Welcome to the automotive ballet of twirling metal, where the fleet-footed Mazda 3 waltzes with the nimblest of them. It's not about the boot space or the roar under the bonnet; it's about swivelling on a sixpence. For you see, in the city's quantum-sized parking spaces, the turning circle is king, and the Mazda 3 plays the game with a kind of measured grace that's both appreciable and, admittedly, at times perfectly average.
Now, let's prance through time and scrutinize how the Mazda 3 has spun tighter (or not) with each iteration. Our archival dance begins with the Mazda 3 BK (2003-2006), performing an impressive 10.30m pirouette. But as it aged, it seemingly grew wider in its twirls—10.90m post its first facelift and stubbornly sticking to it through the BL generation. By the time we encountered the BM models (2013-2019), the Mazda 3's turning radius ballooned to a less-than-whimsical 11.40m, and it appears this figure has found its feet, remaining unchanged in the latest BP model. Does it foxtrot around its ancestors? Hardly—it prefers a more modern (or should we say bulkier) approach to choreography.
| Generation year | Turning circle |
|---|---|
| 3, Model year 2003 (BK) | 10 m |
| 3, Model year 2006 (BK (1. Facelift)) | 10 m |
| 3, Model year 2009 (BL) | 10 m |
| 3, Model year 2011 (BL (1. Facelift)) | 10 m |
| 3, Model year 2013 (BM) | 11 m |
| 3, Model year 2017 (BM (1. Facelift)) | 11 m |
| 3, Model year 2019 (BP) | 10 m |
| Variant name | Turning circle |
|---|---|
| 3 | 10 m |
| 3 Fastback | 10 m |
Next to its Mazda kin, the 3 is, shall we say, middling. Take the petite Mazda 2 with its 10.20m carousel—it's just that bit more agile. Zoom up to the sporty MX-5, be it Roadster or RF, and you'll find a marginally less svelte figure of 10.40m adorning their specs. Stepping up to the larger CX-30, the Mazda 3 doesn't look quite as deft, as the crossover twirls a smaller 10.60m circle, leaving our fair Mazda 3 quite average in the family photo. And let's not speak of the Mazda 6 or the colossal CX-60, which limbo under the bar with a less-limber 11 and 11.70m respectively.
| Variant name | Turning circle |
|---|---|
| 3 | 10 m |
| 3 Fastback | 10 m |
| CX-30 | 10 m |
| MX-5 RF | 10 m |
| MX-5 Roadster | 10 m |
| 2 | 10 m |
| 2 Hybrid | 10 m |
| CX-60 | 11 m |
| 6 Kombi | 11 m |
| 6 {sedan} | 11 m |
| CX-5 | 11 m |
| MX-30 | 11 m |
| CX-80 | 12 m |
How does our protagonist fair against the rogues' gallery of competitors, you ask? The peppy Skoda Scala nips at its heels with a mirrored Mazda 2-like 10.20m, the Citroen AX could practically spin on its own axis with a scant 9.60m, and the Suzuki Swift darts about with a sprightly 9.20m. Even the robust Hyundai Pony matches the Mazda 3's early-gen swivel with an even 10.00m. But ah, there's a glimmer of superiority when lined up against the Rover (Austin) Maestro, where both Mazda 3's present and past hold their ground with the 10.30m starting figure. So, while the Mazda 3 isn't the most graceful in its class, it's far from the clumsy oaf—rather, a dependable partner for your urban two-step.
| Car model | Turning circle |
|---|---|
| Ligier JS 50 2019 | 8 m |
| Aixam Sensation 2017 | 8 m |
| Aixam Emotion 2020 | 8 m |
| Microcar M.Go 2019 | 8 m |
| Microcar Dué 2019 | 8 m |
| Aixam Minauto 2018 | 8 m |
| Fiat 500 2007 | 9 m |
| Casalini 550 2022 | 9 m |
| Casalini M20 2022 | 9 m |
| Opel KARL 2015 | 9 m |
| Skoda Scala 2019 | 10 m |
| Renault R20 1976 | 10 m |
| Audi A3 2000 | 10 m |
| Fiat Bravo 2007 | 10 m |
| Rover 25 2000 | 10 m |
| Alfa Romeo 145 1994 | 10 m |
| Fiat Brava 1998 | 10 m |
| VW Fox 2005 | 10 m |
| KIA Picanto 2004 | 10 m |
| Audi A2 2000 | 10 m |
| Opel Insignia 2008 | 10 m |
| Nissan Pulsar 2014 | 10 m |
| Lancia Delta 2008 | 10 m |
| Renault R30 1976 | 10 m |
| Mazda 3 2019 | 10 m |
| Infiniti Q30 2015 | 11 m |
| Rover 800 1987 | 11 m |
| Lancia Gamma 1980 | 11 m |
| Renault R21 1989 | 11 m |
| Renault R25 1988 | 12 m |
