Mazda 3 – a safety review

2018 was a year of massive change for me and one of these changes was a brand new, bright red car (can anyone say mid-life crisis!). I went from driving a beast of a Jeep Grand Cherokee to a sporty Mazda 3 SP25 GT sedan, so it was a fair size difference to get used to. The advantages of the choice were many – fuel economy the biggest by far, ease of parking and you know what, it looks damn fine too! But there are a number of very cool safety features that I also love.

Best safety feature

The best safety feature is the head up display (see the photo) that folds up out of the dashboard when the engine is started. This nifty little gadget displays a photo of speed limit signs as you drive past so you know what the speed limit is at all times, even temporary changes at roadworks and school zones. The display shows your current speed, navigation guidance and your cruise control speed. When highway driving, a message will pop up every hour to remind me to take a break. Great for fatigue management. The message has a picture of a cup of coffee but I haven’t worked out where the coffee maker is in the car yet (lol). The display is adjustable to allow for different driver heights.

Warning indicators a plenty!

There are plenty of warning indicators, both visual and audible. The reversing camera is superb, the peripheral vision and clarity is excellent. There are audible warning beeps when something is coming behind the car when in reverse. There are visual warning lights in the side mirrors for traffic on either side. The car has plenty of other safety features built-in, including daytime running lamps, automatic lights and windscreen wipers and chassis collision safety. All the acronyms are represented, DCS, TCS, ABS, EBD, EBA, ESS. Not sure what they do, but I am sure they contribute massively to my safety! (Car technology isn’t one of my strengths, OK?)

Controls, buttons, comfort

Controls and buttons are visible, accessible and a simple (but schmick) design. Comfort and ergonomics have obviously been a high priority for the design team as well with a wide range of adjustability possible at the touch of a button on the driver’s seat. The back seats fold down easily, allowing for a huge boot capacity.

Wrap up

All in all, the change to the Mazda 3 has been 100% positive. It’s so nice not to cry at the petrol station anymore for one! The Soul Red colour is eye-catching. The Bose stereo system is great. The safety features are many and well designed. But if I can just work out where to get that coffee, I would be super ecstatic and well caffeinated!