I own a 2023 Mazda 3 hatchback and I absolutely love it. I’ve been driving it since October and have no complaints. The premium trim is absolutely worth the money!!
I wanted a sedan, 225hp or higher and AWD under $40k. It came down to the 3 and the Subaru Legacy Sport. After spending some time with Subaru, the CVT and the ridiculous infotainment system tipped the balance for me. Yes, I paid a lot for a Mazda3 Turbo but the little fireball of Zoom-Zoom makes me smile every time i drive it.
this car just hits for me in many many ways. I’ve been absolutely loving my 2020 awd basic trim I got back in September. Definitely believe it’s worth the money I spent, and the pros far outweigh the cons in my opinion. Practical and I love the size, also literally an engaging drive every single time. Perfect for single people or couples.
Can you explain what 0:40 means, I'm new to all of this but I'm really interested in this car. I've heard it's a good starter car and I want to learn as much as I can about it first
@@ghxst5199 Mazda 3 offers either sedan or hatchback. If you want AWD add $1,400. The prices you see on the screen is for the hatchback.The sedan starts at $1,000 less.
@@chakriyasuon6068 i fill up a moderate amount. Not too little or not too much. Generally how much you should expect out of an economy car of its class. I’m getting 30.5 average mpg right now due to my driving habits. I only City drive on weekends. 9 months later and the car is still so kick ass
@@babychelf Nice! I am contemplating this or the civic for a future purchase. I am a little skeptical about the size difference for the mazda 3 compared to the civic.
I bought a ‘23 turbo hatch (awd) back in October and love it, the infotainment isn’t an issue if you always use Apple CarPlay (like me). Excited to see what this thing can do in the New England winters! Highly recommend this car regardless of the minimal changes over the years.
Idk what you mean by saying it drags its feet in fuel efficiency compared to its competitors. Its gets 28mpg in the city and 37 on the highway with a 2.5l and 6 speed automatic. Compared to a chevy malibu which has 27mpg in city and 36mp on the highway with a 1.5L and cvt and weighing about the same as the mazda, i think its beyond impressive that mazda gets such good fuel efficiency out of such a "big" 4 cylinder which still getting pretty respectful horsepower
@realistick I have been a Mazda owner for over 20+ years, I owned 2 cars (Mazda Protege 5's 2002 and 2003 both manual trans. ) well after my oldest son decided to move to Arizona with my 2003 MP5, I am left with my 02 MP5, it will be a hand me down to my youngest teen. I want him to learn to drive manual. (Save the Manual) LOL!!! I am now face with the dilemma of buying a new car, something I have not done in over 25 years...I do appreciate the insights on knowing that Mazda still makes one of the Mazda 3 trims in a manual transmission. I am a firm believer that if you follow the maintenance schedule for the car, it will not let you down. In my opinion Mazda has been a truly reliable car, I will not sacrifice quality for anything else. Thanks for pointing out some of the shortcomings.... now it's time for me to test drive one in my area.
Great insights. We are using a Carbon sedan as a long term tester. Just 2 more inches in the back seat would have resulted in many more sales. But overall, we are finding it a fun to drive and comfortable little sedan.
I got my 23 carbon edition and it is amazing value and have no complaints. My Mazda got off the line quicker than a Tesla 3! Even the na 2.5 is a joy to drive especially with that Bose audio.
My last two Mazda's, a CX-5 and 3, both 2.5L high trims with all options, had the same FOUR problems and they were years apart: Brake rotors. Plain and simple, they warp and corrode after 2-3 years. That is an incredibly short lifespan. The brake pads in both cases were serviceable but the rotors couldn't be cut as they are made so thin from factory, and might be so warped, that they aren't salvageable. Both vehicles I replaced with a full set of PowerStop zinc-coated rotors and ceramic pads for
these Problems are nothing compared to other brands.... almost every german carbrands has problems with the engine... those problems cost you avg 5k € cuz they offer just 24 months warranty...
@Tim That's a lot of BS i heard from you. I feel like you just get defects car then complaining about it. I rarely see people complaining about Mazda car especially with their lineup after Mazda separate themself from Ford.
I remember having my first car, preferred Mazda 3 2019 , I loved it, beautiful inside out, smooth driving, great audio everything, for 19k$ new! Now the same car is like 6k more 😔, so sad I had to sell it
I just picked up a 2019 hatch with the preferred trim 23k miles for around $24,000 a new 23 model with the preferred trim would be around $30k out the door. I can't believe what the used car market and the new car market.
Got a carbon edition awd sedan recently. Great car. Unfortunately the manual wasn’t available at the dealer. Only regret is not test driving the turbo model.
Very nice review. A-Z and everything in-between. I was second guessing my decision to get the Civic. This is such a great car. Then you reminded me about the space in the second row. Oh yeah now I remember. That is literally this cars Achilles heel.
Thank you, and it is such a disappointing thing to see. Hopefully the next gen of Mazdas coming out can figure out a packaging solution because i love the size of this. For now the Civic is still the most well-rounded, still trying to get ahold of one for a full review!
Key here is how fun it is to drive. Seems to satisfy that. I am not into the taller cars or crossovers. They dont look as nice. My only problem is pricing. Dont need lane centering. Need a good engine, fun drive, decent mileage. Just need price to come down.
Thank you actually got a little concerned cuz I just bought one and after the first day it started to feel kind of wobbly at higher speeds. However when I first got it I was driving in very slowly as this is my first new car. 😂 Then I started thinking well maybe because of the kind of car it is, it gives more road feel and the roads that I've been driving on really aren't all that great. Thanks for the confirmation
I love Mazda and have owned a ‘96 Protege, ‘04 3 hatch, ‘10 CX9, and ‘15 3S sedan. My husband also currently drives a ‘20 6 signature. All great cars. However I’m worried that Mazda’s all-in attitude about crossovers will force us to switch to Hyundai next time. No more 6, and the 3’s have lower mpg and fewer features than the competition (think Elantra hybrid, which costs $5K less). I want Mazda to succeed in North America, but am worried that this is the beginning of the end.
This is an excellent car if you live by yourself and have passengers on occasional basis. I have a 2021 mazda 3 sport GT edition. I love this car. I reckon it as a bigger brother of the miata, but the letdown is the second row seats. I have no complains though, bec I live alone and would prolly not start a family in years to come. This is also a reason why you couldn't see a mazda 3 hatch being used in uber, lift or any ride sharing companies. Excellent car among it's competitors. Oh i forgot to mention, no one on it's class, has a HEADS-UP display, other than the mazda 3.
😂 “prolly…” You crack me up, dude! Hopefully, you’re under 12 or maybe missed a few grades? I hope you’re not a grown up that hasn’t learned to spell the word “probably”. 😮 The American Public School System is beyond terrible, so it’s not your fault. No one’s perfect, I know.
@@iBike2Live Is that all you can do. Attack the speaker and not the subject matter. If there's someone who failed the school system, it's you!! Sorry Bro, you are dumb. But I get it, it's not your fault why you existed. It's your parents!
Great review. New subscriber here. I think the Mazda infotainment controls work well with Mazda's own software. But as soon as you switch to Android Auto or CarPlay, that knob adds a ton of unnecessary steps. You have to use the knob to scroll through every app on your screen to find the one you want to select. It's not faster or safer and requires you to take your eyes off the road for longer.
I love my 2023 HB. But some minor complaints after owning it for a while. No remote hatch release. Not on the key fob. Not inside the cabin. This feature is only available in sedan. No passenger power seat No homelink auto dimmer mirror standard. I mention these because my cx-5 had all this and awd at the same price.
People easily complain about the torsion beam, unless u're going to take your mazda 3 on a race track with plenty of fast cornering, torsion beam is not an issue! even with this torsion beam in mazda 3, it has been tuned very nicely! it is a small car, so if you're tall or obese, why would u get a small car?
@@Seramics I don't buy car for passenger. I bought a car for myself and on the odd occasion anyone can sit at the back. if they complained, I would usually just drop them on the road or don't bother taking my car. they can just walk
I have the 2022 select hatchback and I am overall really happy with it. It is a beautiful car to look at and I really enjoy admiring it for a brief moment before I get in and out of it every day. I agree with you that the end times might be near for the hatch, as hatchbacks in general have declined hugely in popularity since everyone apparently would rather drive a crossover, which to me is basically a car that can't make up its mind about what it wants to be. Very disappointing. For those who like this car but need something a bit more practical, consider the Honda Civic hatch which is just as good or better in just about every way except for exterior styling (my personal opinion) and pricing (at least when comparing the lower trims of the two cars).
@@Realistick I’d love to see it with a turbo but thats what a WRX is for. Plus the turbo would involve strengthening a lot of things and that makes their costs and the cost of the car too high. I just want an AWD manual transmission vehicle with an N/A engine. I feel that that’s the best in terms of performance but more importantly reliability and workability. Besides a Jeep or smth of that nature, what else can you buy new that has a manual and AWD/4WD? Nothin’ really. I feel like/hope that they could adapt the current 6 speed FWD trans to mate with the AWD system in the hatches, but hey I’m just some dude. 🤷♂️
3k miles into my 22 turbo HB. Only annoyance was a rattling from under the seat, which was a wiring harness tapping against the seat bracket. Bit of felt tape fixed that right up. 100% satisfied with how it drives, but if you want to hit those EPA numbers best go the speed limit.... I know, the car doesn't want to either. Did notice an aggressive emergency braking, but the default setting in the menu is the most sensitive. Once you change it in the settings it saves. Haven't had any oil burning issue but early still. I've done 2 oil changes as part of the break in because I'm paranoid, so it'll probably be sometime in mid 2023 before I find out.
That’s interesting I’ll try that the next time i drive a mazda! Also, hopefully you should be in the clear soon, I believe most people who had the oil consumption issue got it quite early.
@@babychelf I don't know if it's less severe, the setting I changed makes it so it just doesn't trigger as easily. At this point if it does I probably shouldn't care how severe it is.
I bought a new Subaru Impreza 2 years ago. My 2 issues are to low ground clearance, so called lifetime transmission oil. If I could do a do over I would get a Mazda 3 Hatch.
I’ve got a 2012 Subaru Impreza. What a piece of crap. I’ve had so much work done on it. And it has major oil consumption issues. It is only at 160k miles and I’m going to get rid of it.
@@christophermurillo7250 enjoy the ride to the fullest! If I wasn’t married to having a manual then I would grab it. I got a 22 Veloster N instead and the interior could never compare to Mazda. I did have a 2016 Mazda 3 and loved it.
@44actual88 Thanks! I was looking at the veloster too but ultimately decided to get this. It's hard to settle on just one car but I'm happy with my purchase.
@@Realistick you know what? I can't find any right now. I thought I recalled something about it because at the time I was in the market for one. You are right (I'll chalk it up to bad memory) EDIT: Never mind, loads of sources about the issues this has caused
I ordered a base model GX sedan and it does indeed come with a 2.0L 155hp engine. I took your info and made my case but it turns out they’re offering the 2.0L on the GX unless you pay extra for the 2.5L. I’m up here in Canada so maybe it’s just a caveat unique to this neck of the woods 🤷🏻♂️. It also comes with a 6 speed manual on the GX or equip it with the automatic for an additional 1300$ Canadian. Sticker price before taxes and delivery for the GX manual is 21900$ Now to twiddle my thumbs for 6 months while I wait for it ☹️. Yup, I was told 6 months..which could be why their sales aren’t what they used to be.. who wants to wait that long? Similarly equipped Civics and Corollas wait times are half that time so a buyer might be leaning towards a 3 but will settle for their competition. Heck if you want a Kia or a Hyundai you can walk into some dealers and sign on the dotted line that day on something in stock. What sold me on the 3? Styling and the warranty is unlimited KM on the 3 year comprehensive and the 5 year power train
That's awesome and congratulations! I put some text somewhere in this video stating this but this is all for the US market where the 2.0 is dead. I have more thoughts on this but I really think they did a poor job of implementing it into the lineup here.
Must be a Canada market thing. Even now Hyundai/kia dealerships are only just starting to stop adding mandatory markups, and Honda dealerships here don't have much of anything in terms of new civics on the lot. Honda's day-supply of vehicles have been almost as bad as Subaru's the past few months, and they pivoted hard to SUVs and Ridgelines. As far as the manual, we only get it in HB premium fwd trim (has leather seats and extra options, whichever that corresponds to for the Canadian market)
They're still using that glossy piano finish on all their touch heavy surfaces? Really mazda? I can scratch that stuff by merely looking at them. Also have a laundry list of small issues and annoyances ranging from creaking dash to infotainment system/OS redundancy...BUT, I still absolutely love the car and look forward to each drive home even after a busy day of work. Give it some nice clear, windy road, throw it in manual sport mode and tickle your inner child once in a while. Also...just look at it. I mean park it somewhere nice, and really take it in. Such a beautiful car. Simple yet stylish design all around.
@@Josh-fp2qnI guess but most of these are dual exit, not true dual exhaust, so it doesn't run the whole length as a dual exhaust. I wouldn't factor it in my purchase even if i lived in canada if you're asking for my advice.
This video should read 5 reasons not to buy. Please drive before you buy, engage the AC and stop at a light. The RPM will fluctuate between 600-800 and you will experience a slight shake while it does. Dealers and corporate don’t want to do anything about it.
Excellent review of a beautiful Mazda. If I were a few decades younger and a few pounds lighter, I would be very interested in a Mazda 3 as a fun small car. Cheers~
The turbo engine came out in 2016 with the cx9, it’s been quite robust there but they had an issue with the 2021 engines, should be fixed but obviously a much less proven engine than the 2.5 toyota. If reliability is most of what you care about, get the Camry, if it’s just one of your high priorities, test drive the mazda!
I'm shopping for something in this class and the Mazda 3 was on my short list until I learned it does not have a touchscreen. WTH was Mazda thinking when they made that decision?
It's hard to imagine how they decided a rotary knob and some buttons completely out of the driver's line of sight could end up easier to use than the touchscreen that so much of the rest of the industry has adopted. Since this technology in cars is still evolving, I guess time will tell whether Mazda or most everyone else has it right...
@@chuckg4910 As an owner of a Mazda 3 I can tell you that (in my opinion) it is MUCH easier to use while driving. Every other car I drove that hat touchscreens was so difficult to use while driving and that's really a common complaint I hear from my friends. In the Mazda you'll get the hang of it almost immediately and once you know the system, you can do a lot of things without even looking at the screen. It also allowed Mazda to put the screen further back on the dashboard, which also makes it easier to look at while driving.
@@stefanu9404 Thanks. I might go to the local dealer to try it out. My reluctance is due to having no trouble navigating the touchscreens on the four vehicles I currently have. Heck, even my bicycle GPS has a touchscreen and I can manipulate that while riding. I've also seen multiple reviewers comment on the difficulty of using the Mazda3 system.
@@chuckg4910 Yeah go to your dealer and test it for yourself. Everyone has different preferences and if you don't like it it's maybe not the car for you. I just think it's the wrong take to rule it out from the start because of this, as it is (again in my opinion) a great affordable car you'd miss out on.
Very annoying how this car changes SiriusXM radio stations. I had to add each station as a favorite so I can use the scroll wheel, so at least there’s a workaround
With a wheelbase 1/2 inch of a 7th gen Accord, and dimensions pretty close other than length, I feel like just a little bit more efficient use of space would've been nice. I know that they are carving their niche of a market, but... And the one time I sat in one, it was like a cave. It is a beautiful car, but I do like my windows. Also, you said that there's a torsion beam. Is that true of the AWD models as well?
Some of us are not giraffes. I’m 5’7” (close to the 5’9” height of the average American male) and, frankly, I’d welcome a small hatchback actually scaled to the size of average humans. I don’t need nor desire an oversized, overweight vehicle sized to accommodate people whose outsized bodies are skewed towards the extreme end of the scale. We have special vehicles for these people: they’re called crossovers, SUVs and pickups, and they are widely available.
The 23 Sedan should be dropping very soon, the 2023 hatch I reviewed came out a couple of months ago. The car I'm talking next to is 2022 sedan (just a stand-in for footage)!
For these price points, might as well get an Acura or Honda. I do not feel the offering is compelling enough. The biggedt letdown was the interior. Every auto review made a big deal about the knobs saying they felt like something from some high end audio system, but in reality it felt like some cheap toy.
I own ( already paid off ) 2024 Mazda 3 Select Sport in ceramic metallic .... I already disabled the I-Stop function ( fuck that shit ) and fit the car with a catch can. Gen Z hate the car and it makes it way more appealing.
@@Realistick I heard overall steering and steering whhel is better in cx-5 than in cx-30. but in mazda3 rviews people tell that it steers and feel well so i can't understand is it steers like cx30 or cx5
@@ukuskota4106 Those two are different, the CX-5 handles a little better on imperfect surface due to Independent rear suspension (you have to get picky to feel the difference) and does have different steering feel too, I think the CX-5 felt a little more natural with its weight and how it builds as you corner, but both have good levels of feedback. Perhaps a back to back comparison will be in store.
That's what pushed me from the hatch, I liked the look with the aero kit, but the visibility was a turn-off, so I got a '21 GT Turbo Premium sedan in silver, only complaint is the A pillar angle can get in the way at times.
The 2.5 Sky-active engine should be reliable at least since it's about 10 years old now with minor tweaks through the years. Would like to see a few improvements in the next re-design to address the shortcomings. Go back to touch screen which is what carplay was designed for. Give it better rear seat room, better visibility, get rid of piano black plastic which just doesn't age well at all. Keep the manual and go back to a rear multi-link suspension. Whatever happened to the sky-active X engine? That never made it to the US.
The only issue with Mazda is that the exterior and interior designs have been the same for several years now. Buying a 2023 Mazda 3 is just like buying a brand new 2016 Mazda 3.
Warranty is the same as Honda and Toyota! Though Honda and Toyota offer up to 2 year maintenance free with their cars.
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Bought this car in September and it was the biggest mistake I could have made. Absolute shit and dealers response to everything is "that's normal, you bought a Mazda". Transmission shifts worse than a robotic manuals (like SMG), jerks on every second upshift, jerks on downshifts, flares forward when shifting without gas, loud thuds on nearly all shifts to fifth gear. Inside is the total rattle box, center display rattles, headup rattles, air vents squeak, both pillars rattle - CONSTANTLY. Automatic wipers run for 10 minutes even though the windshield is clear and it didn't rain that day. And that magical engine? Combining petrol with a diesel? Let me tell you how the combined it. Firstly, it sounds like a diesel due to direct injection and high compression, but that could be accepted if it was efficient. BUT, my average consumption is 2L/100 km higher than a Passat 1.5TSI, which, compared to this is actually very silent and it had some acceleration at least. Not like these "186 hp" :D.
The CX-5 is definitely carrying the brand though to say the mazda3 is lacking on the road would be overstatement, unless it’s on a very neglected road.
In EVERY size class the Mazda's trail Honda and Toyota in rear seat space. Huge negative and if you're on a budget and want to Uber part time, get the Civic. It's much roomier for pax.
@@Realistick I believe Honda is doing this, to strong arm the consumer into buying a higher trim. If you want it, then you have no choice to buy in at that starting price. What malarkey!
@@johnnybravo5044 Yep, also I prefer the Civic LX over the Sport because I don't want big 18 inch wheels and low profile tires because of bad roads. So now that there is no Civic LX trim, I have no desire to even buy a Civic!
I’d take awd over fwd and an lsd any day but awd with LSDs like the GR Corolla perf. would be be perfect! I think the elantra n and mazda3 are for completely different needs though.
@@Realistick yes but its really dumb that we have have to pay extra to get lsd in gr corolla which claims to be a track car. Its not practical enough for me.
@@rayj33 It has all wheel drive though so the need for an LSD is far less than with a FWD car. I drive quite a bit of Audi S models and a vast majority of those do not come with LSDs at the front or rear (though the option exists for it around back). With FWD, you spin without an lsd and your fun is neutered, not the case for AWD.
@@Realistick partly true. I use to have audi a4 quattro with 250+ wheel hp. Those awd(i feel like they are only for snow driving) systems in audis, mazda and subaru are understeering kings. Fun and better performance awd are only porsche atm and some BMW models. I used to be that fool that thinks i need awd system to put power to the ground. The amount of drivetrain loss and prevalent understeer made me look into Brz, wrx( its ugly inside out) and Elantra N(surprising very low understeer for fwd) Trust me try on off ramps 40 + if you move around in your seat lmk. In my opinion subarus lost their touch. No updates to exterior/interior/ terrible infotainment in the last 2 decaded lmao.
I think the corolla and civic Each outsell the Mazda3 8 to 1. They don't overbuild them anymore which also makes them harder to find, this one is available if you're looking for one!
@@Realistick probably true. That means nothing. If I buy a Japanese car, sure as shit it’s gonna be driven onto a giant ship by a Japanese driver and leave Japanese waters. This way I know Japanese pride built my car; not some factory in Mexico who care nothing more than a paycheck at lower wages. Plus, I mean it’s just dumb when you think about it- a historic Japanese car built by Mexicans? Come on!🙄
I have a 2017 hatch that I'd like to upgrade but I don't like this generation's hatch style either. The sedans looks nice but having a hatch often comes in handy.
The 2023 Corolla Hatchback is better than the Mazda 3 sport (2.0L version which is still available in Canada) in every single way besides looks... which is a shame. The Corolla Hatchback has a better engineered more powerful & reliable engine, better engineered more efficient and reliable transmission, more sophisticated and better engineered rear suspension, better cabin visibility, more of and more advanced safety features, wireless android auto, better resale value, better paint quality (except white), better fuel efficiency, and to top it all off... it's cheaper LOL. Love the mazda 3 sport but it's just not as good as its Toyota counterpart.
Actually drove the two back to back and I think you definitely have a point but the mazda transmissions are better (Subjective, but also they are super reliable too), and the 3 comes with a notably more upscale interior and is more fun to drive. Plus with the 2.5l engine it has more guts. The corolla is the better car overall, but if I were choosing a car for myself (no kids, enthusiast) then I would pick up a Mazda3. Though the GR Corolla almost changes my mind but it seems just a little too impossible to find.
@@Realistick yea the mazda transmission being a traditional automatic as opposed to the Toyota's CVT is definitely a more enjoyable driving experience, but the fuel efficiency savings associated with CVT's and Toyota's impressive engineering with the "Direct Shift-CVT" is why I would consider it better. On top of that, Toyota CVT's are manufactured by the legendary Aisin which mazda comes nowhere close to in terms of reliability... (not to say mazda's isn't reliable, just not as good). The mazda 3 is an excellent car, but I feel like it falls behind in all departments other than looks. That being said, I still love the Mazda 3... but if it looked aesthetically like a corolla it wouldn't even be on my radar.
"Subaru WRX level of flatness".. No way you are talking about the current model. That thing handles like a yacht. It rides as big and sloppy as it feels.
1. Lol 2. I wasn’t speaking in hyperbole, the wrx and si are not hardcore sport sedans and that’s what i was getting at, the mazda3 is still softer than both of them around corners.
Just bought one. Really pissed off it doesn't come with navigation or XM radio. I don't want all-wheel drive, but in order to get options you want, you are forced to buy one you don't. Shame on you Mazda! I already had 3 Mazda's before I bought this one. They all have navigation, which eventually Mazda will make me pay for updates, which isn't even an option for my new one!
5 reasons you should not even consider buying the Mazda 3 2023 hatchback 2.5L 1- lack of power for light weight and large capacity of 2.5 engine. It is a very lazy car from get go to top end power. Just very disappointing performance for a normal traffic😢 2- the automatic gearbox is just slow and confusing. When yiu floor the accelerator out of frustration. It ll give nothing for some times and then it ll select the weakest gear for the for 7K rpm 😢 😭 it screams like it s gonna die before it could catch up a heavy SUV 😢..and when yiu reach cruising speed it ll select the largest cog gear to match with lowest rear cog so yiu can listen to this annoying low frequency engine noise, like grinding it s teaths 😢 😭. It sounds like a cheap rent at idle acceleration, whinning and lazy which is worst than the CVT gearbox. 3- really dark carbin due to small window and big rear pillara. The big rear pillars will tire you out over the time. Just very poor visibility on this car which yiu ll have to work harder before changing lane despite blind spot monitoring. 4 - audio system in the base model is garbage. Flat and no bass. You have to change to driver setting only to get some bass at the expense of the rear speakers(off) 5- since the engine so jerky and twitchy.. all or nothing.. you get a very rough car and not very smooth ride. You will keep the rev high to get something out of it so it s a dam thirsty car despite their sell pitch Skyactive and i-stop deactivation 😢😢 So yeah this car is not great to own. You ll hate it more than you love it despite the excellent interior design they try to sell you. Be WARNED!
