Defining what “zoom-zoom” really means.

According to Wikipedia, zoom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoom) is an onomatopoeiac sound that indicates swiftness. It’s that thing that tells our senses that we are going fast. Japanese carmaker Mazda used the word and multiplied it by two to give us a word (or two) that defines “emotion of motion” that is inherent in its cars. The Japanese carmaker wants to stir our emotions through motion, and only their vehicles can induce that.

In 2002, Mazda launched the Mazda 6 (or Atenza in the Japanese market) and gave us a feel of what “zoom-zoom” is all about. As reviewed in the very famous motoring show “Top Gear”, the car is the Japanese BMW; a far more affordable one at that. Mazda didn’t stop with that car and started to apply the same philosophy in designing their upcoming cars. This paved the way for the birth of its biggest hit, the compact car contender, Mazda 3.

 

After it was launched in 2004, the 3 has been praised for its great performance, styling, and interior. In a highly competitive compact car market and 8 years down the road, is the first-generation Mazda 3 still relevant?

Our family has been looking for a great compact car, and we’ve picked the base model Mazda 3 1.6S as one. But is it really any good? In the looks department, the car is just as breathtaking as when I’ve first laid my eyes on it when it was launched. The BMW-esque body shell is stylish, the cool Lexus-inspired clear headlamps and tail lamps are a marvel to look at.

  

Even the sloping rear door window design can leave you staring at the car and wanting to get your hands in it. The interior is still funky and modern despite the car’s age. As for the looks department alone, the car can very much still get it on with the cars of today. You get power everything—door locks, windows, side mirrors, and steering. You even get steering wheel-mounted audio controls that you can use to play with the decent-sounding 4-speaker car audio unit.

The trims surprisingly don’t feel too plasticky, something you don’t expect from the cheapest model. It had combinations of black, gray, silver and piano black accents here and there. The seats are rather comfortable and simple.

In the performance side of things, it isn’t really something that’s rave worthy. The engine, despite it having twin cams, 16-valves, and Mazda’s Sequential Valve Timing or SVT—only manages to produce 103 horses and 144 newton-meters of torque. 

It also is still equipped with a 4-speed triptronic automatic transmission, worlds away from the 5-speed and 6-speed automatics offered today. (UPDATE: A Ford pick-up now has 10 forward gears in its transmission; makes the 4-speed even jurassic)

 The car’s fuel consumption isn’t the best in its class. Most people actually found its 7-8 km/liter consumption, rather thirsty.

So other than it's great looks inside and out, is there really anything that's really good about this car? Apparently there is, and this is what made owners and pundits fall deeply in love with it.

Despite all of those figures miserably failing to excite enthusiasts, the car still doesn’t disappoint at all. Mazda’s been known for engineering cars that handles well and the 3 is no exception. The first time I drove the 3 and took the Ortigas Flyover going to the Greenhills area at 60kph didn’t disappoint me. There was very minimal body roll despite the car being heavy. Whenever you’d move the steering wheel, you’d feel the car response instantaneously and change directions. The steering wheel has great feel compared to electronic power steering systems employed in other cars. The manu-matic function of the transmission also feels quite good despite suffering from lag whenever you use it. The brakes feel reassuring, the engine pulls and just builds up speed without you noticing it. The car feels planted and stable even in the highway at speeds over 100 kph.

While it doesn’t have all of the bells and the whistles the other compact cars have. Even though the performance figures of the vehicle aren’t really exciting, it does one thing that other cars in the same price point fail to provide: It is one great-handling car. The car offers better driving feel, compensating for its rather unimpressive performance figures. It gives you the feeling that you are actually running faster than you really are. It gives you that different feeling of being on the move and it gives off that sporty vibe that you won’t get anywhere else. Other than high maintenance costs (casa charges a premium for preventive maintenance) and not so impressive fuel consumption, the car really lives up to its promise. It is a good car for its price. Now who says you have to break speed records just to feel fast? The 3 gives you the feeling that you’re on the move fast when you’re actually not. Despite its old age, the great feeling that only the Mazda 3 is something that you won’t get somewhere else. And if only for that, Mazda’s promise of Zoom-zoom is achieved and realized.