[dinu01]

"I had another chance to try Mazda's Protegé replacement, the Mazda3. I had wondered whether my positive opinion of the car during the international press preview in Paris had been influenced by the French cuisine. Nope. The food at the hotel was actually pretty awful. The car, decisively, is not. Could the reign of the Honda's Civic as Canada's top-selling subcompact — top-selling car — be coming to an end?"

"A half-step up in size and price are the Mazda3, Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback, and Saturn Ion Quad Coupe. Of these, the Mazda3 is the most conventional, being a four-door sedan. But even it is designed and packaged with a degree of flair and innovation that you wouldn't have imagined even five years ago of a sub-$20,000 car - sub-$17,000 in base form. Check out the swooping roofline and the beautifully finished interior with its chrome-ringed gauges, three-spoke steering wheel and gorgeous materials, and your first impression would be this is a sport sedan, not an economy car. Drive it and you'd decide you were right. With a gutsy 2-litre engine and a terrifically tuned suspension, the 3 is as fun as a 3 from another market segment - the one BMW competes in."

http://thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Rende- r&c=Page&cid=1067943774406

Stay tuned for results and more in-depth reviews in the months to come. The winner will be announced at the Toronto Auto Show (Canadian Int'l) in February 2004.

 

[ADVAN]

I think MB3,BMW 5 series,VW Golf must be TOP3

 

[dinu01]

Not really. In Canada compacts rule so it will be a compact for this year. Last year the Altima won IIRC...

 

[schulkw]

Let's hope the 3 can follow in the 6's fifty awards.

 

[dinu01]

People's Choice Car of the Year Award

Please vote here

http://winnipegfreepress2.com/contests/autosurvey.shtml

 

[dinu01]

An article on the compact cars for AJAC's Car of the Year:

"his model replaces the Protegé, and in doing so, throws down the gauntlet to other manufacturers. This car has an exceptionally large trunk (the result of a compact rear suspension that doesn’t intrude into it), excellent interior room, comprehensive and attractive gauges and controls, and striking exterior design.

The 2.0-litre, 148 horsepower engine is quick and smooth and the car handles extremely well, even on the racetrack. Buyers will be pleased that the Mazda3 looks like it costs much more than its base price of $16,195, although you can quickly bump up the price with options. The interior, too, uses interesting and expensive-looking materials to create a tailored, modern look. Our test car with alloy wheels, air conditioning and other options would retail for $19,885. "

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/04economycars.htm

 

[dinu01]

Overall, the Mazda3 was my pick in this category. Its design, refinement, quality and features were very impressive. In my view, even in base specification at $16,160, this compact is a lot more car than a comparably priced sub-compact with extras. Mazda expects to sell about 45,000 Mazda3 sedans and hatchbacks each year in Canada. Regardless of the outcome, when the Car of the Year category winners are announced on Dec. 2, buyers in this segment should give it a look.

 

[atl]

I think it will.

 

[dinu01]

For the NA market, the Mazda3 has no REAL competitors andby that I don't mean appliances, but cars with a soul that are stylish, fun to drive and of course reliable.

 

[schulkw]

I want to see a picture of this "huge" trunk on the sedan b/c the deck lid sure looks short.

 

[dinu01]

2004 Canadian Car of the Year award winners announced

Toronto, Ontario - The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) announced the category winners in its annual Canadian Car of the Year awards at a press conference on Tuesday.

Mazda was the big winner with four awards - Best New Economy Car: Mazda3 sedan; Best New Family Vehicle: Mazda6; Best New Sports Coupe (under $35,000): Mazda3 Sport; and Best New Sports/Performance Vehicle: Mazda RX-8.

Infiniti won two awards - Best New MPV/Crossover Vehicle: Infiniti FX45; and Best New Sports Coupe (over $35,000): Infiniti G35 Coupe.

The remaining winners were:

* Best New Luxury Car: BMW 5 Series
* Best New Minivan: Toyota Sienna
* Best New Sport Utility Vehicle: Subaru Forester 2.5 XT
* Best New Pick-up: Ford F-150

The ten category winners were selected by a group of professional automotive writers who test drive, and report on, new vehicles in various media. Every year, this group of automotive experts meets at Shannonville Motorsport Park near Belleville, Ontario, for a four-day automotive "TestFest" based on "real-world" back-to-back testing.

The overall Canadian Car and Truck of the Year will be announced on February 11th, 2004 in conjunction with the official opening of the 2004 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Ontario. The Best New Design and Best New Technology winners will also be declared at that time.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/031203-1.htm

 

[Slalom]

ok explain to me how the Mazda3 Sport is a best new sports coupe under 35k? coupe? wha?

:?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

 

[dinu01]

Don't know. Last year the MazdaSpeed PRO won that same category...

 

[jintegra]

Here's an article regarding the competitors in this category:
AJAC "Under $35,000 Coupe or Sedan" - http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/5under35.htm