Sleek, elegant and sporty – these are just a few of the characteristics of the Mazda 3 2,0 litre Astina Plus.
Cruising the streets of Windhoek in the red hot semi-sports car is certainly a breeze. Everything about the vehicle speaks elegance, comfort and luxury with a sporty twist.
The development of cars is moving in a direction where machine and man almost become one, bringing wits and technology together to deliver safety and ease with every trip. The Mazda 3 also falls in this category of new-age vehicles.
With lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and a rearview camera as well as smart city brake support and adaptive LED headlights, your chances of putting yourself or other passengers and vehicles in danger is considerably decreased.
Sometimes the car is almost too comfortable for my liking, but that’s just because I’m not a guy for automatic transmission. With 2,0 litre engine capacity, the Mazda 3 is not short of power, delivering 120kW at 6 000rpm and torque of 210Nm at 4 000, and it would have been much more exhilirating to be more in control of that power with a manual transmission gearbox. But hey, that’s just me.
Both as a passenger and driver, comfort and relaxation are part of the package. An infotainment system fitted with a large screen situated in the centre of the dash makes it accessible for everyone in the car to enjoy. This system puts you in touch and in charge of the audio system and Bluetooth connectivity with a touch screen as well a central rotary commander, which doesn’t require you take your eyes of the road, not to mention the voice command to further extend the effortless control.
In a city where everyone is constantly on the move, fuel economy is a major aspect to look at for those interested in buying a new car. With dual drive modes, the Mazda 3 enables you to either be sporty or exceptionally fuel economical with the intergrated full suit of SkyActiv Technology.
SkyActiv is a brand name for a series of technologies developed by Mazda which increase fuel efficiency and engine output. The initial announcement of the SkyActiv technologies included new engines, transmissions, body, and chassis, which appeared in Mazda products from 2011. Other features such as i-Stop save even more fuel by switching off the engine when the car comes to a halt and restarting it the moment the car starts moving again.
For nimble handling, the front strut and rear-mulit link suspension use firmer bushings and revised geometry to deliver a lightweight frame which unleashes sporty agility, smooth riding and confident steering.
With a sleek black interior to match the sexy red paint, the Mazda 3 Astina Plus is not only a pleasure to look at, but also to drive with all the technological and mechanical face-lifts packed into the vehicle. Though it might not look big from the outside, the interior is spacious and luxurious. Mazda vehicles are backed with a three-year unlimited kilometre factory warranty, three-year unlimited roadside assistance plan and a service plan which covers three years regardless of mileage. This operates alongside the unlimited kilometre warranty.
The Mazda 3 Astina Plus is a lovely piece of automobile innovation and manufacturing, but it all comes down to personal taste – find out if this car is for you by taking it for a spin.
