Car Deal of the Day: Mazda 3 brings style and plenty of fun for just £179 a month
Mazda’s 3 hatch has a premium feel and yet it’s cheap to lease. No wonder it’s our Deal of the Day for August 28
- Great fun to drive; elegant design
- Well-equipped
- Just £178.81 a month
With its handsome design and plush, driver-focused interior, the Mazda 3 undoubtedly has an upmarket swagger in the family hatchback class. And yet, despite this, the Japanese five-door is cheaper than all of its main rivals, including the soon-to-be-retired Ford Focus and sensible Skoda Scala.
That's right – through the Auto Express Buy A Car service, Leasing Options is offering the Mazda 3 for under £179 a month right now. All that's needed to kickstart the agreement is a £2,495.71 initial payment – that's excellent value for money.
This two-year deal has a mileage limit of 5,000 miles a year, but this can be bumped up to a far more flexible 8,000 per annum for just over £17 extra a month.
Centre-Line is the trim on offer here, and while it is the lowest specification Mazda offers, it still has all the basics and a few luxuries, too.
Mazda throws in 16-inch alloys, air conditioning, LED headlights, radar cruise control, and a 10.25-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There's even integrated sat-nav and a colour head-up display.
While rivals offer small petrol engines with equally small turbos to power their offerings, Mazda prefers larger engines, believing higher capacity, naturally-aspirated motors deliver better fuel economy.
So here, in this Mazda 3, there's a hefty 2.5-litre, mild-hybrid four-cylinder petrol engine pushing out 138bhp. It's a smooth unit, that's quiet and refined, plus it's mated to a delightfully direct six-speed manual gearbox.
The 3 also has beautifully direct steering and sharp handling, meaning it's one of the most enjoyable family hatchbacks on sale to drive. Plus, the quality-feeling interior only underlines what a great deal this is.
The Car Deal of the Day selections we make are taken from our own Auto Express Buy A Car deals service, which includes the best current offers from car dealers and leasing companies around the UK. Terms and conditions apply, while prices and offers are subject to change and limited availability. If this deal expires, you can find more top Mazda 3 leasing offers from leading providers on our Mazda 3 page.
Deals on Mazda 3 rivals
Check out the Mazda 3 deal or take a look at our previous Car Deal of the Day selection here…
