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Mazda 3 BL or how to ruin an absolutely decent car because that's what management decided. Mazda 3 BL, that car that could have been, but gave up along the way. If it's worth your money or not, find out in today's review.

Mazda 3 BL came to replace a rather strange car for it's time. It was a pure Japanese car, with the full fun package, such as semi-independent suspension, chain-driven punchy petrol engines, which only worked when revved hard. A fun car, driven by the hoonigans who wanted something more than the boring Golf or the old Astra. They weren't even interested in the Ford Focus, because they read somewhere that 80% of Fords are still on the roads, and the remaining 20% ​​have arrived at home. And Ford corporate caught ear of this and decided to punish said hoonigans.

And how did Ford corporate punish the little Mazda 3?

Simple, Ford executives barged into Mazda and Volvo offices and threw a bunch of money-ladden suitcases at them. Volvo had invested quite a lot in their own R&D and had little money for anything else, and Mazda was always a weak company in the marketing department in Europe and that's why it was not as popular in Europe. And so Ford stol..."borrowed"...all the technology and especially petrol engines from Mazda and let them make do with what was left in the dumpsters behind the factory.

Things however turned to better in 2008 when Mazda becomes independent again by buying back Ford's stock participation, but in the same year the Mazda 3 BL is launched, which was essentially a Ford Focus II with a more aggressive appearance. An idea as good as when you drink beer, eat some watermelons and start doing jumping jacks.

Why did they launch in 2008 a model designed together with Ford when they could have postponed the launch by 1-2 years and modified the model so that it would not be another commercial failure? Because Mazda. It's like asking why do feet smell, if they have no nose? Or if penguins have knees?

Mazda 3 BL Engines

Petrol

• 1.5 MZR ZY-FE of 111 horsepower - Carried over from the previous generation, this engine is Japan exclusive. And if it's in Japan, number one. Steady hand. One day, yakuza boss need new heart. I do operation. But, mistake! Yakuza boss die. Yakuza very mad. I hide in fishing boat, come to America. No English, no food, no money. Darryl give me job. Now I have house, American car, and new woman. Darryl save life. My big secret: I kill yakuza boss on purpose. I good surgeon. The best!


• 1.6 MZR ZM-DE of 105 horsepower – The entry-level engine for most of the Mazda 3 BL is identical to the 1.6 petrol engine on the Ford Focus II. An Mazda sourced engine, about which I have been talking nonsense in the other reviews. With a chain drive and high power range, the only problem with this engine is the appetite for oil that it develops late in life. All in all, an absolutely decent engine, but that's it. You won't be doing much Initial D'ing with this engine.


• 2.0 MZR L of 140 and 150 and 160 horsepower – Carried over from the previous generation, this engine remains the most balanced choice for Mazda. Any Mazda. I'm not sure it would fit under the hood of a Mazda 2, but it's still the best choice. It is part of the same MZR family, so you have the famous Japanese reliability. The 160 horsepower version was North America exclusive and it was the earliest adoption of the SkyActive-G engine, reknown for it's highest efficiency out of a petrol engine.


• 2.3 Turbo MZR-L DiSi of 255, 260 and 270 horsepower – The classic 2.3 Turbo that powered the Ford Focus ST and the 2015 Ford Mustang, this torpedo lives only next to the "Mazda 3 MPS" logo. Or MazdaSpeed 3, if you're from 'stralia. It's a reliable engine, but it's not cheap to maintain. Cheap does not last, free does not exist. Because this engine is prone to turbocharger failures and the timing chain stretches more often than with the regular engines. 


• 2.5 MZR L5-VE of 165 and 170 horsepower - Sitting right between the commoner 2.0 naturally aspirated turbo and the 2.3 Turbocharged MazdaSpeed 3, the 2.5 petrol was available mostly in North America and Australia as the Mazda 3 GT. If you're not commited to the turbocharged maintainance, this is the engine for you.

Diesel

• 1.6 HDI MZ-CD of 116 horsepower – The same 1.6 HDi that destroyed the reputation of any car that had the misfortune of hosting it. Peugeot 307, Ford Focus II, Volvo V50 or Mini Cooper, all were cursed by this mechanical abortion. Besides the classic issues such as the injectors made of gum and toilet paper, or the EGR valve that remains stuck on open position, this engine has an interesting problem with the turbo. In front of the turbo there is a sieve that filters the oil that cools it. The sieve gets clogged, the turbo no longer receives the oil in charge of cooling and that's how the turbo cracks. And if you don't replace the filter (many people don't want to change the filter) and only replace the turbine, you will replace turbos every 6,000 miles / 10,000 kms. It's interesting that they didn't use the old 1.6 MZR-CD. The idea is that when you come with a new car, you also come with better engines, not worse. But I also stated in the article about the Mazda 6 GH that the Japanese do things a little differently than us Europeans.


• 2.2 MZR-CD of 150 and 185 horsepower – Why not offer a 2.0 diesel and come directly with a 2.2 after the 1.6? Because Mazda. Is it atleast a reliable engine? No. The famous MZR-CD, which also kicked Mazda owners in their nads, has the following issue: The particulate filter does not regenerate completely and remains unburnt diesel. The diesel ends up combining with the oil and contaminates your entire engine. The only way you can realize this problem is if you check the oil level daily and see if the oil level has somehow raised. No, the Mazda 3 BL doesn't magically produce engine oil, it just has contaminated oil. Mazda 3 BL, a car that took so many stitches in its testicles that it can identify itself as Steve-O.

Mazda 3 BL Reliability Issues

If you go on the internet and read anything other than the theories of Alex Johnes, a complete and correctly defined esoteric fighter from an esoteric point of view through the ranks and distinctions awarded, you will read horror stories about the rust on Mazda 3, especially Mazda 3 BK and Mazda 3 BL. True thing in countries with a humid climate, such as England. There yes, the Mazda 3 rusts before being assembled. But in civilized Europe you don't have to worry about this kind of thing. Mind you however that the Mazda 3 BL is prone to rust, so if you live in a humid place or someplace with lots of snow, then make sure to rustproof your Mazda.

Mazda 3 BL Verdict

An extraordinary car, which could have been. Except that the problem with the Mazda 3 BL is as follows: You have a 2.0 petrol which is too big and too thirsty for the average driver, you have a 1.6 petrol which is too slow for the typical Mazda driver and you have a 1.6 diesel which is just as as good as geting a lap dance from Preston Lacy. Maybe the rest of the car is reliable and fun, but the only engine you can realistically buy in Europe is the 105 horsepower 1.6 petrol engine, and thus the Mazda 3 BL becomes just another compact of the dozen, somewhere in a dealership's brochure. However, if you stick with a 2.0 petrol, you will make the Mazda 3 BL an old-fashioned pure-blooded Japanese. Trust me, it's worth it. Even better, if you live in a country where fun is not punished, then you got the 2.0, the 2.3 and the 2.5 to get your kicks and the Mazda 3 BL is worth every single penny it demands from time to time.

What engine do I recommend? Obviously I will talk about that 150 horsepower 2.0 MZR and obviously you will buy the 105 horsepower 1.6 MZR petrol. The diesel options are just...no.