comparisons that Throttle House do are excellent, and I love Straight Pipes as well.

 

[mustafur]

Mazdas need Long Fronts to fit the Skyactiv intake Manifold, it's quite massive.

My Mazda 2 engine bay is filled even though it's only a 1.5L and I could probably fit a LS in there.

 

[Jay]

Ordered a top spec Australian 2019 Mazda 3 (Astina) sedan back in January.
Waiting waiting waiting... It has a scheduled build date sometime this month so hopefully we could have it late May but probably June some time (Australian Mazda 3's are Japanese built so shipping etc). Can't wait.

The hatch model is debuting this month however.

 

[05XR8]

Ordered a top spec Australian 2019 Mazda 3 (Astina) sedan back in January.
Waiting waiting waiting... It has a scheduled build date sometime this month so hopefully we could have it late May but probably June some time (Australian Mazda 3's are Japanese built so shipping etc). Can't wait.

The hatch model is debuting this month however.

What color?.. err, colour?

 

[Jay]

What color?.. err, colour?

Deep blue crystal mica

 

[Grandea GTR]

Deep blue crystal mica

Yissss

Best modern Mazda Colour

 

[mustafur]

A lot of the competition is bigger now. The interior volume of most small cars is rather impressive. The Jetta is so big now that Enterprise (I rent a lot of cars) calls it a "standard" class which is one bigger than the Elantra which is competes against. Mazda are putting very long front ends on all their cars now, presumably for styling or safety or something, so they look bigger than their interiors actually are. And if this hatch review is anything to go by...



...then the interior isn't nearly as big as it could be.

Btw, the comparisons that Throttle House do are excellent, and I love Straight Pipes as well.

The Civic is a big car inside but I can't get over the cheap and nasty interior, it's almost entirely filled with nasty Hard plastics and a little bit of Faux leather on the dash on a high trim model doesn't mask it.

Deep blue crystal mica

I got Dynamic Blue on my Mazda 2 great colour but the problem is everyone else also gets it so it's not unique lol, do like that Mazda gives metallic Colours for free for no extra cost though.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Btw, the comparisons that Throttle House do are excellent, and I love Straight Pipes as well.

Yep, love throttle house. The only problem is they're in Canadia, so the option packages are different. When I went to build a G70, I found out we only get the base version with a manual. No fancy cross stitched leather for us.

 

[Jay]

The new Mazda 3 hatch has arrived at my local dealership, might go have a look this weekend.
Waiting for the sedan.....