2019 Mazda 3 Sedan 2.0 SkyActiv High Plus Review

In Malaysia's C-segment sedan market, consumers are increasingly clear about their demands for design quality, safety features, and practicality in space. They desire smoothness for daily commuting while also expecting multifaceted functionality for family use. The 2019 Mazda 3 Sedan 2.0 SkyActiv High Plus, as one of the popular models in this segment, emphasizes its KODO design language, comprehensive active safety features, and class-leading wheelbase performance as its core selling points. This time, we conducted a real vehicle test drive, evaluating it comprehensively from static experience to dynamic performance to see if it can meet the core needs of local consumers.

From the exterior, this car continues Mazda's iconic KODO 2.0 design language, with overall smooth lines and a muscular appearance. The front adopts a large-sized shield-shaped grille, paired with glossy chrome trim and sharp LED headlights on both sides, giving it a high visual recognition; the headlights integrate daytime running lights that illuminate evenly when turned on. The side profile of the car is well-proportioned, with a waistline extending from the front fender to the rear connecting through the door handles, complemented by 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels to enhance its sporty vibe; the door handles are body-colored and come equipped with a keyless entry function, making daily use convenient. The rear of the car features a compact design, with horizontally laid-out LED taillights echoing the front design; the lower part of the rear bumper is equipped with chrome trim, with reverse radar sensors embedded on both sides, creating a simple yet refined style.

Inside the car, the interior adopts a symmetrical layout with black as the main tone, complemented by silver trims and soft-touch materials to create a good sense of quality. The top of the dashboard is made of soft-touch moulded materials, while the inner door panels where the elbows rest are wrapped in leather, providing a comfortable touch. The center console is equipped with an 8.8-inch floating touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, with good operational fluency; underneath the screen, several physical buttons are retained for controlling the air conditioning and multimedia features, enabling convenient blind operation. The instrument cluster combines digital and analog designs, with the tachometer on the left, speedometer on the right, and a 7-inch colored display in the middle that shows information such as fuel consumption and the status of driver assistance systems. A standard HUD (head-up display) system can project critical information such as speed and navigation to enhance driving safety. Regarding seating, the driver's seat supports 10-way electric adjustment with two memory settings, the leather seats provide good support, and the padding is moderately firm. The front passenger seat is manually adjustable, and the rear seats support a 60/40 split fold, offering about two fist-widths of legroom and around one fist-width of headroom for passengers up to 175 cm tall, which meets the daily needs of families. The rear row is equipped with independent air conditioning vents and USB charging ports, enhancing passenger comfort. In terms of storage space, the front central armrest box is relatively spacious, door panel storage compartments can hold bottled water, and the trunk offers a volume of 444 liters, with the option to expand storage by folding down the rear seats, making it highly practical.

In terms of performance, this car is equipped with a 2.0L naturally aspirated engine, delivering a maximum power of 164PS/6000rpm and a maximum torque of 213N·m/4000rpm, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. During daily driving, the power response in the initial phase is smooth, with linear throttle calibration that provides a pleasant acceleration feeling with just a light press; during mid to high-speed stages (80-120km/h), when overtaking, pressing the accelerator pedal deeply makes the transmission actively downshift, ensuring a continuous power output that meets the needs of highway cruising and overtaking. The transmission's shift logic is clear, and its upshifts and downshifts are smooth, with almost no noticeable jerks; the steering wheel features manual paddle shifters, which, when switched to manual mode, respond swiftly to gear changes, enhancing driving pleasure.

In terms of handling, the steering wheel offers precise steering with minimal play. It feels light at low speeds and heavier at higher speeds, providing the driver with sufficient confidence. The suspension system adopts a front MacPherson independent suspension and rear multi-link independent suspension. It is tuned towards comfort without losing support. When driving over bumpy roads, the suspension effectively filters out road vibrations, maintaining stable body posture. During cornering, body roll is well-controlled, and the tires provide excellent grip (215/45 R18 tires). Overall, the handling performance is at an upper-mid level among models in its class. The braking system is stable, the brake pedal offers a linear feel, and the braking distance is moderate, ensuring safety in daily driving.

In terms of safety features, the car is equipped with 7 airbags (front dual airbags, side airbags, front and rear curtain airbags, knee airbags), ABS anti-lock braking system, vehicle stability control, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, and other active safety systems, providing comprehensive safety performance. The rich driving assistance features, including front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree surround view camera, automated parking, and hill-start assist, enhance the convenience of daily driving.

As for fuel consumption, after testing on urban congested roads (about 30%) and highways (about 70%), the combined fuel consumption is approximately 7.8L per 100 kilometers, which is close to the officially given 7.6L/100km. The fuel economy performance is excellent among naturally aspirated models in the same class.

In terms of NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) control, the vehicle exhibits low engine noise at idle. During high-speed cruising (120 km/h), wind noise and tire noise are kept within an acceptable range, resulting in good overall cabin quietness. Regarding seat comfort, the front seats provide good support, making it less tiring for long drives, while the rear seats feature soft padding and a moderately angled backrest, suitable for long journeys.

In conclusion, the core strengths of the 2019 Mazda 3 Sedan 2.0 SkyActiv High Plus lie in its high aesthetics brought by the KODO design language, comprehensive active safety features, spacious rear seating, and good fuel economy. Compared with competitors in the same class (such as the Toyota Corolla Altis and Honda Civic), this car has advantages in design quality and driving pleasure, along with more comprehensive safety features. However, the rear legroom is slightly less than that of the Civic, and its performance is similar to that of the Corolla Altis.

This car is suitable for family users who value design aesthetics, safety features, and smooth driving, especially those who frequently travel with family members. Additionally, its commendable handling and sporty exterior can also meet the needs of younger consumers.

Overall, the 2019 Mazda 3 Sedan 2.0 SkyActiv High Plus is a well-rounded C-segment sedan that performs well in terms of design, safety, space, and power, making it a suitable choice for consumers seeking a comprehensive vehicle.