i hope its the 5-door model. it looks so much better than the sedan. the sedan is ok, but the 5-door is sweet. i usually prefer sedans, but occassionally a 5-door model comes out that looks better than its sedan counterpart (ie; p5 and 3 5-door). the 3 sedan to me just looks like a plain sedan. there have been times where i have mistaken the 3 sedan for other cars because it doesnt have the styling elements that make it stand out like the 5-door or the p5. now if mazda made 3 hatch (similar to the 6 hatch) like m3_5mt is talking about, that would be pretty sweet.
Spied: Mazdaspeed 3!
- Thread starter RHAGEL
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Badger Biker
Member
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- 2001 Jeep Cherokee Limited
Jose ... your voice of reason stands out once again. 
To a previous comment about the 6 hatch: I have always wondered WHY they called it a hatchback. It looks nothing like one. It looks just like the sedan with a wing on the back. I've always envisioned the hatchback as being a lot more styled like the VW Golf, the Peugot 206 (and cousins), Honda civic CRX, and styling like that. The 6 "hatch" is way too flat in the rear to be a hatchback, imo.
Wagons have always been really long and squared off. The 3 hatch has wagon-esque styling to it, but the overall shape is still that of a 4 door golf, and it retains a curved shape and full opening door to the rear. My family had an old diesel wagon with that fake wood vinyl or whatever it was on the sides. That thing was a /beast/ but you could tell it was a wagon. The 6 wagon is for sure a wagon, as is the Outback Legacy. The Subaru Sport Wagon is still a little too long and boxy to be considered a hatch, and the Protege 5 also retains the streamlined long/low wagon esque styling. The 3 is a little taller for the height, and more rounded, very much like a hatchback should be.
But then again, these are all just my opinions and they are subject to individual interpretation. I also have a love of hatchbacks, and it's very doubtful you could ever get me to drive a sedan and truly love it
To a previous comment about the 6 hatch: I have always wondered WHY they called it a hatchback. It looks nothing like one. It looks just like the sedan with a wing on the back. I've always envisioned the hatchback as being a lot more styled like the VW Golf, the Peugot 206 (and cousins), Honda civic CRX, and styling like that. The 6 "hatch" is way too flat in the rear to be a hatchback, imo.
Wagons have always been really long and squared off. The 3 hatch has wagon-esque styling to it, but the overall shape is still that of a 4 door golf, and it retains a curved shape and full opening door to the rear. My family had an old diesel wagon with that fake wood vinyl or whatever it was on the sides. That thing was a /beast/ but you could tell it was a wagon. The 6 wagon is for sure a wagon, as is the Outback Legacy. The Subaru Sport Wagon is still a little too long and boxy to be considered a hatch, and the Protege 5 also retains the streamlined long/low wagon esque styling. The 3 is a little taller for the height, and more rounded, very much like a hatchback should be.
But then again, these are all just my opinions and they are subject to individual interpretation. I also have a love of hatchbacks, and it's very doubtful you could ever get me to drive a sedan and truly love it
This is what I've always considered to be a hatchback, a sedan that has a trunk like a wagon (meaning the rear window opens with the trunk)
Much like the 6 hatchback:
I imagine that Golfs, CRXs, and Peugeot 206's are called hatchbacks because it's just not right to call a 2-door a wagon.
I think this is why Mazda calls the 3 "hatchback" a 5-door, because its not a wagon, and its not a hatchback....but it has 5 doors....there's nothing out there quite like it.
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- 2001 Pro 2.0 LX
thats whay the golf, crx and such are called 3-doors, not hatch or wagon. well, at least everywhere else in the world I've been
goldwing2000
OG Mazda Mafia
- :
- 2004 Mazda3s Hatch; 346,000 mi (sold)
2024 CX-5 CE; 7,500 mi (so far)
M3 5MT said:
Well... besides the P5 and ZX5.
Maybe the Matrix if you squint your eyes just right...
Badger Biker
Member
- :
- 2001 Jeep Cherokee Limited
goldwing2000 said:Well... besides the P5 and ZX5.
Maybe the Matrix if you squint your eyes just right...
The Matrix and Vibe are in their own little catagories.
Think: Mini Minivan
M3 5MT: I can see exactly what you are saying. I agree that the Saab looks more like a hatchback, but I just wish the 6 HB was a little longer up top and didn't look so sedan like.
I'll add this in real quick, I really /really/ dislike the look of the average sedan. Luckily, you MP3 and MSP guys have something that has style to it
Hatchbacks and Coups (those Mercedes SLK 320 or whatever w/Kompressor = so sweet.) are what I have always thought had the greatest styling to them.
Those and European sportscars.
I know I'm late into this discussion, but I just had to add my thoughts. This is just my opinion and not meant as an insult in any way, so please don't take it personally.
The least number of doors the better!
A MAZDASPEED3 COUPE AWD would kick butt.
However, I know it will never happen, so the next best thing is the sedan.
As for the five door/hatchback debate, I know there are alot of loyal fans, however, Mazda has pulled on over on you. The 3 hatchback/5door or whatever you want to call it, is a "station wagon" just like the Protoge 5. Mazda and Subaru both have been able to market station wagons as "5doors/hatchbacks" and somehow have turned them into amazing sellers. I agree it does look better than any station wagon out there, but it's just not for me. The 6 hatchback is a true hatchback, M3 you are right on. If the lines follow the same shape as the sedan and the rear windo opens with the trunk, voila you have a hatchback. If it looks like a station wagon it is a station wagon.
The least number of doors the better!
A MAZDASPEED3 COUPE AWD would kick butt.
However, I know it will never happen, so the next best thing is the sedan.
As for the five door/hatchback debate, I know there are alot of loyal fans, however, Mazda has pulled on over on you. The 3 hatchback/5door or whatever you want to call it, is a "station wagon" just like the Protoge 5. Mazda and Subaru both have been able to market station wagons as "5doors/hatchbacks" and somehow have turned them into amazing sellers. I agree it does look better than any station wagon out there, but it's just not for me. The 6 hatchback is a true hatchback, M3 you are right on. If the lines follow the same shape as the sedan and the rear windo opens with the trunk, voila you have a hatchback. If it looks like a station wagon it is a station wagon.
anarchistchiken
Member
- :
- 03 Silver Protege5
I'm so sick of this stupid semantics debate. We know it's a station wagon. Shut up.
goldwing2000
OG Mazda Mafia
- :
- 2004 Mazda3s Hatch; 346,000 mi (sold)
2024 CX-5 CE; 7,500 mi (so far)
anarchistchiken said:
If you're so sick of it, then don't read the thread. (upyours)
Glowspeedp5
Member
- :
- 2002 Mazda Protege5
anarchistchiken said:
False statement. Mazdaspeed has been around since the 70's. It just recently 2 years ago came to our shores.
