2010 Mazda3 equipment levels, safety & pricing updated | Car Advice

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2010 Mazda3 equipment levels, safety & pricing updated

By Matt Brogan |

Mazda has today announced its Mazda3 range will receive a raft of equipment upgrades, more safety equipment and revised pricing.

The Mazda3 hatch and sedan range will see upgrades on all models, beginning with the entry-level Mazda3 Neo, which now offers steering wheel-mounted cruise control and remote audio controls, plus front-side and full length curtain airbags as standard.

The additional safety equipment now means all Mazda3 models share a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

On Mazda3 Neo, the additional airbags and cruise control, previously more than $1000 worth of optional equipment, are now included at no extra cost.

Continuing through the range, Mazda3 Maxx now adds front fog lamps, a leather wrapped gear knob (manual models only) and leather wrapped steering wheel to the feature list. The Mazda3 Maxx also enjoys a $485 reduction in its list price.

Mazda3 Maxx Sport and Mazda3 Diesel models pick up dual-zone climate control while also offering a price reduction of $485.

Top-shelf Mazda3 SP25 remains unchanged in its equipment levels, but also attracts a $485 price cut.

“New Generation Mazda3 has been widely recognised by Australian consumers as offering tremendous value since its launch last year,” said Mazda Australia’s Managing Director, Doug Dickson.

“Through the addition of new features and reduced prices, we are very pleased to be able to offer a Mazda3 that is now even better value.”

2010 Mazda3 Pricing Update:

  • Mazda3 Neo $21,330*
  • Mazda3 Maxx $23,755*
  • Mazda3 Maxx Sport $26,360*
  • Mazda3 Diesel $29,230*
  • Mazda3 SP25 $29,255*

*Pricing is a guide as recommended to us by the manufacturer and does not include dealer delivery, on-road or statutory charges.


 
  • Ricky

    This is old news – the Mazda3 Neo already had standard side and curtain airbags as of the 2010 model year (MY).

    • Toyota Guru

      Ricky, let’s forget about retarded Amercanised MY or Model Years shall we.

      Mazda3 Neo in current shape (E spec, from early ’09 to March 2010 production) side/curtain bags were optional.

      This announcement is for F spec (April 2010 production onwards).

      • Ricky

        The announcement of side/curtain airbags on Mazda3 Neo was made MONTHS ago. It’s old news.

    • http://carAdvice The Salesman

      Uh Oh. Mazda is panicking. I30 is out selling the Mazda as of last month.

      • boris

        i paid the extra for the mazda ive seen too many i30s already on tow trucks coming into our dealership they still have a long way to go for me.

  • Mk

    Now change the service intervals to 20′km/12 months and add 5 yr warranty and it will be the last of i30′s and Corollas.

    • RD

      Still too expensive compared to the i30, not mention less bang for buck…

      • Mazza

        I tend to disagree – you really need to take into account depreciation before you decide what is expensive. Mazda3 has better retained value than its competitors, and sells a hell of a lot more vehicles without any fleet sales. TTake away fleet sales from Corolla and I30, and they will look rather average.

        • KM

          I would have to disagree with this depreciation theory…

          I mean you are not buying a car worth 80-100k. We are talking about 15-20K cars here. People that buy this kind of car are poeple whom want to drive the car. They dont think about re-sale, I mean how much could a 19990 I30 depreciate? We buy bang for your buck cars to drive, not to sell.

          • Andrew M

            Depreciation is a factor.

            If you spend more on a Mazda, you can rest assured when you trade it in you will get the premium back.

            How much can an 19,990 car depreciate??

            Well the Full price of a Getz is just a tad under that, and look how many of them are out there for 5K.

            If you pay 3K more for a Mazda, you will get 3K more back for it when you sell.

          • Whitbomb07

            i30 SLX CRDi released Oct08

            * Price Guide $26,390

            * Private Price Guide $19,900 – $22,200 = 6,490-4,190 less than sale

            * Trade In Price Guide $15,800 – $18,100 = 10,590- 8,290 less than sale

            * Average Km 30,000 – 50,000

            Mazda 3 MZR-CD released Apr08

            * Price Guide $29,500 = $3,110 higher than i30

            * Private Price Guide $22,100 – $24,700 = 7,400-4,800 less than sale.

            * Trade In Price Guide $17,800 – $20,400 = 11,700-9,100 less than sale

            * Average Km 30,000 – 50,000

            Now it is from Redbook and I know what alot of people think of redbook, but I still think the figures speak for themselves…….

            The i30 depreciates in all cases almost $1,000 less than the 3 MZR-CD. Worst is 610, best is 910 less.

            Also if you pay 3,110 more at sale at best you get 2,500 back, worse case 2,000……

            Regards

            Whitbomb07

          • Andrew M

            Whitty,
            Here is one reason why I dont trust Redbook figures.

            You dont honestly think you will be able to sell your 2 yr old hyundai for 20K when they religiously advertise tham brand new for 20K do you??

            Plus the Mazda you pulled up is 6 months older.

            Mazda dont discount, so the 2nd hand market is stronger, hence values are better
            You only have to look in the real world to see a 2nd hand Mazda asks more then 2K more than a 2nd hand Hyundai.

            The old red book debate is like the ADR ratings. SUre its a guide, but many times the real world doesnt reflect what is written in the book.

            Just go and see what 2nd hand mazda 3′s ask

          • Whitbomb07

            Andy

            Re 20k: when the Version I listed was the Diesel (2.5k more straight up) and the next spec up (SLX) over the 19,990 petrol SX base line, yes I believe it’s possible.

            Might be 6 months older but is still same year and same rated mileage (30,000-50,000km) mileage is a much bigger factor on depreciation than age. As such most of these vehicles for sale will be in this bracket.

            My main point about 2k more is related to your claim of ‘you spend 3k extra you get 3k extra back’ which I think your kidding yourself about.

            As I’ve already said, what a seller asks for can be much more than what they actually end up selling for, so all well and good a Mazda seller can ask for more, doesn’t mean he’ll get it, only way it’s going to happen is again a sucker who hasn’t done their homework and based everything on badge snobbery paying up. So harp on all you like about what sellers ask for, but if you know what your doing you can knock em down a fair bit with real facts. So in the end if your a smart 2nd hand buyer, the difference would be 2k or maybe even less.

            As you may or may not have noticed I did place the caveat on my post about the reliability of Redbook and people opinions so I am inlclined to agree with you about it’s similarity with ADR in that it is a guide only. But worse case it can still be very much used as a base line to assist you.

            Regards

            Whitbomb07

        • http://carAdvice The Salesman

          Depreciation is only one part of the story. Repairs, servicing, fuel, tyres, insurance Ect are all taken into account and calculated when deciding the COTY awards. That Hyundai i30 has won how many times now?

      • Andrew M

        RD,
        It depends what you see as value for money.

        If you factor in depreciation, quality, better driving experience etc etc, the Mazda comes on top.

        The Mazda a much better car than cheaper offerings, I think the Mazda is worth the premium.

        And on service intervals….
        other manufacturers are lying if they say its acceptable for small 4cyl cars to go past 10,000k’s wth out an oil change.

        The only vehicles that ive seen that could easily go 20,000k’s with out oil change would be LPG vehicles

        • http://carAdvice The Salesman

          Andrew M,
          That’s what the Mazda salesman will tell you. In the real world used car buyers shop for value. I know this from 14 years of experience. Currently the Holden Commodore is the most popular used car. Why? Because the market is flooded with them and they are CHEAP. Hyundai Getz 3 years old still sells just under 10k. They are 13k new. Why do you think Mazda felt the urge to add more value and drop the price of there product?????

          • Andrew M

            Why did Mazda drop prices???

            Um well didnt everyone else months ago due to tariffs???

            The Getz was more than 13K full price too.
            The base models RRP 3 years ago was more than 13K before on roads.

            It was even possible to pay 20K for a Getz if you option another set of doors and a lazy gear box.

            If they are down to 13K drive out today, imagine what they will be worth tomorrow.

            People who Buy hyndais are in the same boat as those that are buying Great walls. They can get a NEW car for the price of a good 2nd hand one.

            Its the “NEW” tag that grabs them

        • http://carAdvice The Salesman

          Why would a car manufacture say it is OK to service every 15k or twelve months and cover the car with a five year warranty if it was not good for the engine?

          • Andrew M

            Why do all maufacturers warrant E10 and regular unleaded when thats no good for your car??

            An engine will last more than 5 years with stretched out servicing.
            The less you change the oil, the more wear you will get. It still wont wear out with in 5 years, but short term you will have slight loss in power and economy, long term it will get worse.

            Just ask any mechanic.
            Mention regular unleaded and they will shudder, also mention strectching out oil changes…..

  • Flying High

    Why show a picture of the MPS model when it does not even warrant a mention in the article? Is this the Womens Weekly car buying guide or a professional website about cars?

    • G

      Good one!!

    • LessQQ

      LOL so true.

      must be recycling old images

  • Technofreak

    I love my 3MPS :D thanks for the photo! ;)

    • Flying High

      Personally, I just cant get past the FWD factor. High powered (relatively) FWD anything feels me with dread. Especially on a damp surface. brrrrrr……

  • Yogi

    The Mazda website at 2.55PM on 28/04/10 still says that this is optional. Given that we have already had 28 days in the month, it is interesting to see that Mazda have not updated their website.

    I thought the updates were from the 1 April 2010?

    • Devil’s Advocate

      Mazda have always been slack when it comes to providing information/details etc on new models/updates. For quite a few years now it has been release the car first, release brochures/details later…sometime…when they feel like it…
      This also frustrates the dealers who are trying to do the right thing.

  • quiet1

    with the introdution of sky g engines next year, do u guys think that it is still worthwhile to get one of the mazda 3′s now ?

    I was looking to get a mazda 3 sp25 but now am not sure to wait for another year !!

    Those engines are surely gonna be more fuel efficient….

    • LessQQ

      thats very true, of course most people don’t know about the upcoming Sky-G/Sky-D engines.

      this new update and price cutting may also be aimed at getting rid of their 2010 stock before their price falls to sh!t with the upcoming release of Sky-G/Sky-D.

      why pay full price for a 2010 Mazda3 in the second half of 2010 when they will be heavily discounted come 2011, as well as you can buy the new 2011 Sky-G/Sky-D models.

  • Whitbomb07

    I was hoping they were going to announce getting rid of the fugly goofy grin…………..Oh well I can only dream.

    Regards

    Whitbomb07

    • Devil’s Advocate

      Whilst the looks may not appeal to some people, it must appeal to others as they are still selling more than ever before… :-)

      • Whitbomb07

        I don’t deny that it’s a good car, The sedan could have potential as my next car along with the 6 and i45. But with this look I’ll not even think twice.

        If they go the same path (looks wise) with the 6 the short list will get even shorter……

        Regards

        Whitbomb07

  • Shak

    But they are still not changing the styling. While the equipment upgrades are welcome, it has to get rid of that goofy grin.

  • vid_ghost

    This is great news and with a price drop at that it should be an awesome buy! Sky-G is going to make these mazda’s very cheap on 2010 run outs when 2011 3′s come in with the new engines!

  • cfc

    Why anyone would buy a Corolla over one of these amazes me. Much better looking, better drive, better value.

    Oh and depreciation wise, Corollas and 3′s hold their value way better than i30′s. Many people still have the belief that a Corolla is the only car for a first car for their kids. Don’t believe me? Have a look on carsales.

    Styling wise, I love the 3! I think an MPS in red looks great!

    • Whitbomb07

      Any chance of showing us some evidence that the i30 doesn’t hold value?

      Regards

      Whitbomb07

      • cfc

        Can you read? I did say have a look on Carsales but you’re obviously too busy to open a new tab and go on so I’ve done it for you. The results speak for themselves:
        2008 Hyundai i30 SX petrol auto 16500kms: $16,500
        2008 Corrolla Ascent petrol manual 28000kms: $18,300

        Everyone knows that Koreans don’t hold their value as well as the Japs.

        • Whitbomb07

          Actually CFC I went to Redbook and compared the i30 SLX CRDi V 3 MZR-CD if you look higher up in the chain.

          Just had another look at redbook and got this for a 2008 i30 SX petrol auto.

          * Price Guide $20,990

          * Private Price Guide $15,200 – $17,200

          * Trade In Price Guide $11,900 – $13,900

          * Average Km 30,000 – 50,000

          So it looks like the buyer is short changing themselves.

          Here’s a Corolla Ascent petrol manual hatch

          * Price Guide $20,990 = price to i30

          * Private Price Guide $15,200 – $17,200 = to i30

          * Trade In Price Guide $12,400 – $14,400 = 500 more than i30

          * Average Km 30,000 – 50,000

          Looks like the Corolla is a bit full of themselves and wants more than it’s value.

          Privately the i30 matches it, trade in the Corolla only just pips it, hardly the ‘i30 depreciates so much, corolla is much better’ rubbish you’ve put forward.

          Car sales is not the best place to get a guide of value, anyone can ask whatever they want, the question is how much it does end up sell for. I’m putting my money on either a sucker paying this price, or the seller lowers.

          Regards

          Whitbomb07

          • Andrew M

            Whitty,
            Here is one reason why I dont trust Redbook figures.

            You dont honestly think you will be able to sell your 2 yr old hyundai for 20K when they religiously advertise tham brand new for 20K do you??

            The old red book debate is like the ADR ratings. Sure its a guide, but many times the real world doesnt reflect what is written in the book.

            Just go and see what 2nd hand mazda 3’s and corollas ask

          • Whitbomb07

            Am I getting to you?

            Am I getting to you?

            Regards

            Whitbomb07

          • cfc

            As Andrew said you can’t trust Redbook. It’s a guide. In the real world it’s better to go on carsales and see what people are asking for a better idea.

            Hyundai flog i30s at $19990 driveaway. The most ill-informed buyer is likely to see one of those ads well before they see a used one for $19000 at a dealer. No-one wants the uncertainty of a used car unless they’re saving at least 20%.

        • whitbomb07

          Just jumped onto Car Sales and had a look.

          2008 MY09 SLX CRDi manual

          13,600km = 23,500
          23,000km = 20,900
          23,808km = 20,690
          16,500km = 21,500
          23,000km = 21,500

          So what were you saying about prices? Can’t charge over 20k? Car Sales is more accurate? Koreans don’t hold value?

          I’d like to hear your explanation for this without shooting yourself in the foot about your other ‘claims’.

          Regards

          Whitbomb07

          • Andrew M

            No you are not getting to me Whitty,
            Im trying to get through to you that red book is a guide, not gospel.

            How many of those cars are selling for 23K

            They will sit there all day long at those prices because no one will pay the same for a car 2nd hand as what they can get it for new.

            Those selling at 23K probably paid 30K for it new and are advertising it with wishfull thinking

          • whitbomb07

            That’s the exact same reasoning I was using for why a Mazda wouldn’t sell based on yours and cfc’s posts, now that I’ve applied your logic you tell me it’s wrong? Make up your mind!

            Regards

            Whitbomb07

          • Stuart

            I spent months looking for a second hand SLX i30 CRDI. Gave up because nobody is selling them, and after buying a new one it’s not hard to see why. The Mazda 3 is not half the car and they wanted more than 3k more? NO Hyundai dealers in South Australia have second hand diesels for sale. Impossible to get one privately second hand for under 20k. (SLX CRDI)
            I also drove the Corolla, SX4, Lancer, Impreza. i30 was so far in first place it wasn’t even close. This is my first Hyundai and can’t help think those who criticize have not driven the diesel and are just “Brand Snobs”

  • http://ozmpsclub.com ozmpsclub

    What has been lost here is that Mazda has upspeced a best selling vehicle and cut some dollars from others which will keep the model competitive. After a huge accident I had in march which my Mazda 2 genki saved my life due to the safety features and now to look at what to get next a new 2 or a diesel 3 hatch….with a slight price cut and climate air the diesel is looking good….

    Just on the sales between the 3, Corolla and the i30 it shows that the private buyer knows what cars are best….

    If we look at just Private and Small Business for the Year-to-Date, Mazda3 leads…

    Mazda3 – 9,801
    Toyota Corolla – 7,518
    Hyundai i30 – 5,225

    Large Fleet, Goevrnment and Other

    Hyundai i30 – 3,495
    Toyota Corolla – 1,790
    Mazda3 – 183

    Of the 3,495 i30s registered this year – 1,417 were registered to rental companies, 1,143 to Local Govenment and 794 to large company fleets as well as some other rats and mice.

    • Whitbomb07

      Actually you could be shooting yourself in the foot…..

      I’d put my money on fleet, government and rentals having spent money on studying what vehicle would be best, many have come back with the result that the i30 is the best for money spent, kms used, servicing costs, ability to take a beating, etc etc.

      Personally I’m happy that there are so many groups who back the i30. You’ve just shown that fleets, government, and rental group have very little faith in the 3.

      I don’t want to be driving the top selling car, I don’t want it to sell so many that it becomes ‘just another car’ which is what the 3 is turning into.

      Saying the general public ‘knows better’ than all the companies is almost laughable. How many of them actually pay that much attention? How many people study things like service costs for the life of the car?

      The only addition listed here for the 3′s that hasn’t been on the i30 since last year is the cruise control and audio controls in the baseline i30 SX but the cruise and fog lights are optional extras.

      Regards

      Whitbomb07

      • cfc

        The i30 is the cheapest of the three and has the longest warranty. That’s why fleets buy them. I don’t think the i30 is a bad car, it’s just not as good as the 3.

        In March the i30 was the top-selling car so under your logic, you wouldn’t want to be driving it. Especially when the i30 you’re most likely to see is a white base models with a Europcar sticker on the back window.

        • Whitbomb07

          2 questions CFC.

          1. Why does the i30 have a longer warranty?

          My answer is because Hy is willing to stand by their product longer, hence they trust their vehicle to be more reliable and dependable.

          2. Why doesn’t Mazda have the same or better warranty if it’s ‘better’ as you say?

          I’m curious as to what your answers are……..

          Regards

          Whitbomb07

          • Andrew M

            Hyundai needs a bigger warranty because they have something to try and prove.

            Mazda just offers the standard warranty because they have nothing to prove. People already trust Mazda

            The bigger the warranty means they are trying to build up some faith in the brand from the days when it was lacking. Mitsubishi is another example of having to build faith = longer warranty

          • cfc

            I talk to friends who would buy a Toyota or Mazda in a heartbeat over a Hyundai because they think the Toyatas are better built. Hyundai need to offer the extra warranty to disprove that theory.

          • Whitbomb07

            CFC

            Obviously your friends are just like the majority of people in the general public that I’ve been talking about who don’t do their homework and again rely on badge snobbery to make a decision.

            How many reliability tests have Toyota even been close to the top in recently? How about Mazda? Hyundai?

            Before you even pull the carrot out about ‘because there’s more, of course there’d be more issues’ I’ll say this, if they sell more (hence more money) they should spend more in R & D and also more stringent quality control to ensure there aren’t issues.

            You guys are a joke claiming that because ‘it’s a good car a good warranty isn’t needed. Hyundai are willing to put their money where their mouth is.

            Do you even know what a warranty means? If something breaks, they have to fix it, which = big dollars taken from their pockets. Mazda having only a 3 year warranty is saying ‘we are only willing to commit to something not breaking in that time and thus not costing us anything’ Hyundai is saying ‘we are willing to commit to our product not breaking for a further 2 years beyond that and still not cost us anything’ If Hyundai was so bad compared to Toyota and Mazda they’d have gone bankrupt a loooooooong time ago through warranty claims.

            Regards

            Whitbomb07

          • cfc

            I never said Hyundais were badly built. I think they’re as well built, if not better than many Japanese competitors. However this is coming from someone who has done research. People like you and me are the minority, the majority of buyers are still too ill-informed to realise that Hyundais are better built than Toyotas or Mazdas. That’s why Hyundai extend their warranty to get people over this bulls**t.

            I still prefer the Mazda3 to the i30 for a number of reasons, mainly because it looks more upmarketd than the i30.

          • LessQQ

            Actually thats not the whole picture.

            When car manufacturers are entering a market, or trying to change consumer perception, they will go out of their way (often at a loss) to do so.

            For example they may price their car very cheap (at a loss) to gain % in a new market, or they will increase their warranty considerably more than their competitors for the same effect.

            The argument goes, if Hyundai cars were such good products, they won’t require an extra 2 yrs warranty than the average of their competitors. It’s aimed at re-assuring new customers that their quality is improving, to steer them to that direction when they normally wouldn’t consider Hyundai because of their past products.

          • LessQQ

            Don’t be disillusioned if you think a long warranty solves all your car problems.

            If you really think manufacturers are that willing to part with their time/resources then you are incredibly naive and have yet to hit puberty.

            ALL warranty claims are debatable and circumstantial. They will only fix it if you can prove that its a design/engineering fault, especially if its expensive.

      • Andrew M

        Fleet want cheap cars end of story.

        Mazda doesnt discount, so fleets walk……simple

        Mazda is happy getting a better profit on private units rather than lowering their standard/image.

        You honestly dont think someone from each department goes around and throughly inspects each prospective vehicle do you??

        Companies put their fleets out for tenders, and it appears Hyundai is working hard at winning deals with low price points

        • http://carAdvice The Salesman

          Andrew M,
          Riddle me this. Is it better to sell 100 cars with $500.00 profit in each unit or sell 50 cars with $1,000.00 profit?

          Andrew M says
          “You honestly dont think someone from each department goes around and throughly inspects each prospective vehicle do you??

          Ummmmm Yes. Fleet Managers have been employed for years to inspect and advise then manage and dispose of company cars FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

          • Andrew M

            Well thats a silly example because it doesnt reflect anywhere near the real proportions of profit.

            How do you know Mazda (for eg) isnt selling 100 cars at $2,000 profit versus 50 at $1000???

            Come on, get off it, fleet managers have to fill their fleet for their budget.
            They dont go out and take notes on which cars radio controls feel firmer nor which cars handling feels more precise.

            They have set guide lines on sizes of vehicles and they are told to find the best deal among them.

            You (and many others) play a different tune when it is commodore fleet sales spoken of

    • vid_ghost

      Yeah go mazda! :) they just look better thats all. mostly on the inside! and thats what the person buying the car see’s the most.

  • http://ozmpsclub.com ozmpsclub

    Actually Mazda doesnt get into fleet sales as there is more GP% on private sales than the govo/business and if they did there would be more on the road and that would reduce the resale figure dramatically….so the bigger companies go after the cheap and nasty….I would debate that stats on a company of i30′s than a family down the road with a Mazda 3…as why would they buy a car slightly dearer than the other when most of us are watching our pennies saids not much for you that most people do their homework….even if I wasn’t an avid Mazda owner of over 25yrs I would still buy one over a Hyundai….horses for courses and the 3 looks newer bold and funky compared to the boring i30….

    • Whitbomb07

      I’m sorry but your post makes no sense, I’ve tried reading it a few times and the grammar and sentence structure is appalling, can you try and relax a little, think a bit more, type a little slower and try again?

      But one big thing that I did gather is that Mazda ONLY cares about gross profits.

      If people were watching pennies they would take note of the i30 being more economical to own and run, it has the awards for it which the 3 doesn’t, so I still stand by saying people aren’t studying their vehicles as much as they should.

      The biggest defence you seem to have as to why the general public buy 3′s more than i30′s is simple badge snobbery.

      Regards

      Whitbomb07

      • Andrew M

        And the only reason people buy the i30 is cheap cheap cheap

        Price the i30 and 3 the same and then see how many i30′s sell

        • Whitbomb07

          I guess it could depend on adding kit to the i30 or taking away from the 3, as this would be the only way to even it out.

          Either way I doubt much would change…….

          Regards

          Whitbomb07

          • vid_ghost

            The only car that bests the 3 is the golf and if you look at the reviews of small cars it always comes down to the golf or the Mazda 3, they are the two kings of this segment and everyone knows it… i30? ummm its bland boring interior and now also exterior dont win it anything but the value for money market. I’m not saying its bad i’m just saying its had its day!

      • Baji

        Whitbomb07, i don’t doubt the quality of the i30. I actually think the i30 is a well built, well put together car with a great diesel engine. Cheap too. The problem here is that with my money, i’d rather buy a car that i’d want to live with, one that looks good and that drives well. The 3 imo looks a lot more modern, and drives a lot better. This is my criteria for a car, and i’d happily pay more to get a 3 over an i30.

        Other owners may have a different criteria such as yourself, as it seems you’d prefer a cheaper car thats cheaper to run over driving enjoyment. But thats your prerogative.

        • whitbomb07

          Regarding driving enjoyment, the sort of driving that I enjoy is a twisty hill climb, and what is it that you need for a twisty hill climb? TORQUE! What allows you to haul ass out of a corner? TORQUE! Kilowasps mean pretty much nothing when climbing a hill, even more still when the max speed limit (in general) is 110km/h.

          ‘Salesmen and PR sell you Power, you go out on the road and use Torque.’

          There is no way I would have as much fun in a 3 doing that sort of driving, the SP25 still doesn’t produce the same amount of torque as the little 1.6 CRDi. So I didn’t just buy a car that’s cheaper to own and run, but I bought a car that I would enjoy more than a 3. Considering I’ve had my i30 for nearly 18 months and have racked up 61,000km, I think I can confidently say that I love the car and have had some very fun times behind the wheel driving along the whole Eastern seaboard.

          So I don’t think I’ve sacrificed any driving enjoyment whatsoever, if I had a 3 I’d be pi$$ed watching my fuel economy sky rocket climbing a big hill as the engine revs its ringer off, guzzling petrol but resulting in not much.

          Whereas the i30 CRDi says ‘Hill? YUMMY!!!!!!’ I’ve driven from Western Sydney, to Canberra, then back up onto the Hume, to Bright, climbed Mt Hotham, gone back down to Bright back onto the Hume and reached the outskirts of Melbourne before filling up. Not only would I have beaten the 3 up the hill, the 3 also would have run out of petrol by the time you were back at Bright (825km), possibly even whilst still climbing Mt Hotham (773km to the top). Hills don’t hurt a Diesel economy wise anywhere near as much as a petrol.

          Then for the trip back I filled up in the Western outskirts of Melbourne and drove to Newcastle without filling up. Ended up with 1226km on the clock when I did fill up. Worth it? Hell yes I say.

          I’ve never said the 3 is a bad car, and again I will say it isn’t, but I do not feel for me it is a better car. Also I could not stand walking out to that car eveyday and see that fugly grin, I seriously want to take a baseball bat to it…….. If you think that grin is nice, all well and good, but I don’t and never will, I hope in 1, 2, 4, 10 years time you still like the look of it, but I think alot of people will later wonder what they were thinking…………

          Regards

          Whitbomb07

          • Baji

            Well as long as your happy Whitbomb07, thats all that really matters. You had a choice, you did your research, and ended up with the car that best suited you :-)

            Oh and just something to mention – the 3 comes in a turbo diesel version as well, with more power and torque then the 1.6 in the i30. 110kw vs 85kw and 360nm vs 255nm with a fuel economy difference of only 1L/100km. The i30 has an auto though, which the mazda misses out on.

            Another reason why people may prefer the mazda3 over the i30 is because the i30 doesn’t have a sedan version – the closest thing is the elantra and that is inferior in every way to the i30.

          • vid_ghost

            Mazda 3 also comes in diesel with a 5 speeder and it has more power! whats your point? Find me one professional car review that has the i30 win over the Mazda 3 in a comparison I can find 10 that show the mazda 3 wins!… But you cant find ANY thats shows the reviewer picking the i30 over the mazda because they never do, they allways pick the mazda over the i30, Carolla, Lancer and so on… it only comes second to the golf. but that car costs almost 5k more END OF STORY! move along!

      • LessQQ

        Same reason rich people buy BMW/Mercedes than other brands that are top of the range (cheaper and better equipped in some cases).

        Prejudice will always play a part in what products we choose to buy. Korea simply hasn’t been the forefront of technological evolution and car manufacturing like Japan, nor is the Korean economy or political prowess in the world worthy of any attention.

        If BMW/Mercedes was purely after “profit” they would reduce the price of all of their cars and sell to the masses, they choose not to. Likewise Mazda chooses not to degrade itself to Hyundai’s level.

        Also Government purchases are heavily politicized, they will support car manufacturers such as Toyota/Holden/Ford because they have manufacturing plants in Australia and it flows back into the Australian Economy.

    • http://carAdvice The Salesman

      Is that why Mazda keeps winning COTY? Oh Wait, Hang on…….Well at least Mazda out sells i30. Um crap, no that’s not true either. So, what’s your point?
      Mazda would LOOOOOVE to win fleet sales but they charge to much.

      • Devil’s Advocate

        Which COTY are you talking about Salesman? Because Mazda have won more Wheels Car of the Year awards than Hyundai(arguably considered Australia’s premier car award, not that I agree with that). Mazda even won WORLD Car of the Year award in 2008 with the Mazda 2. How many of those have Hyundai won?? If you go to the Auto club “best cars” awards, Mazda have won their classes with the 2 one year, the 6 has won 3 times and the RX-8 once in 2003. Not too bad from one of the smaller mainstream car manufacturers in the world, much smaller than Hyundai.

        To say Mazda haven’t won any “COTY” awards demonstrates just how naive/blind you are.

        Note, I am NOT knocking Hyundai as they make great cars and I DO NOT for one second doubt their outstanding value for money etc. However if everyone drove an i30, what a boring looking world it would be! For info I was the one who actually suggested Whitbomb07 seriously consider the i30 when he was looking at new cars as I believed it was the car that BEST suited his requirements at that time bar none. And this is from a Mazda fan/owner…

  • http://ozmpsclub.com ozmpsclub

    Gee I didn’t realise you are so anal about the layout of the way I type……

    If I was the owner of Mazda I would rather sell a car to a private buyer than a penny pinching govo/fleet sale…

    I don’t think that its badge snobery its the private sales buyer using their heads and buying what is actually a better car….

  • maximark

    Mazda now makes it even harder for the Corolla to catch up. The Max is the best model to pick I think, if Mazda bring on once a year cap service I will buy one.

    • http://carAdvice The Salesman

      Exactly. Why is Mazda/Toyota still required to be serviced once every six months or 10Klms.
      Capped servicing is a marketing ploy. Once you book in the service department is trained to up sell you.

      • Devil’s Advocate

        It is not just Mazda and Toyota. You may need to extend your hate campaign! :-)

  • Eric

    I30′s long warranty is to keep the HY service dept booked for the 5 years to keep their warenty NOT coz they are a better car.

    It’s a ploy to keep customers loyal.

    M3 would be a huge fleet buyers car but MAZDA DONT WANT to sell at fleet price’s. It has nothing to do with fleet buyers thinking the M3 in not worthy.

    Eric

    • JEKYL & HYDE

      FINALLY SOMEONE HAS HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD..

      in real terms,it would only cost mazda about $500 to add a further 2 years warrenty(or ANY other car maker for that matter,holden did it with the cruze last month).but mazda figure no,why bother when they are selling well enough anyway,and there all full retails anyway.no disrespect whitbomb,but you deadset sound like the hyundai p.r.dept.take the blinkers off…

      • http://carAdvice The Salesman

        Currently Mazda is logging 195 warranty complaints per 100 units sold globally.
        Hyundai is logging 148. Can you now understand why Mazda doesn’t have a longer warranty? It would cost Mazda much more than $500.00
        Source JD Power – Car Advice Article, Reliability rankings defy public perception.
        Servicing can be done by ANY licensed mechanic and you will not void the warranty. Nothing is written to lock you into dealer servicing.

        • whitbomb07

          Jeez now you’ve gone and done it……… You’ve given them FACTS!

          Wouldn’t want the truth and facts to get in the way of a good story/badge snobbery/ignorance.

          Regards

          Whitbomb07

        • Devil’s Advocate

          Being a JD power survey I am guessing that is an American survey you are quoting. Whilst I am NOT doubting it or trying to make Hyundai’s reliability record sound worse (I agree Hyundais are quite reliable), there is something that has to be considered to help put those facts/figures into perspective. The majority of Mazda vehicles sold in the US are either made in the US (6, BT50) or Canada (3). Now we all now how good North America is at building cars…

          Whilst I am not saying it would be better OR worse with the Japanese built Mazdas, I would almost bet parts of my anatomy that the number of warranty complaints would be much closer to those figures of Hyundai and fewer than the US built Mazdas.

          At the end of the day, BOTH companies make great cars that suit different requirements. Some people seriously need to get over themselves… :-)

        • JEKYL & HYDE

          AH NO,

          $500 will pull it up.your in the game,salesman,ask any extended warrenty person its cost…

          • cfc

            Ford dropped the fleet discount with the AU Falcon in order to move thier image upmarket. Unfortunately it didn’t work for them because private buyers never liked it as much.

            The difference between the AU and the 3, however, is the 3 is a good looking car and doesn’t at all struggle for private sales. Therefore Mazda have made the right decision focussing on private sales. The i30 is a very good car as well, but a lot more fleet oriented.

            Mazda would rather move their brand image upmarket and sell fewer cars for a greater profit than sell more fleet. Hyundai don’t care and that’s fine by me but in the end I’d choose the Mazda because of the more upmarket styling.

          • cfc

            Ford dropped the fleet discount with the AU Falcon in order to move thier image upmarket. Unfortunately it didn’t work for them because private buyers never liked it as much.

            The difference between the AU and the 3, however, is the 3 is a good looking car and doesn’t at all struggle for private sales. Therefore Mazda have made the right decision focussing on private sales. The i30 is a very good car as well, but a lot more fleet oriented.

            Mazda would rather move their brand image upmarket and sell fewer cars for a greater profit than sell more fleet. Hyundai don’t care and that’s fine by me but in the end I’d choose the Mazda because of the more upmarket styling.

        • LessQQ

          Stop quoting useless American stats, they don’t apply here.

          Likewise Toyota had a massive recall in the US, but not Australia.

          Please, don’t quote useless facts.

          Face it ‘The Salesman’, you work for Hyundai, anything that you say is void because its biased and not impartial.

          And for ‘whitbomb07′, LOL YOU BOUGHT A HYNDAI. Do you smile and blow a kiss to the government/fleet Hyundai in the lane next to you?

  • Maxx

    Ok so i just brought a Mazda3 Maxx about a week or so ago and I have just seen this article. I have only put a deposit on the car, but signed the papers. Would I be able to get these extras and the discount on the car?

  • http://carAdvice The Salesman

    If you have left a deposit and signed and order then no. But talk to the dealer as i am sure they will want to maintain a long term relationship with you.

    • LessQQ

      Just like how you like to maintain “”long term (kiss kiss) relationships”" with your Hyundai buyers??

      LOL

  • Mike

    Could this get any uglier

    • whitbomb07

      They could put a Clowns wig and face paint on to match the grin………

      Regards

      Whitbomb07

  • HAL

    Whitmbomb, do you do any work? You’ve been trolling the Hyundai fan club crap all day on a Mazda article. You’re absolutely dreaming or have no heartbeat if you think the i30 should even be considered in the same breath as a Mazda 3. I had an i30 as a hire car last week – not bad, but certainly nothing special. The engine was seriously working hard to do the 110 speed limit. Overall the car was ok, but definitely not worthy of the 6hrs of fan-dom you and Salesman have dedicated to it today.

    • whitbomb07

      I’m a shift worker, today is my day off. Before you say go and get a life, I’m also working on photos (as I’m a photographer by hobby) hence why I’m in front of the computer, this is just to take a break.

      As for working hard to do the 110 I think your kidding yourself. I’ve driven the 2.0 petrol and 1.6 crdi and neither have any issues with doing 110.

      I haven’t been trolling, I’ve been giving facts. It’s no different to anything you Mazda Fan boys would do in a i30 thread………..

      Regards

      Whitbomb07

    • http://carAdvice The Salesman

      When was Mazda last voted COTY? Why all of a sudden has Mazda felt the urge to “Value Add” to the product?
      There is a panel of motoring industry experts that would love for you to tell them they are wrong. I am sure you are much more educated then they are. Mazda make a fantastic product. In fact I can not think of any of their products I don’t like. And as long as there are boffins like you in the world Mazda will always make a profit. But the smart money shops around for value and reliability.

      • Devil’s Advocate

        Mazda was last voted WORLD Car of the Year for the Mazda2 in 2008… ;-)

  • Chong

    Whitbomb, I thought this was an article about Mazda 3 revising their specs, but you have turned it into your love of Hyundai I30′s. They really aren’t in the class, some may think so, but most don’t. When it comes to private sales when your hard earned dollar does the talking, look where it goes – Mazda. Next you will be telling us that Great Wall utes are better than Tritons and Hiluxes.

    • whitbomb07

      Well Chong your turning this into a anti Whitbomb thread. What are you contributing to the topic? At best 1 claim which I have disproven with FACTS.

      When you actually have facts/hard evidence to either prove me wrong or to back yourself, please come back and present them.

      As for Great Wall being better than Triton and Hilux are you kidding? I wouldn\’t touch anything from Great Wall simply based on safety rating, not even thinking about anything else.

      Regards

      • Eric

        Thats the same reason people would not touch a HY 15 years ago.

        In I few years Great Wall and the like, will change the market the same way HY are doing now.

        Erix

  • Eric

    From the HY web site

    “* The warranty extension to Unlimited Kilometres is only applicable to vehicles purchased from 1/03/07 used for private and domestic uses and is not applicable to vehicles used for certain high mileage commercial purposes. i.e. Courier, Security and Rental Cars.”
    and
    “Maintain your Hyundai Factory Warranty It is important to have your new Hyundai serviced by a Hyundai Dealer to maintain your Hyundai 5 Year Unlimited Kilometre Warranty. That’s because damage directly caused by the fitment of non-genuine parts or inferior workmanship may not be covered under the terms of the warranty.”

    Fleet company’s don’t buy the HY’s for the warranty.

    From Mitsubishi web site
    “*10 year or 160,000km Powertrain Warranty (whichever comes first) (non transferable).”

    Who keep their car for more than 5 years.

    Mazda sales are from the private market as the FACTs prove. The private buyer will look at the detail for the car INCL price, drive, features, safety, resale, shape ect ect ect.

    The fleet buyer is a purchasing office getting quotes on the cheapest price for a given size or use. Cheapest quote wins.

    In order for any product to stay on top they have to evolve with the times.

    Eric

  • http://ozmpsclub.com ozmpsclub

    With all the banty and slinging off between Mazda and Hyundai fans has created an interesting article….with mixed opinions.

    On the spec upgrade the 3 diesel is looking like a great package…2.2lt 110kW 360Nm

    • ABMPSV

      Pity there is no auto gearbox!

      • Devil’s Advocate

        Blame the Europeans for that… :-)

    • whitbomb07

      Ozmpsclub

      Do you know why the engine delivers less performance and almost no economy improvement over the 6′s 2.2 engine?

      By itself it does sound great, but I keep looking at the 6 and can’t understand why.

      Regards

      Whitbomb07

      • Eric

        The M3 and M6 diesels weigh about the same they are a similar shape. So I guess they would use about the same amount of fuel.

        Eric

  • ABMPSV

    Mazda, Honda Hyundai..etc should increase sale because of Toyota quality problems. Last week I checked the Mazda 3 and inside looks very nice and quality is veru good too. Toyota recalls to continue in the Japanese car-maker on Wednesday announced a 50 thousand Sequoia calls off-road back to the United States. In a somewhat absurd situation, since the 2003 model year sport jeeps made a failure, due to the possibility to come in, the vehicle may cause an unexpected slowdown. The problem of electronic stability control (ESC) is caused by disorder. Mazda here is your chance!

    • No Speak Engrish

      ABMPSV – not sure what you are trying to say – hopefully you do

  • Eric

    Every one I know in bussness senece will try to upsell.

    Car sales people mechanics yes but also lawn mower people, dog washers, lawyers, Mcdonalds, airlines, jewlers, Pay TV, phone companys ect. Heck even the JP at my wedding upsold us.

    Eric

    • No Speak Engrish

      Sorry Eric, but you too need to go back to school. You obviously wagged the days of spelling and grammar – but, at least I can work out what you are saying though.

      • Eric

        Yea i guess.

        I lived in Norway for the 1st half of my teens so my gramma is poor.
        Sorry to have troubled you.

        Eric