Car and Driver Picks the Mazda3 as one of the Most Beautiful Cars for 2021
There are a lot of attractive cars on the market, even if beauty is slightly subjective. The Mazda3 might not be your first choice, but Car and Driver couldn’t resist the hatchback. What other vehicles charmed the staff of Car and Drive with good looks? The usual suspects from Bugatti, Porsche, Bentley…and the Mazda3.
Car and Driver chose the Mazda3 as one of the most beautiful cars
There are a lot of impressive cars on Car and Driver’s “Most Beautiful Cars on Sale for 2021” list. It just so happens that the people at Car and Driver have a thing for the Mazda3, which is fine. What makes it worthy of being “beautiful” though? C&D says its affordable nature and “sophisticated body panels” sealed the deal. No, we aren’t joking.
The Mazda3 does look smooth, like a modern bubble hatchback. The description says that body lines and creases on the design are at a minimum, while the shark nose accentuates that. The compact front-wheel-drive sedan looks like your average grocery getter, but that’s what some people are looking for. It does offer plenty of room and a convenient cargo area, which is nice.
For the other cars on the list, luxurious paint colors and optional packages drive the cost up. For the 2021 Mazda3, Polymetal Gray metallic will cost you $0 extra. Red leather seats also come in at $0. But don’t overlook the illuminated door sill trim plates for the reasonable price of $0. Overall, it’ll cost you around $21,000 to drive off in this beauty queen.
What vehicles accompanied the Mazda3 on Car and Driver’s list?
RELATED: Pelican Causes a $1 Million Bugatti Veyron Crash; Driver Goes to Jail
The Mazda3 is literally the only reasonably priced vehicle on the list. First up was the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. The MSRP for the Quadrifoglio is just over $82,000. It does look nice, thanks to the Rosso (Red) Competizione Tri-Coat paint that costs $2,200. The Dark Tecnico Wheels are another $500, plus the exposed carbon roof will run you another $2,000. But who is counting?
The Bentley Flying Spur starts at $198,100 and it looks that way. The version that appeased Cra and Driver sports a $6,090 Beluga White paint job. The specialized Naim for Bentley audio system is a measly $8,800, but totally worth it. For the new model, the First Edition Specification will cost you about $44,735. But it looks really good, so there’s that.
Another beautiful yet reasonable addition to the list is the Bugatti Chiron. The Chiron is actually on its way out, with only 40 more left in the limited run. Due to this, it’ll cost you upwards of $3 million to drive. It is certainly a beautiful car and it looks it. But don’t compare it to the Mazda3 because that would just be silly.
The Porsche 911 Carrera S made the list, but so did the reasonable Volvo V60
Ever-present on similar lists is the classic Porsche 911 Carrera S. There is no use arguing that the 911 isn’t attractive, because its gone through a lot in its long history. But the Porsche 911 looks good. It offers smooth edges, clean lines, and enough engine noise to make anyone happy. “It represents a wholly modern take on the classic 911 theme, but Porsche tossed some retro 911 touches in for good measure, including the squared-off hood and the full-width taillights.” The Guards Red paint won’t cost you anything extra, but the matching seat belts will cost you $540.
The Volvo V60 is possibly the only other reasonable vehicle on the list. The 2021 V60 will cost you around $46,000 these days. If the Mazda3 is a round little hatch of a sedan, the Volvo V60 is its long, square cousin. It looks like an angry wagon that would be fun to drive. Car and Driver prefers the Bursting Blue metallic paint for $690. The exterior styling kit runs $1,615 and the 19-inch 5-triple spoke wheels are an extra $800.
“Aesthetics are subjective, but these stunning cars fit our definition of beauty,” Car and Driver said. And that’s a good point. The Chrion, 911, Bentley Flying Spur, and Koenigsegg Gemera are all beautiful cars that are out of 99% of budgets. While it is a bit funny to see the Mazda3 on such a list, it’s also appreciated. Beautiful cars don’t have to cost $3 million dollars, but a lot of them do.
