2006 Mazda MAZDA3 Lineup

2006 Mazda3 has more powerful engines then before. Two engines are a 2.0 liter for the 3i and a 2.3 liter engine for the 3s. The 2.0 liter is offered on a smaller 4 door sedan where as the 2.3 is offered on a 5 door hatch back or a 4 door sedan.
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Mazda 3i 4-Door sedan


Mazda 3i is a four door sedan and costs $13,710. It has manual locks for the doors, wind up windows, FM/AM/CD stereo system, 195/65HR15 tires, 15 inch wheels made of steel, tilt-telescope steering wheel and steering mounted audio controls, steel exhaust system and repeater side lights. Automatic four speed transmission for $900 is also available instead of standard manual 5-speed. A pollen filter air conditioning is optional that costs $880.

3i Touring sedan


It costs $15,990. Air conditioning, powered locks, windows, and mirrors, cruise control, keyless entry, height adjusting for driver’s seat, 16 inch alloys of cast aluminum, six speaker sound system and 205/55HR16 tires come standard on it.

Mazda 3s sedan


The 3s costs $16,880 for the 4 door sedan and costs $17,370 if the 5-door hatch back 3s is bought. The 3s has more powerful engines than the 3i models. Standard equipment includes; brake force electronic distribution system, ABS, intermittent variable wipers, brighter trim and upholstery, leather covered shift knob and steering and auto adjusting electroluminescent gauges. The transmission is manual 5-speed and optional automatic 6 speed costs $950.

3s Touring sedan


Touring 3s and the hatchback both cost $17,615. The 3s equipment is all present in the touring with the addition of side curtain, side impact air bags, 205/50VR17 tires, side sills and 17 inch alloys.

3s Grand Touring


Both the hatchback and sedan cost $19,165 and have everything on the touring. Additional features include auto climate control system, leather heated seats, trip computer, front rain sensing wipers, tire pressure monitoring system, xenon automatic on off head lights, and a better security system.

Mazda Optional Features


The option package cost $890 that adds powered sunroof made of glass, a 6 disc CD changer, for the Touring models. For 3s Grand touring model a Mazda package which includes 6-CD disc changer, sunroof and Bose premium 222 watt audio system costs $1,335. Satellite system with DVD costs $1750 is available for 3s touring. Optional leather upholstery for the 3s model costs $590. As dealer installed accessories, spoilers, rear auto dimming mirror, stereo upgrades, Home Link fog lights and cargo mats are also available.

Greener Vehicle


The Mazda 3 is also available in certain states as Zero Partial Emissions Vehicles. This option doesn’t cost any more dollars. Thought 5-7 horse power is reduced but the emissions are also reduced. The Mazda 3 cars meet Bin 5 Tier II Federal standards which is for the near to zero evaporated emissions.

2006 Mazda MAZDA3 Safety Features


Safety features in Mazda 3 include dual front impact airbags which also have sensors to sense the position of the driver and his weight. Side curtain and side impact air bags come standard on the 3s. Optional safety features include extra airbags for the 3s costing $245 and for 3i full airbags protection along with ABS system costing $395. ABS comes standard on the 3s models.

Categories: Mazda, Mercedez Benz

Driving 2006 Mazda MAZDA3

Mazda 3s have well spirited 2.3 liter engines that deliver decent power. To benefit completely from these engines you will have to go for the manual transmission.

Engine Torque


The 2.3 liter four cylinder engines produce 160-horse-power and that’s why there is less torque especially on the lower rpm. The torque at 1000 rpm there is 120 torque/feet. At 3000 rpm it is 140 and at 4500 rpm the torque is 150.
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Acceleration


If acceleration is the desire then you will have to shift down a gear to get more torque in both the 5 speed automatic and manual transmission. Red line of rpm is at 6500 but still the engine zooms to 7000.

Engine


The sophisticated 16 valve head with a variable induction system and variable valve timing optimizes efficiency of intake and torque. The engine produces sporty sound when accelerated and on freeways it is very smooth.

Variable Valve Timing


The tests reveal that with variable intake and variable valve timing only 2-horsepower is gained and the torque increase is marginal. Question is why it is used then. The reason is that both of them allow flatter torque and a good horse power peak.

Transmission


The manual 5-speed transmission beautifully shifts up and down and the automatic transmission also has very smooth shifts. The friction is reduced considerably by good design of cable linkage and synchronizers.

The optional transmission is known as automatic Sport A/T transmission. This is a very good transmission. You put in the gear and go. For quick shifting it has a manual mode too.

Handling and steering


Mazda 3 has crisp handling and it is fun to drive especially the handling is very good on the twisty roads. If lanes are changed abruptly, the steering is steady and sharp. The Power-Assisted Electro-Hydraulic Steering of Mazda also minimizes drag on engine and reduces vibration, noise and harshness.

Brakes


The 2.3 liter engine on the 3s Mazda models has slighter bigger brakes than the ones on 2.0 liter models. These brakes are sensitive and quite effective.

Fuel Economy


Fuel economy of Mazda3 is 28 miles for city and 35 miles for highway per gallon if the transmission is manual. The automatic reduces 2 miles in city and 1 mile on highway.

Categories: Mazda, Mercedez Benz

2006 Mazda MAZDA3 Interior Features

The standard interior trim of 3i is beige or black cloth. The 3s has black bolster seats in red check or blue cloth. The optional upholstery o black leather is affordable and smooth to touch.

Steering Wheel


The steering wheel is 3 spoke and is covered in leather. It feels really nice in hands and the controls for audio and cruise control have very practical position.
mazda mazda3 i4door 2006 interior

Dash Board


The shelf on dashboard has golf ball type grainy design inspired from the Boxster. Piano black trim of instrument panel is also attractive. The 3 big gauges are placed in some tunnels to keep them away from glare and are right in front of the driver. The 3s gauges are also electroluminescent which means that the numbers on the gauges are illuminated with reddish orange color and have a blue highlight. The speedometer gauge contains both the mph and km units for speed and it is crowded with the # signs. The dash board gets its looks improved at night when it is illuminated with reddish orange lighting. The switch for window on the driver side is also illuminated which is a very good feature.

Front Seats


The front seats are really great. They have sufficient bolstering for a comfortable ride. The 3s has lumbar adjustable support too; an elevated hip position which reduces front leg space a little but because of this adjustment the forward visibility is considerably improved. The pedals are easily operable along with the short gear stick due to the 3s front seats. Driver’s right shin rests easily on edge of center stack.

Back Seats


The back seats in the 3-hatchback are very supportive and roomy. There is enough leg room that if larger people are in the front there is enough space for rear passenger to relax. Big feet can slide in the space below front seats and there is acres of head room in the rear as well.

Cabin Storage


The glove box is big and can carry a lot of things. Under driver’s right side elbow there is a console and between seats there are cup holders.

Interior Space


Cargo space with the rear seats folded is about 31.2 cubic feet. Large sized boxes and long objects fit really easily in it. Folding of the seats is also very easy. There is a small square button which needs to be pressed and a little push will fold the seat. If the seats are folded still then there is 17.1 cubic feet of luggage space. The rear section of the floor can be raised to create partition creating lower and upper compartments for keeping small boxes or luggage separately.

Driver’s Visibility


Visibility in the rear view mirror is limited for the hatch back because of the two rear seat head restraints and central brake light. Forward visibility and side mirror visibility is good.

Trunk Capacity


The Mazda 3 sedan has average trunk space and provides 11.4 cubic foot space. Longer objects can be carried easily if the rear seat is 60/40 folding.

Categories: Mazda, Mercedez Benz

2006 Mazda MAZDA3

2006 Mazda 3 is compact car which has both affordability and comfort. The drive is sporty. Mazda 3 is available as a good styled 4 door sedan or a 5 door hatch-back. The smooth rounded shape and the solid design is very elegant. The five-door Mazda3 has a more aggressive look with a rear seat folding ability it gives a lot of utility too.

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Mazda 3 in and Out


Mazda 3 is fast and the responsive steering that gives very good handling makes the car a joy ride especially on twisty roads. Mazda 3s has 2.3 liter engine that provides enough power to make the car fly. The 3i has a 2.0 liter engine. Transmissions available for the Mazda 3 models is a manual 5 speed or a 5 speed automatic which has a manual feature too.

The seats are terrific as they provide good comfort to the passengers. The gauges, glove box and many features in side are a result of special attention to details for the interior. The optional packages which are optional increase the luxury of the 2006 Mazda3.

2006 Mazda MAZDA3 Exterior Features


Mazda3 exterior styling is wonderful and both the 4-door sedan and the 5-door hatch back have no panel in common. The styling of each cars nose works with its own type of tail. 5-door Mazda has an edgy nose to make it look more aggressive.

2006 Mazda3 4 door sedan


Mazda3 4 door sedan has a rounded shape after the A pillar. Mazda’s trademark grille which is wedge shaped is in body color for the 3s and black mesh on 3i. The headlights are like cat eyes, swept back and contain 3 beams. The front bumper has air dam and fog lights in corners.

Rear Styling


The rear is also smooth and a well integrated rear bumper has small seams at edges. The deck is softened, high and short. Tail lamps have clear lenses on the 3s and have red lenses on the 3i.

2006 Mazda3 5 door hatchback


The nose is aggressive which gives the hatch back a wider look. In fact the 4-door and 5-door are same. The fenders are dropped. The boxy top gives a wider impression. Above rear window there is a tidy spoiler as well.

Rear Styling


The fenders at the rear are designed to give aggressive rear styling. The rear bumper has a big notch to clear you hand when grabbing the latch. The design looks exaggerated but in fact it greatly improves the functionality of the latch. There is no chrome which is good. The body color and black window look pretty neat.

Mazda’s Co Operation


Mazda3 shares components and technology with Ford Focus and Volvo S40. The engine and the transmission are designed by Mazda, the safety features and chassis is developed by Volvo and the ford designed the suspension. The suspension is fine tuned by Mazda itself.

The chassis is designed in such a way that if ahead on collision occurs then the energy is redirected to outside rails. The steering column can be crushed and during collision the pedals move away from driver to prevent injury.

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2005 Mazda RX-8

Introduction To 2005 MAZDA RX-8

The 2005 MAZDA RX-8 is a small but geniuine sports car with a powerful rotary engine. It runs like a sports car but it behaves much more than a sports car. The 2005 model is infact the 2004 model with minimal changes. The new car comes in two trims: the six speed manual transmission and the four speed automatic transmission. The manual tansmission trim is for those who want looks and drive infact a drivers car, and those who just want sporty looks without much performance they can opt for the automatic transmission.
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The First Impression About 2005 MAZDA RX-8

Its a car that shows you a new thing everytime you see it. It has got very aggressive looks. The head lamps are wide, not very catchy though. At the sides the large wheel arches dominate the looks. The back side is as good as the front side. At the first sight this car look like a two door car but in fact its a four door car. Mazda has used freestyle door system for this car in which front and the rear doors open in opposite directions. This allows the passengers entry and exit into the vehicle relatively easy.

Interior of 2005 MAZDA RX-8

The inside of 2005 MAZDA RX-8 is roomy enuff to accomodate large passengers. Keeping in mind the overall size of the car there is great room inside. The Hud has three round gauges.All equally informative and precise. The central dash carries the stereo and three rotary dials for climate control functions. The seats are sporty and comfortable.The steering is smooth easy. The various controls are easy .

Standard & Optional Features of 2005 MAZDA RX-8

Manual Transmission Sports Package
Xenon headlights
Traction Control
Bose audio
Auto day/night mirror
Moonroof
Fog lamps
Grand Touring Package:
It includes the sports package with the addition of
Leather upholstery
Leather door trim
Six-way power driver’s seat
Heated seats
In addition Six disc cd changer,navigation system and a rear spoiler are optional too.

2005 MAZDA RX-8 Engine Specifications:

Base Engine Size: 1.3 liters
Base Engine Type: Rotary
Horsepower: 197 hp
Torque: 164 ft-lbs.
Drive Type: RWD

Drivetrain, Handling specifications For 2005 Mazda RX-8:

Driving the Manual transmission model of the new MAZDA RX-8 is more fun to drive than the Automatic transmission trim. This is partially because of the extra horsepower created by the manual transmission engine as well as due to the wheels. The car can be equipped with Mazda’s DSC (dynamic stability control) to get maximum stability on the road and off the road. The car has very good acceleration and it can accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 6 seconds.

Safety Specifications For 2005 Mazda Rx-8:

Front and side airbags for driver and front passengers.
Airbags for rear passengers.
Four wheel ABS
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)

Price & Versions

The 2005 MAZDA RX-8 has two variants. 6 speed Manual transmission ride available at 26,875$
4 speed Automatic transmission ride available for 25,375 $.

Categories: Mazda