Opportunity doesn’t always knock; sometimes it breaks down the door with a crash. When my daily driver became the caboose in a rush hour conga line gone bad, I found myself in that placeless place where car reviewers go when the press fleet is permanently out to sea. To the chagrin of Saturnistas everywhere, I passed on the Ion proffered by the perky rental car desk jockey. At the appropriate moment, I gratefully grabbed the keys to a 2006 Mazda3 sedan. The four-door filly had been ridden hard and put up wet, bearing 16k miles. Another TTAC road test had officially begun.
Mazda’s designers have done everything possible to rescue the Mazda3 from Generic Econoboxland. And I do mean everything: long nose, deep cut creases running fore and aft, flared wheel arches, perky antenna mast, high-booty rear end, wraparound taillights; the whole modern car identikit. The overall effect is sporty enough to please the college grads, yet sensible enough for mom and dads. Or, if you prefer, a zoom-zoom-tuned Nissan Versa.
Inside, the rental spec 3 served up a bizarre farrago of features: engine immobilizer, ICE wired for satellite (normally a $430 option) but not sound (this is not my beautiful Bose), AC, manual locks and mirrors and (gasp!) hand-cranked windows. Maybe some Dearborn bean counters took a Japanese junket (Escape? Expedition? Excursion?). If you feel like getting jiggy with the options list, the $1750 pop-up DVD nav makes an interesting conversation piece– provided you consider voice instructions a form of human intercourse.
The Mazda3's [cloth] driver’s seat is like your best friend after your dog dies: it gives you a nice, firm hug and then provides lots of short and long-term support. Once embraced, you’re free to rest your left elbow on the same plastic toymakers use to construct products able to withstand untamed toddlers’ force-ten tantrums. The only compliant horizontal surfaces (seats excluded): the uppermost center console and the door handle. The rest of the interior is about as haptically happening as an electric fence.
The Mazda3's 60/40 folding rear seat gives the car terrific cargo access and capacity. With the rears in place and passengers in situ, the rear seating section won’t trigger an Amnesty International investigation– provided you’re not schlepping two six-footers on a long drive or three passengers of any age, sex or national affiliation (but especially well-fed teenage Japanese sumo wrestlers). To say the four-door’s rear compartment is somewhat cloistered would be like saying Benedictine monks are a bit on the shy side.
Once underway, the well-used Mazda3 didn’t shake, rattle or squeak. With just 2700 pounds to motivate, the car's 2.0-liter, four-cylinder 150hp mill can sling the machine to sixty in a shade under nine seconds, or deliver excellent economy (26/34). Unfortunately, mashing the go-pedal yields precious little sonic satisfaction; it sounds like switching an electric fan from low to high. In relaxed use, the 16-valve VVT powerplant hums along quietly enough for government work.
When pressed, the autobox equipped sedan dips deeply into revs, wringing out all available torque (135 ft.-lbs.) before jumping down a gear. Having rowed gears for 30 years, I just don’t get these manumatics. Although the sedan’s computer controlled tranny makes for less hesitant gear choices, you can’t get anywhere near the car’s 6500rpm red line. Control freaks and speed demons should stick with the stick.
At speed, the Mazda3 feels a bit like an MX-5 with a booster seat. The platform’s fully independent chassis and electro-hydraulic helm don’t deliver all the delicious feedback of Mazda’s legendary Lotus Elan-a-like, but there’s enough precision in the system to inspire genuine confidence. And that’s all the reason a sporting driver really needs to drive the Mazda3, um, sportingly.
Should you press on towards the point of no-deposit (refunded) no return (except on the back of a recovery truck), the Mazda3 doesn’t betray its underpinnings until you’re close to eight-tenths. Then, finally, the beginnings of a nose-first understeer slide serve a not-so-subtle reminder that you’re piloting a front wheel-drive machine.
The Mazda3's four-wheel disc brakes are feelsome, fearsome binders; with optional ABS, I might not have needed a rental car in the first place. Road ruts don’t rock, though rough surfaces generate plenty of noise. Of course, I’d expect a deeper sense of happiness riding on the optional 17” wheels, instead of the stuck-pig-when-pushed 15” all season shoes.
When it comes to driving pleasure, the Mazda3 owns the Toyota Corolla and more than holds its own against the increasingly bloated, visually challenged Honda Civic. While you can laud the Mazda3's price, design, build quality, practicality and economy, the best bit is that the Japanese sedan lives up to its brand’s performance-oriented promise. Sigh. If only we hadn’t met under such difficult circumstances.
I own this car’s predecessor, the Protege5. While the Mazda3 is certainly a superior car on a technical level and in nearly every way that can be objectively measured, the Protege remains more fun to drive, with a livelier personality. Also, for reasons I don’t grasp, the rear seat is significantly tighter in the newer car.
I’m seeing low repair rates for the Mazda3 so far in my reliability survey.
My price comparison and reliability site’s page for the Mazda3:
http://www.truedelta.com/Mazda3.php
I own an ’06 GS, and this review is pretty much spot on. This car is head and shoulders more fun to drive than any Corolla or Civic (save possibly the Si).
The GS brings a lot of improvements to the base rental model, such as a more powerful 2.3L engine and the aformentioned 17″ wheels.
You can also get a bunch of luxury equipment unavailable in most other econoboxes, such as HID Headlamps, Navigation System, Bose, rain-sensing wipers, and automatic climate control.
In fact, a fully loaded 3 with everything should set you back less than $22K, which is a real bargain to me.
“Having rowed gears for 30 years, I just don’t get these manumatics.”
AMEN.
Question: How Japanese is this car?
Question: How Japanese is this car?
The C1 chassis was designed by equal numbers of Mazda, Ford, and Volvo engineers. The rest of the car is all Japanese, good and bad – MZR motor, rock-hard interior plastics.
I’m a big fan of the styling of this car. Also a fan of the engineering. I’ve owned three Mazdas in my life, and driven many more, and lauded them all the while.
To me, Mazda is a company that doesn’t lose focus (okay, sometimes, a little). Affordable cars that are fun to drive, and reasonably reliable. They rarely lose sight of that (even the badge engineered Tribute seems like it has firmer damper settings than an Escape – that could just be me).
The Mazda 3 isn’t a home run, but it does so well is so many categories, and for me, the styling (which I know is subjective) doesn’t make it embarrassing to drive – which is tough to say about some of it’s competition.
Why doesn’t some of this rub off on Ford?
I owned a Protege5 and fell in love with the handling, the nice looks, and utility of the car. It had some niggling problems and interior cloth wore out in spots way too early. The engine was very adequate as it would shake rattle & roll in the winter and sound loud when cold with tapping. I did get to take it to the track and push it through it’s paces and was able to keep up with some faster cars.
I think the new Protege has a Ford sourced engine now and that precluded me from considering a Mazda3 as a replacement. I just don’t trust a Ford with my family’s safety.
The wife and I have owned our 3 for three years now – she loved the looks and interior, I got turned on that the handling was as close as you were going to get to my former E36 M3 for under 20 grand. It’s been fun, reliability has been great, and yeah the manumatic is more advertising copy than mechanical breakthrough. Patti doesn’t do manuals, and I get enough control for the rare occasional when I do put it in ‘M’ mode.
As to those who might pass on the car because it might have (horrors!) and American-branded part or two in it – get over it. You’re missing one heck of a car through your personal bigotry.
I believe it is Ford using Mazda sourced engines, not the other way around. Ford started using the MZR engine a couple of years ago as their Duratec. I could be wrong of course, but I seem to remember when I looked at the Mazda3 initially to replace my Protege finding this out.
Just out of curiousity, will the “Stars” section of this article be published and posted?
I, as well, own the previous generation econobox gone wild, the Protege5. It’s a 2002.5 and so far (nearing 50K miles) I’ve not had a single mechanical failure of any kind (knocking wood). Yes there are a few squeaks present and yes the engine is a little weaker than I’d like, but so far it’s been a great car. If the 3 inherited any of the reliability from it’s relative, then it should be a very good value. However, I don’t recall anything that carried over from the Protege to the 3. Mazda has been offering products for quite some time that are exciting, reliable and affordable. But it seems their association with Ford has hurt their perceived value. I also have a Ford Freestar which has to be the biggest piece of crap I’ve ever owned. The extended warranty is the only redeeming quality about that vehicle. How can two companies under the same umbrella be so vastly different?
In Jaje’s defense –
I purchased a 1990 Ford Probe GT new. Awesome car, very underrated 2.2l turbocharged motor. But I digress. Clearly not 100% Ford – it was more Mazda than Ford. But still, those weasels sold it to me.
Anyway, it made a few trips to the Ford dealer for issues. Three times (2 different Ford dealers) ended up towing it to a Mazda dealer to fix a problem they couldn’t. And the Ford service writers would do two things to piss me off even further – one told me “that’s what you get for not buying a real Ford” and one tried to tell me I had to take it to Mazda directly, which I actually tried once, but Mazda told me they couldn’t service the car under warranty unless the Ford dealer brought it to them.
So I understand the hesitation. It left a bad taste in my mouth (not for Mazda, so much, but for Ford) that won’t allow me to purchase a Ford branded vehicle.
John:
The bad news: the stars feature’s broken.
The good news: I’ve raised some dough. The new new new new new (more like the old) TTAC design is coming!
And all that was rent asunder shall be repaired.
Amen.
My mom has a Mazda6 and it has that black-rubber-elephant-hide stuff in a lot of interior places. Does that come on any higher-end 3 models, or do all the models have rental car cheapy hard plastic?
Never driven a 3, but her 6 is a blast for a mainstream sedan, as far as steering and handling go. However, I wish they would have put the 2.3 Miller Cycle V6 in it (from her old Millenia S), which was fast, made great sounds, and got the same gas mileage as her 3.0.
Sounds like we’re shifting from one star to another – glad to hear it!
Joe – excellent article. I’ve been a big fan of the 3 since its arrival to the US in ’04, and needed a “push” to get me committed to buying it. I think I may need to schedule a test drive. :)
I came away disappointed from a Mazda 3 Sport test drive after I had discovered the wonderful little piece of sheetmetal that was the Protégé 5. The biggest problem I had was with the drive-by-wire throttle calibration, and upon noticing that the 3 shared it’s engine with the Focus I concluded that it was Ford’s fault. Which, aside from the fact that I was wrong, made perfect sense.
“Why doesn’t some of this rub off on Ford?”
Because Ford is a truck company, silly.
i6:
Was it a manual tranny? Was throttle overrun a problem?
I test drove a Nissan Versa with the 6-Speed manual, and I felt like an idiot (even with my last 25 years of driving manuals) because I couldn’t modulate the throttle properly to keep the engine from scraming like a banshee when pushing the clutch in. A deal-breaker for sure! I hear other horror stories about FBW throttles (mostly with auto trannies) about huge delays in acceleration, also.
Hi guys…Wow, I can’t believe this is posting!
Anyway, long time reader, first time poster.
So Karesh drives a Protege? How very economical and reliable. I guess I was hoping for something cooler. That’s what I get for hanging out in my Audi forum with a bunch of other guys who dump their paychecks into beautiful German money-pits. You really practice what you preach brother. I may never outgrow my sexy car phase, but I hope I’ll have friends like you to give me a ride back from the shop.
Would anybody else be interested in finding out the daily drivers of the illustrious TTAC staff?
I’m with Curtis, tell us what you guys drive personally (except the WRX, J.L., we’ve heard enough about that ;)
I drive a beat up old Saab 9000 Aero and love every minute of it…
mazda has always wanted to nudge to avantgarde. and to move that cloud aside with velvet chrome rim. and they always shone. shone in quality, even failing to bring to market Amati brand as a luxury mazda offspring.mazda has grat engineers, and mazda 3 platform was competely constructed by mazda. the same like your ford escape.mazda 3 is worldwide player today- it is beneath volvo s40 , many fords ,Edge as well.lincolns, mercurys etc.i own a ford probe 2,5 liter v6 1995. and it is a pure mazda car. good fit and finish, lovely revving sweet engine.ford doesn`t do a single engineering move, if it can be done by mazda.and todays ford of europe that is bragging so much about driving pleasure in the latest focus, has to thank to mazda, because all the suspension is from mazda. and here you can see how patriotism shows your vanity. mazda ,having designed the beautiful suspension, and outstanding engines, couldn`t get the title ` car of the year`, while ford got it. because it was associated at least with germany. while americans of course imagine that focus has something to do with USA.focus is the best because it is mazda based. so you should give standing ovations to mazda. not the badge gurus. the same way mazda nagare didn`t become the greatest concept in NAIAS-2007, while jaguar got it. being a designer myself, I don`t see a single reason jag was better than nagare/ryuga concept. i think if you slapped jag logo on tata it could also become the greatest concept.by the way mazda had narrower gap tolerances in their millenia/xedos9 cars than any merc or bmw by that time.god bless people and nations with hands of blisters, and heads of talents.
And horizon is just a narrow line of a doubt, an illusion,
that one day will be erased by a dreamers solution.
and there is no day, when a glory page you couldn`t dare,
I bow forward with a book of history,
So full of conquests, commenced in a dreamer`s glare. jurisb, lunatics@inbox.lv
i6 – “…and upon noticing that the 3 shared it’s engine with the Focus I concluded that it was Ford’s fault. Which, aside from the fact that I was wrong, made perfect sense.”
That’s the funniest thing I’ve read here in a while. I laugh every time I read this statement.
I own an 06 Mazda3 Sport (the 5 door). The thing that amazed me most about this car was the number of “luxury” features on the car – the rain sensing wipers, E. Brake force distribution, ABS/4 wheel disc/HEPA Air filtration, and a plethora of other options, all for what I considered to be an amazing deal.
What really blew me away, though, was the ride. the 2.3 MZR is quite a beast, and I absolutely *love* the handling of this car. I haven’t been “excited” b a vehicle in a long, long time, but I’m excited every time I step into this car, a year later.
the problem with Ford is that it forgets its models “constant improvement?” hell no. However while Mazda make neat engines, Ford actually has some great chassis engineers. Focus, for example, great chassis, now Harry, what about the rest of it.
I’m an ’04 Mazda 3S 5-door owner and I think it’s a fabulous car.
For under $17k (+tax+licensce+fees), I have power everything, a moonroof, a 6-CD changer and amazing handling.
Yes, the interior plastics are on the hard side, but they’re durable and my car has no squeaks/rattles after 2.5 years and 40k miles.
The 2.3L engine in the S models is a definite step up from the 2.0 (despite similar HP numbers on paper), and I got 32 mpg on my last fill-up.
I think most of the shortcomings Joe C. encountered were due to the car’s rental-fleet equipment level and previous abuse, not faults of the car itself.
I own an 06 3GX and a Protege..in fact my 4th and 5th Mazda.
Until my car was delivered I was driving an automatic 3 loaner from the dealership. It was nice but night and day compared to the manual tranny on the car I bought. It’s a hoot to drive.
The only drawbacks so far are the underpadded rear seats which are already fraying despite minimal usage and the paint which chips far too easily.
I had been waiting for the new Civic before buying a commuter car but was really disappointed when I finally test drove one.
The 3 was thousands cheaper on the road when compared to either the Civic or Corolla (gag) as you aren’t forced to buy an upgrade package to get something as simple as a/c.
I own an 05 GT hatch (we Canadians got the rain sensing wipers while the Americans got HID lights). With the sunroof and automanubox (wifey doesn’t drive manual) it costs $25000.
The quality difference between the Mazda3 models is somewhat of a puzzle to me. The GT interior seems quite nice compared to the other econoboxes on the market. When I had the car in for service at 24000 KM service, the dealer gave me a GX model that barely had 5000 KMs on it. The interior of the GX was quite nasty. It looked the same as my GT, but the panels didn’t even match in colour and there were some huge gaps between them. The plastic steering wheel and gearshift were just aweful. Also the 2.0 engine felt quite dull.
I only have two complaints with the GT. First, if you sink your foot on the gas pedal, the engine just seems to die, but if you gradually (but quickly) depress the gas pedal, you’ll get quite a kick out of the 2.3 engine. Mazda claims it’s a feature, not a bug in the electronic throttle control. Second, as the reviewer noted, real seat leg room is quite small. Luckily, we’re small people.
I agree with pretty much everything else in the review. The handling is quite nice, but the Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires don’t do this car justice.
I own an 04 Mazda6s, and it has been reliable and is still enjoyable after over 2 years of ownership. The seat upholstery is starting to show some wear and a light cover on the door unsnapped itself. Other than that no complaints. I also test drove a Mazda3 while I was looking for a new car and I thought it was nice as did my wife. While I went with the Mazda6 in the end, my overall number 2 choice taking into account price, practicallity, predicted reliability, styling, and fun was the Mazda3. I’m sure that Joe C. would have enjoyed the sport version with the 2.3L and a manual transmission much more, I did. Now that my wife is thinking of a new car, she has three real possibilities on her list: the Mazdaspeed3, Mazda3 (2.3 L), or a Ford Mustang GT (she’s a big Mustang fan and has a 95 Cobra Mustang now). glad to hear from yet more people that they like the Mazda3.
Good review, too bad it had to be a rental car, although I guess that is the ultimate test of durability. Two of my friends have new Mazda3’s and we all think they are great cars. The only real problem that they both have is that they have both managed to crack their windshields. Since there is a rain sensor embedded in the windshield a replacement runs north of $600. The only other problem comes from the more anal of the two, who says that it squeaks when he is in 3rd gear going up a hill at 3,000 RPM when it is 4 degrees outside on a Sunday. He brought it to Mazda who apparently fixed something under warranty, and now he only hears it sometimes on Thursdays. Yes he’s an engineer. I found no problems with the back seat at all; my friends and I found it quite roomy during our commute to work, especially compared to my Paseo. I like Mazda and am considering upgrading the Paseo to a Speed6 in the near future.
Just a few followups to some issues raised in prior comments:
The Mazda3 shares only engineering with other Ford Vehicles, no hard parts. And the other vehicles is shares engineering with are quite good: The Volvo S40 and the European (not American) Focus. The Mazda 3 is completely assembled in Japan of almost entirely Japanese made components. The association with Ford is unfortunate, and largely incorrect.
Some of the interior pieces are on the hard side, but, as was pointed out earlier, they are durable. However, the leather seats and trim in the GT package does help soften things somewhat.
A friend of mine just got rid of his 04 Mazda3. He loved the car, but in the end he couldn’t handle the poor air conditioning. Here in D.C. you’ve got to have good AC. I’ve heard this is an problem on the 3s. Anyone else have this issue?
shaker:
The 3 I tested didn’t have a throttle overrun problem, more like a throttle inversion problem. Yes, it was as scary as it sounds.
Throttle overrun is not unique to DBW throttles, and I’ve experienced it on a cabled ’98 Prelude.
thalter:
The C1 triplets (3/EU Focus/S40) can theoretically be built on the same assembly line, not that Mazda/Ford EU/Volvo actually do such a thing. I don’t know if there are actually any interchangeable chassis parts. Given how well it’s turned out, I would say the Ford (EU) & Volvo association is a good thing.
New Mazda5 owner here, the Mazda3’s inexpensive big brother on the same C1 platform but with more weight, seats, and hard nasty plastic. Handling is wonderful despite
3300+lbs and the 64″ height. I’ll find out the hard way how bad the AC is this summer, as I live in the VA suburbs of DC.
Lumbergh21 – exactly, the 2.3L, a manual and 17″ wheels is what I’d rather have driven for two weeks! If I were purchasing, that’s what I’d consider.
Regarding the stars, here’s what I’d sent RF:
Design – 3 – What the Graduate might drive in 2007; “One word: Plastics!”
Performance – 2 – “Adequate” is such faint praise, after all; needs the HP bump of the 2.3
Ride – 3 – Smooth and compliant over heaves; transmits road noise like a cheap walkie-talkie
Handling – 4 – Adding six inches in height to the MX-5 still results in confidence, until you dare go too far
Overall – 3 – best in class handling; too many hard surfaces inside
This car has nicer lines than it direct competitors.
I read on various boards that early 3’s had problems with A/C, which were supposedly fixed somewhat in later models (and available as a retrofit to older models).
That said, I am a huge A/C junkie, and I have no complaints with the A/C in my 06. Granted I have the automatic climate control, and most of the complaints have been with the manual A/C.
I convinced my fiance to get an ’06 Mazda3 5-door, vicariously living out my hot hatch fantasies through her. It’s an auto (no stick for her) with only the roof/6 CD combo.
After returning my lemon MINI and using the refund as a down payment on an apartment, we are down to one car, the 3. I am the one who has to drive it 20 miles to work, relegating my lady to the bus/subway. I feel guilty enough about it already, okay guys?
Despite being up on weight and down on power v. the MCS, the 3 is still a blast to drive. It’s got the perfect sporty yet forgiving handling the average commuter can enjoy. I think that this car is definitely the best value in its class in terms of the right balance of looks, handling and feel, utility (hatch only), and price.
Two complaints:
1. I’m surprised at the unbelievably bad fuel economy considering the EPA numbers for the 2.3. I know the EPA is skewed too high, but I rarely reach their city mileage (25) on an average commute of 70% hiway driving, and that’s without rush hour traffic, and using the manumatic wisely to conserve fuel.
2. The manual AC seems to blow out of all vents no matter where I set the dial. This is a new occurance and will be dealt with at the next oil change in ~500 miles.
Now that I think about it, the bad mileage may have to do with the 10% ethanol requirement put into effect around the same time we got the car.
I used to work for Enterprise, so I’ve driven numerous 3s and 6s. Regarding the 2.3L, the gearing on the 3’s automatic seems light years better than that on the 6’s 2.3L. The 6’s I4 is not smooth when shifting and seems to shift at the wrong times. Has anyone else driven both vehicles and noticed this difference?
I give the 3 a thumbs up, but I agree with the above posters that the fuel economy on the 2.3L is unimpressive for a 4 cylinder.
pdub – I drove a Mazda6 with an auto tranny at the ZoomZoom Live thingy last fall, and I noticed a BIG lag between mashing the pedal and actually having the engine pay attention. Even the 2.0’s auto linkage seemed more lively.
Pdub- I totally agree with you there. I have rented a 6 to drive from Philly back to Ontario and found that the gearing seemed off, but I figured that the rental had been abused. The biggest problem I had with the 6 (it was a manumatic) was that the manual +/- were opposite to what was intuitive. On more than a couple of occasions I would pull out to pass someone and would downshift accidentally rather than up-shift. I assumed that many a renter had done the same thing and that was why, in Auto mode, it shifted so rough and so sporadically.
A friend threw me the keys to his Mazda3 5 door Manual and I had a blast. What a great car – shifting, handling, steering, ride, brakes. Very impressive. Can only imagine how much fun the MazdaSpeed3 is. I guess this is as close as us North Americans will get to a Euro Focus.
Re mileage: during week two, while staying conscious about fuel (80% freeway driving, 75-80 mph), I averaged 33.2 MPG. Not bad, better than my Miata, but that probably pales in comparison to a Civic under similar driving conditions.
Joe and cgraham,
Thanks for your responses. This may explain then why so many people buy the 3 with the 2.3L when they could get the larger 6 for the same price (or cheaper). Then again, maybe it’s an appearance thing. When selling these vehicles, the 3 was a much easier sell than the 6.
Re: fuel economy. The 2.0 Liter is much more fuel efficient and from your review and a review from a friend who owns one, apparently it’s the engine that Ford should drop in their 2008 model Focus. Too bad they’re not. At least Fusion is getting the 3.5 for 2008.
Syke – I don’t trust Ford for safety b/c they do many a thing that is dangerous. Every 5 years there’s some major safety issue that Ford knew about during development and then stalls on recalling that defective design or part. Right now it’s those 16m Ford cruise control devices that can catch fire regardless of the vehicles operation (on or off). Ford is slowly recalling them but this device has been used since the early 90’s and nothing was changed until 2003. Ford may make some good cars (when the bean counters didn’t have to refer to actuarial tables as often) but you can’t argue that it incites distrust for that automaker.
If you want to then label me as a domestic hater note that I also own a Chevy Silverado and am very happy with it. I can park it by my house without the worry it will catch on fire overnight.
Ejacobs, the plastics in the Mazda3 are just as hard as those in the 6, but are finer-grained, so they don’t feel as “pebbly.” I personally prefer them.
I’ve recommended this car to several recent-college-grad friends, who have invariably fallen in love with the things. There are several $35K compact execs that don’t drive as well as a 5-speed 3s hatch.
I share Michael’s preference for the outgoing Protege, though. What the 3 gained in power, refinement, and shift action, it lost in agility, clutch feel, driving position, and a general rambunctiousness that the Protege had in spades.
The weak A/C is a common complaint in Consumer Reports owner reviews. I wonder if the pollen filter is too restrictive, and that removing it might help…
First time poster here – been reading the site for a while now and along w/Autoblog are my 2 daily reads.
I own a 2001 Protege and a 2004 3 GS.
In 2004 when I was looking for a car, I found great deals on remaining P5s. After driving the 3, I quickly realized the 3 wasn’t as tossable as the Pro but a lot more refined. I have the 2.0L engine on both Mazdas but the 3’s makes a deeper exhaust noise at low RPMs, and revs more freely. The Pro is “harsh” as far as its ride goes… The 3 is quieter and the interior and features are impossible to compare.
I love driving the Pro b/c it responds quickly and it has better steering feel than the 3, but the 3 is an overall better car. I get b/w 8.2 and 8.6L/100 kms. The 2.3L is even more fun to drive than the 2.0L but thirstier.
I will likely wait until the new generation 3 comes out in 2008 as a 2009 MY, but if I had to buy a car today I would not hesitate taking the 2.3L w.Luxury Pkg which is new for 2007 here in Canada and finally gives us features that have been available in small cars in Europe for years (ACC, HIDs, 6 airbags, leather seats w.heaters, etc).
RE: A/C
The car blows ice cold A/C but somehow the interior temperature does not cool down as much as expected. With the A/C on after a few minutes even on the hottest summer days, if I put my hand over the vents my fingers will be frozen. Inexplicably, unlike in the Protege I must leave the fan at 3-4 instead of the Protege’s 1 setting to keep the temperature cool…
I have an 06′ hatch, it’s very different from the 4 door i model, bigger breaks, 17” wheels, stiffer suspension, 5 speed AT (only 4 on the 2.0l) and the 2.3l engine.
Take a look at the front, the fenders and hood are different too, making the car look more aggressive, so this is where the difference in price come from.
I just love this car, it’s also a joy to look at!
BTW, the images above are not the rental i model, looks like S model 2.3l and 17” wheels.
There’s a TSB about the A/C on 04 and 05s.
The main reason I find the Protege has sportier handling is the 195 55 15 v rated tires. Put some stiff rubber on your 3 and you’ll see a big difference.
While the Mazda3 GT is much better (engine/tranny, interior) than the GS (and GX), you people should also remember that the GS starts at ~$16000 CDN while the GT is $25000. One could say the two cars compete for totally different market segments.
What other car can you buy for $16000 that has a better interior, feature, engine and ride quality than the Mazda3? (not a rhetoric question)
However, I probably would opt for the Civic if I was going to buy a $25000 CDN sedan because it has a stronger brand, has better interior quality and is overall more refined (granted duller and totally pointless).
I did forget about the poor AC in my Mazda3, but then we get probably 3 really hot days (+30C) in the summer here in Vancouver. I’ve heard the AC in the hatches has trouble cooling the larger interior volume.
As for the poor fuel economy, I can get 550 km on a full tank of gas (until the light goes on) if I drive like my grandma. But I abuse that lovely engine (living life on the high revs is very addictive) and I get 450 km on a tank of gas. I believe my dad gets better mileage from his V6 Highlander than I get out of the 4 banger.
Last note on the 2.3L: The 05s had 4 speed manumatic. 06 and up got a 5 speed AT (still 4 speed AT on the 2.0L). 07s got direct injection and some body rigidity improvements inherited from the MazdaSpeed3.
RE: Ford Parts: Considering the only “Ford” part is the engine (which may or may not be fully or partially based on older Mazda hardware, a particularly juicy discussion on Mazda boards, and a simple, flat-out lie on Wikipedia), then how is Ford of America’s reputation for ignoring safety a problem? The engines themselves are pretty decent ones.
RE: AC: I’ve never been in a Mazda with exceptional AC. Sometimes passable, but never more than 2.5 or 3 stars worth.
RE: Interior Materials: It must be the rental car. Most 3’s I’ve seen have pretty nice interiors… some hard plastics, but they’re always well-disguised.
RE: Protege versus Mazda3:
I suppose I’m one of the luckier ones on the board in regards to this, I own a Protege, have driven the Mazda3 and have thrashed the hell out of the Mark II Focus based on the same C1 platform.
The Protege’s handling and steering are as close to a Miata or a BMW as anything with front-wheel drive can be. The 3 is more refined, yes, but is still noticeably Japanese, with a Japanese stiff ride. It’s heavier and less tossable than the Protege, though any understeer from the test drive may be due to the 15″ tires, as new Civics on similar tires understeer like stuck pigs. Even worse, the Civic’s helm will gleefully tell you absolutely nothing about what those tires are doing, until you run smack into the curb. Not in the Mazda3. While the steering loses a lot of the innate feel of the Protege’s older rack, it is definitely a lot better than the Civic’s.
What’s even more surprising is the Mark II Focus’s steering is even better. It’s slower geared than the Mazda3’s or Protege’s, but it gives natural feedback similar to the Protege’s. The front-heavy chassis and tires induce a lot of understeer, but the Mark II’s suspension set-up is light-years ahead of the Civic… or the Protege… and superior to the Mazda3’s. And it rides a lot better than any of them. The Civic just feels too light, too poorly damped. The 3 just a bit stiff. But even the cheapest, most de-contented Focus feels like a Bavarian car.
A race instructor once compared it to the BMW. I scoffed, but after a couple of laps, I have to agree… it’s a very intuitive car.
Given the choice of replacing the Protege, I’d go for the Mazda3 or the Focus… both wonderful cars… depending on what my mood at the time is. The Civic? Beh. Lovely engines, but there’s just not enough “drive” in the experience to tickle my fancy.
I find it interesting that so many people have trouble with Mazda A/C. I owned a first Mazda MX6(Ford Probe). As I recall, that car would blow ice-cold air, even after I had it converted to R134. Maybe that was a Ford A/C unit?
I drive a 2006 Mazda5 GT, which shares its mechanicals with the 3 GT (2.3, 5-speed, 17 in. rims). Despite the bulk, this motor/tranny combination gives great around-town performance. My biggest beef with this Mazda 3-based mini-minivan (aside from the hard, easily scratched interior plastics) is the lack of a 6th gear. Five cogs are fine in the city but at typical highway cruising speeds, the high rpms result in somewhat intrusive engine noise as well as reduced fuel economy. Other than that, these are fabulous handling cars at a great price.
I had an ’05 Protege that I put 210K miles on without a single unexpected issue. I had it in for service once, and they gave me an ’04 Mazda 3 sedan as a rental. I was not overly impressed. But when the time came to buy a new car, I took an ’06 3 wagon for a real test drive, and bought the car the next day. The interior is a little plastic intensive, but the ride and agility are amazing. And to get PW/PD/AC,6 disc CD/MP3, plus a list of other goodies for $17k was fantastic. My only real complaint is the back seat room. I have two kids now, and two car seats make for a cramped driver. Otherwise I could not be happier.
RoadKill166:!
201K miles on a 2005 car?
There’s no such thing as an 05
Protege.
Same history with our 01..nothing but oil changes and light/typical maintenance. It’s rock solid mechanically.
Excuse me, poor proof reading. It was an ’01 Protege which I used for courier work. It was a base model, and slow as heck. But I still felt I could throw that car around any turn. It’s kind of a strange thing with the new 3. I know the 3 is much more capable than my old Protege, but the Protege FELT so much more agile.
Sadly, I just reluctantly traded in my ’04 3S. Happily, it was on a new MX-5. And I, too, had a relationship with a Protege5. Our 2002 yellow (“Chiquita”) P5 was big fun, but underpowered.
When I had a kid almost two years ago, I reluctantly agreed to ditch my GTI VR6 (modded) to get something with four doors.
I would up buying what at the time I felt was more GTI than the one wearing the VW badge – a 2006 Mazda 3s hatchback.
Mazda is now everything VW used to stand for – only with far superior reliability. I couldn’t be happier with this car. IMO you simply can’t buy a better (and more practical) driver’s car at this price point.
RE the AC issue, the problem was with early models. I live in Austin, TX and – believe me – it gets way hot here in the summer. The 2006 AC keeps up (barely) with 100+ temps but is fine for anything less. Doesn’t blow quite as cold as the wife’s 2002 4Runner but that’s obviously a much, much bigger vehicle.
Hello!
The ’04 Mazda3 A/C issue was one of heater internal baffling.
There is a service bulleting outling this condition and installation of countermeasure baffles. It works.
Terry 25 yr Mazda Master Tech/Shop Foreman
I would up buying what at the time I felt was more GTI than the one wearing the VW badge – a 2006 Mazda 3s hatchback.
Mazda is now everything VW used to stand for
You obviously haven’t driven the new GTI….
My partner has the base 2004 Mazda3 and loves it. It’s his daily commuter but that thing sure does do well! He’s averaging around 37mpg (although he only has 2 or 3 stop lights on his 22 mile commute).
I loved the Mazda 3 speed…but I thought the $2.5K markup beyond MSRP was a bit ridiculous.
Vento – the 4 door GTI wasn’t available when I was shopping, and given VW’s continued reliability problems it is likely I would be spending less time driving the GTI to work and more time driving it to the stealership for repairs.
Ok so I have had my car for about two years now (I bought a 2004 used) and I have noticed in the past month that the right bottom corner of the passenger side floor board is soaked and I have no idea what it is. I have heard its the heater core but its JUST water no oily stuff. Have any of you had this problem?? Please let me know.
and given VW’s continued reliability problems it is likely I would be spending less time driving the GTI to work and more time driving it to the stealership for repairs.
People spend more time taking their cars to the shop because they continue to buy cars early (first couple of years) in their production cycle in order to “be the first on the block” to have the latest and greatest features proclaimed by automotive marketing departments who tend to be clueless at best. The highest probability of BUGS usually occurs during the first couple of years in the production cycle.
With the exception of my first VW (1975 Scirocco Mk1), all three VWs I’ve owned after that (1987 Golf GT – 16 years, 624,000 miles, 1997 Jetta Trek (still own at 210,000 miles), and a 2003 Wolfsburg Jetta 1.8T (still own at 90,000 miles), are relatively trouble-free cars that I purchased near the end of their production cycles.
I don’t have this desire to have the latest and greatest gizmo out there – I prefer to wait until the bugs are worked out before purchasing any vehicle.
leighna17:
Ok so I have had my car for about two years now (I bought a 2004 used) and I have noticed in the past month that the right bottom corner of the passenger side floor board is soaked and I have no idea what it is. I have heard its the heater core but its JUST water no oily stuff. Have any of you had this problem?? Please let me know.
If the water is red or pink in color, chances are it’s the heater core. If the water is clear, chances the A/C evaporator water drain tube is clogged. When you run your A/C, the moisture is taken out of the air in your interior and is removed via a tube which directs the water to the ground underneath your vehicle (ever notice that puddle of water under your car every time you run your A/C?)
I would take it to your mechanic or dealership and have them check the tube underneath your car, and if it is obstructed, they will clear the tube.
Hope this helps…
leighna17:
Correction: If the water has any color in it (red, pink, green, blue, or yellow – then it is usually the heater core. This depends on what color anti-freeze Mazda uses from the factory…
Bought a 07 Mazda3 GT manual yesterday (March 24). My 91 Accord died; was planning on getting a new vehicle this summer, had to move up the plan.
Things I liked: Very nice handling. Good power, although I prefer torque lower in the revs for around town driving. Ergonomics from the driver’s seat were very nice. Firm ride, but not harsh. Seats take my big american butt. Driver’s seat height adjustment along with tilt/telescoping wheel means I can get near perfect seating.
Things I don’t like: Red instrumentation. Speedo is at an odd angle which will take a while to get used to. Clutch has very short engagement, which when combined with higher revs needed to get decent torque can result in some jerky start from stop (again, will get used to it and will break in some). Brakes are a little grabby (ditto). Clock and trip computer use same display, so you can have one or the other (this makes no sense).
Cool things that were a small deal: The Xeon headlights have a leveling feature (as you put weight in the back, you can tilt the headlights down to keep from blinding oncoming drivers). Auto headlights and auto rain sensing wipers (haven’t tried those yet). AUX input for MP3 player.
The biggest thing for me was the perceived value. Galaxy grey grand touring, sunroof/bose stereo package, rear lip spoiler (not a big deal) for $20,750. MSRP was $22,050. Edmunds TMV listed this as $21,303. This was $750 more than I wanted to spend, and I didn’t want the stereo/ sunroof/ spoiler, so I was able to get that down some. Most of the reports are of good reliability, so it fits my needs and budget. This is the 4th Mazda I’ve had, and I have had very good luck with all of them (except for the one I ended up replacing every piece of sheetmetal on from my excellent teen driving skills; can’t blame Mazda for that).
This review was at the perfect time.
i purchased my first car in september 2005 after my inherited 1992 mitsubishi mirage was on its death bed. that car was a base 2006 mazda3 i (titanium gray). at the time, the latest gen civic had not been released, and in the “econobox” segment, this car was far and away the best option. it is clear that this car’s design and engineering were highly influenced by bmw’s 3-series (as the mazda3 name alludes), from the car’s shape and red-orange instrumention, to it’s brilliant handling. it is a beautiful car to look at, and to this day, when walking away from it in a parking lot, i still turn around to admire it proudly parked among much more expensive vehicles.
as far as performance is concerned, i LIVE for the twisties and on-ramps. as a base model, my car came with the (gasp!) crank-up windows that joe talks about here. my friends laugh and say, “i didn’t think they still made those.” i certainly don’t mind; i consider the roll-ups a weight saving feature ;-). one does wonder why mazda chose to include steering wheel audio controls as a standard feature (which are wonderful BTW), rather than standard electric locks and window openers.
this car sounds great (to my ears) all the way up to redline, and is deathly quiet until about 30 mph. after 15k miles, there are no vibrations and the gearbox isn’t ambiguous, notchy or rubbery like the competitors i test drove. it’s still tight! the majority of my driving is between home and college, a 200 mile shot on I-70, and i average exactly 35 mpg if i abide by the 70mph limit. if i’m pushing it, the VVT engages after 3250 rpm and i get closer to 40mpg, which is very pleasing for my wallet considering how difficult it is for a college student to budget monthly car payments and beer spending ;-)
here’s the best part: i bought it for $13,9. a friend of mine bought the same model year focus (base model just like mine) for $14,5. i’ve driven that focus, and it’s almost impossible to believe that the two share the same 2.0 liter engine (engineered by MAZDA, not ford). the build tolerances of the focus and the mazda are worlds apart, and the focus interior is laughable at best. it really speaks volumes for the rock-solid engineering and value on mazda’s behalf.
a year and a half later, after the release of the new civics (my girlfriend just bought a 4 door EX), i can STILL say i’d rather have my base model 3i, save for that wonderful auxilary input jack that i believe now comes standard on the 07 mazda3. and i believe most comparisons still prefer the mazda3 over the new generation of civics. that alone is an impressive feat for a car that has remained almost completely unchanged since it’s initial release in 2004 in such a highly competitive market.
if you enjoy driving with a little spirit, and you’re living on a low budget, THIS is the car you want. it’s sexy, it’s reliable, it’s fun to drive. then again, i AM the demographic that mazda apparently targeted when designing this car. nevertheless, i look forward to mazda’s scheduled 2009 redesign.
I bought a Mazda 3 after owning 3 Honda Civics over the past 11 years. I love the Mazda 3. I think its really fun to drive and has a lot of pick up and more character than the civic.
My only complaints so far are that with the S Grand Touring (hatchback) the Bose/heated seat hardware under the driver’s and pasenger’s seats are like the dryer with socks, once I drop something it is lost forever. I feel like there are a million little nooks and crannys to lose things in. I’m also very disappointed that after only a few months, the floor fabrics and mats on the driver’s side is already looking worn. After 5 years of driving my last Civic, everything still looked brand new! Also, the seat warmers seem really inconsistent. They get very hot for short periods of time and then won’t get hot again for 30 or so minutes… Does anyone have the same complaints?
Re: floor fabrics: You likely have the black interior in the 3. When comparing to (I assume you had these colours in the Civics you owned)) a grey/beige interior, black will show more dirt, salt stains, etc…
I bought a mazda 6 2006, and the AC was ok, until las week, when started getting little bit warmer, the i turned off the AC and my surprise was that in the drivers and in 2 of 3 central vents, hot air was coming from them and in the 1 right and the passenger one cold air was coming. i started google my problem, and i found same problems in this model. I have the Repair manual, and i already run the test of the ac system and everything is OK, so i think maybe one vent, the one that mixes the air is obstructed, cause visually is working good. any ideas? thanks in advance.
Ok….after I pulled up my flooring and seats, I noticed where the water was coming from. Back behind the dash. So I called my nice little Mazda dealership and told them I think the AC drain tube is clogged, and of course before they could tell me any possibilities it was gonna cost me. So I decided to not do that. But what another mechanic told me is that it could be the AC box (???) because the drain tube didn’t look clogged enough to cause that kind of leak. I have no idea what a heater box is….do any of you???
I bought an 07 S Grand Touring sedan last fall. I sold a 2001 Acura 3.2 CL TYPE S(270 HP) to buy it and I am delighted. The little Mazda isn't nearly as fast as the Type S but it does handle virtually equally which is really saying something because I had the already sport tuned suspension on the Acura lowered 3/4 of an inch! My Mazda has a 5 speed auto, Xenon lights and the 17" tires of course, but the things that impress me most, aside from its agility, are a stability control system that doesn't intervene unless you are way out there, even allowing some wheel spin and a relatively lot of lean in a car that stays amazingly flat) through turns that my previous cars such as as the Acura, a 2001 Porsche Boxter, or an Infiniti Q-45, would have been intervening in and slowing me down significantly while running through them! It works like I have always wanted stability control to work- only mess with you in the truly extreme circumstances- not just when you are trying your best line hard through a turn. Great engineering. The electronic brake force brake distribution, which I have never had in a vehicle before, is extraordinary. During the second week that I owned my new car a woman (who didn't see me at all) pulled out in front of me while I was traveling at about 35 mph with a stopped line of cars to my left, and only 4-5 car lengths away. I hit the brakes as hard as I could while she threw up her arm and screamed in an attempt to shield her face from the certain collision. I could see her clearly because she was so very close to me. The car stopped with little front end dive and quicker than any car I have ever owned, and with almost a full car length distance as well. Inside, with an almost complete absence of drama inside my Mazda thus avoiding a collision that even I felt was imminent. Amazing. I can't emphasize enough how well tuned the suspension is to give decent ride quality along with handling that is extraordinary for an economy car, and with better 17" tires I'm certain it would improve even more. It's also excellent on icy and slick roads even compared to the Civic and Pontiac Vibe FWD cars we also own. Downsides are a rear defroster that can't keep up in freezing rain well at all, sometimes worse gas mileage than you would expect if driven hard, and a manually adjustable seat even though every thing else, including your headlight height,is electrically controlled. All in all I am very impressed with how they have done almost everything right to the point that even my wonderful 2001 Acura seemed (and looked) out of date in almost every way. Oh, and I should mention that the Mark Levinson stereo that Lexus offers is far better than the top of the line Bose system offered in the Mazda. But then they are in a different price range as well. It is truly fun and responsive to drive but I would have bought a speed model if they offered it in a sedan. Great car that even turns heads and gets a lot of compliments wherever you go for less than 20k. AWESOME
Ok….one more question for all the folks that know mazda 3….I have had this problem for about the last 4 or 5 months. When I go to shift it out of park it won’t move. I had to call the dealership and ask them how to get it to go and I had to pop that plastic piece out that is on the gear shift thing. I then had to proceed and stick a ball point pin in the hole to pop it in gear. But when I took the car in to get fixed (while under warranty mind you). They said that since it didn’t act up while in their possesion they couldn’t fix it and that the manufacturer would not let them fix it.becasue it could be 1 of 2 problems. I don’t exactly have ANY idea what is going on….if any of you have any insight I would love to hear it.
I bought my 2004 Mazda3 5 door automatic brand new. Have had all service done in a timely fashion at my local Mazda dealership. At about 55,000 miles it began an intermittent very loud ticking noise from the engine compartment. Got it into to the dealership at 59k for 60,000 mi service and the diagnosis was: NEED NEW ENGINE. Believe it’s a wrist pin problem. Saw on-line that ’03 Protoge had this problem. Although it is a different engine, am I the tip of the iceberg? Do you think this first year Mazda3 will start failing for more people?
After running diagnostics on a few different days and some haggling, the regional rep is picking up most of the cost, service is discounting their work but I’m still stuck for over $1,000 not to mention the $479 just spent on the 60k service. I’m so frustrated and angry. I haven’t been given a write up on diagnostics and results. Don’t have written estimate -yet- but want one! Do i get my money back when the recall occurs?
I test drove a 3i manual. I generally liked it but there were a few problems. A minor issue was the excessive vibration through the steering column. The biggest concern I had though was an issue with the throttle going crazy. On two occasions during the test drive, during shifting the throttle seemed to just get stuck and race out of control, even though my foot wasn’t even on it. It sounds like maybe a few other people here had this same problem. Does this only happen on the 2.0 or is the 2.3 free of this issue? Because that’s a deal breaker right there. It’s sad, because otherwise it’s a pretty nice car, and I’m having a terrible time trying to find something that I like.
This comes a little late in response to the following comment:
“A friend of mine just got rid of his 04 Mazda3. He loved the car, but in the end he couldn’t handle the poor air conditioning. Here in D.C. you’ve got to have good AC. I’ve heard this is an problem on the 3s. Anyone else have this issue?”
But it is still relevant. I live in Houston – same climate as D.C. in the summer, only more of it (7 months of saturated humidity and 90+ F). My problem with the A/C in my Mazda 3 (2.3L MT) is my inability to find a comfortable setting. In the summer during the day, setting 2 (of 4) just barely keeps me above freezing and after sunset, I cannot keep the temp. setting all the way on cold – I need to let the A/C work because of the humidity, but it is just awfully cold! IOW, this thing works too well.
Unlock your Mazda 3’s trip computer
This is a must for every Mazda 3 owner, how they (Mazda) got the nerve to hide a pretty good feature from owners of lesser models?
I have the 2.3 hatch for a year and a half now not knowing there is one feature hidden from me!
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f11c280/0
Why won’t they make this car into a coupe? hat’s what I want.
Oh, also, I can’t buy a new Mazda becaue it comes with Serius radio rather than XM. Serious has Howard stern, who I refuse to patronize. XM has Bob Dylan, who is the greatest.
I don’t know why so many car companies are hitching their fortunes to Howard Sterns’ or to the desirability of one satellite radio company. Do they want to sell cars or radio subscriptions?
My 2005 Mazda3 is in the shop again for a failed A/C compressor for the………….4th time. That’s right, 4 A/C compressors. I have high mileage, but it still seems like a defective part to me. They seem to last about 30 to 35,000 miles and then it fails. It has 110,000 on it now. July 2007 I paid $1400 for the repair, today, April 2008, they tell me it will cost me $1600. I have bought and driven Mazda’s exclusively since 1984. I will never buy another one again. I highly recommend you do not buy a Mazda3 with these expensive A/c issues. Oh and by the way, while telling me there is nothing they can do for me, Mazda also insists that there is nothing wrong with the A/c compressors.
I have a 2006 Mazda3 2.3L with manual transmission and I have loved owning it thus far. The only reliability issues after 50,000 miles were minor annoyances related to my own modifications. The Mazda3 is a perfect car for someone who needs to carry a few extra people, has a small budget, and still loves corner-thrashing driving thrills. The engine loves to be reved, the steering is direct, and the suspension is stiff and precise. It has been even more fun now that I’ve switched to more agressive tires and Mazdaspeed sport springs and dampers. Everyone who rides in it comments on how cool the interior is. I only wish it were more powerful, but that’s what the Speed3 is for, so I would highly recommend it if you have the extra money. This is the most exciting car you can buy new for under $20K. The Mazda3 is an out-right BOOYA in the face of the Cobalt and Focus (both of which I have driven).
I might as well chime in. I picked up a 2005 Mazda 3 GX with only 63,000 KM on it. Within a year and 20,000 KM I had to change first the left then the right wheel bearing. As a note, as I had the second one changed there happened to be another 2005 Mazda 3 exactly like mine having its wheel bearing replaced as well. Of course, lets not talk about how they all rust around the rear quarter panels. They are sporty and handle well, and of course gas mileage is ok for a small 4. But that is about it. I would NEVER and I mean NEVER purchase a Mazda product again.
My 2 cents
I’m with you as well. I will never purchase another mazda again. I am on my second mazda RX8 and my husband has a 3 2006 the rust is unbeleivable. Dealing with Brampton Mazda is even worst. Horrible Service. Mazda canada did nothing to fix the problem.
Looks like Mazda wants to promote that their cars RUST!