OK class, tell me, what does this button do?
If you said "Well Mr. Riswick, it is the Advanced Keyless System's trunk-mounted lock/unlock button" you would be completely wrong. Nope, that's what the below button does.
Instead, the top button is essentially the trunk's latch. The old Mazda 3 had the usual pull handle under that indentation where you naturally grab the liftgate and pull it up. You could do it in one motion. On the new car, you must press the button, then move your hand down to the grab point -- unless, of course, you have giant long alien hands and can still do it in one motion. You also now have that silly dot in the middle of the trunk.
I just don't get it.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 3,300 miles
pblasco says:
09:06 AM, 11/24/09
Coming from a civic where you had to use the key to open the trunk from the outside, I thought the button on the back of my MS3's hatch was very nice. But I could see how a pull handle would be better.
deagle13 says:
09:15 AM, 11/24/09
I have a 2010 Madza3 5-Door GT without keyless entry. Strangely, that button is the only way I can open the rear hatch. With such luxurues as leather, heated seats, automatic windshield wipers, and articulating xenon headlights, I was surprised that there is no internal hatch release nor is there a release button on the key fob. This is especially weird because the sedan gets a trunk release on the key fob.
I suspect overactive lawyers...
lazyhater says:
09:33 AM, 11/24/09
Annoying design!
miraa says:
09:52 AM, 11/24/09
Is it rubbery? If so, the primary purpose of that button is to attract road grime.
rick8365 says:
11:25 AM, 11/24/09
It's got that chit eating grin up front.....and this out back, makes sense to me.
Or is this what was left behind after Ford cut the cord?
fuhteng says:
11:45 AM, 11/24/09
Cute rick.
chavis10 says:
11:50 AM, 11/24/09
Those tail lamps are horrible. I like the old latch idea much better.
cruiserhead1 says:
12:28 PM, 11/24/09
I still don't get it.
So you push the button in the taillight and then push the button in the hatch? So, push two buttons and then pull up the hatch?
ocramida says:
12:55 PM, 11/24/09
It's the same as those little black "lock" buttons on the front and back door handles. It's part of the keyless entry system.
ocramida says:
02:43 PM, 11/24/09
oops, I don't think those are on the rear doors just the fronts.
billt9 says:
02:44 PM, 11/24/09
This is messed up.
Who came up with this nonsense?
This is 10 steps backwards from modern design.
Somebody must have accidentally opened up a data file saved 20 years ago for April Fools and sent it to production.
bodyblue says:
10:27 AM, 11/25/09
Now stop this craziness! This is a MazdaSpeed3 and it cannot be faulted in any way!
p_s_chang1 says:
02:41 PM, 11/25/09
I'm not sure what the complaining is about. Fingers go under the edge of the hatch while thumb presses the button and it's open. BFD.
biturbomunkie says:
08:32 PM, 11/25/09
not exactly aesthetically pleasing.
roadburner says:
08:45 AM, 11/27/09
The simple latch on my 2007 works flawlessly. Why fix something that isn't broken?
cr_driver says:
10:10 AM, 11/28/09
Horrible design.
MS3lvr92 says:
10:57 AM, 11/28/09
Hrm... I've done a walkaround of a new MS3 and you don't have to push the button then pull the latch... just the latter.
greygabe says:
08:50 AM, 11/29/09
Am I missing something?? I'm buying a MS3 in 2 weeks and tested this at the dealer.
If the car is locked and you walk up and just click the black button in the center, the trunk (and only the trunk) will unlock and open. The other button locks all the doors if unlocked and vice-versa.
While I agree that it would make more sense as a button inside the latch - the two button thing doesn't bother me.
hola_dan says:
05:05 PM, 12/ 4/09
so, when are you going to announce that you got a GTI for your LT test fleet????
PLEASE!!!!!
power6 says:
07:16 PM, 12/16/09
Wow that is lame. I am guessing this was a parts-bin decision, they could use the same button as the one in the tail-light (and perhaps on many other Mazdas) without needing to design/source a discrete hatch button.
Still it is a cheap performance car with keyless go, I have to unlock my Subaru with a fob before pressing the perfectly placed hatch release button.