Mazda3 Goes Diesel
August 9, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
In July we reported news of a Diesel Mazda3 and Mazda has finally confirmed the successful Mazda3 will be available from September in diesel flavour. The new Mazda3 diesel will join its bigger brother, the Mazda6 Diesel to make Mazda the only import-only Japanese manufacturer offering Diesel powerplants.
The 3 will use the same Diesel powerplant found in the Mazda6. With 105Kws of power and 360Nm of torque, the Mazda3 Diesel will use only 6 litres of diesel/ 100km. Mazda expects the diesel powered Mazda3 to be the last in the company’s diesel lineup for some time.
In other Mazda news, the new Mazda2 is set to go on sale in October, priced from around $16,000 (currently 16,335). The 2008 Mazda2 will only be available with a 1.5-litre engine. Australia misses out on the 1.3-litre variant.
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I bought a 4 cylinder turbo diesel in Febuary and haven’t looked back. But I had to go to an SUV to fit my 6 foot + family in. I just can’t get over the comfort of driving with so much available torque (provided you get your revs right of course) and I’ve halved my previous fuel consumption. It’s a pitty the Japs have taken this long to finally start putting diesels into passenger cars. I know Toyota missed a golden opportunity by not putting a diesel into the new Aurion lineup. That would have scared the crap out of Holden and Ford. With 360nm or torque available the new ‘Supersize Aussie’ generation will have no trouble overtaking up hills in this Mazda. Just a pitty they won’t be able to squeeze into the thing! The first Jap car with a diesel that fat (or in my case…tall) Aussies can actually fit into will be the real sensation.
It’s already been confirmed that Ford will have a diesel territory/falcon by the end of 09.
Yes Toyota did miss an opportunity with adding a diesel into aurion, weird, thats not like toyota to slip behind like that…
I don’t think Toyota had a Diesel engine worthy of the Aurion, and I think the follow the principle of “if you can’t do it right, don’t do it”.
The Diesel Focus and hopefully the Diesel Falcon/Territory will open Australia’s eyes to the wonderful world of Diesel powered cars.
I’d agree with both your comments. A diesel Territory or falcon will open the flood gates to what the Europeans have known for a long time. Diesel does it better with a discount(and they only drive 100k to be in another country!). Yes I know initial cost is more over petrol engines but to date their resale value more than makes up for this. Cost of fuel, well since Feb I have watched petrol move from $1.06 to $1.35 (Qld lads!). It’s only in the past 2 months that it has been less than diesel consistently. I have maintained between $1.10 and $1.19 over the same period and don’t have to wait for cheap Tuesday to get it. Same price all day everyday. Once Joe Average cottons on and takes a diesel for a test drive, Aussies will take to them like ‘four wheel drivers’ who have already seen the light! I move a near 2 tonne car at an average of 7.5l / 100k. Diesel is great for the Aussie lifestyle.
I find it quite amusing that all the Ford nuts think Aussie motorists won’t be able to enjoy diesels until Ford can supply them.
I think it’s good that Mazda has released diesels, and now Ford has belatedly offered the Focus. But the big problem is Mazda/Ford doesn’t have an Auto that can handle the torque, and this will seriously hold back their sales. Even though you only need to use 3 gears in the 6 speed trannies, that does not substitute for an Auto. Desirability of these diesel manuals is not high.
I surely don’t need to remind people that diesel/auto is a marriage made in heaven. Diesel/manual sucks. Diesel DSG as in the VW group offerings is nirvana.
Holden has had Astra Diesel manual or auto for quite a while, Captiva is available in diesel. Desirability of these is not high
VW has had diesel for ages, and people have been buying Polo, Golf, Jetta, Passat in diesel with DSG in droves. Desirability of these is extreme, bettered only by the Audi versions. Price is only marginally higher than the Astra/Focus/323/626 offerings but the VWs leave them for dead.
The French offerings are also available as are the Fiats.
Reckless, I’m no engineering graduate but wouldn’t the Merc sourced 6 speed auto ford uses be up to the job?
Steve, the fact that the Astra needs to use a smaller (read lower torque) diesel in the Astra means the Auto is weak.
Even a non-engineering graduate should be able to work out that Ford can’t really put the 6 speed auto in a Focus because it’s designed for RWD not FWD.
They don’t have a FWD auto at all that can handle the diesel.
Sorry mate, talking toward the Teritory. Can’t fit my kids in anything smaller. You did say Ford and when the diesel comes out in this car, watch the stampede.
reckless1…
hold your horses!
I made sarcastic remark in relation to many thinking Toyota supplies new tech first, they don’t.
Also, the focus deisel is actually being released before the mazda counterpart…There maybe no autos…the lack of, has been explained, Mazda is selling more MANUAL diesel 6s then they had first anticipated…
Have you read or even driven the focus or 3 diesels?
I suggest you try them…not everyone wants Autos…
The ZF 6speed auto i would suspect will be used for the falcon/territory diesels…the one being used currently.
reckless1…
they don’t have a 6speed auto to handle the diesels…? umm yeah they do it’s called the mondeo 6 speed auto diesel and it will be available here late this year!
The Mondeo is a much larger car, hardly in the same class as the Focus/Maxda3. And it’s not here yet.
Ford does NOT have an auto suitable for the Mazda or the Focus.
As I said, you can already have your cake and eat it too – you Ford nuts should be able to spell VW, it’s only two letters.
Ford whenever or VW now?
Eat your hearts out. But then Toyota nuts will be squirming as well, since there’s NOTHING in the Toyota range at all to compete with any of this. They haven’t got any passenger diesel technology at all. Even the Landcruiser V8 TD manages almost as much power/torque as everyone else’s 2.0 litre 4 Cyl, to which we all say WOW…….
Reckless1…
You said FWD auto diesel, not class of vehicle…
Also VW, spelt correctly? whats the cost of a VW golf 2.0 deisel DSG? compared to focus/3? also look at what you get for your money, not just the asking prices, you might find a bigger difference than you expect.
I also didn’t know that VW offered a full range of vehicles like, Toyota, Ford, Holden etc…
Do they manufactuer here? I thought they were an exclusive full importer?
Just because offer good diesel cars with an auto doesn’t make them good at covering the entire market…
put things into perspective…
Adam, you’re talking crap.
Try this link http://www.discountnewcars.com.au/ and have a look at how many models VW offers. It’s 87. Ford shows 76.
Now you know that VW offers a full range of vehicles like Toyota, Ford, Holden etc… No, they don’t manufacture here, but if the Government doesn’t care you and I just have to accept it. Yes the Golf/Jetta is a little dearer, but it’s also better built than Focus. And you can’t really compare a Focus manual to a Golf DSG Auto price wise. You can get a Golf Manual TDI for $29990 which is bugger all dearer than the Focus, and you can add the brilliant DSG for $2300, an option Ford won’t have for many moons.
You should also know that Ford has won the prize for the worst possible timing for adding/witdrawing/not having models that the market wants over the last 10 years.
They only got 2 right – the Korean Kia Rio/Festiva, which was a cheap piece of unsafe at any speed crap but which sold like hotcakes, and Territory
But they were not enough to overcome the KA, Fiesta and Focus, the last two overpriced and market duds, (perhaps being corrected a bit now)and the KA – well – not worth mentioning, a stupid car and a market dud. Then AU, the ugliest car for a long time (since the previous Mondeo), and a market dud.
Holden has also been caught with unfilled gaps – no CRV competitor till recently, no 4WD since Jackaroo, but at least the Commodore performed vastly better than the AU during the drought. And of course Holden exports plenty which Ford does not.
And i’m talking crap!??
Ok, want to inject some common sense…
First you said that Ford doesn’t offer a FWD diesel, wrong! then you tried to cover that incorrect comment up with, ‘the mondeo is a much bigger vehicle’.
I said that VW doesn’t cover the market like a fulline manufacturer, they don’t…lets see…
Now try to understand…
Does VW cover the entire market, as in cover every class and price point!? idiot!
Not just the number of models! thats not the same thing…
If that was the case, why doesn’t VW do the same volume as Ford, Holden and Toyota or even Mazda or Honda!
Wake up and smell some common sense..
I swear some of you know nothing about the auto world and you just obtain you information through the media and marketing/propaganda!!
seriously…
Ford has won the award for bad timing on pulling out of major volume!? what re u on, crack?
If you care to look at the figures for a drop off in large car sales commodore lost more volume than falcon when the VZ was on sale, the BF11 will now be losing volume quicker as it’s the bloody oldest model on sale in it’s class! how can you not know this basic information??
I’m not going to bother trying any more…
You are PUAL in drag! LOL
I bought a Mazda3 diesel 10 days (and 1900klm) ago.
It’s astounding. Such a small light car with 360nm of torque.
I drove the 2.0 TDI DSG Golf, and preferred the mazda’s pulling power. I have previously owned a Golf V TDI and a BMW 120d. I’m as surprised as anyone to discover that the Mazda is actually a better thing to drive than both of them !
Brilliant and under-rated little car.
Test drive one..
Josh
Well, Golf TDI 1.9 litre – less than two years old – I am not happy after 3 replacement turbos and now the transmission has gone. This does not happen to new cars driven by little old ladies. Well it did to mine. Not happy Jan.
The Mazda3 Neo has been discounted for some time now..does anyone know if we should expect a new 3 next year?