est gear changes in the class.
That a Mazda stick shift is terrific
would surprise no one who’s snicked a
Miata or RX-8 through its gears. But
since most buyers choose an automatic,
the other new transmission is the big-
ger story: Combining a conventional
fluid torque converter, which operates
below 5 m.p.h., with a multiplate clutch
that mimics the directness of an auto-
mated manual, this smart, seamless
transmission proves that innovation
isn’t the province of luxury cars alone.
I should note how the Mazda ampli-
fies the good and the bad of competi-
tors, including the Ford Focus. Yes, in
a class of cars that are able and prac-
tical but barely sporty — including the
Civic, Cruze, Elantra, Nissan Sentra
and Toyota Corolla — the Focus is a
standout for style and performance.
Not coincidentally, that Focus shares
its fine chassis with none other than the
Mazda 3. The second-generation Focus,
a huge advance over the original mod-
el, was sold in Europe for several years
before finally migrating here last year.
Yet the Focus is saddled with a sup-
posedly high-tech transmission — a
dual-clutch automated manual — that
feels clunky. In contrast, Mazda’s auto-
matic is like a slick political operative:
never drawing attention, yet in charge
and pulling the right strings.
With new fuel savers including the
engine, transmission and electro-
hydraulic steering, the Mazda is the
rare compact whose 40 m.p.g. economy
isn’t an empty marketing claim.
Driving to maximize fuel economy
in the automatic sedan, I observed a
MAZDA NORTH AMERICA
SPORTY The Mazda 3’s interior has been mildly updated. Sport seats include bolsters for both the bottom cushion and
backrest.
(#72545) Copyright © 2012 by The New York Times Company. Reprinted with permission.
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