The Mazda 3 has had a long-standing reputation of being the best C-segment model for drivers, this side of Germany, at least. And indeed, when the latest fourth-generation model made its Malaysian debut back in 2019, it was pretty much the best small car you can buy if you’re looking for a mix of luxury and driving fun, and can’t stand the sight of an SUV in your driveway.
But July 2019 is nearly five years ago now, and since then, a lot has changed in the C-segment space, especially among the Japanese brands. The then all-new Toyota Corolla was launched in Malaysia just a few months after the Mazda 3, and that’s followed by the 11th-generation Honda Civic, both boasting – among other things – their improved driving chops.
Clearly, the Mazda 3 is not short for competition any more. So with a price tag now starting north of the RM150k mark as of its latest update, is jinba ittai really still enough to justify its premium?
First impressions matter, and even just by sitting in the driver’s seat, you can already tell that the Mazda 3 means business. It’s clearly designed with driving in mind – you sit nice and low to the ground, and all of its control surfaces are also tilted towards the driver for easy access.
Heck, even the infotainment display doesn’t offer any touch functionalities – because your hands are meant for driving the car, of course.
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The Mazda 3’s sporting aspirations go beyond just skin deep. Three things jump out immediately upon setting off – its eager powertrain; the nicely-weighted and linear brake pedal, and perhaps the best steering feel and feedback in its class.
All of that translates to an overtly sporty driving experience, with a sharp and darty front end, plus a nimble handling feel that makes the Mazda 3 a natural corner carver. It’s incredibly light on its feet around the back roads, with an innate sense of “chuckability” to its drive.
In isolation, there’s no question that the Mazda 3 is genuinely a great car to drive. Its only problem? Its rivals have now caught up.
Don’t get me wrong – the Mazda 3, without a doubt, is still the most athletic of the bunch. Everything about the way it drives just oozes sportiness, tempting you to give it some beans as it flaunts its talents in body control, courtesy of the GVC Plus torque vectoring system.
But once you push it a little too hard, you get the feeling that its feisty character is perhaps somewhat undermined by its actual technical capabilities.
It seems that in pursuit of sportiness, Mazda has perhaps gone a little too far in its suspension tuning. While the firm damping can help resist body roll in the corners, giving you the perception of a well-honed corner carver with its fluid direction changes, its stoic and poised demeanour begins to crack as soon as you add our signature Malaysian pot-marked roads into the equation.
The Mazda 3 has a tendency to hop a little across bumpy surfaces. And in the corners, this means its rear axle could step out at any time, pushing itself out of your carefully sculpted lines. As a result, the Mazda 3 just doesn’t feel as planted, or as confidence inspiring as the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla when you’re wringing it to the tyres’ limit of adhesion.
Its firm ride affects more than just handling, too, as the road imperfections are transmitted into the cabin basically unfiltered, especially at lower speeds.
And as eager as the powertrain may be, it’s also not the most refined nor melodic to listen to. With a limited set of cogs in its gearbox, plus a strictly-naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre inline-four engine, you better be prepared for the ear-splitting noise every time you put your foot down on the accelerator, because you’ll be listening to it a lot.
So then, it’s not the best-handling car in its segment any more, nor is it the most comfortable. But that’s not to say it isn’t still a great car – it’s just one for a different kind of buyer.
The Mazda 3 isn’t for the regular Joe looking for the best bang-for-your-buck commuter-mobile, or the weekend racers and closet ricers with car-meet dreams. It’s tailor-made for those who value craftsmanship, luxury, and individuality – and are not afraid to shell out a pretty penny for it.
It’s an object of desire, not necessity. Granted, that’s not going to sell them a lot of cars, but they already have the SUVs for that purpose, anyway.
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2023 Mazda 3 Liftback, as reviewed:
| Variant | 2.0 High Plus (Liftback) |
| Powertrain | 2.0L SkyActiv-G naturally-aspirated inline-four, petrol; 6 speed auto |
| Driveline | Front-wheel drive |
| Max horsepower | 162 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
| Max torque | 213 Nm @ 4,000 rpm |
| 0-100 km/h; top speed | N/A; 216 km/h |
| Price | RM166,059 |
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