Positive Review
Premium feeling. Funniest to drive. Soft materials inside. Suspension rough. Fuel consumption (26 city & 35 HW) but is ok for a 2.5L. The motor is noiseless and it responses very well. The night lights are exceptional. Things to criticize would be the space inside for rear passengers, the system entertainment and the piano black inner surfaces. This is a car for 1.70 meters people. If people on the front have 1.85m tall the rear passengers will be suffer a little bit on large travels. The HMI joystick is easy to get used to (2 days) and makes me feel like a BMW. You must to take care on piano black because it is easy to get scratched. 5 stars on collision security and 7 air bags. EBD, ABS, BA. Rear camera/sensors
Critical Review
These cars are definitely made cheap. Also bad resale value. I, bought mine new, already having transmission slipping. Ok, it gets fixed 2 weeks later sitting in the service department. Meanwhile I'm out of a car and making payments. Then the car goes back again to the service because of electrical system malfunctioning. Trading the car now while it still has low miles. These are terrible vehicles.
Showing 8 of 47 reviews.
Build quality, value
I chose the Mazda 3 initially for its 6-speed automatic transmission. Most other manufacturers have gone over to offering only CVTs for their commuter cars. The engine offers a comfortable amount of power for the size of the car, and can be both zippy or economical, depending on driving style. The powertrain is tried and true, which bodes well for long-term reliability. The interior has a premium feel, and the design is both minimalist and tactile. Instead of flashy touchscreens, there are nobs and clicky buttons. The infotainment system is controlled by a wheel and buttons, which is great for minimizing distraction. The car is great to drive. The interior feels like it wraps around the driver. Commuting is a joy.
I bought my mazda 3 new in 2022. I have added an exhaust and air intake which make the car 1,000x more engaging/fun to drive. I average 28.9mpg. I will list the things I've had to replace thus far; Tires and brakes (normal), tie rod ends and sway bar links (premature wear and tear not under warranty), valve cover (warranty), idler pulley (warranty), front struts (warranty), both sun visors (warranty), center console (warranty), coolant leak (warranty), battery (warranty), transmission service (routine maintenance). Almost all repairs I've had to get done were under my 3 years 36,000 mi. bumper to bumper warranty. Overall the car runs great and has never left me stranded. A few small things that I can be critical of is the piano black accents on the doors and center console get very scratched up, as well as the instrument cluster gets scratched really bad. The only quality concern I've had thus far is the dashboard is starting to separate near the air vent to the right of the steering wheel, this is very small and not noticeable but I think it's a sign of what's to come. My favorite features are the headlights turning with the steering wheel, and the heads up display. I would highly recommend this car to anyone looking for a compact sedan with a soul and some pep in its step.
as a DIY guy, oil changes on my garage floor are easy.
The stock TOYO tires are absolutely horrible.
Mazda, in my opinion has always punched above it's weight class. Putting featured into cars that you just don't see at the lower levels. My Mazda 3 is called the select, let's be honest, it's a base model with a fancy name. This base model has really great bucket seats, an eight speaker stereo, padded dash and console(not that hard plastic junk you see everywhere else) and it comes with a sport mode button which is really fun running down some back country roads. I'll admit that I didn't really consider Mazda as a contender till I saw the newer design for the Mazda3. The RED CRYSTAL SOUL METALLIC paint really caught my attention, and this car makes my drive to and from work a little more fun.
This is my third Mazda, and the quality, reliability, and craftsmanship is great! There was a recall on my vehicle, but it was quickly fixed. It did have a wifi issue that was resolved under warranty about a year ago, and it is in the shop currently due to an issue with the oil sensor. While not fun to have these small issues, the warranty is great. Out of the 3 mazdas I've had, this is the only one that had any issues. I've checked forums and no one else seems to have had or reported the minor issues I've encountered with the wifi or oil sensor, so it may just be a one-off. The car feels good to drive, and it is so fun! We've driven it across the US, and is our road trip car. The interior is nicely appointed, Android auto works great for music, but I prefer the onboard navigation since that works with the heads up display on the windshield. The app make it super easy to send navigation destination to the car. I don't even bother with trying to program destinations with the infotainment unit. The app works well for remote start, lock/unlock, sending navigation, and for seeing your car status and location on a map. The wifi is reliable, very rarely have connectivity issues (some areas there is no coverage, but that's common with mobile towers). In the 3 years I've owned it I think I had connectivity issues twice. Once in the desert in California, and once in deep tree cover in the coconino forest in Arizona. I took off 1 star just for the minor warranty fixed issues, but if my 2011 and 2015 mazdas are any indication of the dependability of the 2021 I feel like my ownership will continue to be mostly hassle free.
There is nothing bad I can say about this car, it gets good fuel economy it’s fast, sporty, big enough to carry 5 people and has a good amount of cargo space
Very stylish interior
Minimal legroom in back seats for taller occupants
I’ve had my 2023 hatchback (preferred trim) for about a year now… It’s been fantastic and I fall in love with it more and more every day. The engine is perfect for a variety of driving conditions. The interior is so luxurious it reminds me of BMW. Yet only around 25K to pick one up. I’m excited to see how this car holds up in the future…
Bought 2021 Mazda 3 Hatch premium plus. Love this car! This is my third Mazda and not one mechanical issue since new. Smooth ride, quick and comfortable. Couple small issues with design and features but nothing that would change my mind
Style, Reliability, Bose, HUD, MPG, Interior
None
The Mazda 3 Hatch Is best in class for style and amenities. Truly a rare find, and it still turns heads. Reliability is phenomenal, mated with a driver-centric focus. It's not a race car, but a driver's car for those who understand and appreciate the value with a hint of luxury.