What Is It?
2004 Mazda 3
What's Special About It?
Aside from its stylish exterior and surprisingly upscale interior, the all-new Mazda 3 promises to uphold the Mazda "Zoom Zoom" philosophy with nimble handling and a pair of powerful yet economical engines. A direct replacement for the Protegé and Protegé5, the 3 comes in both sedan and hatchback form in two trim levels. Base model sedans get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 148 horsepower while upper trim sedans and hatchbacks feature a 160-horsepower, 2.3-liter four-cylinder. A unique electromechanical steering system and suspension components borrowed from the midsize Mazda 6 give the 3 a feel for the road that few cars in this class can match.
Inside, the 3 foregoes the typical economy car look in favor of a more stylish setup that features deeply recessed gauges, a three-spoke steering wheel and a center stack that actually appears like someone put some thought behind how it looked. With slightly larger dimensions in every direction, there's also more passenger and cargo room than the Protegé.
Why Should You Care?
Just because a car is inexpensive doesn't mean it has to look and drive that way. The Protegé gained considerable ground on its competitors thanks to its ability to inject some fun into an otherwise boring category of cars, and the 3 looks as though it will continue that trend. — Ed Hellwig
2004 Mazda 3
What's Special About It?
Aside from its stylish exterior and surprisingly upscale interior, the all-new Mazda 3 promises to uphold the Mazda "Zoom Zoom" philosophy with nimble handling and a pair of powerful yet economical engines. A direct replacement for the Protegé and Protegé5, the 3 comes in both sedan and hatchback form in two trim levels. Base model sedans get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 148 horsepower while upper trim sedans and hatchbacks feature a 160-horsepower, 2.3-liter four-cylinder. A unique electromechanical steering system and suspension components borrowed from the midsize Mazda 6 give the 3 a feel for the road that few cars in this class can match.
Inside, the 3 foregoes the typical economy car look in favor of a more stylish setup that features deeply recessed gauges, a three-spoke steering wheel and a center stack that actually appears like someone put some thought behind how it looked. With slightly larger dimensions in every direction, there's also more passenger and cargo room than the Protegé.
Why Should You Care?
Just because a car is inexpensive doesn't mean it has to look and drive that way. The Protegé gained considerable ground on its competitors thanks to its ability to inject some fun into an otherwise boring category of cars, and the 3 looks as though it will continue that trend. — Ed Hellwig
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