2018 Mazda3: Pure Driving Pleasure In A Compact Sedan And Hatchback

The 2018 Mazda3 has long been considered to be the most-engaging, best-handling vehicle in the compact car segment. While it has been designed to provide all the practical benefits of a car in this class, it also has a very special feel. You will be more than transported in the Mazda3, you will be transformed by the rewarding driving experience and the way it makes you feel. 

The 2018 Mazda3 gives you many choices: three trim levels, two body styles (4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback), and manual or automatic transmissions. The only downside the Mazda3 faces in today’s market is that it’s not an SUV, and with cars down to 37 percent of the market, that’s a tough spot to be in. So Mazda’s solution is to make the 2018 Mazda3 an even better value. 

What’s New In The 2018 Mazda3

The big news for 2018 is that every Mazda3, in every trim level, receives more standard equipment. The 2018 Mazda3 comes in three different trim levels: Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. Pricing starts at $18,095 for Mazda3 Sport Sedan with six-speed manual transmission and maxes out at $24,945 for Mazda3 Grand Touring Five-Door with six-speed automatic.

Mazda3 Sport

The entry-level Mazda3 Sport now comes with Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) with automatic emergency braking. This driver assistance system is designed to help the driver avoid rear-end collisions with the vehicle in front. This type of collision is the most common, and the majority of these happen at speeds less than 20 miles per hour. 

When driving at these low speeds, SCBS uses a laser sensor mounted on the windshield to sense the distance from the car in front. If the system senses that an impact may be about to happen, it first prepares to deliver maximum braking power when the driver applies the brakes. If the driver does not react, the SCBS system will then apply the brakes and reduce engine power in an attempt to avoid or minimize the impact. It’s like having someone in the passenger seat watching out for you!

Mazda3 Touring

The Mazda3 Touring is also better equipped. The uprated 2.5L Skyactiv-G engine with 184 horsepower is now standard on every Touring sedan and hatchback. There is also a new dark silver alloy wheel color, standard illuminated vanity mirrors, and an overhead sunglass holder.

Mazda3 Touring also comes standard with heated front seats, advanced blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rain-sensing wipers, automatic on/off headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, a six-way power driver’s seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob.

Mazda3 Grand Touring

The top-of-the-line Mazda3 Grand Touring has made some previously optional equipment standard. This includes self-leveling bi-LED headlights, LED combination taillights and LED daytime running lights. The Grand Touring also has perforated leather seating surfaces with heated front seats, full-color Active Driving Display heads-up unit and LED fog lights as standard.

A new Grand Touring Premium Equipment Package, priced at $1,600, adds navigation, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, radar cruise control, pivoting adaptive front lighting system, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters on automatic models, smart brake support and traffic sign recognition.

G-Vectoring Control Standard Across The Board

All Mazda3 models also come standard with G-Vectoring Control. This is a technology that extracts much more grip from the front and rear tires, improving stability and vehicle responsiveness. G-Vectoring Control also greatly reduces the frequency and size of steering corrections and minimizes the swaying of the head and body experienced by vehicle occupants, producing a much more comfortable ride. Only Mazda has it.

The 2018 Mazda3 Is A Compact Car That Punches Above Its Weight

With its amazing driving dynamics, its standard driver assistance technology, its upscale interior, and its appealing exterior styling available in two body styles, the Mazda3 really stands out in the compact car field. Check it out if you are in the market – driving is believing!