Not sure about 1.6, mine 2.0L initially very low performance on pick up and accelerate very slow. After few months, about 2-3 months getting "open" up, now is quite good performance, can compete at least Honda Civic even i still think CIvic pick up faster, but it definitely can be compared.

By the way, this Mazda 3 you can get more information from the official club : www.mymazdaclub.com/forum

Frankly, Civic really the best among these 3 models. However, personally, I feel the Mazda3 has the best looking among the 3 and not so common. Don't care about who is faster or so, the car will be with you for some times, just get it if u like it. Mazda3 has the best handling among the 3, I find it more stable in doing cornering compared civic also. The pick up, yes, it can be very disgusting. I hate my Altis whenever it is accelerating. I can't imagine how the Mazda3 drivers feel when carrying an extra imaginary friend of 80kgs at the back with the same torque as Altis.

p.s: haha, not at all, Altis 1.8 can race with Civic 1.8 without problem, but if with Civic 2.0...ooo, then I really no confident haha. Sylphy? So far, I can cut them easily, maybe most of the drivers are people who drives to enjoy and leisure. (Oh dear, Sylpy and Civic 2.0 is different class with Altis ok, they are 2.0 hehe, Altis is only 1.8)

Frankly, Civic really the best among these 3 models. However, personally, I feel the Mazda3 has the best looking among the 3 and not so common. Don't care about who is faster or so, the car will be with you for some times, just get it if u like it. Mazda3 has the best handling among the 3, I find it more stable in doing cornering compared civic also. The pick up, yes, it can be very disgusting. I hate my Altis whenever it is accelerating. I can't imagine how the Mazda3 drivers feel when carrying an extra imaginary friend of 80kgs at the back with the same torque as Altis.

p.s: haha, not at all, Altis 1.8 can race with Civic 1.8 without problem, but if with Civic 2.0...ooo, then I really no confident haha. Sylphy? So far, I can cut them easily, maybe most of the drivers are people who drives to enjoy and leisure. (Oh dear, Sylpy and Civic 2.0 is different class than Altis ok, they are 2.0 hehe, Altis is only 1.8)

D-Zire: I only test drove the Mazda3 twice before I chose Altis. I think both car is about the same. But i feel more excited driving a mazda3 to Altis. I remember the handling was so good until I didn't notice any lack of pick up haha. I remember the car was very smooth in picking up too. You better ask Mazda3 driver for details

ricolim: I agree with the rest to take the 2.0 instead. the 1.6 specs is not good, and lack of many things. It doesn't give you the ooomph of a mazda3.

D-Zire: I not really hate altis. The acceleration is not impressive. But condition is better with Ron97.  I chose Altis in the end becos of the resell value, more service centers, better FC & more spacious & more comfy (very important), and I find the design better (my taste only ok  ). Handling alone is not enough, you know what I mean.

wow, u all already made decision....

i still undecided between lancer gt, mazda3 and 407....

WAH! should have waited for mazda6
but mazda 3 also not bad la
hehe

yehh...i just book M6 2.5L two days ago...but hv to wait till end of March only can get the car ......

D-Zire ....learn me...eat less n work harder just to get ur dream car...

I will, gahpadu, once I transfer all my pix into my PC 

Coming back from Alor Star yesterday after spending CNY holidays wt family, I make a detour thru the backroads. Being warned off by the radio of the heavy trafffic and jams in several PLUS highway's checkpoints, well, it is the time to test the handling refinement of M3!

I use old roads from Taiping-Beruas-Parit-Bota Kiri-Kg Gajah-T.Intan-Bidor-Slim River. Then slim river use highway onwards to KL.

Taiping-Beruas-Parit road are pretty rough, with crazy, snake-like swirling corners and bad patches of the good old roads. I never expected this, but luckily the traffic is almost non-existent, thanks to the time i choose (7pm), the mazda 3 is the only car to tackle the curves and patches! Hardly can drive above 100km/h, but my M3 tackle the corners like a king! Not to mention wife and baby at back are having a nice sleep (obviously cozy and unaware of the road condition!).

When there are obtrusion like lorries, slow trailing cars etc, the auto transmission is more than enough to convincingly overtake these. Sometimes I do switches to the manual mode, and I can say it's like an overkill already. Auto mode is good enough, unless u really wanna take that lorry off near a bent / curves. It speeds like mad!

Coming into this, I realize that what sort of power do u really need for a car, but for some speeding occasions on the highways and for overtaking jobs on the back roads? Mazda 3 at its 1.6 engine can provide u just that! Of course many cars can provide that too, but how many can provide that with superb handling and retain a comfortable level especially for its passenger?

Hi D-Zire,

My car is only the 1.6 variant.

Just imagine how good 2.0 acceleration and power will be, in regards to the condition of the testing I've done. You could double-up the confidence level when overtaking and challenging other cars on the highways.

Even with 17'' rims (I've been advised to upgrade only 1'' = to 16'' rims, but what the heck) I didn't feel any sluggishness / heaviness, but the tire's a little bit noisy. Perhaps I should depressurize the tires, maybe to 30 kpi instead of 35/33.

Furthermore, with 1.6 I won't fret so much on the fuel consumption after those manoeuvrings.

We can't have it all, can we?

Hi D-Zire,

8L/100km is the current FC. Just figured out that each single bar of the tank's volume (displayed below the tachs and speedos) give u approx 50km of driving. Of course, your driving style would determine the output.

Hell yeah I love every bit of it (while it still new - of course!). However, I was not related to Mazda / Bermaz, nor did they pay me to give those petty reviews, so I wouldn't swoon if there are any problem with the car.

Or maybe I should list down things that I don't like about Mazda 3 (1.6):

1. The bodypaint is somehow quite sensitive. If u wipe the car's exterior with extra force, like accidentally scrubbing it, you will see it'll leave some marks. Not that obvious, but u can detect it when lights reflected thru the affected area. So be extra careful, don't overdo it.

2. I heard that the paint is layered with some coatings, so hence the "mica" came in the picture. It works like some kinda lacquer to the bodypaint, but if exposed under direct sunlight long enough (2 years? 4 years? I dunno..) it will start to freckles. But this will not happen to "silver metallic" paint, since it's, erm, metallic. I don't know HOW MUCH TRUE is this (I heard it from somebody with good automotive knowledge), but maybe someone can really explain and correct me here.

3. Rear legroom. I dont need to explain this, i presume...

4. Accelerator pedal's vibration - Mr Gahpadu has already complaint about this. Irritating but it's not so obvious when cruising / low RPM speed.

5. The spare tyre. Ouch...

I hope the list will ends here. As for now.

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Added on February 19, 2010, 4:29 pm

D-zire, do u own a mazda 3? 1.6 or 2.0?

I agreed with u, the premium do justify your extra monies.

Wouldn't say that Lancer and Civic are inferior to Mazda 3, these cars are good in it's own right too. But the problem is that there's too much of Civic on the road already and Lancer, well, have better design than previous 1.6 Lancer but certainly not as sharp-looking as Mazda 3. It's a fast, tough looking car, but Mazda is sexier IMHO.

I believe Mazda 3 is an acquired taste.

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Added on February 19, 2010, 4:50 pm

Hi,

Did Mazda Malaysia selling any accessories for Mazda 3?