2020 Mazda 3: The underrated Japanese sedan
The Mazda Axela has the run off the mill recipe to be running in Bangladesh— being a five-seater sedan with a 1500 cc engine and priced under Tk40 lakhs
The Bangladeshi recondition market is predominantly held by Japanese car manufacturers, namely Toyota with their Allion, Premio and Axio offerings. You might wonder why these models were specifically popular, and the short answer is because of their 1500 cc engine, which complies well in our tax brackets.
Now that all these models are being discontinued, the likes of other Japanese brands such as Honda and Mazda are on the rise.
Honda has managed to secure its place in the streets of Dhaka ever since the 10th generation model made its global debut.
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Its 1500 cc turbocharged engine, that was later carried over to the current 11th generation model, gave it a sporty nature while providing massive interior space for its class, thus appealing to all groups of people.
The Axela (also known as the Mazda 3 internationally), which is Mazda's 1500 cc offering, didn't manage to win everyone's heart despite being yet another capable option. Thus, for this article, we sourced a 2020 Mazda 3, and took a deeper dive to see what this has to offer.
As stated, the Mazda Axela has the run off the mill recipe to be running in Bangladesh— being a five-seater sedan with a 1500 cc engine and priced under Tk40 lakhs. The Axela has been around the country since the early 2000s, when it was first introduced, but it failed to gain traction due to the Corollas being around, which went to be an icon on its own accord, and is still relevant today; but times have changed.
Globally, the Axela introduced the 4th generation in 2019, and it has been the best generation till now. It received quite the glow up, from trying too hard to be a sports car to now being a rather handsome sedan. If you compare it to the Toyota counterparts, it looks rather sportier even today, with its distinctive minimalist curvy approach paired with sharp lines thrown to edge it up a bit.
Given the curvy nature, the lines down the body and the hood gives it a welcoming edginess. The orthogonality stands out even further when you look at either side of the rather large smiling grille, which is a signature from Mazda, a rather clever blend of everything, lies on the design. The rear fascia is kept simple and free from drama, with extended LED taillights and a few logos telling you that it is not a re-issued RX8.
The interior in the Axela is good. Comfortable, bolstered fabric seats, which do not hug you tight. The center console is free of drama; every button and knob is placed where you would expect and are tactile. The climate control is easy to understand and gets adequately cold to tackle Dhaka weather.
Similar to other Japanese offerings, the infotainment is nothing over the top. Essentials such as monitoring the mileage and tinkering the audio are done well. Apple Carplay and AndroidAuto options are standard across all models.
The fabric back seats, although a bit tight, are on the softer side, and if you are a human being of shorter nature, it will be easy for you to fit. Sitting three people is a bit of a challenge but for two, there is a central armrest with cupholders to make up for the extra person.
Driving the Axela is fantastic for being a daily driver. The throttle response is far better than any Allion/Premio, and the rather torquey nature makes cutting traffic easy. The steering response is athletic and the suspension although a bit on the stiffer side, it absorbs bumps well.
The Skyactiv G engine is efficient where we got 12km/l city mileage and once pushed the pedal down, it speeds up smoothly. All in all, the Toyota counterpart, although retains a softer, more comfortable suspension, the driving dynamics are much better in the Axela, and is faster too.
Overall, the Mazda Axela provides a lot of car given the price, and stands as a solid contender, given the competition. Currently the Axela stands cheaper than both the Civic and Allion/Premio, making it the most economical car to get in the grand scheme of the reconditioned space, but availability of parts can be a bit scarce and expensive to get; a problem which might get solved down the line when Toyota imports become bleak. Overall, it's a clever recipe fitting Dhaka roads, and it will not disappoint.
