Volkswagen Golf R and Scirocco R siblings sampled

It won’t take a sharp eye to notice that the two VW R models (Volkswagen Golf R and Scirocco R) you see here aren’t the test mules currently going about their rounds in these parts. The Rising Blue examples are from the brief session spent on track in Germany during the trip to Wolfsburg.

Yes, they should have been written about some time earlier. No, I’ve not been a good boy in this regard, and for that I must apologise, but nothing staring down the barrel of a – metaphorical – Luger pointed at you by conscience can’t solve. Yes, VGM has asked us to take the local demonstrators out for review. No, we really haven’t done so yet, due to a lack of time and other constraints. Yes, we will, soon, hopefully, so consider this a hors d’oeuvre of what the R twins are all about until we can dish up the main meal.

Full story after the jump.

Apologies out of the way, time to tell you what they’re like, at least from a track perspective. Both the Golf R and Scirocco R were sampled at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben racetrack situated in Oschersleben, in the Magdeburg Börde region. Located around 30 km from Magdeburg, the venue plays host to DTM and WTCC races.

Both cars shouldn’t be strangers to you, but a quick recap never hurts, as well as some notes about differences in the German versions on test compared to what we have here; the Volkswagen folk mentioned then that what we were sampling wasn’t representative of what eventually has been launched in Malaysia around March this year, and for some points, this much is true.

For the Mk VI Golf R, there’s a variance in power output coming off the EA113 2.0 litre TSI mill. The German car had 270 PS at 6,000 rpm and 350 Nm of torque from 2,500 to 5,000 rpm; the Golf R sold here lists 255 PS and 330 Nm of torque from 2,400 to 5,200 rpm for numbers.

The mill is paired to a six-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox, and a 4Motion all-wheel drive system channels the power to the wheels. Performance numbers for the car are a 0-100 km/h time of 5.7 seconds and an electronically-limited 250 km/h top speed.

Common items for the 1,521 kg offering include Adaptive Chassis Control (DCC), internally ventilated discs all around with R-specific brake calipers, ESP with delayed intervention as well as 19-inch “Talladega” alloys with 235/35 rubbers. There’s also a black version of the wheel, as seen on the German cars.

As for the Scirocco R, there’s also a variance in power. The German car had 265 PS and 350 Nm in its standard guise, while the car we have here has the same numbers as found on the Golf R, 255 PS and 330 Nm.

The three-door vehicle also wears a six-speed DSG transmission, but in this case power is distributed only to the front wheels. And while the Scirocco R ships with 18-inch “Talladega” alloys and 235/40 tyres as standard issue in Germany, our version comes equipped with the same 19-inch version worn by the Golf R.

On to the meatier stuff. The Oschersleben track measures 3.67 kilometres long, and it’s a pretty fast circuit. At that point, the inclement weather (just a mere shade off freezing) meant that the surface conditions weren’t the grippiest, but it also helped show up the different nature of both cars.

Track runs were paced by a lead vehicle, with each out session cycling the group in turn behind the pace car, effectively allowing everyone to ‘have a go.’ While the pace dictated was dependent on the group on a whole, there was still ample opportunity to stretch the cars’ legs. In all, I managed four sessions, but three of those were with the Golf R – there were fewer Scirocco R’s about, and as such they were naturally in demand.

Initially, with the Golf R, what transpired on the track was accomplished in faster fashion. It’s not that the Scirocco R is slower (it isn’t, actually), but the four-wheel drive advantage running on the slippery tarmac made it easier to get around quicker on the unknown terrain.

For example, going into Turn 1 on a flying lap, there was less need to set up the car for it; the short of it is that one could be lazy, so to speak, and the car would sort itself out (and save you from the blushes). It’s certainly drivable, the Golf R, and the car’s talent will undoubtedly help average drivers shine.

Getting the Scirocco R to be wild and ragged, on the other hand, was a far easier affair. There was a moment when a yank where there wasn’t supposed to be one brought the car into the upper limits of tractability, enough to persuade the fellow hack behind me that I was either loony or stupid, probably both. Doing the same thing with the Golf R merely got the car unsettled momentarily, but it never hinted more.

In terms of balance, the Golf R is an inherently more neutral offering compared to its predecessor, the Mk V Golf R32. Dynamically, it doesn’t have the nose heavy feel under braking of the R32, something I didn’t really care for, and for all intents and purposes is the faster car. But it feels more sterile than the old one, which I absolutely adored. It also sounds the part; the exhaust note is decent, but the burble and throb coming off the 3.2 litre V6 can’t be replaced.

Technically, this is an accomplished performer, but what’s dished out is put across in matter-of-fact fashion. Perhaps an extended outing here in Malaysia, when the opportunity comes along, will put the reading of the car’s character at Oschersleben down to unfamiliarity and limited time behind the wheel, but I suspect that the detached character is native to it.

In the end, the Scirocco R was the more attractive of the two siblings, certainly in terms of emotional appeal and involvement, somewhat in the way the standard Golf GTI and Scirocco 2.0 TSI square up in my books. There’s more need for commitment behind the wheel, but it’s a more captivating experience when you do.

The high-ish level of engagement hinted at during the brief run certainly makes pitting it against the Renault Megane R.S 250 Cup – a firm favourite with the staffers here at Driven – an interesting proposition. Maybe we’ll get there when we get around to taking them R twins out. Which we will. Hopefully.

BMW 130i M Sport Test Drive Review

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I dont care what a certain very prominent member of the motoring journalist fraternity thinks – the Volkswagen R32 is not available in Malaysia. Youre looking at the hottest hatch in the Malaysian car market – the BMW 130i M Sport.

Even judging it by horsepower alone, it makes the most – 265 horsepower at 6,600rpm and 315Nm of torque at 2,750rpm. Thats a good 65 more than the only other proper hot hatch sold here – the Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Its also much more pricier at RM329,800 – an amount that could snag you an entry-level BMW 5-series if you top it up a little more, or perhaps the 325i M Sport. But the 3-series would be a locally assembled unit – this baby comes in fully imported.

Read my full test drive report after the jump.


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The M Sport suffix on the model name indicates that the car comes with lots of extra vitamin M goodness. Were talking about the M kit which makes the car look a lot better than what the standard 1-Series looks like. Maybe its because the huge gaping central air intake on the M sport front bumper takes away focus from the droopy headlamps. Or maybe its because we all love huge gaping central air intakes and what they usually stand for.

On the rear you have a nice-looking two tone rear bumper that features a diffuser painted with a dark grey, and the rest body colour. And of course, those gorgeous M Light Alloy Double Spoke 208M 18 inch wheels, wrapped with run-flat tyres. The tyres are 205/45/R18 sized at the front, but the rear tyres are wider at 225/40/R18.

On the interior, there is the chunky overly thick M leather steering which has a relatively small diameter and feels great to hold in your hand, and the M side steps.

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Of course, what you really want is the M Sports suspension. Its actually very liveable with on a daily basis in the BMW 3-Series, but the combination of a short wheelbase as well as run flat tyres make slow speed rides around the town in this hot hatch a jittery and harsh experience. The ride does smoothen out on highways even at fast speeds, but thats probably because the highways are smoother in the first place. But still, as the driver the harsh ride never really gets to you. You just smile, maybe chuckle a little, and say to yourself, “The things I put up with for the thrill of driving.”

Yup, thats exactly what you get with the BMW 130i. It really takes a very special person to want to own this car. You gotta have plenty of dough for one, and perhaps a 5-series as the daily driver because the rear legroom of this car is so useless it should be called a 2+2 instead. And youve got to love a fantastic drive that much to actually spend that kind of money on a small hatch like this.

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Because this is the most fun Ive had in a BMW ever. I havent driven any M cars so at the moment this sits at the top of my list. The chassis is just so rigid – I wonder how the 2-door version feels like. 0 to 100km/h takes 6 seconds. The engine is already pretty damn snappy off from a stand still, but right after you’ve begun moving you get the feeling the torque converter has suddenly locked up harder and you just hurtle towards wherever you steer the car with a seriously addictive pace ever. How can you ever bring yourself to drive this car sensibly?

The power just keeps coming and coming and coming, and its so smooth that you feel the redline should be a good 1,000rpm higher than its 7,000rpm limit. In fact, if you really put the pedal to the metal, the gearbox shifts at about 7,200rpm – slightly over the redline, something Ive never seen an auto gearbox do.

Its not nearly up there with the madness that the Lancer Evolution 9s torque levels give you but to make up for it you get to listen to the straight-six sing too. The best part is, all that power gets sent to the rear wheels instead of every other hatch out there in the market which is either front wheel drive or all wheel drive. This means potentially A LOT of sideways fun.

Steering is of the classic BMW sharpness, translating your steering movements into where the 130is nose points ever so precisely. The chassis felt somewhat neutral to me, complying to my every command. That’s how M Sport usually is, there’s just no warning when you’re approaching the danger zone – it remains confident and steady, then suddenly you’re in deep shit. But I never did get to the deep shit part with the 130i.

Coming down Genting was lovely, and the 6-speed gearbox did its just very well, keeping the car in the right gear and downshifting for extra engine braking whenever needed. I thought the choices it made was pretty smart, but then I decided it would be a waste letting the gearbox do the shifting for me and switched to manual shifting mode.

In manual mode, you can manually change the gear ratios using paddle shifts on the M Steering wheel. However the paddles are abit unconventional – instead of the usual left for downshift and right for upshift, you push the paddle away from you to downshift and push the paddle towards you to upshift. Both paddles on the left and right work the same way.

The BMW 130i M Sport also has keyless entry and go, which means the key fob doesnt need to leave your pocket. Just approach the car, and when youre near enough to reach for the door handle and pull it, the drivers door will unlock at the same time. There are also little LEDs at the bottom of every door handle, presumably a safety feature so you can look at whats on the ground, or something.

Get in the car, and press the Engine Start button. Upon hearing the sound of the engine firing up, a friend of mine exclaimed, “Is this the stock exhaust system?!!” to which I replied: “Yup. M Sport mah!” I suppose the M division engineers ensured the car sounds as great as it drives.

Now the bad – practically unusable rear legroom, sound system could have been more premium, a relatively small fuel tank compared to how much the engine guzzles, and despite a 330 litre claimed boot capacity, it really doesnt look like a lot.

But seriously, if you want a practical car, buy an MPV or something. The 130i M Sport is for the purist, and I understand why BMW wants its new 1-Series Coupe, especially the 135i, to be the spiritual successor of the likes of the E30 of the yesteryears.

Perhaps you could have as much fun as you can have in this car with something cheaper. Maybe even BMW’s own MINI Cooper S might do the trick. But I suppose BMW considers the premium justifiable because of it’s rear wheel drive configuration. The 1-Series has always had it’s price tag going against it no matter which engine option and form in many markets, not just our own. Which makes it abit hard to recommend this car to anyone because of the many other choices of hot hatches around. But still, it’s bloody fun.

What’s going through my mind now is this – if the 130i is already such a riot, what is the 135i going to be like?

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REVIEW: Mercedes-Benz E280 AMG Sports Package

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is arguably the benchmark of “making it” in life. It’s the car that your mother (or mother-in-law) hopes you’ll drive back to the kampung one day. For the longest time the E-Class in Malaysia consisted of the E200K and E280, but with the recently introduced E230 to fill in the large gap between the E200K and E280, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia found themselves some room to fiddle around with the E280 specs abit. The result is this new model – the Mercedes-Benz E280 AMG Sports Package.

The facelifted W211 E-Class sports over 2,000 improvements over the pre-facelift. In Malaysia, the E280 is the most powerful and most expensive non-AMG E-Class you can buy. The AMG Sports Package also gives it an aesthetics premium over the rest of the E-Class range, featuring AMG front and rear bumpers, large 18 inch 5-spoke AMG alloy wheels, an AMG exhaust system and various AMG goodies on the interior including stainless steel pedals and footrest, an AMG Sports steering wheel with paddle shifts and a fully black interior.

I didn’t really like how the facelifted W211 looked as compared to the perfect pre-facelift version as it looked like it carried design cues from two different eras and thus looked a little confused and messy, but with the AMG styling kit everything just kinda gels together perfectly. Behind the front two AMG wheels hide some nice-looking cross-drilled brakes that do rather well in stopping the car with minimal body dive.

Despite there being AMG parts all over the car the AMG badge is missing from the rear as it is reserved for real AMG cars. After all, the official name for this car is the Mercedes-Benz E280 AMG Sports Package. That means E280 with “AMG Sports Package”, not “E280 AMG” with Sports Package.

The highlight of the car is the silky smooth M272 3.0 litre V6 engine paired with the in-house 7G-Tronic transmission. It produces 231hp at 6,000rpm and 300Nm of torque between 2,500rpm to 5,000rpm, with a high compression ratio of 11.3:0 despite not having direct injection. This drivetrain combo was made for the E-Class and the E-Class for it.

The engine starts off from idle quietly and smoothly, then builds up a noticable amount of torque for a normally aspirated engine accompanied by a slight addictive rumble as it passes the 2,000 RPM mark. By the time the rev needle passes about 3,800 RPM the engine tone changes slightly but noticably in pitch and loudness. Progress is much more urgent at this point.

Most of the time the car feels like it has all the power you could ever need, but there are times during the engine’s “lazy” rev ranges where you’re waiting a wee bit too long for the revs to rise enough to make decent progress. Despite the engine having 300Nm from 2,500rpm onwards it certainly does not have the massive shove of a force inducted engine.

I find that this feeling occurs the most when you want the car to move along with slight urgency but still want to keep the drive relatively relaxed. You’re pressing the throttle down by quite some margin but you’re not gunning the throttle down enough for a downshift so the engine isn’t in quite the right gear. But past the 5,000rpm mark the engine becomes very urgent, losing the slight lazy feeling the smooth engine has at any point below that mark.

Then comes the shift. The 7G-Tronic gearbox has three shift modes – C for Comfort, S for Sport and M for Manual. I recommend leaving this in S most of the time. Even at full throttle and full torque from first to second gear the gearbox manages to keep the shift very smooth. In Comfort mode the shifts take just too long and you get a slightly floaty sensation as the automatic transmission’s internal clutches are kept slipping most of the time between gears.

M mode is something else altogether. Shifts in this mode are really quick, not very smooth (in a good way… feels sporty) and the car lurches forwards with every gear. In this driving mode you almost forget that you’re driving a large D-segment luxury sedan. You can shift either via the paddles on the AMG Sports steering wheel or the gear lever, although I wouldn’t recommend the gear lever as upshift and downshifts are done by pushing the lever left and right rather than the usual front and back… it’s abit unnatural.

The suspension system is not from AMG but is instead the sports suspension setup that comes with the Avantgarde equipment level, as opposed to the more comfort oriented setup in the Classic and Elegance lines. Nevertheless it provides impressive balanced poise through the bends, although sudden maneuvers during a bend can cause the rear to bounce around and cause some pull on the steering wheel, you still feel very much in control of the car.

You are very much aware of the huge mass you are commandeering – unlike the 5-Series the car does not feel smaller than it is when it comes to handling. You also lose a little of that amazing way the Elegance/Classic spec suspension tackles bumps and road irregularities but it still manages to strike a good balance between handling and straight-line comfort in a way that the E60 5-Series without the M-Sport suspension option should have achieved. Comparing the BMW E60 and the W211 with Avantgarde sports suspension I’d pick the BMW E60 if driving experience was the most important to me but the Avantgarde suspension strikes a better balance.

There is surprisingly a noticable amount of wind and road noise at speeds above 140km/h. I had expected more sound proofing from a Mercedes-Benz, but the car is quite serene below that. The audio system is above average and I don’t think anyone would find fault with it or ever want to change it. Treble, bass and clarity is good up to high volumes. It sounds better as it gets louder. The way the CD changer pops out still amuses me after so long – press a button near the hazard light button and the whole panel lifts up, and the CD changer slides out.

Mercedes-Benz recommends a temperature setting of 22 degrees Celcius for the climate control system but you’re going to be tempted to turn it down to the coldest setting thanks to the ineffectiveness of the car’s windows and windscreen to block out heat. Tinting is a must with this car. The panoramic sunroof doesn’t help either, but at least you can close them up with a canvas cover. The panoramic glass works wonderfully on a bright night combined with the interior ambient lighting.

The interior looks very welcoming with a mesh of shades of orange (from the interior ambient lights) and blue (from the bright night sky shining through the roof) painted on the interior’s black leather and dash canvas. Rear legroom is more than enough to be a chauffeur-driven car, and there are air cond vents both in the middle of the two front seats and on the B-pillars.

The car’s xenon headlamps can swivel left and right according to your car steering position and they rise from a fully dipped position when you turn the car on – it’s nice touches like this that make you feel like you’re in a car packed full of technology. The LCD panel you see on the dash and the buttons flanking it allows you to control various options of the in-car navigation system and entertainment system. There is also a DVD player that uses the LCD panel but it doesn’t work when the car is on the go so forget about keeping the kids entertained while you focus on getting to your destination. However apparently there is a third party device that allows you to bypass this safety feature. A service center equipped with a star Diagnostics computer can also turn the feature on for certain models, but I am not sure whether its possible with the W211.

I found that the COMAND APS navigation system’s maps aren’t really up to date. It thinks my entire housing area in Cheras is a field of grass. No problems with my housing area with BMW’s iDrive Navigation, Garmin Malsingmaps or my Nokia E90′s Nokia Maps. Your mileage may vary – you may be lucky enough to be only wanting to go to places that are registered in the COMAND APS maps.

The good news is you can key in your addresses easily using the LINGUATRONIC system, which allows you to control certain functions of the car with your voice. Simply pull the LINGUATRONIC stalk on the top right of the steering column and speak out the command and spell out your addresses. I was able to use the LINGUATRONIC system immediately without requiring any retraining to suit my voice. You can also use LINGUATRONIC to control all the functions of the COMAND APS system including selecting radio frequencies, storing radio stations and so on.

The COMAND APS system’s navigation module can also show your current location without being in route guidance mode. I like how you can set it to show the road you are current on in text form as well as the direction you are going (North, South, South-West etc) on the multi-info display in the middle of the speedometer.

The car also has some customisation options. You can set whether the wing mirrors fold in and out automatically on ignition off and on, whether the headlamps are on permanently regardless of setting, whether the swivel function is turned on or not, the brightness of the interior ambient lighting, you can also set whether the multi-info display shows external temperature or a digital speedometer among other various displays. Headlamps are automatic and so is the windscreen wipers.

There are way too many W211 E-Class on the road now to the point that perhaps it is getting a bit boring, but there are solid reasons for this as the car truly feels and behaves like a luxury car should, apart from this particular model getting abit noisy at high speeds. From the smoothness of the drive to the interior ambiance… it’s just the way the car feels as a whole. The AMG Sports pack, black roof and black interior lends the E-Class a bad boy (or bad uncle?) image and allows it to stand out from the rest of its standard silver E-Class siblings.

BMW 320i Sports Test Drive Review

BMW has recently launched the Sports series to complement the 3 Series lineup with the introduction of the 320i Sport and the 325i Sports models. According to BMW Malaysia, these Sports versions offer buyers a sportier version of the standard 320i SE and 325i models. BMW invited us to test drive the 320i Sports model, so let’s see how it stands up to expectations after the jump.

Looks

The 320i Sports model has quite a number of differences as compared to the standard 320i SE (base model). The most noticeable difference would be the M Aerodynamics kit which is made part of a front air dam with bigger air inlets and an integrated rear diffuser. The Sports version also features a 17 inch Dual Spoke M Light Alloy wheels, fitted with run flat tyres.

Another distinctive exterior feature of the Sports to help complement its looks is the Shadow Line high gloss black window recesses and mirror frame. The 320i Sports is also lower than its base model, with a total height reduction of 15 millimeters.

I would say BMW has done a good job in terms of styling the 320i Sports to outline its sportier characteristics. The car does feature a more aggressive look but let’s keep our fingers crossed for the driving experience and hope it complements the masculinity of the 320i Sports.

Performance

The 320i Sports version is fitted with a 2.0 litre inline-4 Valvetronic power plant that is supposed to be uprated with an additional of 6 horsepower revving it up to a total of 156 bhp @ 6400 rpm as opposed to the 320i SE’s 150 bhp. It sounds like the 320i Sports is more powerful but unfortunately based on our test drive we did not feel any difference.

Acceleration is modest with 0 to 100 km/h taking 9.7 seconds (same as 320i SE). Maintaining about 110 km/h on the freeway, I put my foot all the way down on the accelerator (a typical overtaking maneuver, or what you’d do when you encounter a long nice straight road); it shifts into lower gear, the rev increased and the engine ‘rumbles’, but it feels like forever before the speedo needle even touches 150 km/h.

You’ll probably reach its supposed 218 km/h top speed (same as 320i SE), but you’ll definitely need lots of road and patience.

Handling & Ride Comfort

The Germans have hit the right spot in terms of handling and ride comfort with the 320i Sports. The Sports version is fitted with an M Sports Suspension with an optimized lightweight stiff chassis and axle. Both on slow and high speed corners, the car sticks on the road and it gives the driver more confidence to push it to its limits.

The fact that the car is lowered by 15 millimeters and that it has a diffuser at the back means that 320i Sports is much more stable through curves and bends as downforce is increased and it actually gives the driver more room to play with. In terms of ride comfort, it is a little on the stiff side due to the stiff suspension and runflat tyres but you would pardon it is an acceptable balance between sporty handling and ride comfort.

Interior

You would first notice a thick rimmed M leather (perforated Aero leather) steering wheel which will prompt the thought of taking the longer way back home. This feeling intensifies as you notice that the sports seat which nestles you nicely while you adjust the how much you want the seat to wrap your back with just a press of button on the lower side of the seat. The built in air compressor pumps the side support of the seat, and the left front passenger also enjoys this cool feature.

Another neat feature in the inside is the multi-functional front center arm rest which features a USB port for your iPod or any other MP3 player or thumbdrive, and a strap holder for it. There is alsoa refrigerated cup holder.

Other than that the interior is rather standard with its cool Aluminum Glacier Silver finish on the dashboard, fully black trim and standard controls such as dual cabin temperature control and cruise control.

Verdict

The initial idea of BMW to offer a sportier version of the 320i SE and 325i range is obviously a fantastic one, but the issue with the 320i Sports is that you can’t really enjoy those extra bits to the max, especially the neat suspension setup with an engine that seems to go like its has something stuck up its exhaust. Its engine lets down the rest of the package, making it look like it overpromises and underdelivers.

However some of us may argue that the 320i Sports may be worth since it is only RM 9,000.00 more than the standard 320i SE.

Story by Harvinder Singh Sidhu and photos by Leong Tik Tsin and Paul Tan.

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Click for high resolution photo

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2010 Mazda3 2.0 Sport: a sporty niche product

Ah, it’s nice to see yet another C-segment competitor here in Malaysia. The new Mazda 3 was launched about a month ago by new Mazda distributors Bermaz, part of the Berjaya group. Although it has an all-new exterior and interior, the new Mazda 3 continues to ride on an adaptation of the old car’s platform. What kind of competitor is this new sporty-looking sedan and should you buy it? We find out after the jump.

Mazda’s new front grille which features a rather large smiley is the first thing you’ll notice if you have the front of the car in view. The design is quite dynamic and has a little organic touch to it, looking more like a hybrid metal and organic alien lifeform rather than what we’re used to seeing, especially in the design cues of the typical C-segment sedan. And it’ s a very happy-looking one indeed.

The sporty stance is helped by the fact that it looks quite compact. The current pick of the crop best all-rounder Civic dwarfs the Mazda 3 in comparison, and this theme continues in the interior – it feels narrower than average and rear legroom is also quite limited. It’s going to be quite a tight squeeze in there if you have a tall person in the driver’s seat, and if thats the case functionally it’s going to be a 3+1 seater.

Surprisingly the new Mazda 3 is one of the few modern cars who still provide some really nice soft padding on the dashboard, although its only in a majority of the surface and not everything, so that’s a nice touch. The seating position is slightly higher than a regular sedan’s so it depends on your personal preference whether you like this or not. Nevertheless when the situation comes, it helps with maneuvering the car around tight spaces because you get to see the edges of the car more clearly.

The entertainment system and steering wheel are chock full of various dials, buttons and other controls because the car is specced quite generously, with a CD changer with USB and MP3 text support, and a trip computer with lots of useful tools such as service reminders, a dedicated odometer for maintenance tasks such as tyre rotation, rain sensor wipers, light sensor headlamps and etc. In other markets the multi-info display is available in full colour with integrated GPS navigation but in Malaysia it gets a regular monochrome display with a white backlight, which looks rather out of place in a sea of red on black displays.

The 2.0 model has a two-tone dark grey and beige interior and a matching two-tone black and beige colour for the decent supportive leather seats (it seems that the leather is a RM2,800 option), which are done locally instead of coming together with the imported car. A quick chat with the Bermaz folks upon returning the test unit revealed that customers can customise the leather seat colour if they really want it, but it could cause delays in delivery time.

Some controls especially on the center dash area are just about above average in feel but the steering wheel controls and signal stalks feel very good and tactile, especially the switch-like controls on both sides. The steering wheel audio controls are quite complete with even a quick mute button to quickly silence your audio system for incoming calls.

There is a paddle shift function and the implementation is not the usual left to downshift and right to upshift, but instead both sides of the steering wheel provide the same upshift and downshift functions via pulling and pushing respectively. Manual shifting can also be done via the gear lever and I like that Mazda has implemented the “proper” way of pulling to upshift and pushing to downshift.

Unlike the Focus which has the same powertrain, the Mazda 3′s transmission has 5 gears instead of 4 allowing for a bit more flexibility in choosing just the right gear to be in when you attack a corner, as there more ratios within a specific range. You won’t be forced to go in with an overly screaming engine, or too slow with the engine not in the powerband.

The Mazda 3 has bi-xenon headlamps, which means you get xenon headlamps for both the high beam and the main beam. Alot of car manufacturers only equip xenons for the main beam, leaving the high beam functionality to a regular halogen bulb. The default setting is pointed rather high so you may want to adjust this in order not to annoy other road users, but at the default, the cast of the beam is far, wide and bright. The 2.0 litre model also uses LED for the rear lighting instead of normal bulbs for the 1.6 litre.

The 2.0 litre model produces 145 horsepower at 6,500rpm and 182Nm of torque at 4,500rpm. The test unit we drove probably had something wrong with the engine. The same engine is found in the Focus 2.0 and the previous Mazda 3 and it definitely did not feel the same. For the test unit, while the engine pulled strongly towards the redline, it was quite hesitant, a little rough, and there were little pockets of random torque dip on the way there. The engine had less than 5,000km on it so it could be something wrong with the run-in process? Any early adopters of the Mazda 3 here? How does your engine feel like?

In terms of ride comfort, it tackled road irregularities decently enough though the ride is slightly on the firm side.. Most bumps and rough roads can be felt but its nothing jarring, with the car soaking up some but not most of the vibration. It’s a trade-off for the sporty handling, though the steering and the way the 3 behaves as it slices through the bends isn’t quite as engaging as the Focus. Firm and planted but somehow not as fun, could be something to do with the high-ish seating position.

There’s lots of grip and not much bodyroll though so it’s still enough to impress all but the most sensitive butt-o-meters who are fussy about how much the steering picks up everything it goes over. Although its platform-mate the Focus provides a more engaging drive together with the same engine, but the Mazda 3 holds its own quite well in that aspect. It can be used as a tool to enjoy the occasional B-road on the way back to the kampung, or just up and down for fun without any particular destination in mind.

Safety features include 6 airbags (all of them are for the front passengers), and anti-lock brakes. Sadly, no traction control! The remote control is able to control the car’s windows so that’s an added convenience, allowing you to pre-air the car after its been parked all day long on a hot day before you embark on your way home.

So what kind of car is the new Mazda 3? It’s more of a niche product for someone who wants something that looks different and drives sportily enough. The car has little nice and friendly touches to it to remind you that you’re in something different, such as the center dash illumination that pulsates every time you change the volume, or the welcome and good bye messages that display on the multi-info display. Heck, you can even customise the volume of your turn signal indicators clicks! All these little things are nice touches and let you know you’re driving something out of the ordinary, especially at this segment. For those who want to move their family in comfort and want the most metal (equals to space) for their money, you’ll be disappointed with the smallish interior. It’s more of between the B and C segments.

At over RM131k (it’s apparently around RM133k now) it seems like alot of money to pay (probably because its fully imported, and even then word is that the introductory price is going to go up by abit!) but the 3 gives back to the buyer in terms of equipment level, though the cheaper but very well equipped 308 manages to do the same at a cheaper price. But that’s only for those who don’t mind a hatchback.

So what you’re paying for here is some exclusivity and a relatively high equipment level. Like I said, a niche product and a rather charming one at that, because based on my own personal needs I can’t bring myself to pay this price for a small interior.