Mazda3 Turbo One Year Ownership Review! | What is it Like to Live With? 

The sound system sounds better cuz Mazda moved the front speakers from the doors to the footwells. This reduces vibrations & creates a cleaner crisper sound

Watching this review was fun since I literally own the same car with the same specs, but 2022 model. At around 9:15 he speaks about the quality of Bose sound system specially in this car. Reason it stands so out amongs others is because Bose actually specifically designed this sound system FOR this specific car. The placement of the subwoofer and its diatance from the passengers, the fact that they avoided putting speakers inside door pannels unlike every other car (to prevent rattlings) and other reasons all contribute to why you will LOVE this sound system :)

Beautiful car and spot on commentary. We have the NA 2.5 Sedan. Exactly right on the suspension. Over time you realize it is actually quite stiff, but still pleasant. And looks and style wise; there simply is nothing like the 3 on the highway. Great news on your MPGs! Again, great review.

I remember your first review. I have a 2014 Mazda 3 sedan. It's still running like a champ. Excellent choice.

love it!! i’ve ordered one and i can wait to drive when it gets delivered!! tysm for the 1 year review :))) very helpful

I have the EXACT same car as yours, bought mine in January of ‘21 and just turned 14K miles, I also had a 2012 Golf TDI back in the day. I couldn’t agree more with your takeaways regarding the low end torque, needing ventilated seats, and wireless CarPlay. It’s been a wonderful vehicle and I’m definitely planning to buy it out when my lease is up!

Great review! My White ‘22 M3TH PP is getting delivered Sept 10. I’m told it’s the very last 2022 Mazda3 ever made - it just happened that it’s going to be delivered within 30 miles of me, and I saw it within an hour of it showing up on their site - all by complete chance and dumb luck. I put a deposit on it within 1 hour of it being available… whew!! Anyway I’m excited. I’m coming from a ‘17 STi and am ready for a more mature, yet similar car. Getting older, and having a manual doesn’t help when you have bad back and leg problems!

I’m hoping to order one soon, thanks for the long term review! Nicely done

Really appreciate your review. It certainly was a factor when I purchased my ‘24 TPP. Same color, specs, trim. Thanks a bunch, man.

manifesting to save enough money this year to buy me this dream car!! probably one of the best well-made and best designed car ever in this century ❤❤❤

Thanks for the video. Very informative and has helped me push the button : )

Good review! I have a 2022 Mazda3 Turbo premium plus. I’ve owned some of the same luxury cars that you have I agree that this is a comparable vehicle at a lower price. Lots of fun to drive too.

the instrument cluster plastic scratch is an easy fix. use maqauire posishing compound and rub it in with micro fiber clothe. and wipe off. clear and new.

Tuned with CorkSport and 225 tires and body kit from Knight Sports . Getting a lot of turned heads since put more power into it and dyno at almost 300.

Agree with everything, including the seat belt tone. I ALWAYS buckle up, and demand my passengers buckle up, BEFORE starting the car.

Thanks for the in depth review, your car is on my shortlist of vehicles I'm considering, as a replacement for my Elantra Sport.

The mode switch turns speed control off and basically turns your cruise control into a normal system. It won't slow down automatically when there is traffic ahead. Press the mode button on the right side of your steering wheel to toggle the two modes of the cruise control fitted to your car.

About the cruise control: try holding down the "on" button or however you turn on the cruise control, for my cx5 when I hold down "on/mode" it changes from adaptive to regular. Nice vid!

I currently have a 2016 Mazda3 hatchback s grand touring. I'm looking to trade in for this exact mode soon! Just hoping the used ones come down a little more in price as people get more miles on them. Hopefully will be able to snag one for around $27k. Excellent video, thanks!

Hi like the review. I own the same one but I was wondering don’t you find that when the back up camera is on and you put it in drive it takes a long time to display the front screen back

I have a ‘21 same trim level and it was kind of annoying when I went in to the dealer for my 5k mile service that when I asked if it was low I was told that they don’t burn oil it’s that people lapse on the maintenance intervals. They told me it needs to be at 3.75k miles. That’s all fine and well but a brand new car running fully synthetic should be good to go way over. There’s a TSB out and luckily mine is out of the vin range but it’s always on my mind when I’m thinking about maintenance

Dude the seatbelt chime does not quit😂😂 I ended up wrapping my “piano black” in a vinyl! But just turned over 3k miles and loving it as a daily.

I have the 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo Soul Red. I play the music so loud every day. Whenever I detail the cars with the door open it drains the 12v battery quickly. I found a solution to the 12v battery issue. I bought a recharge battery charger and I usually recharge my car once a week. As for the oil consumption I never had these issue. Now running with 17k on the odometer. I even had reconsider trading in and going for a BMW 240i Xdrive soon someday. I'm more into modification since B58 engine has huge potentials with modifications.

Great review

Love everything of mine ! 1 year at mid-november !

Great vid but you forgot to blur your license plate. Thank you for all the great info, I’m looking for a car right now but had no idea where to start.

I bought exact car about a year ago as well, but in beautiful pearly white. I couldn’t agree more on the black, totally scratched. Looking for plastic repair cleaner! I also get low battery 12v warning, I reboot and it seems to ok🙄. Anywho, still loving my red leather and turbo!!!!

Yes Mazda makes some fantastic cars and SUVs. I have been a Toyota buyer for many years. Decided to make a change and buy a Mazda. The first time I got into a CX 5 premium, I was blown away by the quality and no road noise compared to my Toyota. Fast forward I’m now on a 2022 Mazda CX 9 preferred plus, and soul red crystal metallic! Absolutely love this SUV, yes the mileage is not the best especially if you have your foot in it. But it is definitely a drivers car you feel amazing when driving it. All of my friends comment how quiet and luxury it is. I will completely agree with you I cannot stand that piano black finish that they put on everything inside. I completely agree that auto makers need to stop this trend. I keep swiffer dusters in my car at all times. Hate the dust on the black, drives me crazy. #MisterCleanDrivesThisMazda

You might try having a pound less air pressure in your tires for a smoother ride. I have a 17 3 hatch and this works for me.

Beautiful car, I dont like the rain sensing wipers and auto high beams but I actually love the adaptive cruise control

I just picked up a preferred sedan. I agree with all the points you made. For me, the suspension handling of bumps is the worst con you mentioned. If it bothers you, the easiest thing to do is adjust the air pressure in your tires. I'm sure you have the 18 inch wheels with a shorter and stiffer sidewall than the 16 inches I lowered the fronts to 34 psi and the rears to 32 psi. If you go below 32psi you'll get warning lights that your tire pressure is too low. It's not, but that's the limit Mazda set it at. Anyways, this softens the sidewall and gives a smoother ride . My car came with Bridgestone. These are crappy tires. I plan on switching to Continental DSW06 Plus tires. These will smooth out the ride even more, especially if I go down to the 16 inch wheels.

The battery was always iffy in cold weather for our 17 CX-5. Haven't noticed it so much with the 23 turbo we enjoy now. Oil consumption problems I think could be attributed to folks that decide to "hoon" a brand new car. No problems with the 17. Not enough miles with the 23 to tell yet.

I am a Mazdaphile, been driving the Mazda brand from 2005 to the present. The big thing to be aware of is the paint is thin and will chip or flake easily. If you can get the 3M protective layer on the hood, the lower fascia, and the mirrors, you will be happy. I am under warranty on the matter; Mazda has not determined if they will honor the warranty. My car is garaged, waxed, and polished on the regular. This is the one Achilles heel of the brand's cars. I drive a 2018 Mazda 6 approaching 100,000 miles. I would like to get a Mazda pick up truck, but not sold in the US. I will keep my 6, and if I must, I will get the hood painted. When it comes to getting tires, consider the Continental Contact Extreme series, they are meat hooks on wet pavement. My daughter has the Mazda 3 hatch like yours minus the turbo, and she loves it. I was driving a 2012 Mazda 3, and the car was totaled. My daughter drove a 2017 Mazda 3, rear-ending an SUV with a tow hook. The car was totaled. We both walked away with no injuries. What more can anyone ask?

going by youre thumbnail I tougth you were Shmee150 :P Great review

I have a 2023 Mazda 3 turbo hatchback and I am in freaking love with this thing, I bought an extended warranty, have a membership at a nice car wash and personally detail it weekly if not sooner (I work in a factory as a technical specialist and I dirty the interior quickly). I have to say I have never been more confident in my purchase. I bought a front and rear 4k dash cam setup to cover myself from the morons on the road and capture the beautiful weekend drives I take this masterpiece on.

Bought my 2019 mazda 3 premium sedan FWD non turbo brand new in Oct of 2020. It had been sitting on the lot for about a year or so. I just hit 35k miles. I paid considerably less than you at $23,500 out the door. The dealership offered me about 1k less than I paid for it the other week. The best mpg I got on a long trip was 37.5 better than the advertised 36. I normally get high 20s to low 30s driving mixed in my area. One thing I'm worried about is that my car randomly stalled out on me at a red light recently. I replaced the engine air filter and put lucas injector cleaner in gas tank and drove it hard after. Should probably spray some throttle body cleaner on the flap haven't looked yet but may have some carbon on it. I have an annoying creaking sound coming from my HUD or around in that area. Also have a rattle in driver door panel both sounds being intermittent. Kinda depends on roads and temp but not all of the time. Had some stuff sorted out at the dealer under warranty but those sounds remain. I have to go back because my trip button and gauge bright/dimmer buttons aren't working probably the dealerships fault as they were working fine before.

excellent review

Best looking in his class!

Nice video! I have a question… what pressure do you inflate the tires?

Agree 100% on the ventilated seats

Beautiful car, I heavily considered a ‘24 turbo before getting my Elantra N. I’m close to pulling the trigger on one for me and my girlfriend to drive. Especially for the winters when heading up the canyon or commuting in the snow, and keep the EN as my fun track/road carving car.

I did get the oil consumption issue, but I have to say, it came up just a couple of days before my first service was due and I do have a very heavy foot. Oil consumption is kind of normal, we hardly notice if we do oil changes more frequently than suggested, but I haven't had the issue since, mine is the exact same color combination as your btw.

Just switch to an SUV. The cars that are left on the market are generally geared towards us enthusiasts. If the car was as plush as you want it, the target audience would trash it in reviews. This car is meant to complete with the GTI's of the world, not.... well I can't think of any comfort oriented compact cars. Switching those low profile tires out would definitely make the ride more compliant. Otherwise, maybe you've just hit that point in life where it's time to ditch the sports car, and buy an SUV.

I had this same Mazda 3 turbo AWD hatchback but traded for the 2022 BMW 230i coupe.

I bought the top of the line 2022 Mazda 3 in Machine Gray with the red leather, was not 100% happy with it, a few niggles here and there, traded it in and bought a 2022 GT Stinger V6 twin turbo, now I am very happy.

I was wondering if there are any oil problems, for some reason supposedly the 250 hp 2.5 is, but it's good to hear that you're not having any problems

Hey Jason! Great review, how is it compared to the CX-30? I’m stuck between the 2

New cars tend to burn oil until piston rings and cylinder walls properly break in and mate. It shouldn't really a concern unless it persists over 3-5k, but you are under manufacturer warranty anyway.

I have 32k km and around 24k I did get the low oil warning. I blame the dealer who put in 0w20 not the 5w30. They denied it but it was right on the bill, lol. Anyways nit to worried about that. Great car in snow and wet weather with proper tires

Hey Jason, Greetings from Toronto ON., Canada ! Just some Info Love your videos. Watched them before ordering my 2023 Flagship AWD Turbo with Mazda OEM Mazda3Speed Bodykit from dealer.(had to order the Absolute TOP Of The Line, to get the BOSE now in Canada) Anyways, I’m sure someone’s mentioned it, but just hold down the Cruise Control MODE button to turn OFF Radar-Cruise Control and switch to Regular Cruise-Control, but leave all other I-active safety sense features engaged. (You just switch the radar cruise to regular cruise control and everything else/ i-active features Remain on, …otherwise your only option is to press the i-active button beside the steering-wheel / next to seat memory buttons & 360* camera button and turn all safety sensors off) Plus I’m sure you know, but here’s the link to get the 3-M film to prevents scratches and to cover the glossy black panels on the Center console, door located buttons, and infotainment screen. Any other videos or info on this car is welcomed all the time !!! I’ll leave the link to the 3-M protection film below. Much Appreciated Jason. -Upi mikstoreph.com/products/mazda-3-2020-interior-clear-tpu-film-protection

Nice review. Great car but I traded for a BMW’s 230i coupe. The BMW cost about $5k more, I paid $39k. The BMW really impressed me. The gas mileage on this new BMW is great I’m getting 32 mpg in city driving.

This is in my top 5 right now and checks about every box for me. You really just bursted my bubble with the suspension tho. My daily drive is all back roads along the ocean which twist and turn and i know this car would be a blast on. Unfortunately the roads are pretty shitty here which I’ll never understand considering the price of houses here. Mansions and pot holes everywhere lol

to turn off the adaptive cruse you press and hold the mode button on the steering wheel till it says it's off

I bought a 2015 Mazda 3 Hatch and the battery lasted 3 years before it died. When I replaced it, I realized the factory battery had less of everything than the replacement by about half. I've heard from others how bad the factory battery is and it sounds like they still skimp on this item. I would also recommend getting the tires warranty coverage at a place like Goodyear or other automotive service center. I had an unfixable puncture in the first year of ownership and a replacement set me back about $150 in 2016. Goodyear was the only place who had the tire I needed so when I had it replaced, I covered all my tires on their warranty program. Goodyear sux and tried to rip me off when I actually used the warranty to cover another unfixable flat later, but you have to know the program and insist they abide by it. All these large auto service corporations have declined into really bad places, including Dunn who I wouldn't let near any vehicle I care about. That's a whole other story! Nice review, glad I bought the car when I did, some of these things the newer Mazdas do are things I wouldn't want to live with!

Hi Jason, normal cruise control is still there , a layer below the new adaptive CC. The manual should show you how to disengage the ACC so that it reverts to the old fashioned one that some folks miss. All the best from Australia!

I have a 2019 Mazda 3 touring, year before the turbo, damm! wanted a 6 speed, couldn't get it! I've got the gun metal gray with red Leather, I had mine pin striped in yellow and white, it gives the car a belt line, makes it look longer, and brakes the look of a fat rear end. that turbo 3 hatchback with a 6 speed stick would be without a doubt a miata sedan! cheers 🍾🍾🍾🏳️‍🌈

Hey Jason, it’s Upi from Toronto, again. I picked up my 2023 Mazda3 Turbo Mazda3Speed yesterday. Did you get your REGULAR cruise control to work? ….Well I think you might be right !! I can’t get my cruise to switch from active radar to regular cruise either, Like It did in my 2018 GT Mazda3Speed !!!!! Wondering if they took it out? Anyways, thanks for your help, I’ll reach out if I have any questions and please don’t hesitate to do the same. Gotta say, as a Technical Advisor for the 3 rd biggest Audio company, I’m flabbergasted by the Bose in here. I HATE BOSE, but god damn this thing is clear and transparent and has incredible soundstage, and forward presence. The sibilance separation is outstanding. Gotta hand it to Bose. This puts my 2018 Mercedes Benz AMG C43 $2900 Burmeister Stereo to SHAME !!!!!! Anyways, thanks for your help. All the best from Toronto, Ontario Canada again !!

Regarding the battery warning. Are you sure it actually says "battery low"? Mine is just a warning to remind me that the battery will deplete if I don't close the door or the like.

Oil usage is linked to oil temp, driving 80mph in head/side wind in 90+ temps, oil temp will jump to over 220, thin oil and cause usage that is why there is a oil level sensor,

Can u control the radio from the steering wheel?

After being spoiled by owning/driving my first Crossover (2022 CX-30 CE), I can't even imagine ever going back to owning a pavement-hugging regular sedan/hatch that sits so low. Perhaps if Toyota brought their authentic TNGA Yaris hatch to the USA in a nice SE/XSE trim, with a manual - but that will never happen.

CS short ram intake + CS tubro intake pipe + CS 80mm Catback + JB4 = zoomzoom M3TH

I have a 2022 sedan on order, I like the look of the hatch more though.

Hold the cruise control button for two seconds to revert to standard cruise control. Hold again for 2 seconds to switch back to adaptive

Remove the extra filter in the engine bay look under the filter box. You will get better gas mileage and more hp.

Yeah that seatbelt chime is annoying as hell. Its even better if you are sitting in park, brake on and just chilling and it starts up. Did that to me for the first time last week. The black piano pieces are so sensitive. First clean down of interior I got those scratches. The radar cruise and collision avoidance is the first things I shut off after starting car after one day almost getting rear ended because the car thought I was going to hit a car up ahead slowing to turn and after on the highway a car whipped passed and cut over causing the cruise to hammer the brakes. I have the rattle at times too. But I love this car, mine is just the sedan. Got it because I honestly did not like the hatchback look compared to the sedan. I just wish I knew the turbo was going in the sedan this year or I might of waited a little longer. Maybe trade in soon haha.

Beautiful and sexy. But in typical Mazda fashion, way over engineered and technical.. I get to ride in one every now and then because my friend/neighbor has one and it’s always a treat! I just love the way you sit in it and the overall atmosphere.. I’m really thinking about getting one, one day! He said he’s spent a lot on maintenance already tho. That’s kinda expected but also kind of an annoyance. $138 for his first oil change and it was even higher the next time! Be prepared to spend that and gas prices throughout ownership..

my 2022 does not have fog lights. on the driver's side a/c vent, the air flow is not good with steering wheel blocking the air. the back doors "door sills" light does not light up. not a fan of piano black.

How is the phone integration Android Auto / CarPlay? Do you have to plug in the phone each time? Is it responsive? Thanks

Ditto in regards to the annoying seatbelt chime, Piano Black trim, Bose sound system and torquey low end power delivery. What REALLY attracted me to my 2021 3 Turbo 2.5 was the refined ride and low noise along with exceptional steering response and handling. The excellent power delivery along with still good gas mileage was icing on the cake. Unfortunately, the relatively low noise and refined ride did not last long. By about 6000 miles the road noise intrusion increased dramatically and then by around 8000 miles the car began to ride stiffer and bouncier. I believe the noise issue is a result of relying on what are quiet tires when new but once worn become noisy and there's insufficient sound deadening to prevent the noise intrusion. As far as the ride degradation it has to be be cheap and inferior gas filled struts. At 16K now the ride is so much worse than it was when new. I suspect that, like many cheap gas filled struts, the gas pressurization has long leaked out. The tires have been rotated every 5000 miles along with the oil change and at the 10k interval I had it aligned which did correct a straight-line stability issue it was having. Even with the degradation in the ride, it is bearable. It still handles like a champ and is fun to drive around town, However, with the tire / road noise issue, I dread driving this thing on long highway drives

If you hold the cruise control button it should disable back to regular (the little car disappears from the icon)

For the seatbelt chime I find (this may be obvious) to make it a habit to put your seatbelt on first before turning the car on, so the car won’t have to remind you 😆

Holding off on buying a CX30 turbo until I see that the 2023 Turbos don't have the oil consumption issue. Having to add oil repeatedly on a new car will likely lead to premature failure of catalytic converters and spark plugs.

Agreed on the suspension. Some bumps are felt to the bone 😅. Great review

nice review. this cat is great... but.... annoying little things turn into deal breaker over time. Im in Arizona and not having cooled seats ( which are now a thing) is a deal breaker. Small back seat, horrific blind spots and AWD are bad things for me

Best looking and best performance for the money you pay.

I have it’s sibling, ‘22 CX30, also with turbo and premium plus. It’s far superior to the 2019 X1 that the Mazda replaced! (Got rid of the BMW, after having $3k+ repairs/service with less than 25k miles). Personally I love the radar cruise control, especially driving at night. Enjoy your car!

I agree with you regarding suspension and the infotainment unit rattle on my 2020 hatchback GS with a 2.5 engine and manual transmission. I'm kinda thinking they could be related, the interior rattles (glove box area too) because the ride is too harsh, especially for the rough roads we have in Canada. I've actually pulled the plug and I'm getting a GTI soon with DCC. PS, I'm surprised snow tires are a thing in Utah, no one puts them on in the Midwest where there is quite a lot of snow. Also, no issues with oil consumption and also, a software update by the dealer solved my issues with the sensitivity of the radar cruise control. In settings or on the button on the steering wheel you can change how closely you follow, I change that to suit traffic patterns/road I'm driving on and it works. My annoyance is lane keep because I like to drive close to center of road to give cyclists space or close to white line on narrow roads, but I'm generally ok with it.

Rear torsion beam is why it's so stiff .try a non turbo cx 5 .it's better and has a a4 link

I tested drive this new 2022, I really like it.. the only negative was break was so solid and rough, not sure why I've to press so much down on break to stop 🛑 or brake. They really want me to press half way down to stop.. do you experience same thing or is it just new car like this.

I had to lemon law mine after six months. The drivers seat controls flopped out and wouldn't stay in after three visits to the dealer. The rear view mirror glass fell out. The rear seats would not latch back into place. The dashboard rattles were unfixable. The air-bag error light kept coming back. The software was full of unfixable glitches and the dealer was unable to fix anything. It was a nightmare. Never again.

I wanted to upgrade to the turbo model from my N/A premium AWD model but as disappointed to hear Mazda didn’t seem to upgrade the brakes, and the fuel economy is worse. I was regularly getting 38mpg on the highway before I swapped tires to mitigate the harsher ride; 225/45 DWS tires helped immensely with noise and smoother ride. The turbo model being heavier with more power needs more braking power. The standard brakes barely cut it in my opinion. Thanks for being one of the few people to prefer not having a touch screen. The Ux on the infotainment is super simplified which is why using a scroll to navigate is more intuitive than using your fingers to tap and navigate - takes much more hand eye coordination while operating a vehicle. People don’t seem to get that. Also, the way Mazda set up the infotainment in the 3 allows them to move the screen further back meaning the screen is less in your peripheral view and more in your direct line of sight. Making it a touch screen means the screen would have to be closer to reach. I noticed how much of a difference having the screen further back makes when I drove the new Corolla with the nav screen seemingly right next to your face in comparison to the 3. How’s the paint holding up? Seems like paint chipping is an issue on Mazda’s. I have my 3 in Soul Red. Only 3 years old but has TONS of chips….. I hope Mazda does a mid cycle refresh for the 3 and adds their new 8 spd DCT to the mix. The 6 spd auto is good (much better than a CVT for sure) but it holds the engine back.

This tempts me to save the 7k cash to upgrade from my 2.5 22 to the turbo

Sadly this variant won't be available in my country, if not i would have bought one. This variant definitely blows every car in this segment out of the water, at least in my country.

@2:45 can anyone confirm whether or not you can disable ACC and just have normal cruise control? I can’t stand those ACC systems

it's only been a year and this car is already over 38K out the door! the best value is now in the preferred model if buying new IMO. i can get a legitimate luxury car (2022/2023 Acura TLX advance package) for 35K very gently used with less than 5K miles on it. mazda needs to chill on the prices.

did you put undercoating and rust proofing on it?

What percent tint do you have? What kind?

just ordered a gti! was looking at your car too! what stop me is depreciation! look at used mazda turbo vs gti! P.S first car was a mazda sport 2004 love it

How are you getting 28-29mpg? I can't even get over 20mpg, 200-220 miles on a full tank. Nice review!

Had a Mazda 3 Sedan, it's now gone . Now have CX-5, really liked them both! I miss the up grades from the 3 that I wish was in the 5. THE STIFF SUSPENSION IS & WAS MY MAIN COMPLAINTS ABOUT BOTH CARS !!!!!! WHY ?!?!? If the suspension was just a little softer... might almost be perfect in my opinion.

The chime never goes off🙄ever.

Even though I love this car I am considering a car little off the ground. Love the look 2019 bmw gla 250.

how bad is the rear visibility? after more than a decade plus still no touch screen & the mpg is still in the 2000s era engine design?

i have screen rattle as well.

I tryed the civic si and to my taste the mazda3 was way more fun... the civic feel ENORMOUS, my other car was a chrysler 300 and the civic felt just as big if not more. the mazda feels smaller/more direct like an older car. Never understood what review standards are for "sporty" because to me the civic si was totaly not sporty if the mazda3 isnt either

I agree on the ventilated seats. It's the only thing that's missing for me. I am shopping other brands that would obviously cost a little more (Acura TLX, wish they didn't kill the Mazda 6).

Damn, I had my CX5 Turbo for 1 yr two months and I’m already at 20k miles.

Anyone else's mazda dealer using only NON SYNTHETIC motor oil in this same car with ( turbo skyactive version) ?

I wonder how it feels when it was driven on track..........