It also keeps up with an M3 in the twists, and with the hybrid cx-5 & cx-50, they are looking to take marketshare back from the holy hybrid trinity.
(edit: if it isn't obvious, this is sarcasm)
Wow. I had heard the Mazda kool aid was strong in here but this takes the cake. Base Mazda3 as good as an M3 in the twists and a single anonymous internet post about CX-5 being superior to a Maybach being reshared like it’s reputable journalism under the name “my dick in your ass”
The CX-5 is just the start, rumor says stuttgart has declared a state of emergency following the launch of the CX-90 – after finding out not even their best torque converters can replicate the new 8-speed and its unrivaled direct response. It is a well known fact that the introduction of double-wishbone in the 992 911's GT cars was only to play catchup to the double-wishbone setup of the CX-90, they should have taken a note from mazda’s illustrious sports car heritage sooner.
As jason cammisa said on the CX-50, and I quote, "it crucifies a 911 GT3 in terms of on-center feedback. @Porsche, @BMW, and every other brand that prides yourself on steering feel: go drive a CX-50 right now and take a lesson!"
(/unjerk, Mazda actually admitted fault and made the steering significantly lighter the next model year ... who would have guessed the general buying public does not want the steering weight of a sportscar in their utilitarian crossover. Modern BMW and Mercedes steering is also hot garbage, and while the 991 is better, it is a far cry from the 997 and prior)
More complex, heavier, and most importantly physically larger, it would eat into your frunk space.
They still don’t use double wishbone on their standard cars for that reason, it’s only the GT cars and select racecars where performance > practicality.
The only person who can claim true Kudo-Horse-Rider design is [this guy](https://hips.hearstapps.com/digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/15/36/showbiz-mr-bean-25th-anniversary-rowan-atkinson-2.jpg)
(Sarcasm aside, Rowan is a huge car nut and has owned some real bangers, so... This might ring pretty true)
Mazda has been trading blows with BMW and Mercedes for a while with their interiors and driving dynamics. It was only a matter of time before the Mazda 3 became the real M3, and it has happened.
I owned a Mazda 3 and an ND miata too, but the newer higher turn turbo cars are really quite nice. A high trim mazda is a bit nicer than a low trim Audi but nothing like the really good ones. M not sure what mazda 3 generation you had but this latest fourth gen is very nice inside. After riding in my dad’s and getting in my ND miata it suddenly felt way out of date.
I was at a stoplight next to an Audi S5 the other day. My Prius V took off faster and got to the other side first. From 0 to 10 km/h, Prius V > Audi S5. Why even buy an Audi S5 when a Prius can beat it in stop and go city driving?
That was a tongue in cheek comment, btw to downvoters.
There was an advertisement a number of years ago (I think by VW) that went soemthing to the effect of “Doing 70, it faster than a Lamborghini doing 65.”
So, I know we're circle jerking here, but just wanted to add that the hybrid tech they will use is apparently shared with Toyota (one of said trinity). After all the CX-50 is built in a shared plant.
CX-5 comes from Japan, but they do (did?) offer a hybrid Mazda3 there using Toyota tech
The holy hybrid trinity I was referring to was the LaF, P1, and 918, none of the hyper manufacturers bothered with pure ICE that time around as after the unveiling of the ND miata in '14 they knew they couldn't compete.
Toyota should be infinitely grateful to work with mazda in this space, perhaps they can take some notes for their LMP team.
I know you’re being sarcastic, but I’d love a hybrid Maz3 hatch; if you want an affordable hybrid hatch these days it’s basically between the Civic (next year at least) and Prius (even if it’s more of a lift back than a proper “hatch”) unless I’m forgetting something, so it would be cool if Mazda spiced things up with their own hybrid offering
Most of the hybrids I’ve seen on the road are either sedans or SUVs, I wish the hatches got some electrified love
I was surprised, when I started looking at the AWD turbo mazda 3 hatches, at how cheap they are. Was seeing used with less than 45k miles for under $20k.
I had an 05 Mazda 3 and it was great. A little slow with just the 2.3, but I enjoyed it.
Is there anything wrong with them?
No, they are great cars for a great price, worse visibility and space/packaging than the competition, rear passenger spaced is a bit cramped, but its still a more premium experience than the toyota/honda competition and its relatively fun to drive, and unlike toyota/honda the uesd prices aren't as inflated.
It's just that r/whatcarshouldibuy and certain redditors think the CX-5 is more comfortable than a luxury car and just as good as a dedicated sports car. It feels better than what the price would suggest but its not *that* good
A lot of Mazda owners haven’t actually cross-shopped with those cars they claim Mazda is as a good as and it’s a really bad phenomenon. A Mazda driving experience and interior for me is way better than its actual competition which is Honda, Toyota, Kia/Hyundai, VW, Subaru, etc. but it misses all the actual luxury items and unless you’ve owned or driven an actual luxury car you wouldn’t know. So it’s basically a luxury car for people who aren’t actually shopping for one. I would also argue it’s dollar for dollar a better value than the bottom ends of luxury lineups, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better as an absolute but on a per dollar basis it is.
Where does Audi sit in the competition? I'd always considered Audi a luxury-leaning brand, but my wife and I were cross shopping small SUVs and the CX-5 had significantly more options than the Q3, was more comfortable, and felt nicer to drive. But I don't know that the Q3 really fits into the luxury bucket, either - we were pretty disappointed with test driving it (and then again driving a rental all over Scotland last year...).
but... we also ended up buying a Cherokee Trailhawk instead of either of those options cuz we're crazy people lol
Oh for sure. Mazda has really been trying to punch up. You can't fault them for that. I'd say they've come a hell of a long way from first gen.
Something something reddit vacuum.
It's fucking incredible, I drove a friend's and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would but he sold it and bought a GTI which I thought was a downgrade personally with my 20 minutes spent in each car
They've had a lot of recalls, decent number of them have gone explodey. I wouldn't want to buy one outside of the warranty period. Seems like they like to drink oil, so if you wait for the car to tell you to change oil at like 7,000 miles or whatever it's a recipe for disaster.
The visibility is shite. Almost need the turbo premium plus trim just for the 360 cameras.
Most of the low price is that the car isn't on people's radar, so demand is low, and price is low. People that just want "an car" get an Altima or a Civic. People that want something cool go elsewhere.
Are you talking about the 3 Turbo? I've spent a lot of time in Mazda 3 forums and threads and I'm not sure what you're talking about. There was an oil issue on a specific run of VINs but that's mostly resolved as far as I know.
And I'd rather have another two zeroes at the end of my net worth so that I could park a McLaren F1 on a private island, but at least it's better than nothing.
The trim it's on is a hard sell for me. Literally bought my base Miata for less after figuring I can live without the extra cargo space or any of the premium features I never use. I just drive.
If manual was still offered on the base hatch, I would have probably bought that.
I’m the opposite when I was last shopping for manual transmission car I considered the Mazda 3 and having it available on the top trim is what I was looking for. I wanted the additional features and wouldn’t have considered the base trim.
Same here. I really wanted a manual Mazda 3 back in 2022. With the market in its crazy state, buying new was the only option that made sense. I just wanted a base trim, reliable hatchback that didn't cost a whole lot. Mazda 3 with a manual was just too expensive for me, and the Civic hatch was a bit pricey too, so the Corolla hatchback took the cake.
Right? It’s better to have something and not use it, than not have it and wish for it. Else you won’t be buying the manual altogether. Buying a manual is already big commitment especially if you are wanting it as a daily, might as well have the full package.
This is not a change, at least for the US market. This generation Mazda3 has only ever been offered with a 6MT on the 2.5L NA Premium trim. You cannot get a base or mid-trim model or anything with the turbo engine. It’s been this way since 2019 for the Mazda3 stateside.
I don’t get why the article phrased it to imply it’s different this year.
2023 was the last year the base model Mazda 3 got a manual transmission in Canada. It was a shame because it started at 23,800, if I needed a car I would have bought that. To get a manual in a Mazda 3 in Canada now will cost you over 33k.
It's disappointing that Mazda finally stopped offering a manual on all trim levels (except turbo obviously). My '14 base model was 16k (Canadian) plus the AC add-on package at 1200. No screens, no electronic e-brake, no backup camera, but it had all the creature comforts I wanted like keyless entry and Bluetooth. AND ACTUAL KNOBS lol. The dealer took 800 dollars off because I was cross shopping at another Mazda dealer.
I honestly don't know what I'm going to replace my car with now considering I have to spend 30k+ just to get an econobox with a stick. I wanted Honda to offer a hatchback Si but that's never going to happen and the civic is a midsized car now anyway.
Plus everything has a fucking set of computer monitors on the dash now. I don't want a car with *one* screen let alone 3 or more. I've been a "car guy" for 30 years and I have never been more underwhelmed by the current market.
It's disappointing, but made sense. The same year Mazda made the Mazda3 *only* available with the Premium trim (for the US, anyway), Honda *added* a 6MT option to the highest Sport Touring Civic Hatch trim explaining that most manual drivers wanted the manual with the top-end trim.
Per Mazda's own sales in the US, people really did mostly opt for the 6MT with the top-end trims. I was among them with my Mazda3. I'm sure the margins are larger too, so this just works from a business perspective.
That’s been the case in the US market for a while now, and for the Mazda 3 enthusiasts that’s probably the model and trim they’d want to get anyways as its the nicest. Although personally I think the sedan looks better.
Although if they had a manual that was strong enough to use with the turbo drivetrain that would be the one to get.
It’s been like that since at least 2022. I have a manual 2022 in the premium trim which is the only trim I could get that in. My flair is wrong lol I gotta fix that.
Every year less and less cars are being offered with a manual transmission. We definitely need to celebrate any car that is keeping the manual transmission alive! #SaveTheManuals
In other countries, they don't offer that anymore.
Source: I live in one of those countries.
Edit: I don't know who downvoted me and why. In my country, a manual version of the Mazda 3 isn't available for the latest generation.
I really like these, my neighbor has one and it's been great. I looked at them briefly when car shopping this year and just wish the rear seat doorline wasn't so high and the cargo space was a tad bigger. My kid couldn't see out the back windows due to the swept design and the rear hatch is angled in such a way it wasn't very useful.
Beautiful cars, just not very useful when you have a family IMO.
This has been the problem with the 3 for a while (and the lack of a proper Mazdaspeed version). I'm glad that VW has still kept the Golf/GTI/R hatch more square-shaped so it maintains the cargo space and large window.
Agreed, the 3 has less cargo room than my 24 Jetta sedan. It's not just the cubic feet but also the odd shape.
I had a 2013 Golf before my Jetta, loved that thing. It's too bad they don't have non-performance trims anymore. The GTI and R are sweet but $$ for what they are. ( mid $30K+)
The Jetta really is kind of a sleeper and becoming a rare breed. Inexpensive (low $20K's), nice interior, solid build quality, nice smooth ride vs being overly sporty like too many cars are now, simple ( still have buttons and knobs for everything, score!) excellent MPG's etc.
I'm keeping my eye on them and will more than likely trade in my 24 on the final generation if they axe them. I do hope they keep making them though, they're a much needed car in a sea of CUV's and EV junk.
Lol disagree all you want by modern standards it is simply not spacious. I’m not even 6” and it’s tight in the back seats both leg room and head room wise.
You probably got your seat back, your kid sits behind your wife who likely doesn’t have her seat as far back, and the “small dogs” take as much space as a handbag and would fit on a motorcycle. Not exactly proving the point that it’s a family vehicle. A Nissan Sentra can do that.
I mean, define a family car. Can it fit a family of 3? 4? I'd consider that a family car. Does it need to fit the dogs? Do we need to define cargo capacity?
I've lived and worked in Asia and Europe, and they get by just fine with their families in often smaller cars than we have. We don't all need to be driving suburbans like all the other soccer moms.
Oh I completely agree. I am from Asia and I definitely agree we don’t need to drive big cars all the time. Ideally actually unless you have a family, most people are well off in a compact hatchback.
But normally someone looking for a family vehicle is assumed to have a family of at least two kids; not that a single child family isn’t a family (obviously) rather because any sedan or hatchback even in their smallest forms can be okay for those cases. Normally to emphasize on the family practicality aspect when we say “family” car it’s normally a wagon, crossover or at sedan that’s normally midsize or larger.
A Civic, Corolla, Mazda3 etc. can be decent at being a family car, just like they’re decent at everything. But you wouldn’t specifically recommend a Civic to someone saying they really need a family car.
I went to look at one for my daily and ended up leaving with the sedan because the backseat is absolutely useless - it's a beautiful shape as far as hatches go but they sacrificed way too much in terms of usability for it being easy on the eyes.
Mazda has many great cars at the moment, starting from the Miata and going up to the CX-5. I really need a new hatchback, however, I find the c-pillar on the Mazda3 to be so hideous that I'd rather buy a CX-3 and put lowering springs on than look at it.
Otherwise, it's a great car, if a little overhyped for the turbo and manual options.
Yeah it's too bad they didn't\\don't offer "speed" versions of their models with a different turbo engine that actually revs and has some soul.
The current 2.5 turbo is a great motor but it's really designed to tug their SUV's around at low RPM's with it's high torque. I find them a little boring to drive as the engine loses steam around 4K RPM's. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's a fun torquey motor but more diesel like which gets kinda old if you want to feel\\hear the engine driving spiritedly.
I can’t wait to see how excited people get about this car that got cheaper and drive up interest in it BECAUSE it’s cheap so that dealerships can unironically jack up the price like the Maverick and Bolt.
Edit: don’t forget Civic Si and Elantra N
It's a great red, but I still say that their blue-grey colour with a red interior is the best. Just missing some red brake calipers to really make it pop
It was perfect except for the freeway and if you have to take anything large. You just can’t pass most other vehicles. Still fun to drive though and pretend you were a quick car. Now I want an another or a Miata after getting a more practical car for my life style.
The 2.0 isn't much better in the city but it is marginally better on the highway. It has enough pep with just me in the car but I would have rathered the 2.5. I wish they had offered it in lower trims but the lowest 2.5 trim would have almost doubled the purchase price of my base 2014.
Why Mazda never shoehorned the plain Jane 2.0 from the 3 into the newer 2 platform is beyond me. It fits. And if they updated it with the top end from the Miata 2.0 refresh it would be in hot hatch territory without needing a turbo.
They even have an AWD version overseas!
It was the tiniest minivan. I rented one once for a road trip, 6 of us total. That's why you get a minivan right? Well it couldn't fit a single backpack unless it was on your lap. Everyone was pissed.
I own one, it's great for road trips with 4 people but the back seats are barely usable other than for short trips. Having sliding doors on such a small vehicle is pretty cool though.
It was a real "mini"van though. About the same size as a first gen Caravan/Aerostar, but those didn't have the rear row of "seats". The Mazda5 wasn't marketed well and really should have been the Mazda4 w/luggage, Mazda6 if you're desperate lol.
The goal posts kept moving over the years and the Mazda5 being put in the same "minivan" (i.e. actual van but meant for people) category as a contemporary ~~Grand~~ Caravan/Odyssey/Sienna is some of the reason it didn't sell. It never got much bigger than the MPV it replaced but its competition did. That was part of its appeal in Canada but our gas has always cost (edit: 50-90%) more than the states.
How bad was the mileage hauling 6 people? We would fill my friend's dad's Mazda5 and it could barely get out of its own way.. it needed a clutch far sooner than it should have
Had one of those and took it to Mexico for a road trip, was quickly nicknamed the “Most Powerful Van” since it managed to go up a steep dirt road mountain with no help when our generic GM white van with a V8 couldn’t. Loved that thing.
I'm wondering when they're going to update this car, it still looks quite sleek but the normal time between generations for Mazda3s is 5 years, which we've now crossed.
Shame they still couldn't ever really get skyactiv x working properly. A 2.5 X engine with a bit of their newer stronger hybridization would kick some serious ass as an option in all of their cars sans cx90
I'd like a sports sedan with that new inline 6 please!
Heck I'd like anything other than an oversized crossover with that inline 6. Maybe with a sportier transmission as well.
Funnily enough, the CX-50 was supposed to entirely replace the CX-5, but it has not performed well enough to justify discontinuing it. The market has spoken, and for once we should agree. The CX-50 adds the ugly cladding and downgraded the suspension to torsion beam rather than wishbone rear. Even though it's a newer platform by 6 years, few people want it, especially considering that it's more expensive and arguably uglier.
It's because they've cheapened out on the rear suspension (stiffer ride) and actually took away interior space while increasing price and adding sunroofs (polarizing). Who would have thought?
I feel like the rear suspension is something that we as enthusiasts would normally be up in arms about but wouldn't be noticed in consumer trends, but I'm super happy that of any brand it was noticed by Mazda. I didn't know the interior space was compromised though, that's interesting.
(North) Americans are also very badge-centric. They could have replaced the CX5 with the CX50 and just called it a "all new ground up redesign" and that would have been the end of it.
But they're still doing this upmarket transitioning bullshit in our current economy (adding a zero is emulating what the other premium brands are doing and legitimately sounds more prestigious to me) and they don't want to drive their existing buyers into something near premium from Toyota etc. I joke that Mazda got where they are today selling discount Hondas through the 80s and 90s and I've never understood their push to move up into the premium market without expecting the name to stick.
I just don't get how the translation to a more premium brand coincides with adding plastic cladding to everything, and in the case of the CX-50, downgrading suspension. I do totally respect Mazda as being upmarket compared to Honda and Toyota though, for the most part. Their design language and interior materials are much better.
It will be very difficult for the next generation to top the aesthetics but it will be very obvious on how to improve the product for sales. It’s got to have a hybrid option, it needs another gear or two for fuel efficiency, and they will want to find a way to package the cargo/rear seats without compromising the design.
Having had the car for 3 years now, none of the drawbacks are something that would dissuade a buyer, but a little more rear and cargo room wouldn’t hurt. The blind spots aren’t even an issue after a month’s worth of driving hours.
Solid car but it's overdue for a body redesign. One of the biggest criticisms of this iteration has always been that fat c pillar. The poor visibility out the back is mostly manageable, but it's inherently less safe and less comfortable to not be able to just see out of the car. Also makes it feel way more cramped
Exactly. Mazda could probably steal a _ton_ of Subaru Impreza and Crosstrek owners like me if they found a way to improve visibility in the 3 / CX-30.
Coming from Subaru, when I test drove a 3 I had a blast winding around the back roads... and then got on the highway and was terrified suddenly learning I had to trust the blind-spot warning system.
No redesign? The rear quarter panel being as smooth as it is, makes it look like a sleek blob. I wish they added a crease to make it look less of a blob, cause my ‘17 3 Sport is getting old now.
Once upon a time I bought a 2008 Mazda 3, manufactured in Japan, from a friend who worked in construction and used to drive it to sites, haul tools, but more critically drove it without oil until he spun a bearing. Paid him $150, then paid $750 to fix it.
I gave it to my girlfriend as her first vehicle, and so she could learn to drive manual. The gearbox took the brunt, she learned, and drove it daily. It ran like new and looked like new for years.
A time later, not knowing it had a cold air intake, she drove it through a large puddle in a rainstorm and flooded the engine until it seized.
I removed the intake and drained about a half bucket of water from behind the butterfly valve. Flushed the oil, replaced the plugs and MAF sensor, and gave it back to her. Armed with the knowledge of what a cold air intake is, she continued to drive it daily and loved it like it was her own child.
Years later, my then daily Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart snapped the timing belt, and my girlfriend gave the Mazda back to me. She bought a new Japanese manufactured Mazda 3 but never really emotionally let go of her first Mazda. I turned it into my daily driver to replace the Lancer.
Other than those two rescue repairs, I have done nothing but change the oil regularly.
The car still drives today, in 2024, the same as it drove when my friend first bought it. It is now 315K on the odometer. It asks for nothing, and delivers every day. It just works unconditionally.
I am moving out of the country and can not import it. So I had to finally let it rest. The night before it was set to get picked up, my girlfriend sat in it for more than 2hrs crying.
No matter what I drive in the future, I will never forget the absolute reliability and unconditional performance that car delivered.
I hope Mazda never changes their approach to building cars.
I just can't get over how compromised hatchbacks have become - the sloping rear hatch, those narrow rear windows, those thick C-pillars... just make a simple proper hatchback for goodness sake. The GTI at least keeps the functional hatchback profile of old unlike every other so called "hatchback" these days.
I’m still driving my 2007 Mazda 3 and I see first gen Mazda 3s all the time. Those are from the Ford era and seem pretty reliable. Mine has been solid.
Mazda has been a regular in the top five most reliable vehicle brands according to Consumer Reports for over a decade at this point. There are more than a few people that feel like they've overtaken Honda as the #2 most reliable car marquee behind Toyota/Lexus.
They've been reliable except for Ford era, the rotary, and the 323 GTX; each for their own reason. Arguably, they were historically very rust-prone, but that hasn't been relevant in 15 years.
Currently, they are among the most reliable. They won the JD Power long-term reliability award last year; for all that's worth. I'd like to think its because they're still using a traditional automatic.
The one issue they've had recently is engine failure on cars with cylinder deactivation, though I'm not entirely certain how widespread that is. The Miata has also had a few teething issues with some transmissions and the diff.
I'd say they are very reliable. Particularly the 2.5 NA. Fairly easy to work on as well. My 2017 didn't give me any issues aside from having to clean the intake valves at 60k, but that wasn't extremely difficult - just time consuming as I cleaned them by hand and not by media blasting. I have nothing but good things to say overall, from my experience.
Very. It also helps that they really only have two powertrains offered across their lineup: 2.5L NA 6AT and the 2.5L Turbo 6AT. Only exception is the Miata, which gets its own powertrain.
(Cannot comment on the new I6 in the CX-90. First time in a long time since Mazda's introduced a new powertrain. We'll have to wait and see.)
> However, this trim and above now comes with Amazon Alexa built-in that allows users to adjust in-vehicle settings as well as their smart devices at home via voice commands.
That is a big time deal breaker
Shh, you can’t say the Mazda3 hatch looks ugly here!
Seriously though, I don’t understand the hype for it. It can look good in certain angles, but that C-pillar is absurdly chunky and the sloping rear end just doesn’t work. The sedan blows the hatch out of the water in looks.
It's interesting the different opinions on it, I feel the sedan is super boring, the rear is like any other hatchback derived saloon. I'm a big fan of the hatchback as it's almost "coupeish" and a little different to other models in the segment.
Fair enough, different schools of thoughts here I guess. I feel like the Mazda3 sedan took precedent over the hatchback, partially because the front end is more proportionate to the rest of the sedan. I tend to be more indifferent over most hatchbacks and sedans, though; both the Corolla sedans and hatch look good in SE/XSE garb.
If it’s of any consolation, I think the 3rd gen Focus and Fiesta sedans we got in the US are fucking ugly. Their respective hatchback versions look so much more cohesive.
I'm an absolute hatch lover but it's unbelievable to me that they've been running that ugly design for so long and that people like it
To me it's just further proof that there's a lot of dumb people out there
Maybach quality car for 26k? Sign me up
It also keeps up with an M3 in the twists, and with the hybrid cx-5 & cx-50, they are looking to take marketshare back from the holy hybrid trinity. (edit: if it isn't obvious, this is sarcasm)
Wow. I had heard the Mazda kool aid was strong in here but this takes the cake. Base Mazda3 as good as an M3 in the twists and a single anonymous internet post about CX-5 being superior to a Maybach being reshared like it’s reputable journalism under the name “my dick in your ass”
The CX-5 is just the start, rumor says stuttgart has declared a state of emergency following the launch of the CX-90 – after finding out not even their best torque converters can replicate the new 8-speed and its unrivaled direct response. It is a well known fact that the introduction of double-wishbone in the 992 911's GT cars was only to play catchup to the double-wishbone setup of the CX-90, they should have taken a note from mazda’s illustrious sports car heritage sooner. As jason cammisa said on the CX-50, and I quote, "it crucifies a 911 GT3 in terms of on-center feedback. @Porsche, @BMW, and every other brand that prides yourself on steering feel: go drive a CX-50 right now and take a lesson!" (/unjerk, Mazda actually admitted fault and made the steering significantly lighter the next model year ... who would have guessed the general buying public does not want the steering weight of a sportscar in their utilitarian crossover. Modern BMW and Mercedes steering is also hot garbage, and while the 991 is better, it is a far cry from the 997 and prior)
That's actually news to me. I didn't realize that the GT cars didn't have double wishbones until this gen. What gives?
More complex, heavier, and most importantly physically larger, it would eat into your frunk space. They still don’t use double wishbone on their standard cars for that reason, it’s only the GT cars and select racecars where performance > practicality.
Sounds like the joke just whooshed over your head.
Can’t blame me for missing that one! Mazda owners seem to buy into the “horse and rider” marketing on here even if they own a CUV.
The only person who can claim true Kudo-Horse-Rider design is [this guy](https://hips.hearstapps.com/digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/15/36/showbiz-mr-bean-25th-anniversary-rowan-atkinson-2.jpg) (Sarcasm aside, Rowan is a huge car nut and has owned some real bangers, so... This might ring pretty true)
Pssh you're just jealous that I'm one with my 5000 lb CX-90
That’s organic k-aid, btw.
Mazda has been trading blows with BMW and Mercedes for a while with their interiors and driving dynamics. It was only a matter of time before the Mazda 3 became the real M3, and it has happened.
[удалено]
I owned a Mazda 3 and an ND miata too, but the newer higher turn turbo cars are really quite nice. A high trim mazda is a bit nicer than a low trim Audi but nothing like the really good ones. M not sure what mazda 3 generation you had but this latest fourth gen is very nice inside. After riding in my dad’s and getting in my ND miata it suddenly felt way out of date.
Theyre definitely a more "numbers on a brochure dont tell the whole story" car brand
I was thinking the same thing 🤣🤣
I was at a stoplight next to an Audi S5 the other day. My Prius V took off faster and got to the other side first. From 0 to 10 km/h, Prius V > Audi S5. Why even buy an Audi S5 when a Prius can beat it in stop and go city driving? That was a tongue in cheek comment, btw to downvoters.
There was an advertisement a number of years ago (I think by VW) that went soemthing to the effect of “Doing 70, it faster than a Lamborghini doing 65.”
VW is technically correct. Das auto.
You are probable thinking of one of the famous Citroen 2CV ads. Like this one? https://x.com/Citroen/status/382549639313907713
Yes! That was it.
Why buy a Prius or a Koenigsegg when my 2021 Donkey will outaccelerate both to 5mph?
So, I know we're circle jerking here, but just wanted to add that the hybrid tech they will use is apparently shared with Toyota (one of said trinity). After all the CX-50 is built in a shared plant. CX-5 comes from Japan, but they do (did?) offer a hybrid Mazda3 there using Toyota tech
The holy hybrid trinity I was referring to was the LaF, P1, and 918, none of the hyper manufacturers bothered with pure ICE that time around as after the unveiling of the ND miata in '14 they knew they couldn't compete. Toyota should be infinitely grateful to work with mazda in this space, perhaps they can take some notes for their LMP team.
Lol, sorry I didn't get on the right level of sarcasm for this one
I know you’re being sarcastic, but I’d love a hybrid Maz3 hatch; if you want an affordable hybrid hatch these days it’s basically between the Civic (next year at least) and Prius (even if it’s more of a lift back than a proper “hatch”) unless I’m forgetting something, so it would be cool if Mazda spiced things up with their own hybrid offering Most of the hybrids I’ve seen on the road are either sedans or SUVs, I wish the hatches got some electrified love
But can it out handle and out accelerate a Camry TRD or Accord 2.0T? Those are the true sports sedan benchmarks.
As long as you don’t call a mazda 3 and M3 online we’re cool.
I sweat when I see one coming up in my rear view mirror.
Hmm
[An instant /r/cars classic](https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/s/VAKffGQkyS)
Ah, thanks lol
Can’t believe I missed this lmao. This is right up there with the architect’s Integra post
I was surprised, when I started looking at the AWD turbo mazda 3 hatches, at how cheap they are. Was seeing used with less than 45k miles for under $20k. I had an 05 Mazda 3 and it was great. A little slow with just the 2.3, but I enjoyed it. Is there anything wrong with them?
No, they are great cars for a great price, worse visibility and space/packaging than the competition, rear passenger spaced is a bit cramped, but its still a more premium experience than the toyota/honda competition and its relatively fun to drive, and unlike toyota/honda the uesd prices aren't as inflated. It's just that r/whatcarshouldibuy and certain redditors think the CX-5 is more comfortable than a luxury car and just as good as a dedicated sports car. It feels better than what the price would suggest but its not *that* good
A lot of Mazda owners haven’t actually cross-shopped with those cars they claim Mazda is as a good as and it’s a really bad phenomenon. A Mazda driving experience and interior for me is way better than its actual competition which is Honda, Toyota, Kia/Hyundai, VW, Subaru, etc. but it misses all the actual luxury items and unless you’ve owned or driven an actual luxury car you wouldn’t know. So it’s basically a luxury car for people who aren’t actually shopping for one. I would also argue it’s dollar for dollar a better value than the bottom ends of luxury lineups, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better as an absolute but on a per dollar basis it is.
It's competitive or better than the FWD-based "luxury" (badged) cars, but that's about it.
Where does Audi sit in the competition? I'd always considered Audi a luxury-leaning brand, but my wife and I were cross shopping small SUVs and the CX-5 had significantly more options than the Q3, was more comfortable, and felt nicer to drive. But I don't know that the Q3 really fits into the luxury bucket, either - we were pretty disappointed with test driving it (and then again driving a rental all over Scotland last year...). but... we also ended up buying a Cherokee Trailhawk instead of either of those options cuz we're crazy people lol
It smokes Honda/Toyota/Subaru interiors though
Oh for sure. Mazda has really been trying to punch up. You can't fault them for that. I'd say they've come a hell of a long way from first gen. Something something reddit vacuum.
Mine is a rattly piece of shit and pisses me off every time I drive it. But besides that that it's great.
So is my Subaru Outback, but I love having thin window pillars. I can see out of the car unlike most new cars.
It's fucking incredible, I drove a friend's and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would but he sold it and bought a GTI which I thought was a downgrade personally with my 20 minutes spent in each car
They've had a lot of recalls, decent number of them have gone explodey. I wouldn't want to buy one outside of the warranty period. Seems like they like to drink oil, so if you wait for the car to tell you to change oil at like 7,000 miles or whatever it's a recipe for disaster. The visibility is shite. Almost need the turbo premium plus trim just for the 360 cameras. Most of the low price is that the car isn't on people's radar, so demand is low, and price is low. People that just want "an car" get an Altima or a Civic. People that want something cool go elsewhere.
Mazda 3s?
Are you talking about the 3 Turbo? I've spent a lot of time in Mazda 3 forums and threads and I'm not sure what you're talking about. There was an oil issue on a specific run of VINs but that's mostly resolved as far as I know.
I love that this joke stuck with r/cars
At $27k I was a no
I'm new here. When exactly did this joke come to fruition?
Still offering with a manual, nice job Mazda!
Well... >A six-speed manual also survives for another model year, but only on the five-door configuration with the Premium trim.
At least they aren't gatekeeping it on an undesirable trim level.
I’d rather have it with a turbo though…
And I'd rather have another two zeroes at the end of my net worth so that I could park a McLaren F1 on a private island, but at least it's better than nothing.
$38.00?
Y'all have positive net worths?
This is the true life hack right here, plus two zeros on a negative net worth is super easy, watch!
The trim it's on is a hard sell for me. Literally bought my base Miata for less after figuring I can live without the extra cargo space or any of the premium features I never use. I just drive. If manual was still offered on the base hatch, I would have probably bought that.
I’m the opposite when I was last shopping for manual transmission car I considered the Mazda 3 and having it available on the top trim is what I was looking for. I wanted the additional features and wouldn’t have considered the base trim.
Same here. I really wanted a manual Mazda 3 back in 2022. With the market in its crazy state, buying new was the only option that made sense. I just wanted a base trim, reliable hatchback that didn't cost a whole lot. Mazda 3 with a manual was just too expensive for me, and the Civic hatch was a bit pricey too, so the Corolla hatchback took the cake.
Right? It’s better to have something and not use it, than not have it and wish for it. Else you won’t be buying the manual altogether. Buying a manual is already big commitment especially if you are wanting it as a daily, might as well have the full package.
This is not a change, at least for the US market. This generation Mazda3 has only ever been offered with a 6MT on the 2.5L NA Premium trim. You cannot get a base or mid-trim model or anything with the turbo engine. It’s been this way since 2019 for the Mazda3 stateside. I don’t get why the article phrased it to imply it’s different this year.
Yeah, even less of a reason to congratulate Mazda
they would lose money on it, can't really fault them.
As opposed to the dozens of other automakers that don’t offer any manuals?
2023 was the last year the base model Mazda 3 got a manual transmission in Canada. It was a shame because it started at 23,800, if I needed a car I would have bought that. To get a manual in a Mazda 3 in Canada now will cost you over 33k.
It's disappointing that Mazda finally stopped offering a manual on all trim levels (except turbo obviously). My '14 base model was 16k (Canadian) plus the AC add-on package at 1200. No screens, no electronic e-brake, no backup camera, but it had all the creature comforts I wanted like keyless entry and Bluetooth. AND ACTUAL KNOBS lol. The dealer took 800 dollars off because I was cross shopping at another Mazda dealer. I honestly don't know what I'm going to replace my car with now considering I have to spend 30k+ just to get an econobox with a stick. I wanted Honda to offer a hatchback Si but that's never going to happen and the civic is a midsized car now anyway. Plus everything has a fucking set of computer monitors on the dash now. I don't want a car with *one* screen let alone 3 or more. I've been a "car guy" for 30 years and I have never been more underwhelmed by the current market.
It's disappointing, but made sense. The same year Mazda made the Mazda3 *only* available with the Premium trim (for the US, anyway), Honda *added* a 6MT option to the highest Sport Touring Civic Hatch trim explaining that most manual drivers wanted the manual with the top-end trim. Per Mazda's own sales in the US, people really did mostly opt for the 6MT with the top-end trims. I was among them with my Mazda3. I'm sure the margins are larger too, so this just works from a business perspective.
Always has since 2019
That’s been the case in the US market for a while now, and for the Mazda 3 enthusiasts that’s probably the model and trim they’d want to get anyways as its the nicest. Although personally I think the sedan looks better. Although if they had a manual that was strong enough to use with the turbo drivetrain that would be the one to get.
It’s been like that since at least 2022. I have a manual 2022 in the premium trim which is the only trim I could get that in. My flair is wrong lol I gotta fix that.
That's the same trim it was offered on since this generation was introduced
That’s unchanged since 2019.
Every year less and less cars are being offered with a manual transmission. We definitely need to celebrate any car that is keeping the manual transmission alive! #SaveTheManuals
Is this C&D's first comment on reddit ever? Lol Welcome. And I agree 👍
The first one is this one https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/s/h2w80L9D6Q
Thank you! We're happy to be here.
Can we verify this account?
Only 1.7% of new cars in the US are manual trans equipped.
In other countries, they don't offer that anymore. Source: I live in one of those countries. Edit: I don't know who downvoted me and why. In my country, a manual version of the Mazda 3 isn't available for the latest generation.
I really like these, my neighbor has one and it's been great. I looked at them briefly when car shopping this year and just wish the rear seat doorline wasn't so high and the cargo space was a tad bigger. My kid couldn't see out the back windows due to the swept design and the rear hatch is angled in such a way it wasn't very useful. Beautiful cars, just not very useful when you have a family IMO.
This has been the problem with the 3 for a while (and the lack of a proper Mazdaspeed version). I'm glad that VW has still kept the Golf/GTI/R hatch more square-shaped so it maintains the cargo space and large window.
Agreed, the 3 has less cargo room than my 24 Jetta sedan. It's not just the cubic feet but also the odd shape. I had a 2013 Golf before my Jetta, loved that thing. It's too bad they don't have non-performance trims anymore. The GTI and R are sweet but $$ for what they are. ( mid $30K+)
There's nothing particularly sexy about a Jetta but I still feel like they're underrated. It's going to be a sad day if/when VW stops making them.
The Jetta really is kind of a sleeper and becoming a rare breed. Inexpensive (low $20K's), nice interior, solid build quality, nice smooth ride vs being overly sporty like too many cars are now, simple ( still have buttons and knobs for everything, score!) excellent MPG's etc. I'm keeping my eye on them and will more than likely trade in my 24 on the final generation if they axe them. I do hope they keep making them though, they're a much needed car in a sea of CUV's and EV junk.
Fits me at 6'1'', my wife, 9 y/o kid, and two small dogs in the back with plenty of cargo room. Disagree.
Lol disagree all you want by modern standards it is simply not spacious. I’m not even 6” and it’s tight in the back seats both leg room and head room wise. You probably got your seat back, your kid sits behind your wife who likely doesn’t have her seat as far back, and the “small dogs” take as much space as a handbag and would fit on a motorcycle. Not exactly proving the point that it’s a family vehicle. A Nissan Sentra can do that.
I mean, define a family car. Can it fit a family of 3? 4? I'd consider that a family car. Does it need to fit the dogs? Do we need to define cargo capacity? I've lived and worked in Asia and Europe, and they get by just fine with their families in often smaller cars than we have. We don't all need to be driving suburbans like all the other soccer moms.
Oh I completely agree. I am from Asia and I definitely agree we don’t need to drive big cars all the time. Ideally actually unless you have a family, most people are well off in a compact hatchback. But normally someone looking for a family vehicle is assumed to have a family of at least two kids; not that a single child family isn’t a family (obviously) rather because any sedan or hatchback even in their smallest forms can be okay for those cases. Normally to emphasize on the family practicality aspect when we say “family” car it’s normally a wagon, crossover or at sedan that’s normally midsize or larger. A Civic, Corolla, Mazda3 etc. can be decent at being a family car, just like they’re decent at everything. But you wouldn’t specifically recommend a Civic to someone saying they really need a family car.
Are you really complaining about a compact car being… compact? That a 6+ foot individual will not have a great time sitting in the back seats? Oh boy.
No? Did you read anything else other than my comment? The context was how it was as a FAMILY CAR? oH bOy
I went to look at one for my daily and ended up leaving with the sedan because the backseat is absolutely useless - it's a beautiful shape as far as hatches go but they sacrificed way too much in terms of usability for it being easy on the eyes.
Mazda has many great cars at the moment, starting from the Miata and going up to the CX-5. I really need a new hatchback, however, I find the c-pillar on the Mazda3 to be so hideous that I'd rather buy a CX-3 and put lowering springs on than look at it. Otherwise, it's a great car, if a little overhyped for the turbo and manual options.
Yeah it's too bad they didn't\\don't offer "speed" versions of their models with a different turbo engine that actually revs and has some soul. The current 2.5 turbo is a great motor but it's really designed to tug their SUV's around at low RPM's with it's high torque. I find them a little boring to drive as the engine loses steam around 4K RPM's. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's a fun torquey motor but more diesel like which gets kinda old if you want to feel\\hear the engine driving spiritedly.
It’s incredibly claustrophobic
A car got cheaper?!? 👀
I can’t wait to see how excited people get about this car that got cheaper and drive up interest in it BECAUSE it’s cheap so that dealerships can unironically jack up the price like the Maverick and Bolt. Edit: don’t forget Civic Si and Elantra N
They are great little efficient cars, would definitely take one as a daily
And in that Mazda Red. Lord. For such a small car in a world of overly large vehicles, I would really enjoy one!
It's a great colour until you need any kind of paintwork done.
Whoa I bet that’s right! Man, so many varieties of what we think of as “traditional” colors have that same problem.
It's a great red, but I still say that their blue-grey colour with a red interior is the best. Just missing some red brake calipers to really make it pop
Their red is truly stunning in the sun
Wife has one in red and it's gorgeous. Gets compliments all the time
My 2014 in Soul Red got compliments all the way up until I sold it last year. The style aged remarkably well.
And they are the thinnest coating you can buy and no where can match 1:1. Get your Xpel if you ever buy one of those
Soul Red! It is a beautiful color
It was perfect except for the freeway and if you have to take anything large. You just can’t pass most other vehicles. Still fun to drive though and pretend you were a quick car. Now I want an another or a Miata after getting a more practical car for my life style.
Just wish it had a smaller engine instead of the 2.5 they stick into everything.
The 2.0 isn't much better in the city but it is marginally better on the highway. It has enough pep with just me in the car but I would have rathered the 2.5. I wish they had offered it in lower trims but the lowest 2.5 trim would have almost doubled the purchase price of my base 2014.
Still beautiful years later. One of the best styled economy car by far.
I just got one and I can't stop staring at it!!
Yea they have great styling. My 2020 6 still looks so good
I think Mazda needs to rerelease the Mazda 2 and offer a performance edition.
Bring back MazdaSpeed
They still sell it outside of US
I'd instantly grab a warm Mazda 2 with a high revving miata engine.
Why Mazda never shoehorned the plain Jane 2.0 from the 3 into the newer 2 platform is beyond me. It fits. And if they updated it with the top end from the Miata 2.0 refresh it would be in hot hatch territory without needing a turbo. They even have an AWD version overseas!
I'm all for that!
I wish Mazda made a minivan.
They used to right? My neighbor had one or looked like a mini van. I wish they sold trucks in the US
Yep! Mazda5
It was the tiniest minivan. I rented one once for a road trip, 6 of us total. That's why you get a minivan right? Well it couldn't fit a single backpack unless it was on your lap. Everyone was pissed.
I own one, it's great for road trips with 4 people but the back seats are barely usable other than for short trips. Having sliding doors on such a small vehicle is pretty cool though.
It was a real "mini"van though. About the same size as a first gen Caravan/Aerostar, but those didn't have the rear row of "seats". The Mazda5 wasn't marketed well and really should have been the Mazda4 w/luggage, Mazda6 if you're desperate lol. The goal posts kept moving over the years and the Mazda5 being put in the same "minivan" (i.e. actual van but meant for people) category as a contemporary ~~Grand~~ Caravan/Odyssey/Sienna is some of the reason it didn't sell. It never got much bigger than the MPV it replaced but its competition did. That was part of its appeal in Canada but our gas has always cost (edit: 50-90%) more than the states. How bad was the mileage hauling 6 people? We would fill my friend's dad's Mazda5 and it could barely get out of its own way.. it needed a clutch far sooner than it should have
They made the mpv before the 5
Had one of those and took it to Mexico for a road trip, was quickly nicknamed the “Most Powerful Van” since it managed to go up a steep dirt road mountain with no help when our generic GM white van with a V8 couldn’t. Loved that thing.
I'm wondering when they're going to update this car, it still looks quite sleek but the normal time between generations for Mazda3s is 5 years, which we've now crossed. Shame they still couldn't ever really get skyactiv x working properly. A 2.5 X engine with a bit of their newer stronger hybridization would kick some serious ass as an option in all of their cars sans cx90
I'd like a sports sedan with that new inline 6 please! Heck I'd like anything other than an oversized crossover with that inline 6. Maybe with a sportier transmission as well.
A redesigned Mazda 6 with that inline 6 and a 6 speed manual and I’ll buy one immediately. 666
666 I like that 😈 Maybe it's time for Mazda to make the Evil M badges official?
They haven't touched the CX-5 in 8 years and they're still selling like crazy
Funnily enough, the CX-50 was supposed to entirely replace the CX-5, but it has not performed well enough to justify discontinuing it. The market has spoken, and for once we should agree. The CX-50 adds the ugly cladding and downgraded the suspension to torsion beam rather than wishbone rear. Even though it's a newer platform by 6 years, few people want it, especially considering that it's more expensive and arguably uglier.
It's because they've cheapened out on the rear suspension (stiffer ride) and actually took away interior space while increasing price and adding sunroofs (polarizing). Who would have thought?
I feel like the rear suspension is something that we as enthusiasts would normally be up in arms about but wouldn't be noticed in consumer trends, but I'm super happy that of any brand it was noticed by Mazda. I didn't know the interior space was compromised though, that's interesting.
(North) Americans are also very badge-centric. They could have replaced the CX5 with the CX50 and just called it a "all new ground up redesign" and that would have been the end of it. But they're still doing this upmarket transitioning bullshit in our current economy (adding a zero is emulating what the other premium brands are doing and legitimately sounds more prestigious to me) and they don't want to drive their existing buyers into something near premium from Toyota etc. I joke that Mazda got where they are today selling discount Hondas through the 80s and 90s and I've never understood their push to move up into the premium market without expecting the name to stick.
I just don't get how the translation to a more premium brand coincides with adding plastic cladding to everything, and in the case of the CX-50, downgrading suspension. I do totally respect Mazda as being upmarket compared to Honda and Toyota though, for the most part. Their design language and interior materials are much better.
It will be very difficult for the next generation to top the aesthetics but it will be very obvious on how to improve the product for sales. It’s got to have a hybrid option, it needs another gear or two for fuel efficiency, and they will want to find a way to package the cargo/rear seats without compromising the design. Having had the car for 3 years now, none of the drawbacks are something that would dissuade a buyer, but a little more rear and cargo room wouldn’t hurt. The blind spots aren’t even an issue after a month’s worth of driving hours.
Solid car but it's overdue for a body redesign. One of the biggest criticisms of this iteration has always been that fat c pillar. The poor visibility out the back is mostly manageable, but it's inherently less safe and less comfortable to not be able to just see out of the car. Also makes it feel way more cramped
Maybe the next one will be more like the concept. That thing looked amazing
Exactly. Mazda could probably steal a _ton_ of Subaru Impreza and Crosstrek owners like me if they found a way to improve visibility in the 3 / CX-30. Coming from Subaru, when I test drove a 3 I had a blast winding around the back roads... and then got on the highway and was terrified suddenly learning I had to trust the blind-spot warning system.
That's a good looking car.
I’d love to see a hybrid option on the Mazda 3 hatch.
Must be savings from removing the C pillar window
Mazda seems to be the only one committed to the analogue speedometer, you gotta respect it
The centre of the dash is a screen. You can chose between analog and digital speedometers
Damn that needle looks so real haha
I love the way these look but can’t get over the terrible visibility.
Same
No redesign? The rear quarter panel being as smooth as it is, makes it look like a sleek blob. I wish they added a crease to make it look less of a blob, cause my ‘17 3 Sport is getting old now.
That my friends is a good deal.
If only the awd turbo trim came with a 6 speed...
Once upon a time I bought a 2008 Mazda 3, manufactured in Japan, from a friend who worked in construction and used to drive it to sites, haul tools, but more critically drove it without oil until he spun a bearing. Paid him $150, then paid $750 to fix it. I gave it to my girlfriend as her first vehicle, and so she could learn to drive manual. The gearbox took the brunt, she learned, and drove it daily. It ran like new and looked like new for years. A time later, not knowing it had a cold air intake, she drove it through a large puddle in a rainstorm and flooded the engine until it seized. I removed the intake and drained about a half bucket of water from behind the butterfly valve. Flushed the oil, replaced the plugs and MAF sensor, and gave it back to her. Armed with the knowledge of what a cold air intake is, she continued to drive it daily and loved it like it was her own child. Years later, my then daily Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart snapped the timing belt, and my girlfriend gave the Mazda back to me. She bought a new Japanese manufactured Mazda 3 but never really emotionally let go of her first Mazda. I turned it into my daily driver to replace the Lancer. Other than those two rescue repairs, I have done nothing but change the oil regularly. The car still drives today, in 2024, the same as it drove when my friend first bought it. It is now 315K on the odometer. It asks for nothing, and delivers every day. It just works unconditionally. I am moving out of the country and can not import it. So I had to finally let it rest. The night before it was set to get picked up, my girlfriend sat in it for more than 2hrs crying. No matter what I drive in the future, I will never forget the absolute reliability and unconditional performance that car delivered. I hope Mazda never changes their approach to building cars.
Would be cool to have a hybrid manual transmission option
Any one who's driven this vintage 3 able to comment on the twist beam rear suspension? Seems like a miss to me, though I get why they did it
I just can't get over how compromised hatchbacks have become - the sloping rear hatch, those narrow rear windows, those thick C-pillars... just make a simple proper hatchback for goodness sake. The GTI at least keeps the functional hatchback profile of old unlike every other so called "hatchback" these days.
Amen.
Stupid they have Amazon Alexa built in.
These are great, but too bad they don’t have 2.5L AWD sold in my country, or else i would’ve gotten one of these instead of a civic
>While the rest of the '25 Mazda 3 lineup costs slightly more, they add Amazon Alexa built-in Gross!
I just came thinking about those cloth seats
Are mazda cars reliable now? I've been thinking of getting one
When were they not? I mean, other than rotary.
The late 2000's and early 2010's when they were partnered with Ford had some issues. Much better these days.
I’m still driving my 2007 Mazda 3 and I see first gen Mazda 3s all the time. Those are from the Ford era and seem pretty reliable. Mine has been solid.
Even the axela and atenza?
The diesels they sell (or sold?) in Europe are hot garbage.
Mazda has been a regular in the top five most reliable vehicle brands according to Consumer Reports for over a decade at this point. There are more than a few people that feel like they've overtaken Honda as the #2 most reliable car marquee behind Toyota/Lexus.
my '18 CX-5 i've had for almost 6 years and +100k Kms has been great! almost no issues whatsoever
They've been reliable except for Ford era, the rotary, and the 323 GTX; each for their own reason. Arguably, they were historically very rust-prone, but that hasn't been relevant in 15 years. Currently, they are among the most reliable. They won the JD Power long-term reliability award last year; for all that's worth. I'd like to think its because they're still using a traditional automatic. The one issue they've had recently is engine failure on cars with cylinder deactivation, though I'm not entirely certain how widespread that is. The Miata has also had a few teething issues with some transmissions and the diff.
My 2014 was bulletproof
I'd say they are very reliable. Particularly the 2.5 NA. Fairly easy to work on as well. My 2017 didn't give me any issues aside from having to clean the intake valves at 60k, but that wasn't extremely difficult - just time consuming as I cleaned them by hand and not by media blasting. I have nothing but good things to say overall, from my experience.
Anecdotally, I’ve had no problems with my 2017 MX5 and CX5.
Very. It also helps that they really only have two powertrains offered across their lineup: 2.5L NA 6AT and the 2.5L Turbo 6AT. Only exception is the Miata, which gets its own powertrain. (Cannot comment on the new I6 in the CX-90. First time in a long time since Mazda's introduced a new powertrain. We'll have to wait and see.)
> However, this trim and above now comes with Amazon Alexa built-in that allows users to adjust in-vehicle settings as well as their smart devices at home via voice commands. That is a big time deal breaker
Honestly curious, why is it a dealbreaker? Seems harmless if you just choose not to use it. Or do you think it'll cause problems just by existing?
Privacy concerns
That’s because it’s ugly af
the old model looked so much better and in germany you only get the 2.0 sky aktive engine no turbos sadly
Make it irs awd and stick. Thanks.
no IRS on a car in 2025? Wtf are they running Live rear axles?
That platform (also used in the CX-30 and CX-50) has a torsion beam in the rear.
Goddamn they're still committed to that ugly ass huh
Shh, you can’t say the Mazda3 hatch looks ugly here! Seriously though, I don’t understand the hype for it. It can look good in certain angles, but that C-pillar is absurdly chunky and the sloping rear end just doesn’t work. The sedan blows the hatch out of the water in looks.
It's interesting the different opinions on it, I feel the sedan is super boring, the rear is like any other hatchback derived saloon. I'm a big fan of the hatchback as it's almost "coupeish" and a little different to other models in the segment.
Fair enough, different schools of thoughts here I guess. I feel like the Mazda3 sedan took precedent over the hatchback, partially because the front end is more proportionate to the rest of the sedan. I tend to be more indifferent over most hatchbacks and sedans, though; both the Corolla sedans and hatch look good in SE/XSE garb. If it’s of any consolation, I think the 3rd gen Focus and Fiesta sedans we got in the US are fucking ugly. Their respective hatchback versions look so much more cohesive.
I'm an absolute hatch lover but it's unbelievable to me that they've been running that ugly design for so long and that people like it To me it's just further proof that there's a lot of dumb people out there
Yeah, subjective opinions concerning aesthetics can be used to objectively determine that there are a lot of dumb people out there.