The Piston Mazda
When we hear Mazda the first thing that comes to mind is the rotary powered RX sportscars. A crazy, eccentric technology at best, the rotary has for years been Mazda's claim to being different. But Mazda makes some amazing conventionally powered piston engine cars that go bang in four cycles. Enter the Axela, also known as the Mazda3.
Mazda has been conspicuously absent from our market despite having a good lineup of models. The grey market offers sporadic lots of some of the more popular models. The first generation Axela (2003-2008) was a reasonably big hit in the Bangladeshi market for its then innovative styling. There were a lot of these cars running around because they offered a little something different from your everyday garden variety cars. Sharper ride and styling were prime reasons to opt for the car. There was a lull in the past couple of years, but recently we've started seeing a lot of the second gen models in the showrooms. So we got hold of one to see what it's like and if it's any different than before.
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The car now borrows heavily on the friendly face theme of Mazda's corporate design language. Look at the front and you're presented with a slightly manic smiling face. You see this same face on the slightly insane RX8s. It's a corporate family thing but the design works, the car looks sharp and contemporary without having that dated feel. This is a car that will have a lot of pictures taken on the floodlit roads of Hatirjheel.
While most new cars of this segment have gone for the bulky cab-forward design, this retains some of the car shaped proportions we love: a decently long hood and a short deck. The inside of this car borrows quite a bit from the Mazda Atenza (aka Mazda6), the seats are firm and the dash layout is simple yet very functional.
It comes with the 1.6-liter engine delivering about 105hp and 107 lb/ft of. That's not as much power as I'd like to expect from a car of this displacement but then, numbers on paper aren't always the same as the real life delivery.
The car accelerates with a little hesitation in the beginning but from the second gear on from 2500rpm upward, the car gets a gentle kick up its backside. The car speeds up gradually making its visual heft feel light, sprightly. The meaty steering wheel provides decent feedback from the road. It's a refreshing change from the numb feel of its more popular contemporaries from other brands.
The car rides on aftermarket 18 inch BBS replicas. Looks great, but you would think the ride would be harsh, noisy and jarring. It's none of those things. I took the car around the heavily potholed DITF road and the car soaked up the bumps with relative ease despite the low, low profile rubber. This is a daily driver although the stock yet low ride height means all speed breakers in our country have to be taken at an angle.
Verdict: It looks good and has the right physical proportions that make the large shape feel less bulky. Ride is very comfortable, easily soaks up our massive potholes without much noise getting inside.
The power figures are low on paper but the delivery is quick. This is a zippy midsize car you won't get tired of driving around. It's also very fuel efficient with the tiptronic gears making life a little more interesting when you're in the mood.
This was bought for 35 lakhs back in 2012. You should look into the current Mazda Axela hatchback in the market. If you want more power, current tax rates should make the much more powerful 2.0 available at decent rates.
Owner: Saadman Sadat Hossain
Hails from: Green Road
Currently: Studying A-levels.
Specs
2010 Mazda Axela
Engine: 1.6 liter 4 cylinder petrol engine.
Numbers: 105 HP @6000 rpm, 107 lb-ft torque @4000 rpm.
Brakes: All wheel disc brakes.
Wheels and tires:225/40 R-18 tires,18 inch aftermarket BBS wheels.
Price: 26-28 lakh taka for the Mazda Axela.
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