Mazda 3 Sky Active G or X - Anyone driven?
Discussion
Looking at the new Mazda 3 but unsure about the engine.
One hand the G is less powerful, cheaper and more conventional, yet the X on paper at least has so much more to give, is meant to be more economical and adopts compression ignition technology.
I don't drive fast these days and generally just pootle about so outright performance is of no interest to me, although I do appreciate a little torque now and again, though not a deal breaker.
Had anyone driven either engine and would you share your thoughts and experiences?
One hand the G is less powerful, cheaper and more conventional, yet the X on paper at least has so much more to give, is meant to be more economical and adopts compression ignition technology.
I don't drive fast these days and generally just pootle about so outright performance is of no interest to me, although I do appreciate a little torque now and again, though not a deal breaker.
Had anyone driven either engine and would you share your thoughts and experiences?
Just thought I'd update this after 18 months of owning a Sky Active X Mazda 3 GT Sport.
Good points:
Interior quality (mostly), fit and finish - feels fairly premium
Fuel economy - 40+ without trying, 50+ if you take it easy on longer runs
Head up display is good
Looks nice
Manual 'box a pleasure to use (good job really, see bad points)
Fairly quiet and refined
Very comfortable with great seats for long journeys
Passive safety kit effective, helpful and can be switched off
Bad Points:
Catastrophic lack or torque
Feels utterly gutless under 4k
Has to to be thrashed to get any kind of performance, of which there is little
Sounds harsh and unpleasant at higher revs
BOSE sound system very disappointing - no amount of fiddling gets it 'right' - lacking everywhere
Keyless entry is terrible - flakey at best and totally unreliable - a real paint in the backside
Nav and infotainment is mediocre at best, slow and unintuitive at times
Infuriating inability to turn the stereo off without it coming on automatically when you next start the car - forums full of complaints, drives me NUTS
Driver's immediate touch points feel premium - secondary 'not very often' areas - rear doors, parcel shelf, other bits and pieces very cheap and flimsy. Rear doors feel and sound like hollow tin cans
Significant blind spots from both A and C pillars
Reverse camera not shielded from road dirt - is obscured very quickly
Overall, its been a reasonably nice, smooth and refined alternative to more mainstream stuff, but ruined with a clever, but misplaced engine technology. I get what they're doing and they've pulled it off, but at the expense of driving pleasure, satisfaction and above all fun.
If you want a decent quality car that is smooth, nice looking, full of spec and economical, its a great car. If you are enthusiastic about cars and motoring and seek any kind of performance and don't want to change down to 4th just to over take on the motorway, I'd look elsewhere.
Good points:
Interior quality (mostly), fit and finish - feels fairly premium
Fuel economy - 40+ without trying, 50+ if you take it easy on longer runs
Head up display is good
Looks nice
Manual 'box a pleasure to use (good job really, see bad points)
Fairly quiet and refined
Very comfortable with great seats for long journeys
Passive safety kit effective, helpful and can be switched off
Bad Points:
Catastrophic lack or torque
Feels utterly gutless under 4k
Has to to be thrashed to get any kind of performance, of which there is little
Sounds harsh and unpleasant at higher revs
BOSE sound system very disappointing - no amount of fiddling gets it 'right' - lacking everywhere
Keyless entry is terrible - flakey at best and totally unreliable - a real paint in the backside
Nav and infotainment is mediocre at best, slow and unintuitive at times
Infuriating inability to turn the stereo off without it coming on automatically when you next start the car - forums full of complaints, drives me NUTS
Driver's immediate touch points feel premium - secondary 'not very often' areas - rear doors, parcel shelf, other bits and pieces very cheap and flimsy. Rear doors feel and sound like hollow tin cans
Significant blind spots from both A and C pillars
Reverse camera not shielded from road dirt - is obscured very quickly
Overall, its been a reasonably nice, smooth and refined alternative to more mainstream stuff, but ruined with a clever, but misplaced engine technology. I get what they're doing and they've pulled it off, but at the expense of driving pleasure, satisfaction and above all fun.
If you want a decent quality car that is smooth, nice looking, full of spec and economical, its a great car. If you are enthusiastic about cars and motoring and seek any kind of performance and don't want to change down to 4th just to over take on the motorway, I'd look elsewhere.
Edited by 25th QV on Tuesday 1st February 22:02
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