Mazda 3 Hatchback

[gulfcoastguy]

I went and test drove this vehicle today as part of Operation JSW Replacement. The weak points(besides no diesel) that I noted are no Apple Play , limited vision out of the back hatch, black leatherette upholstery. Does anybody happen to have experience with it? Any problems that I'm missing? I'm going to go check Fuelly.com but personal experience especially about any difference between manual and automatic transmission efficiency would be helpful.

 

[shovelhd]

No experience other than test drives. Check the Mazda forums, you'll find plenty. It was on my short list but I couldn't get past the high doors, small windows, and the rear view. I felt like I was driving a cocoon. On the plus side they have a lot of CPO vehicles at great prices and the warranty is very good.

 

[gulfcoastguy]

Thanks, that tells me that the price is negotiable at least. Yes I wasn't pleased with a proprietary nav. system rather than Apple Play . Nor the vision or the ergonomics on the steering wheel. On the other hand with it's steering and power it is one of the few that doesn't drive like an appliance. Road noise intrusion is supposed to be more too.

 

[Flora]

I loved the power of the car. It has probably been the best thing I've driven so far in terms of power and handling in my replacement research (besides the 328d). The salesman told me it had the same engine as the CX-5, which is a much larger vehicle. I completely agree about the poor visibility. I drove the hatchback, which also had minimal cargo space.

I really wish Chevy was releasing the diesel hatchback Cruze this year...

 

[gulfcoastguy]

I would buy the diesel Cruze Hatchback in a New York minute but with a sticking intake flap I can't wait that long.

 

[tsingtao]

I went and test drove this vehicle today as part of Operation JSW Replacement. The weak points(besides no diesel) that I noted are no Apple Play , limited vision out of the back hatch, black leatherette upholstery. Does anybody happen to have experience with it? Any problems that I'm missing? I'm going to go check Fuelly.com but personal experience especially about any difference between manual and automatic transmission efficiency would be helpful.

Got one last month with the base engine and an automatic (My TDI had a manual). Car is getting 1-2 mpg on the freeway less (41.5 vs 42-45 for the TDI) but with the price of diesel here $2.29 vs $1.95 for RUG it equals out. City traffic mileage seems to be the same. Very happy with the automatic, it doesn't have that mushy feel that a lot of vehicles do (at work I have to drive Ford Focuses and Rangers that they provide and I hate the driving feel of those vehicles, esp the Rangers).

I got a new 2016, not a 2017 but the engines and transmissions are the same.

 

[digdug]

After reading through this, I looked up Mazda 3's and impressed. Nice MPG and interior is quite nice. thanks!

Also Honda Civic hatchback gets some nice MPG numbers. Will have to check one of them out too now.

 

[kcny]

I had a Mazda 3 before. Mazda doesn't do a good job with corrosion protection with the body panel. You will start to see rust spots on the metal panel after 5 yrs or so.

 

[gulfcoastguy]

They don't salt the roads where I live .

 

[EricVA]

Mazdas are fun to drive but I'm not too impressed with longevity. My brother has two Mazdas bought new within the past 5 years (3 and 5), both of which are starting to kind of fall apart in terms of internal fit and finish, plus they are noisy to drive and have a bit of a tin can build. I hope the most recent versions have gotten better.

 

[tsingtao]

I had a Mazda 3 before. Mazda doesn't do a good job with corrosion protection with the body panel. You will start to see rust spots on the metal panel after 5 yrs or so.

Don't know if it is still a problem with the newer ones but in any case it doesn't worry me. In Arizona any car will last 50 years without rusting. They even store old airliners out in the desert here for that reason.

 

[tsingtao]

Mazdas are fun to drive but I'm not too impressed with longevity. My brother has two Mazdas bought new within the past 5 years (3 and 5), both of which are starting to kind of fall apart in terms of internal fit and finish, plus they are noisy to drive and have a bit of a tin can build. I hope the most recent versions have gotten better.

How are they holding up mechanically as far as engine, transmission, etc.?

As far as fit and finish, I have seen several posts here about headliners and other interior finish deterioration in TDIs. Never experienced it in my 2009 but from what I have seen with the newer models, VW has been cheapening the interiors for a few years. A coworker had a 2012 Jetta TDI and it looked absolutely cheap inside compared to my 2009.

For me personally, it was all about the diesel. I always wanted a diesel car ever since I was a kid and saw my aunt's diesel Mercedes. Finally got one in 2004 and again in 2009. The 2009 was a higher trim level than I would normally buy (I usually get the base trim levels in my vehicles; all the extra crap doesn't impress me) but as it was diesel I bought it. Now that I have had two of them I will move back to a nice basic gasoline vehicle. The 2009 was fun but I could never get the ticking time bomb nature of the car fully out of my mind (HPFP, dpf, etc.). The cam problems with the 2004 PD's are very tame compared to all the crap that can go wrong with the CR TDIs.

 

[gulfcoastguy]

My boss has a 2012. Other than tires, oil changes and such he says it has been cast iron reliable for 88,000 miles. The lifetime mpg is 35.3. He did say that it is noisy but supposedly the 2017 has more sound deadening.

 

[tsingtao]

My boss has a 2012. Other than tires, oil changes and such he says it has been cast iron reliable for 88,000 miles. The lifetime mpg is 35.3. He did say that it is noisy but supposedly the 2017 has more sound deadening.

The engine/transmissions in use now came out in 2012 so that's good to know.

What you say also jives with Consumer Reports that gives them all high marks mechanically (except 2014, which got high marks for everything except for in-car electrical components.)

I don't find my 2016 noisy but then again I am not one to be overly concerned about that unless it's really over the top.

 

[ezshift5]

After a Mazda 3 hatch 6M TD, it made my short list.....2 liter/6M is 40 HWY rated IIRC.

The Golf wagons - Alltrack, 5M 1.8 15" wheels + 4Mo appeal somewhat more (as I do not have to relearn the cockpit - - - as we used to say in Naval Air).


ez

 

[gulfcoastguy]

VW's horribly expensive maintenance overcomes the minor increase in mpg. It will be a relief to be able to pick up spare oil or air filters at Walley World. I can adapt to a new control system though as I said I really wish they had Apple CarPlay.

 

[tsingtao]

VW's horribly expensive maintenance overcomes the minor increase in mpg. It will be a relief to be able to pick up spare oil or air filters at Walley World. I can adapt to a new control system though as I said I really wish they had Apple CarPlay.

Here in Phoenix the price differential for RUG vs diesel (1.95 vs 2.29) makes up for the small difference in mpg. The decreased maintenance costs are icing on the cake.

I will have to say, I like the VW dashboard/instrumentation better though.

 

[gulfcoastguy]

We are about $1.95 for RUG and $2.11 for diesel. Of course one of Chevrons largest refineries is only 15 miles away. The instrumentation is better in VEs but nothing checks off all boxes.

 

[Jamos]

I was really excited about the Mazda 3 hatch, but after driving one, it quickly dropped to the bottom of our list.

I also felt like it was driving in a cocoon. I'm into smaller cars, but the low roof and angled/low visibility rear glass were a problem for me. We drove an auto which was not very exciting, maybe the manual would be different.

Ended up in a '17 Golf Wolfsburg. The only thing I don't love is getting a max of 35-36 MPG

 

[deuxdiesel]

We bought a '16 5-door 2.0 manual trans a few months ago to replace the Golf. Very nice car, much quieter and more composed on rough roads, and easily gets upper 30's to low 40's on highway trips. With MPG like that, the need for a diesel just doesn't make sense for me.

 

[Brian's96TDIPASSAT]

I bought a CX3, fwd grand touring with radar cruise. I did have to get one shipped in from Miami since I didn't want awd but have put 1500 miles on it in the last two weeks. Visibility is poor, than god it has cross traffic, blind spot etc. Love the radar cruise and it's been very comfy for my back. It does not ride or feel like a VW but for what I was looking for it's worked out so far. 36mpg average, easier to get in and out of than my Golf. Drive wise, seems like it could use a bit more caster built in the front end and turning radius is not great. As for as reliability I guess time will tell

 

[tsingtao]

I was just looking at a Consumer Reports article about "Cars that Owners Love and Hate" and in the compact class the Mazda 3 has an overall of better than average while the Golf and the Beetle get an average; the Jetta gets a worse than average.

Only vehicle in that class that got much better than average was the Prius. I attribute that to some (but not all by any means) of the owners having a cultish mindset regarding Priuses, which skews that result.

 

[ezshift5]

We bought a '16 5-door 2.0 manual trans a few months ago to replace the Golf. Very nice car, much quieter and more composed on rough roads, and easily gets upper 30's to low 40's on highway trips. With MPG like that, the need for a diesel just doesn't make sense for me.

A manual 2.0 w/upper 30's to low 40's highway is making my new year....


Thanks 'deux.

ez (please post more detail)

 

[gulfcoastguy]

Looking at Consumers Report, it shows their tested highway mpg to be 41 for the manual and 45 for the automatic transmission. I know many people hat CR but they were dead on the money about the difference in mpg fir manual versus automatic in VWs.

 

[Cayman]

I almost bought a Mazda 3, I mean I was inches from writing them a check.. a couple of things stopped me from moving ahead. I couldn't get past the "iphone-glued-to-the-dash" infotainment screen, and the weird knob you use in lieu of the touchscreen. Also, the cheap looking/feeling seats. For the same price I bought a Ford Focus Titanium with all the toys, it just looks and feels better to me and gets 37mpg's on the highway.

 

[Debra Morgan]

I had a Mazda 3 before. Mazda doesn't do a good job with corrosion protection with the body panel. You will start to see rust spots on the metal panel after 5 yrs or so.

This absolutely. Especially in Ohio. My son has a Mazda 3 that is doing this...

 

[gulfcoastguy]

The screen also acts as a touch screen, I used my fingers on it before I was shown the knob .for me, after being owned by a 1998 Mercury Mystique Ford motor company can kiss my a$$.

 

[gulfcoastguy]

This absolutely. Especially in Ohio. My son has a Mazda 3 that is doing this...

Again where I live we do not salt the roads. When we see that white stuff falling from the sky every ten years we take the morning off till it goes away.

 

[j1mbo]

I replaced our 2 Diesels with a Mazda 3 2.5 Grand Touring (mine) and a 15 Golf SEL with both Packages(wife).

I am 6'5, 220 and fit comfortably in the Mazda 3, I also find the seats and interior more comfortable in the Mazda than the Golf. Having driven them both I in fact find the Gas Golf noisier than the Mazda.

really like both interiors, and wish the Mazdahad some of the golf features and vice versa.

 

[gulfcoastguy]

I will probably settle for the 2 liter touring depending on a few factors. Since I retired in the summer I have to reduce my expenses a bit. I will go check with my insurance company and see what the damage would be.