Mazda goes large with its big new petrol engine

Mazda3 upgrade by Steve Rogers

How is this for thinking outside the box? When rivals are going small one car company goes big, dropping a 2.5 litre petrol engine into a family hatchback.

The trend is small turbocharged hybrid engines, but Mazda does what Mazda does and takes a different route. We should not be surprised the Japanese company has been defying convention for decades. It championed the rotary engine, built a two seater roadster when no one else had the nerve, and more recently surprised everyone with a new diesel engine when oil burners are going out of fashion.

So what’s behind all this? We need to go back to 2019 and the launch of the current Mazda3 and a new 2-litre SkyActive-G petrol engine. This was a pretty big leap almost matching the economy and low emissions of a diesel but it was underpowered offering too little when overtaking.

The upshot is that this bigger engine has given it the edge providing a lot more punch in the mid range yet still lighting up the economy stats. I tipped 47mpg puddling around and on a motorway jaunt cruised into the high fifties.

Apart from a new engine, a little more refinement, updates to the navigation system and Alexa voice assist nothing much else has changed; it did not need to. The fourth generation model was bang on the money from the off, its timeless, elegant flowing lines making it the best looking family hatch bar none.

Handling is on point as well, it is what you get from Mazda. Yes the suspension could be a little more forgiving over poorer surfaces but I wanted quick response steering and a drama free ride through twists and tight turns and that is what I got. And don’t shy away from a manual, the six speed box is slick and precise and makes gear changing a real pleasure.

Okay, so we have established that Maz3 is good to drive with a decent engine but what really matters is whether it is up to the task of carting around a family? As far as space goes it is just on par if a little tight in the back where foot room is hampered by a chunky transmission tunnel.

Passengers in the back complained it was too dark, hardly surprising given the shallow windows but that is a penalty of the sharp styling and I wouldn’t want them to change that. Drivers will find rear vision poor for the same reason but with a camera and parking sensors there will be no concerns when reversing.

Boot space is bettered by some rivals but is perfectly adequate although this is another car that would benefit from a two level floor to avoid the drop when loading shopping bags or other smaller items.

An area where there will be no complaint is the quality of materials. Mazda has been knocking on the door of premium brand status for a while and has reached it with its newest models. This car started the drive with an upgrade across the board so expect plenty of soft touch surfaces.

The layout is more or less unchanged although the driver’s binnacle is now mainly digital backed up by an excellent head up display with additional features, while the infotainment screen increased to 10.25 inches.

The touch screen can only be used while stationary which is unusual but adds a level of safety because the driver’s eyes are not focussed on dabbing the screen. Instead all the functions are selected via a rotary controller and quick keys positioned behind the gear lever. I’ve been praising this system for years and believe it could be the perfect template for every car maker. It is the most intuitive set up I have come across and an absolute doddle to master. Heating controls are separate physical switches and most of us prefer that.

Without getting too sentimental I always look upon the Mazda3 as akin to meeting up with an old friend. It is now an ageing beauty and like many hatchbacks pushed to the side by the endless stream of SUVs, but this hatch still has plenty to offer and you don’t even need to go above the entry Exclusive model to get just about all the luxuries and safety equipment you need.

Fast Facts

Mazda3 Exclusive-Line

£26,810

2.5 litre e-Skyactiv G; 138bhp

0-62mph 9.5secs; 128mph

47.9mpg combined

135g/km. First tax £325

Insurance group 19

Boot: 330-1022 litres

Flying Start children's services expand into Llangollen

The Flying Start scheme is now expanding into more postcodes within Denbighshire. 

The expanded areas will include postcodes in Llangollen and Corwen. 

This expansion means that families with children aged 2-3 years old in the new areas will be eligible for up to 12 ½ hours of funded childcare per week during term time.

 

Denbighshire Flying Start is a Welsh Government funded programme. The aim of it is to help children to have the best possible start in life for their future growth and development.

 

Councillor Diane King, Lead Member for Education, Children and Families said: “The latest expansion of this scheme means that more families in Llangollen and Corwen can now get 12 ½ hours of funded childcare per week during term time, meaning access to vital services which will help with their childcare needs.

 

"Residents in the newly expanded areas can check if their postcode is eligible through the postcode checker.”

 

* To find the eligible postcodes please use the postcode checker at: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/flying-start.

 

Police presence in Regent Street this afternoon

UPDATE: The incident appeared to be at a close by 4.33pm and police vehicles have now cleared the scene with only the ambulance remaining.

Two police cars are currently (around 4.30pm) blocking part of the A5 carriageway in Regent Street, parked in front of and behind an SUV vehicle.

There is a police officer directing traffic, which has led to short delays to the traffic flow in both directions. 

There is a third police car in the Co-op car park along with an ambulance. A number of other police officers are in attendance at the scene.

Download free Dee Valley educational resources

A pack of free education resources are now available to download from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley website. 

These cross curricular resources can support schools in learning about the history of the Dee Valley from inside and outside of the classroom.

The resources have been produced by the ‘Our Picturesque Landscape’ project, which was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund between 2018 and 2024.

Over six years the project delivered 28 school projects, and engaged over 2,400 pupils with the heritage and environment of this very special place.

The educational resources have been developed by working alongside artists, writers and historians, as well as teachers and pupils from the school sessions delivered by the project team over the years.

The resources are linked to the Curriculum for Wales framework and are most suitable for ages 7-11 years but many can be easily adapted for other age groups. The activities will enable young people to discover the heritage of the landscape and stories of the influential characters and events which have shaped the area over the last 400 years.

Supporting teachers to confidently lead outdoor learning sessions and opportunities to discover the Dee Valley in a plethora of ways including through the medium of dance, art, creative writing, natural history, science and physical education.

There are engaging films, virtual reality, a board game to learn about an underappreciated habitat that is rarer than rainforest and a new Top Trumps game to discover the people that have shaped the area in the past and present.

Teachers can now visit the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley website to discover and explore these exciting resources for themselves.

Sallyanne Hall, Our Picturesque Landscape Community Engagement Officer, said: “We presented the resources to some Dee Valley schools directly and the teachers were excited to use the learning bundles to enhance their lessons, especially outside the classroom. We hope that teachers further afield will find them useful too.”

Councillor Alan James, Denbighshire Cabinet Lead Member for Local Development and Planning, said: “These resources are fantastic for helping pupils learn about the rich history that the Dee Valley has to offer and for keeping the stories of the area alive for generations to come.” 

* For the download, go to: https://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk/learning-packs/

Junior footballers hit peak success in their Everest Challenge

* A group of intrepid walkers take on the Everest Challenge.

Making a total of over 200 walks and runs helped teams from Llangollen Youth FC achieve their Everest Challenge yesterday (Sunday).

The young players from Under 11s upwards aimed to "conquer" the world's highest mountain in aid of Nightingale House Hospice and their own funds. 

Although they weren't actually travelling to the Himalayas to do it their aim was to ascend and descend the equivalent height of Everest at 8,849 metres above sea level.

They achieved this by walking to the top of Castell Dinas Brân from their base at Tower Field – an elevation change of approximately 210m – meaning that each team needed to make a collective total of 43 trips up to the castle. 

In the end, a total of 207 ascents were made.

* More walkers stride out along the route to Castell Dinas Bran.

The club's Under 7’s and Under 9’s teams joined in on the day with a sponsored walk up to the castle.

Half of sponsorship money received will go to Nightingale House while the rest will go towards the long list of expenses involved with running a grassroots football club.

A spokesperson for the challenge said: "Each player did their fair share with no complaints or quitters. It was great to see so many players working as a team, wearing their kit with pride and cheering each other on.

"The final total of what has been raised will be announced soon. The GoFundme page will be left open for any further donations. We appreciate every single one.

"A few thankyou's, to all the volunteers who walked with the players, marshalled, registered and served refreshments and food, we could not have done it without you. Also, Llangollen Town Football Club for allowing us to use their clubhouse and field."

* To sponsor the challenge, go to Gofundme at: Fundraiser by Gareth Jones : Raising money for Nightingale House and Llangollen Youth FC

Two-step verification could help protect against online fraudsters

North Wales Community Alert has revealed that data shows there was a rise in social media and email account hacking reported in 2024.

A total of 35,434 reports were made to Action Fraud, compared to 22,530 reports made in 2023, with nearly £1 million lost to hackers last year.

The most common motives for social media hacking were either investment fraud, ticket fraud or theft of the targeted account for extortion.

To protect your accounts you need to -

✅ Enable 2-Step Verification on each online account you have – this adds an extra layer of security to your accounts and will help prove your identity when logging in and stop fraudsters from stealing or accessing your valuable information. It can be turned on in a matter of minutes – time well spent to keep the fraudsters out.

✅ Secure your social media and email accounts by ensuring each password is strong and uses three random words. Remember to never share your passwords with anyone else.

* Find out more about how to take these steps here – https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware/home

Special spring event at St Collen's Community Hall