FORD VS MAZDATHE CURRENT-GENERATION FORD FOCUS V/S THE

CURRENT-GENERATION MAZDA 3

MAZDA 3 V/S FORD FOCUS STTHE MAZDA 3’S RESPECTABLE SAFETY WAS BOOSTED BY THE ADDITION OF STABILITY CONTROL FOR POST-2006 UPDATE MODELS, BUT IT WAS KEPT AS AN OPTION ON ALL BUT THE UPPER-LEVEL SP23. EVEN IF YOU FIND LOWER-LEVEL 3 WITH IT YOU’LL BE LOOKING AT ONLY FOUR STARS IN NCAP CRASH-TEST RATINGS VERSUS THE OTHER CARS’ FIVE.

INSIDE, MAZDA 3’S DESIGNERS HAVE BEEN EQUALLY BOLD. THE DIALS ARE HEAVILY COWLED, PLUS THERE’S A HONDA CIVIC-STYLE SPLIT-LEVEL INSTRUMENT LAYOUT AND A SWEEPING CENTRE CONSOLE. FIT AND FINISH ARE EXCELLENT, WHILE THE EXTENSIVE USE OF SOFT-TOUCH PLASTICS BOOSTS THE QUALITY FEEL.

MAZDA 3

COMPARISONSIT SHARES A SIMILAR SUSPENSION SET-UP, AND HAS GREAT POISE AND AGILITY THROUGH CORNERS. BETTER STILL, ITS PRECISE STEERING AND SHORT-THROW GEARSHIFT HAVE CLEARLY BEEN INFLUENCED BY THE MX-5. THE ONLY BLACK MARK ON THE 3’S DYNAMIC PACKAGE IS THE LIMITED REFINEMENT. BUT A FAMILY CAR HAS TO APPEAL TO THE HEAD AS WELL AS THE HEART - AND THE MAZDA ACHIEVES THIS.

THE MAZDA IS STYLISH, PRACTICAL, FUN TO DRIVE AND GREAT VALUE, SO IT’S AN EXCELLENT FOCUS SUBSTITUTE.

IT’S STILL A GREAT CHOICE, YET RAFT OF PRICE HIKES THREATENS FORD’S POSITION AT THE TOP OF THE TREETHE FORD FOCUS DESERVES TO BE A HIT, THOUGH, BECAUSE IT’S SUCH AN INCREDIBLY POLISHED AND CAPABLE MACHINE. REWARDING TO DRIVE AND PRACTICAL TO LIVE WITH, THE LATEST MODEL IS A FINE FAMILY CHOICE - BUT YOU NEED TO SECURE A GENEROUS DISCOUNT TO MAKE THE SUMS ADD UP

FORD FOCUS

COMFORTPASSENGERS IN THE BACK SEAT WILL BE ABLE TO STRETCH OUT A LOT MORE IN THE MAZDA MAZDA3 THAN THE FORD FOCUS, DUE TO ITS GREATER HEAD- AND LEGROOM. AS FAR AS HEADROOM AND LEGROOM GO, THERE'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FORD FOCUS AND THE MAZDA MAZDA3 IN THE FRONT SEATS.

THE FORD FOCUS HAS A LARGER TURNING RADIUS THAN THE MAZDA MAZDA3, MAKING IT SLIGHTLY MORE DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER IN AND OUT OF TIGHT SPOTS