Affordable and stylish’ spring specials from Mazda

Mazda is sure to be top of new car buyers’ shopping lists in March, with the addition of four ‘affordable and stylish’ Spring Special models to its established Zoom-Zoom product line-up.

Based on popular versions of the Mazda3, Mazda5 and Mazda6, the Spring Specials are extremely price competitive and start from just £12,995 on-the-road. All gain stylish exterior and interior enhancements, with a selection of special equipment, unique interior touches, and handsome alloy wheels.

Mazda’s popular Katano special editions return for 2007, with updated and exclusive features. Both the Mazda3 Katano and Mazda6 Katano, which are based on five-door hatchback TS models, are equipped with a Navimaster (by Siemens VDO) portable touch-screen satellite navigation system with full European mapping and free ‘Traffic Master Channel’ reports and congestion warnings.

The Mazda3 1.6 Katano has additional features which include 15-inch alloy wheels, a chrome exhaust trim and a choice of Sunlight Silver metallic or Black Mica exterior paint finish. This Spring Special model has a five-speed manual transmission and costs £12,995 – a saving of more than £1,000 on a similarly equipped TS model.

Remarkably affordable and well equipped, the Mazda3 Katano undercuts rival 1.6?litre models from Renault, Vauxhall and VW by £475-to-£1,400, while also bringing customers generous standard equipment only available on rival cars at extra cost.

With a 2.0-litre, 147ps engine and six-speed manual transmission, the Mazda6 Katano offers an incredible performance-per-£ ratio. It is priced at £14,995 – a saving of almost £655 on the TS model. Boosting its stylish image, the Mazda6 Katano can be ordered in Silver Contrail Metallic or Black Mica paint and is fitted with a rear spoiler, twin chrome exhausts and 16-inch five-spoke alloys.

Highlighting its affordability, the Mazda6 Katano costs between £1,275 and £2,505 less than potential rival cars from Honda, Toyota, Vauxhall and VW, while being far better equipped – as standard.

Completing Mazda’s line-up of Spring Specials are two versions (petrol or diesel) of the Mazda5 Furano. Based on the Mazda5 2.0 Sport, the Furano adds a sports styling kit including a front bumper, side skirts, rear skirts and rear spoiler, plus clear tail light lenses. A three-way choice of exterior colour offers Stellar Silver Metallic, Galaxy Grey Mica or Strato Blue Mica paint finishes.

All Furano models feature stylish 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, the Mazda5’s class-leading sliding rear doors and a 6-CD autochanger. The 145ps petrol engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, while the 143ps diesel powerunit drives the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. For buyers wishing to prove that ‘practical’ can also be ‘sporty’, black leather trim is available as an extra cost (£1,000) option on petrol models (excluding Stellar Silver models).

Both Furano models cost an extra £445 above the regular Mazda5, but come with more than £1,700 of extras. The petrol model is priced at £16,995, while the diesel costs £18,595 (on-the-road). Following the ‘affordable’ ethos of the Spring Specials programme, the Furano models cost up to £1,240 less than its rivals from Honda, Toyota and VW.