Kirsten Dow-Pearce with the 2019 Mazda3 Sport GT AWD.Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia Kirsten Dow-Pearce looks at vehicles with a critical eye. Anything the architectural and interior designer would consider driving has to meet certain criteria, including having all-wheel drive capability, a degree of utility and, importantly, they cant look all bubbly I prefer something with a meaner style and some angles, the Calgarian says.So, with those considerations in mind, how did the 2019 Mazda3 Sport GT AWD stack up in her opinion?I liked that the hood was long, the Reader Reviewer says of her first impression, and adds, while the back was rounded it didnt look too mom-ish. It wasnt all round and cute, and I did like the look of the front end. Heres what Mazda has to say about the design of one of their best-selling automobiles; The hatchback is meant to be sportier and more emotional, featuring aggressive body sides and C-pillars that do away with traditional body lines and adopt constantly shifting reflections. The hatchback design is topped with a roofline that suggests speed and helps express a powerful presence.Mazdas 3-series has been on the market in sedan and hatch variants since 2004, and the redesigned 2019 model year cars are available in a number of trim levels including GX, GS and GT. These are well-equipped vehicles, and power in the base GX is a 2.0-litre engine coupled with a six-speed manual transmission.In the GS and GT a larger 2.5L engine lurks under the hood, coupled to either a six-speed standard or six-speed automatic gearbox. Dow-Pearces $33,345 GT had all-wheel drive, and the only transmission available when so equipped is the six-speed automatic.Dow-Pearce learned to drive in Calgary and her first car was a 1982 Volkswagen Rabbit with a standard transmission that was already well-used when she inherited the vehicle. Regardless, she kept it and drove the Rabbit for many years.Her next car was a Honda Prelude, followed by a 2004 Audi A4. She currently drives a 2016 Volvo V60, a wagon thats ideally suited for her design practice as she routinely hauls carpet and tile samples and many other items around to various sites.Dow-Pearces sister drives an older Mazda3, so shes familiar with the vehicle.I guess, somewhat snobbishly, that Id gravitate toward a higher-end luxury brand, but the look of the Mazda has certainly turned my head, she explains. Her test car was finished in Mazdas optional $450 Soul Red metallic paint, and she says the colour suited the hatchback. She also liked the low-profile tires, and says they added to the overall sporty stance of the car.Inside, Dow-Pearce was impressed by the perforated black leather covers on the seats.Inside the holes, you could see a red colour and that was really neat, she says.She says the dash, however, was a bit amorphous, and not rectilinear. Behind the steering wheel, there was quite an arch to it but it wasnt busy or complicated, and that was a good thing.Getting comfortable in the 10-way power adjustable drivers seat was easy for the 5-foot 9-inch tall Dow-Pearce. Likewise, adjusting the mirrors to her benefit was an easy proposition. While the steering wheel will telescope, theres no tilt and Dow-Pearce would have liked to fine-tune the position.The interior is not plasticky, and its really well put together, she says. The gearshift is in the centre console, and theres a little toggle to the left of it to select the drive mode.Dow-Pearce drove the 3 in Normal mode for a few days so she could appreciate the difference when she finally switched into Sport mode.The car never felt like it was underpowered in either mode, she says, and adds, but Sport was just so much more fun and I did use the shifter to change my own gears I enjoyed using that and could see it being used when driving for the sport of driving.When left to shift for itself, Dow-Pearce says the six-speed automatic shifted smoothly and she appreciated the shift points that it selected.Most of her time was spent commuting around Calgary, but she did get the car onto Highway 1 for a trip west to Canmore.There was no vibration or buzzing noises, although sometimes the road noise was a bit loud, she says. Handling was good, and I liked the size of the car and I always knew where the corners of the car were when navigating a parking lot. It had a good turning radius, and parking it was easy.“It lends itself to someone who enjoys driving without forgoing utility,” Dow-Pearce saysThe ride was smooth and comfortable and the brakes, she says, were well-suited to the car.Dow-Pearce initially thought the cargo area would be small, but she managed to carry a full load of groceries back there, and on the Canmore drive the familys hiking gear was stowed without a problem.My 10-year old couldnt see out the rear passenger door window, theyre not very deep, Dow-Pearce points out.She thinks the 3 Sport would best suit someone who does plenty of city driving and might be looking
Origin: Reader Review: 2019 Mazda3 Sport GT AWD