2014 Mazda 3 s Hatchback 2 5L Automatic

2014 Mazda 3 s Hatchback 2.5L Automatic

Like the first-gen 3, this one moves the line in the compact-car sandbox. 

If a car’s goodness could be determined from something as mundane as a single bit of switchgear, you likely wouldn’t need us to weigh in on the latest rides. Luckily for our job security, proper analysis can rarely be distilled from such a minute detail. But in the case of the 2014 Mazda 3, the slick, well-damped iDrive-like infotainment controller knob on the center console of Grand Touring and some Touring trims is a microcosm of the whole car: precisely engineered, more expensive-feeling than its price point, and simply wonderful to use. Is our praise too effusive? Go to a Mazda dealer, give the knob (called the “commander switch”) a few twirls and clicks, and tell us we’re wrong. Don’t forget to take the car for a twirl, too, because it’s a pretty sweet drive. 

s Is for Sporty

Zoom-(zoom)ing out and looking at the 3 beyond its lovely switchgear, this test focuses on the more-powerful s model, available in sedan and five-door hatchback forms. With a 184-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder, our top-spec s Grand Touring hatch test car is 29 horsepower stronger than lesser, 2.0-liter four 3 i variants. The s brings more standard equipment and a sportier overall vibe. (Check full Mazda 3 pricing here—there is a ton of possible configurations.) Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions will be available in the s, but early-production models are all automatics, as is our 3 s GT test car.

Complementing its neatly tailored looks, the 3 feels as tight as a drum, thanks to its stiff structure. And the firm-yet-compliant suspension teams with a balanced and frisky chassis and Miata-like steering. Our glowing real-world handling judgments weren’t dampened much by the car’s midpack 0.82-g skidpad performance or so-so 179-foot stopping distance from 70 mph. We tested the 3 at a different venue than usual, and its surface felt noticeably slicker than that on our home turf. Acceleration is fairly zippy, with 60 mph arriving in 7.2 seconds, and the automatic’s manual shift mode—operable via the shift lever or steering-wheel paddles—is quick to respond. Sport mode further sharpens the powertrain, and even when left to shift on its own, the transmission always seems to find the right gear. Despite spending most of its time in our hands being hammered down back roads, the 3 returned a respectable 26 mpg—2 mpg shy of its EPA city fuel-economy estimate.

Similar to that of the CX-5 crossover and 6 sedan, the 3’s upscale cabin is a peach. Flashes of chrome and carbon-fiber-look plastics punctuate mostly black-colored, high-quality plastics. On s models, the McLaren 12C–like gauge cluster—with a central analog tachometer flanked by two squarish digital screens—sits ahead of a thick and perfectly formed three-spoke steering wheel. A visorlike clear head-up display deploys from the gauge hood, but we’re split over whether it’s cool or cheesy. At a minimum, we agree we’d like a way to fold it down while on the move. Front passengers perch on supportive, well-bolstered seats, and either occupant can operate the aforementioned central commander switch and audio volume knob. Unlike the Ford Focus hatchback’s, the 3’s front-seat area offers room to spare, although the back can be tight with three passengers. 

 Specifications >
 
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED: $29,185 (base price: $25,890)
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 152 cu in, 2488 ccPower: 184 hp @ 5700 rpmTorque: 185 lb-ft @ 3250 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:Wheelbase: 106.3 inLength: 175.6 inWidth: 70.7 in Height: 57.3 inCurb weight: 3094 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 19.9 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 34.6 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.6 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.7 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.6 sec @ 91 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 132 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 179 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.82 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 28/38 mpgC/D observed: 26 mpg

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2014 BMW 3 series Gran Turismo

2014 BMW 3-series Gran Turismo

BMWs bread-and-butter model goes all bumpy out back.

Enthusiasts winced when news came through that BMW would subject the latest 3-series to its Gran Turismo treatment. With all the recent talk about offering front-wheel-drive cars and electric vehicles, not to mention the Pillsbury Doughboy–as–wagon–replacement 5-series GT, haven’t we been subjected to enough BMW experimentation lately?

Our feelings notwithstanding, BMW’s goal is to pull yet another genre-bending derivative off a perfectly fine sedan. This one is designed to offer a lot more space and versatility than in the sedan while avoiding the station wagon look that—inexplicably—is dreaded by customers outside Europe. So here comes the 3-series GT, which, like its big brother, the 5-series GT, tries to be a master of all disciplines.

To bake the new GT, BMW took the long-wheelbase chassis from theChinese-market 3-series, raised the seating position, and added a large rear hatch. That’s a difficult brief to work with, and the team around BMW designer Page Beermann has endeavored to mask the GT’s considerable bulk. Not a single piece of exterior sheetmetal is shared with any other 3-series. Compared with the sedan, the GT grows discreetly in every direction. It’s wider, the headlights and the kidney grille are taller, the front hood bulges, and there is an extra horizontal line on the side surface. We learned, to our surprise, that the “air breathers” on the front fenders actually serve some aerodynamic purpose.

The 3-series GT, we submit, is a far-better-looking car than the 5-series GT, and it does make good use of its larger dimensions. Thanks to its enlarged body, the new model swallows more cargo than does the 3-series sport wagon it joins in BMW’s U.S. lineup. There is very generous legroom in the back, and the split rear seat can be adjusted through 15 stages. The driver enjoys that higher seating position so dear to SUV and crossover lovers, and the interior fittings are done to the elevated standards of the current 3-series.

All that extra space, of course, comes at a penalty. The higher center of gravity, the longer wheelbase, and the extra 300 pounds (versus the sedan) rob the 3-series GT of some agility. Fitted with the rear suspension of the sport wagon, the GT becomes a more comfortable, soft vehicle. Still, it doesn’t object to playing. We experienced a little more understeer than is usual for a 3-series sedan, but inducing power oversteer is easy and fun.

We are still not fully satisfied with the electrically assisted power steering, which could be lighter and more natural-feeling. But there’s little to be gained by bemoaning the loss of hydraulic power steering. At least the efficiency gain is significant.

Under the hood, we find two engines. The familiar single-turbo N55 3.0-liter inline-six with 300 horsepower is an utterly agreeable mill that builds revs effortlessly and without delay. A 0-to-60-mph sprint in an estimated 5.1 seconds and a top speed governed at 155 mph place the 335i GT firmly in the performance category. BMW’s N20 turbo 2.0-liter four gives the 328i GT 240 horsepower; it will be the base engine here in the U.S.

If you live in Europe, the engine is mated to a six-speed manual or the gearbox we sampled, an eight-speed automatic. The eight-speed slushbox will be the only choice for U.S. buyers, and it shifts smoothly and rapidly and can be manipulated through steering-wheel-mounted paddles or a console-mounted shifter that operates the correct way. In other words, pull to upshift, push to downshift.

BMW has not announced pricing yet, but we expect the 3-series GT to begin well below $50,000. The car will be in showrooms in late summer. For now, we advise enthusiasts to relax. The 3-series GT looks agreeable, drives well, and offers plenty of space. You might not love it at first sight, but when you find yourself in need of room for a family, a hobby, or a hobby horse, you might just be glad it exists. And if you still don’t like it, BMW will be happy to sell you a proper 3-series wagon. 

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear- or 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE:$43,000–$51,000

ENGINES: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 240 hp, 255 lb-ft; turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter inline-6, 300 hp, 300 lb-ft

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 115.0 in
Length: 189.9 in
Width: 72.0 in Height: 59.4 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3750–4000 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 5.1–5.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 12.7–15.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.9–14.5 sec
Top speed: 155 mph

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 19–22/28–31 mpg

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