When it comes to the family hatchbacks, the Mazda 3 has always been one of the best-looking
cars in its segment – and now it looks better than ever courtesy of this racy-looking Sport
Black special edition.
Limited to just 800 models in the UK, the Sport Black offers sportier, hot hatch-inspired
looks but with every day running costs in the hope of appealing to drivers looking for
something just that bit more special.
You can have it in pearl white or this fantastic soul red, with this racy-looking front splitter,
bigger side skirts and a rear diffuser element all in gloss black, which really make the
Mazda 3 look that much meaner and lower, along with a black rear spoiler and 18-inch gunmetal
alloys.
It certainly looks the part on the outside then, but in the cabin the Sport Black also
gets these exclusive half leather/half suede seats, which are really comfortable and supportive
with large side bolsters.
There’s also some carbon fibre-style trimming dotted throughout the cabin, plus red stitching
on the seats, gear gaiter cover and the steering wheel, plus plenty of soft-touch materials
on the dash.
I’m not entirely enthused by the instrument cluster as I find the little digital displays
on either side of the speedo a little fussy, but the driving position is excellent and
it feels that bit more upmarket than your average hatch.
Given that the Sport Black is based on the range-topping Sport Nav trim, standard equipment
includes things like heated seats, a BOSE surround sound system and a reversing camera.
There’s also Mazda’s MZD-Connect infotainment system which we’ve previously praised for
its responsiveness and ease of use, along with integrated sat-nav.
The Mazda 3’s wheelbase is ever so slightly larger than rivals like the Ford Focus and
the Volkswagen Golf, and as a result the rear feels really, really airy and very spacious.
There’s loads of legroom and decent headroom, along with twin ISOFIX attachments back here
and two cup holders in this fold-down armrest, but the door binnacles and bizarrely shaped
in such a way that they’ll fit anything that’s shaped like a water bottle, but pretty
much nothing else…
Fold the seats down and maximum boot space is 1,360 litres, which is a bit smaller than
the Golfs but quite a bit bigger than the Focus.
There’s a bit of a loading lip here, but it’s shallow and the luggage space is well
proportioned for carrying larger items like flat-pack furniture boxes.
With its racy styling, the Sport Black reminds me a little of the old Mazda speed 3, but
seeing as Mazda has said it’s now “too mature” to ever again make something as
brilliantly rude as a Mazda speed car, this is probably the closest you’ll be able to
get – for the foreseeable future, at least.
Power comes from the existing 119bhp 2.0-litre SKYACTIV petrol engine, which is linked to
this slick-shifting, six-speed manual gearbox.
It won’t blow your head off but it picks up well and is able to cover the 0-62mph sprint
in 8.9 seconds with a top speed of 121mph.
For outright speed the 163bhp 2.3-litre diesel engine might have been a better choice, but
the petrol is still decent – this isn’t, after all, a hot hatch or even a warm hatch,
just a slightly cooler hatch with its exclusive looks.
Still, Mazda 3 has always been one of the more fun family hatches around and it’s
no different here, with direct steering, a nimble character and suspension that’s firm
but not to the point of being uncomfortable.
For motorway cruising there are better cars, but the 3 is a lot more fun than most when
you take it to a B road.
You will have to keep the naturally aspirated engine high in the rev range to get the best
from it and while the gearbox works well once you’ve gotten used to it, sometimes the
shifts can feel a bit notchy.
The Sport Black commands a £550 premium over the range-topping Sport Nav model with a list
price of £20,995, but that’s still great for what you get and £2,000 or so cheaper
than the Red and Black special editions of the Focus too.
If speed is more your thing, the 178bhp SEAT Leon FR is only about £500 more expensive,
but many will prefer the more reasonable running costs of the Mazda, which can return up to
55.4mpg with a respectable 119g/km of CO2.
The Mazda 3 Sport Black might prioritise style over performance a bit, but then that’s
sure to appeal to a lot of buyers, and honestly does it matter that much when it’s still
fun to drive and when it looks this good?
Do bear in mind that only 800 of these will be available in the UK, so if you like what
you see and you think you want one, you might want to move quickly…
Would you prefer the likes of the Mazda 3 over cars like the Focus or Golf?
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