Overview & Reviews

Mazda has a tradition of building entertaining small cars, and the Mazda 3 fits right in with its sharp handling and engaging nature. But it's also a practical, affordable runabout that's available as either a sedan or a handy four-door hatchback. A Mazda 3 of any vintage is worth consideration, but the 3's interior quality has improved dramatically over time. Likewise, fuel economy has emerged as a real strength in recent years.

Introduced in 2004, the Mazda 3 has always been one of those cars that feels a little bit special when you get behind the wheel. Some shoppers might find the ride too firm, but if you like to drive, you'll probably take a shine to this compact Mazda. Passenger room is the same in the sedan and hatchback, but the latter offers more cargo room. If fuel economy is a priority, note that 2012 and later models benefit from updated engine technology that helps the car return significantly better mileage.

User Reviews:

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  Another Mazda in the Garage - 2012 Mazda Mazda3
  By rangermutt - March 20 - 11:47 pm

  We purchased a 2012 Mazda3 i Touring w/Skyactiv engine and auto tranny in Blue Sky Mica a couple of weeks ago and so far could not be happier. The combined mpg is 35 at present which includes about 40% in-town. This is our first new car since 1985 so hoping for many happy, trouble-free miles. We did, however, hedge our bet with the purchase of the extended warranty.

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  15 years NO MORE HONDA - 2008 Mazda Mazda3
  By Mom2DrewAidan - March 18 - 4:13 pm

  After 15 years of Hondas I have moved on. I gave my husband the 2004 Honda Element which is still a great vehicle for driving around with kids and everything at Lowes. But mom wanted a sporty fun car for the commute to work and pick the kids up in school. LOVE IT. Great gas mileage. Pulled ahead during the gas shortage in the Atlanta area.

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  out standing - 2004 Mazda Mazda3
  By jleo9625 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  this vehicle has a look and feel of a luxury sports coupe it drives good and handles great to the road.

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  Amazing ride. - 2007 Mazda Mazda3
  By zoomin - March 18 - 9:46 am

  ZOOM! Theyre not kidding. Outstanding ride. Well engineered and built. Very good handling, great seats, sculpted looks, nice interior. Many extra features. Getting about 29mpg with the 2.3L in mixed driving, mostly interstate >75mph. Cant wait for each work day to end so I get to drive again. Hard to imagine a better combo of performance, mileage, quality, comfort, looks, features, room, price and overall driving pleasure. Much better than my previous Audi A4 or Jetta V6. To top it off got it for Edmunds invoice price. Couldnt be happier.

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  Great Buy - 2005 Mazda Mazda3
  By red69viper - March 14 - 7:40 pm

  For anyone considering a vehicle around 20 grand this is the car for you. Plenty of Zoom Zoom with reliability and, with the hatchback, plenty of storage space. Love this car.

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  Love my 6 sp manual Mazda 3 Hatchback - 2014 Mazda Mazda3
  By wxl - March 8 - 9:51 am

  I made up my mind on the Mazda 3 after one test drive. We chose the Pearl White i-Touring manual hatchback with Navigation and Tech Package. The 2.0 engine is strong enough to merge onto freeways. Ride is firm and comfortable. Road noise is on the low side for the compact car segment. Interior finish is nice and pleasant. The clutch and stick shift very smoothly. After a little over 1000 miles, our gas mileage is similar to the EPA rating. Very happy with the purchase.

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  Fun to drive - with a few problems - 2008 Mazda Mazda3
  By snoble2 - March 8 - 5:31 am

  I bought this car new in 2007 - the car has more options than entry level luxury vehicles (328i, g35, a4, etc) at half the price. I went with the Grand Touring trim since it packed so much bang for the buck. This car is fun to drive and carries Japanese reliability. It feels connected with the road (not like BMW, but more so than other Japanese models) Major issue with this trim level is that the tires wear out every 15k miles - OEM even sooner. the OEM tires are absolute garbage. Mechanic says car has negative camber causing uneven and quick wear on tires. Computer component failed at 48k miles and Mazda fixed even though warranty was done. (It took them a month to diagnose)

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  MPG varies greatly with heavy foot - 2006 Mazda Mazda3
  By 2005 3i - March 4 - 11:23 am

  Love this car. Very comfortable. Precise steering, best handling car Ive ever owned. I have noticed a huge difference in MPG depending on how I drive. Have gotten 24-29 city and 28-35 highway. Every time I wash it, I fall in love again. Sporty car! Currently 9400 miles.

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  Great Little Car - 2006 Mazda Mazda3
  By Matt - March 4 - 2:00 am

  I only have two tanks of gas through my car to date. Which is a little over 800 miles. I am getting about 36 miles to the gallon driving on mixed city highway roads. WOW that is great!

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  So far so good - 2004 Mazda Mazda3
  By zetaminer - February 28 - 11:53 am

  Ive had my 3s for 3 months now and have had no mechnical problems. There was some rail dust in the paint but was fixed under warranty. This was the first time I ever bought a car so Im not sure how to rate Mazda dealership service overall. However I orginally looked/test drove in the St. Louis area and did have a bad experience. I ended up buying my car in the Omaha area, mostly because they had an 04 left that didnt have all the options so that it stayed in my price range with the $1000 04 rebate. The service at Sheridan Mazda in Council Bluffs IA has so far been good. They call me to check up on the paint situation and my overall satisfaction with the car.