Overview & Reviews

For 2009, all Mazda 3 models now come standard with antilock brakes, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Also, four-door sedan models thankfully gain a standard remote trunk release on the keyless entry fob.

• Athletic handling and performance, plenty of standard and optional features, well-constructed interior, hatchback utility.

• So-so fuel economy, smallish sedan trunk, some may find the ride too firm.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 79.00

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  2 thumbs up - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By Mike - May 13 - 6:03 am

  Great car overall. Have both a 06 mazda 6 and this 09 mazda 3. although the interior is a bit inferior of that of the 6, the 3 is very well built and has seamless lines. The 2.0 litre is very peppy and I imagine the 2.3 would only be better, as my 6 has a 2.3. This 3 has very tight steering and has been successful to living up to mazdas zoom zoom motto. Excellent exterior as well, much better at turning heads than a civic and corolla in my opinion. Mileage is decent, although the civic may get a few more miles/ gallon (possibly 5 or so). Overall a great car for people who like to drive. Definitely recommended!!!

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  So far so good. - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By Kevin B - January 21 - 4:33 am

  All of the features have been covered in other reviews but have two complaints. 1. Someone else mentioned the dirt/rocks issue....for some reason, on this vehicle, the rocks and dirt you pick up from the road rolls around in the wheel wells and is very audible..more so then any other vehicle I have had, even a Toyota Pick UP..so that can be somewhat annoying..I purposely avoid sandy parts of the road cuz I dont want to hear the rocks rattling around for the next 10 seconds.

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  Okay Car, Not Built as well as Protege. - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By John - October 3 - 3:33 am

  Owned previous vehicle(Oldsmobile)7 years, owned this vehicle only 6 months. Purchased because we were very happy with our 2003 Mazda Protege. Interior quality lacking relative to Protege. Plastic scuffs easily and rear seat fabric fraying after only 2,000 miles and 3 months. Fuel tank holds 14.5 gallons. Reads 3/4 full after 2 gallons used and 1/2 full after 5 gallons used. Road noise evident. Extremely small trunk relative to competition and other Mazda. As a conservative driver highway mpg is great at 35 mpg, but local mpg at times in low 20s. Audio system subpar relative to other Mazda. A/C does not blow very cold compared to older Mazda. Dealer service was terrible on issues.

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  Great Bang for the Buck - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By RonW - December 24 - 2:00 am

  While Im a big Honda fan, Ive also owned three Mazda and couldnt pass up an end of year deal on my 3. Great exterior styling, this car looks like more money. Handling is a bit stiff but also responsive. Smooth engine but get the manual transmission for the 2.0 engine. While mileage could be better, I cant complain. Just came back from a 500 mile trip to FL with no problems. The instruments and ergonomics are quite good on the Mazda 3. Only niggles I have are the poor OEM/Goodyear tires, minimal grip and lots of noise. Gas mileage could be better and build quality a touch below Honda. But still an amazing deal for the price, I paid under $16K brand new...

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  09 Fun Car! - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By mjcromp - December 19 - 6:17 pm

  Overall fun car. We picked this up at a dealership while searching for another car. The salesperson showed and had us test drive and we drove it home. We got rid of our 04 Escape. We now get better MPG, handling and all around fun!

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  Just a 3 - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By Steve - February 4 - 11:20 am

  Edmunds pushed me to buy a Mazda 3. I had intended to buy a Civic to use as a commuter car. Honestly, the car is what Edmunds said it was but it is still somewhat disappointing overall. Basically, the Mazda 3 lacks the zoom- zoom promised by Mazda. This is just a commuter car with poor fuel mileage. There are some nice aspects however such as attractive interior and exterior styling. But overall it is not worth the money. Its just a Mazda 3 after all.

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  Better than the competition - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By JimB - November 16 - 6:23 am

  Being an engineer, did all the research, looking for the most value and fun without going the the price of the European performance compacts. Ive had the car now for a year and a half and, surprisingly, age has made my M3 a better car. Starting off the car can have harsh ride qualities. With age, the ride has mellowed (w/o losing the fun) and the engine performance is still zippy.

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  Best car I have ever owned! - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By parolee - February 5 - 8:42 pm

  Bought used at 35,000 miles. This car is exactly what I was looking for. My hatchback is a manual transmission, and I love how it takes hills. Even in cruise control, it doesnt skip a beat. The steering is responsive. Its a fun little car to drive! Drove around the other day with 5 people in the car. One person 62 the rest 53 to 511. Everybody was comfortable!! IF youre any taller than 511, the backseat might not work for you with a fully loaded car. We still had plenty of storage in the hatchback to boot! The engine did not miss a beat. Slight loss of power out of 1st, but did fine other than that. For the class of car, this is the best option. Period!

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  Long Term Honest Review - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By procritic - July 23 - 5:19 am

  Mazda 3 Hatchback Pros: Styling and Handling Mechanical Reliability Convenient Hatch Roomy Cons: Cheap Interior Carpet Difficult to clean ! Black plastic has a bleached white look from ONLY using proper Dash + Interior cleaners Original Tires worn out at 20,000 Instrument Cluster Dash visibility is Poor Steering wheel may block view of Gauges for short people Snow belt driving - premature rusting of rear quarter panels and brake rotors Road noise due to cheap tires

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  New 2009 Hatchback; SoFar, So Good - 2009 Mazda Mazda3
  By Marc Rodgers - November 6 - 9:33 pm

  Just got the car on 8/22, put on about 450 miles over the week end. About 30 mpg, mixed highway/city driving. Initial impressions: responsive, OK for power, nimble, good turn in with slight understeer (expected with front wheel drive), very good brakes and steering feel. Nice interior layout, good fit and finish. The Bose stereo, wiper controls and trip computer seem rather complex, but Im on a learning curve. Great cargo and passenger flexibility. I wanted a well made, economical but still fun to drive little car and this fits the bill. At or close to best in class. My other vehicle is a 08 Ford F-150 Limited with a Cobra pack. A great truck, but not the constant $80+ fill ups.