Mazda really raised the bar with this car’s interior – not only in relation to the previous-generation Mazda 3 but for the wider family hatchback segment to boot. More impressively, in the four years the car has been on sale, no rival has really managed to match it, not even the supposedly more premium BMW 1 Series or Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Comparing it with the Volkswagen Golf or Vauxhall Astra, there’s simply no contest.
A key aspect of the 3’s appeal is the balance Hiroshima’s team of designers has managed to strike between clean minimalism, user-friendliness and some excellent material choices. The terraced fascia is notably free from clutter, with only practical controls for the climate system being retained. These are not only laid out in a pleasingly neat and symmetrical fashion, they impress for tactile quality too – a trait common to all of the Mazda’s interior switchgear.
Elsewhere, the infotainment screen sits comfortably within the driver’s eyeline, its gracefully sculpted border complementing the tidy, flowing curves of multi-layered dashtop that swoop away from the crisp, predominantly analogue instrument binnacle. A combination of leather, leatherette and darker soft-touch plastics are used to great effect, while gloss-black plastic and touches of polished chrome brightwork further contribute to the cabin’s general air of classy, inviting sophistication.