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| 2012 Mazda 3i 5 Door Touring |
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| The Auto Zone News |
| Written by Administrator |
| Thursday, 05 July 2012 11:53 |
 Last week I had the opportunity to test drive the 2012 Mazda 3i hatchback with the Touring package. The 3 series Mazda is one of the favorites of drivers looking for a combination of enthusiastic driving capability and fuel economy. The driving fun is delivered via the performance setup that gives all Mazdas their zoom, zoom reputation, and I can tell you that the new 3 series has plenty of that, accented by precise handling to go with a well equipped luxurious interior. Mazda's real story for 2012 though is its new engines with what Mazda calls "Skyactiv" technology. This technology comes by way of powertrain components found in a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. My tester came with the manual transmission. The bottom line is that the new engine delivers 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, enough to get the 3 series going at a relatively brisk pace, and the kicker is the mileage Mazda squeezes from a tank of fuel. My test Mazda 3i hatchback with the touring package, when filled up, registered 500 miles of driving range on the dash computer. After one week I had only driven 200 miles but I still had over half a tank of fuel left, I don't doubt the 500 mile number. Now if the fuel range alone doesn't blow your mind, the Mazda 3i is loaded with standard equipment, some which you might not find in other compact brands. Standard features like a tilt and telescopic steering column, leather wrapped steering wheel with audio/cruise/bluetooth controls, leather wrapped shift knob, air conditioning with pollen filter, dual map light and courtesy lights, electro-hydraulic power assisted rack and pinion steering, auxiliary audio input jack, AM/FM/ 6 Disc CD player with a 6-speaker audio system, bluetooth hands free phone and audio system, ambient temperature display, fog lamps, LED taillights, two 12-volt power outlets, center arm rest with covered storage, dynamic stability control, traction control, advanced dual front and front side impact air bags, front and rear side air curtains, tire pressure monitor system, and more. Base price of my tester $18,950. My tester included a few options like an interior lighting kit ($200). Rear bumper step plate ($50). SIRIUS satellite radio ($430). Plus Destination charges of $795, bringing the as tested price to $20,425. Fuel mileage numbers are 27 miles-per-gallon city and 38 miles-per-gallon highway. My week spent with the new Mazda 3 Hatchback was an enjoyable one. The new Mazda looks good on the outside and feels tight and responsive on the inside. There are a surprising number of techno gadgets for the geeks and driving is fun on the expressway or on the back roads. |
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