CIRCULATING IN WANGARATTA, BENALLA, MYRTLEFORD, BRIGHT, MT BEAUTY, BEECHWORTH, YACKANDANDAH, RUTHERGLEN, CHILTERN AND DISTRICTS
NORTH EAST
March 6, 2015
available online - wangarattachronicle.com.au
PRINTED FORTNIGHTLY — VOLUME 468
2015 Mazda 3 Touring Storypage3
MAZDA3 XD ASTINA: The new model provides an attractive combination of performance and fuel efficiency.
Oil-fired power in upmarket Mazda 3 I
t’s a measure of the worth of diesel power in passenger vehicles over the past decade that Mazda has anointed its popular Mazda3 with an oil burner, the XD Astina. Powered by a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine mated with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, the hatchback offers an attractive combination of performance and fuel efficiency – all at a cost of $940 below last year’s launch price. With class-leading power output of 129 kW, and 420 Nm of torque, the diesel
By DEREK OGDEN engine also takes i-Stop and i-Eloop, Mazda’s regenerative braking system, to help the manual version achieve fuel efficiency as low as 5.0 litres per 100km, an improvement of 12 per cent over the previous, less powerful, diesel engine. Among price cuts this month across much of the Mazda3 range, the XD Astina manual, now at $39,290 and Astina automatic, $41,290, have both come down by $940.
Up there in stylish street presence with the petrol-powered Mazda3 SP25 Astina, the new XD Astina holds its own with 18-inch bright alloy wheels, LED foglamps, a black painted lower rear bumper, a red accent around the front grille and black leather seats with suede trim. The present Mazda3 introduces head-up windscreen display, projecting driving information onto the windscreen directly in front of the driver without he or she having to look away from the road ahead. The focal point is 1.5 metres in front of
the driver’s eye point and requires minimal eye movement to focus. Info displayed includes vehicle speed, automatic cruise control speed settings, navigation turn-by-turn, plus various safety alerts among other things. Aboard a Mazda3 for the first time is Commander control, which accesses vehicle systems via a knob and cluster of switches on the centre console linked to the 7-inch display screen on the central dashboard. Continued page 2
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March 6, 2015
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PREDATOR Off Road Pop Top, Dec. 2010 build,very low klm, cutaway back with checker plate sides, front and back. Simplicity suspension, 15" tyres, (2 x spare), dual water tanks, 2 x 9 kg gas bottles, 12v system dual batteries, 3 way fridge, stove with grill & oven, range hood, microwave, r/c air conditioner, TV/DVD, radio, island bed, blinds, fly screens, outdoor shower, picnic table, ext. gas bayonet, roll out awning, hot water system. Van has been garaged 1996 Lancer 2 door 5 since new. $36,500 neg. speed manual, full body Ph 0418 375 934. kit, sports exhaust, mag wheels, 129,700 kms, reg. May 2015, reg. Swq 690, lady driver, reliable car, $3800 neg. Phone (03) 5752 2375.
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2003 Jayco Heritage 23ft, double bed/East West, large wardrobes, separate shower toilet ensuite, 150lt fridge, oven, hotplate gas, electric hotplate, full annexe, roll-out awning. Sale due to downsize. $29,500. Ph 0429 336 299.
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Oil-fired power in upmarket Mazda 3
From page 1 The system also allows, via a smartphone, access to Internet HYUNDAI Coupe SX OFFROAD Spacematic radio such as Aha, Pandora and 2D hatchback, dark Cub camper, 2006, Stitcher, and can read email and blue, 2L twin cam, q u e e n s i z e b e d , good cond, sale as is innerspring mattress, short messages aloud while the no rego $900. Eng. inside kitchen, BBQ and vehicle is in motion using text-toG4GMV369076. Ph pantry, deluxe awning, voice technology. It can also read aloud the latest 0413 774 612 or 5721 good condition, $11,000 ono. Ring after 5pm Twitter tweets and Facebook 7600. 0427 251 576. news feed entries, and post T O Y O TA C a m r y audio messages using the Shout C o n q u e s t , 2 0 0 2 , function and, being a high-end 232,000 kms, 4 cyl. vehicle, a Bose premium audio a u t o , f u l l s e r v i c e system with Bose Centrepoint 2 history, a/c, p/s, c/c, virtual surround sound playback CALAIS 2003 VY, elderly owners, VGC, 230,000km, new rub- (RQV981), $3000. Ph technology is fitted. The engine, which puts out 129 ber, reg. Dec. 15, 0419 614 150. kW of power at 4500 rpm and 420 RWC, excellent cond., (1DS4YL), $6900. Ph VISCOUNT popup Nm of torque at a reasonably low 0438 217 103. caravan, liftup double 2000 revs, makes use of a twobed, good condition, stage turbocharger. $7000 negotiable. Ph A small blower operates at low COROMAL Seka 475 5721 5016. engine speeds, and alternates pop-up, 1998, single with the large turbo at mid-range beds, awning, elec speeds to maintain optimum boost. brakes, ind suspension, Vehicle At higher speeds the large unit big kitchen, excellent Advertisers takes over to supply boost to the c o n d i t i o n , v i c r e g Guidelines greater mass of air the system (F88719), $11,950. Ph Vendors of motor cars must handle. 0407 513 655. advertised for sale This, coupled with a low must include in their compression ratio minimises advertisement exhaust emissions, while • Cash price of For all your maintaining decent performance motor car classified and fuel economy. advertising • If car is registered, Standard safety equipment needs registration number includes Dynamic Stability • If unregistered, the engine number Control, Anti-lock Braking • Dealers require and Electronic Brake-force LMCT Ph 03 5723 0101 Distribution, the Mazda XD Astina
is also fitted with Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, High Beam Control, Lane Departure Warning, Radar Cruise Control, Smart Brake Support, Forward Obstruction Warning and Smart City Brake Support. Gear ratios have been fashioned to manage the generous torque on tap resulting in snappy going off the mark, effortless overtaking and relaxed cruising at highway speeds. Mazda claims the XD automatic is capable of getting diesel consumption down to 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined urban / highway cycle. That’s around what many petrol / electric hybrid vehicles manage. The automatic test vehicle chopped that to 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres cruising the motorway, but rose to seven litres-plus when tackling city traffic. The car sat low and steady on the road despite being put through some rapid and harsh manoeuvres, reacting to steering input positively. Indeed, the XD Astina exhibited exemplary ride and handling characteristics, creating a calm cabin ambience. First introduced in 2003, the Mazda3 has become a core element of the Japanese company’s sales with more than 3.9 million units let loose on roads around the world.
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March 6, 2015
2015 Mazda 3 Touring: a great ride By PETER ANDERSON
W
hen Mazda’s dumpy 323 morphed into the striking 3 everything changed in the small car market in Australia. Obviously this wasn’t Mazda’s first attempt at a small hatchback, but as reinventions went, it was a good one. Mazda’s 90s design mojo was back, it was well-equipped and the range eventually got a halo car in the form of the completely bonkers MPS. It was also noisy and thirsty. Now in its third generation, the Mazda3 has settled in at the top end of the sales charts, often right at the pinnacle. But is it buyers’ inertia that keeps it there or is its place deserved? The Mazda3 range starts with the aggressively priced Neo. Powered by a 2.0-litre four cylinder, the front-wheel-drive six-speed starts the bidding at $20,490. The 2.0-litre stays with the $22,990 Maxx and mid-range Touring before being pumped up to 2.5 litres for the SP25 warm hatch. The 3’s range-topper is the curious diesel hot hatch, the XD. Our test car is the mid-spec Touring hatch. In manual form it weighs in at $25,490 while our six-speed automatic added a further $2000 to take it to $27,490. It’s packed with stuff – sixspeaker stereo; dual-zone climate control; rearview camera; keyless entry and start; cruise control; sat-nav; auto headlights and wipers; hill holder; voice control; internet bridging with your mobile; partial leather trim; and power windows and mirrors. Intriguingly, only Soul Red metallic paint is an extra-cost paint option at an unusually
MAZDA: Its best-seller is improving with age.
It’s a sober design but very functional. The only letdown is the instrument pack - crammed into a pod with a central dial and two “wings” (strangely reminiscent of the grille of a first-gen Subaru Tribeca), it’s not the clearest example of the breed. The driver has plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel while passengers all benefit from plenty of head and legroom as well as an abundance of spots to put their bits and pieces. The 3’s five star safety rating is assisted by six airbags; ABS; traction and stability control; brake assist and brake force distribution; and load-limiting front seat belts. The six speakers are powered by an infotainment system controlled either by
reasonable $200. Also available is a $1500 Safety Pack with collision mitigation braking, blind spot sensors and a warning for cars approaching when you’re backing out of a parking spot. The Mazda3 takes on the fluid Kodo design of the Mazda6 and as a result is one of the best looking hatches on the market. The Touring spec adds 16inch alloy wheels, spoiler and a few chrome bits to replace the plastic. Despite its lithe looks, it’s spacious inside and out, with a big boot and easy entry for people of all shapes and sizes. The interior is very wellexecuted and put together but hard plastic phobics may not appreciate the feel of some of the materials, despite them looking good.
the 7-inch touch screen or a suspiciously BMW iDrive-y rotary dial on the console. The dial is very easy to use. The Mazda MZD Connect system allows you to stream music over your mobile data as well as from your phone and, depressingly, can also bring other people’s ugly baby photos and annoying memes from Facebook. It will also read out emails and texts as well as featuring voice commands for switching between functions. The ‘3 is powered by Mazda’s SkyActiv G 2.0-litre fourcylinder. Producing 114 kW of power and 200 Nm of torque, the official combined figure of 5.8 litres per 100km is supposedly achievable with the help of stop-start and energy recovery. We saw 8.3 L/100km in
almost purely urban running with a quick highway run. The stop-start performed well under heavy attack from stifling humidity, when the engine had to be re-activated to keep the air-con running. The Mazda3 has always been one of those cars that does the right things to keep a lot of people happy behind the wheel. While the current SP and former MPS models add a bit of dynamism to the chassis, the Touring (and Maxx and Neo) take the fork in the road marked ‘comfort’ rather than ‘hoot.’ That’s no bad thing, either, because ‘hoot’ can also mean a compromised ride that detracts from the car’s role as a family runabout. The Touring, despite rolling on 16-inch alloys, is a
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FINANCE TO APPROVED PURCHASERS ONLY. Particulars are for information only and does not guarantee loans or constitute a loan application. Monthly payments are based on a secured consumer loan over 84 months @ 10.00% with 20% deposit (to approved purchasers). Fees and charges apply. Annual percentage rate may vary. Please consult One Mile Motors on (03) 5721 5677 during normal business hours. “WARNING: This comparison rate applies only to the example given. Different amounts & terms will result in different comparison rates and may influence the cost of the loan.” LMCT 1060
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smooth riding, safely handling hatchback that compares well with the class benchmark, the VW Golf. While a Golf will show it the way with overall better tyres, brakes and steering, the Mazda3 will stay at the front of the rest of the pack. The steering is very well weighted and the controls have just enough feel to let you know what’s going on without being too enthusiastic. Unless you’re pressing on, the well-tuned electric steering sends the nose in the intended direction without drama and the transmission is more than able to keep up with the demands of squirting in and out of traffic, the engine happily spinning away. There’s an echo of that first generation ‘3 - the front suspension is still noisier than any of its competition and tyre noise and road rumble invade the cabin a little more forcefully than others. It’s far better than both previous generations, however, both of which became very wearing on longer trips. On the open road, the road noise can climb a little, especially over coarse chip or concrete, but a few notches on the stereo will banish most of it. The Mazda3 does the important things really well - great space and comfort, plenty of equipment and a much-improved cabin. The aggressive pricing also ensures it meets spirited competition from Hyundai, VW and Toyota, giving you little excuse to choose based on price alone. It’s very easy to see why it does so well in Australia - the combination of pretty looks, competent chassis and valuefor-money that extends to servicing and running costs means a low-fuss experience.
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