2019 Mazda 3 First Drive

How do you take down a titan? Most will simply wait around for what remains of the Avengers to figure it out. For Mazda, it's beating Subaru at its own game. For decades, Subaru built its brand on having a lineup of vehicles equipped exclusively with all-wheel drive (the Toyota-codeveloped BRZ sports car notwithstanding). AWD all the time made it easy for buyers in the mountains or upper half of the country to find a car that could conquer icy road conditions. Now Mazda is stepping into the fray with the new 2019 Mazda 3. While front-wheel drive remains standard, both sedan and hatchback body styles offer an AWD powertrain. We attended a press event in Lake Tahoe, California, to see how the Mazda 3's new all-wheel-drive system performed in the snow and on dry pavement.

Snow Days

Our test began on a snow-blanketed course designed to highlight the difference between the Mazda 3's front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive powertrains. The first car, a front-drive sedan with all-season tires, showed aptitude at low speeds but had trouble gaining traction on hills. A similar model riding on winter rubber fared better, exhibiting quicker steering responses and better handling. The winner, however, was undoubtedly the AWD-equipped Mazda 3 with winter tires. The extra traction from the rear kept the car on a tidy line around turns. Though the course was hardly demanding, it clearly showed the benefits of AWD in limited traction situations.

We also drove a Mazda 3 with the G-Vectoring Control (GVC) system disabled. The GVC feature — added to the previous Mazda 3 in 2017 — slightly reduces engine torque when the wheel is turned to improve steering response. A GVC defeat button is not available in production models, but a Mazda engineer disabled the system using a laptop with special software to highlight GVC's effects. The difference is immediately noticeable in a back-to-back comparison. With GVC enabled, the vehicle reacts quicker to steering wheel inputs, and you don't need to turn the wheel as much to elicit the desired response.

On the Road Again

Shortly after the AWD demo, we embarked on a 200-mile trip north to Route 49, then southwest to Sacramento. The majority of the drive was spent on the twisty roads surrounding the Tahoe National Forest, which is an ideal place to show off the Mazda 3's handling prowess.

The 3 has always been one of the most enjoyable small cars to drive. We were concerned that the switch from last year's multilink rear suspension to the 2019 model's less sophisticated torsion beam rear suspension would dull the driving experience. But the 3 feels as sharp as ever. There's body roll to be sure, but the Mazda 3 is far better controlled and less floppy than other compact sedans and hatchbacks.

Traveling at higher speeds is similarly worry-free. The new 3 feels stable on the highway and needs very little correction to keep it tracking straight. Tire noise ramps up noticeably with the increase in speed, but wind and engine noise is fairly subdued. The new car is also more comfortable than the old version. Impacts aren't as harsh, and the ride quality is a little more pleasant. It strikes a perfect balance between sporty and secure.

Upmarket Interior

The previous Mazda 3 was a paragon of interior design and materials quality, and the 2019 model is even more so. Soft-touch plastics and leatherette are used extensively to create a cabin that looks far more upscale than competitors. Hard plastics are mostly absent from touch points and, if they are present, it's usually for a decorative aluminum or piano-black trim piece. Leather combinations for the top Premier trim levels consist of black or ivory for the sedan, while the hatchback offers black or a new red interior treatment.

Previous Mazda 3 owners will notice several changes to the cabin besides just the improved materials. Mazda says the front seats are redesigned and shaped to follow the natural curvature of one's spine better. Based on our experience, it seems to be effective as the driver's seat remained comfortable and supportive after hours of driving.

The infotainment system is also new. The display screen is now integrated with the dashboard and set closer to the windshield. Its location directly in the driver's line of sight makes it easier to see at a glance. Controlling it now requires using the knob just aft of the shifter — the previous screen could be used as a touchscreen when the car was stopped — but we don't really miss the touchscreen functionality. The placement of the screen and reliance of the knob has all been done with the intention of minimizing driver distraction.

The new interior isn't totally alien, however. As with the previous model, one of the Mazda's literal shortcomings is the lack of rear-seat space. The new 3 makes the Honda Civic feel absolutely cavernous in comparison. There are no rear air vents, and the 3 doesn't offer snazzy accouterments such as rear-seat heaters. These omissions, along with a lack of height or lumbar adjustment for the front passenger seat, reinforce the impression that the Mazda 3 is all about putting the driver first.

The practicality deficiency is echoed in the relatively compact cargo area. The sedan's trunk measures 13.2 cubic feet. That's smaller than the Civic's, but it holds slightly more than the Subaru Impreza's. As expected, the hatchback fares better at 20.1 cubic feet but is smaller than most competing hatchbacks. Moreover, the hatchback's elevated liftover height might make it difficult to remove heavy items from the cargo area. On the bright side, the rear seats fold nearly flat and don't require moving the front seats forward, even when they're set for a tall driver.

Pricing and Release Date

Pricing for the Mazda 3 is typically higher if you're comparison shopping against standard compact cars. The sedan's MSRP starts at $21,920 (including destination), which is nearly $1,000 more than an automatic-equipped Civic and a fair bit more than a comparable Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte or Toyota Corolla. The kicker, though, is the all-wheel-drive version, which isn't available on the sedan's base trim. If all you want is an AWD sedan, you're looking at $24,920 for the Mazda 3 with the Select package. (The AWD hatchback is available in the base trim and starts at $25,895.) For reference, the all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza with an automatic transmission starts at $20,480.

No doubt about it — the 2019 Mazda 3 is more expensive than its primary rivals and isn't as practical. But it's also considerably more luxurious and more fun to drive. In its upper trims, the Mazda 3's cabin looks just as nice as that of some entry-level luxury cars, and that's really what sets it apart from the crowd. If you're cross-shopping against the Audi A3 or BMW 230i, you might even find the Mazda's cabin looks more upscale. You won't get the luxury badge or a sweet turbocharged engine, but the Mazda feels just as good to drive and is easier on the wallet.

The 2019 Mazda 3 is on sale now in sedan and hatchback body styles, with a front- or all-wheel-drive powertrain.