2016 Mazda3

[NateDN10]

So remember that time when I said I was going to get a lightly used car next summer?

Well, this week I bought a manual transmission 2016 Mazda3 i Sport. It's black on black and has the "Preferred Equipment Package", which adds alloy wheels, rain sensing wipers and blind spot monitoring, among some other things. Got it for about $1000 below dealer invoice, 0% interest, and they gave me more for my Cobalt than KBB told me to expect.

This isn't mine, but it pretty similar. Mine doesn't have fog lights:

I'm pretty excited about it. I had the Cobalt for 11 years, and I have to keep reminding myself that it's a Mazda and not a Mercedes or an Audi or something - it feels that nice. It corners like it's on rails, the computer says I'm getting 40+ mpg, it's got really nice entertainment interface with a touchscreen but also a volume and navigation knob down by the shifter so it's easy and safe to use while underway.

 

[CT8]

Nice car Enjoy !!!

 

[Dave Hess]

Very nice driving car. Mazda says Zoom Zoom and their engineers do a great job on design.

 

[dareo]

Massive upgrade, congrats!

 

[cheech279]

Good luck with the new ride.

 

[panther427]

Nice choice. Enjoy

 

[SatinSilver]

It is a BMW, when you compare it to what you used to have.

 

[3for3]

Congrats! It is a great compact car, and I did test drive the 2015 Civic, Corolla, Focus, and Elantra before I picked up my 2015 Mazda3 sedan. The driving dynamics are terrific in the Mazda.

A co-worker who drives a 2002 Mercedes SL500 coupe, followed me to the freeway on-ramp after work one night. As soon as we hit the U shaped on-ramp I quickly lost him because he said he did not expect me to be able to go so fast around the curve. He asked if it was AWD, nope just a great suspension setup, very good steering feel, and great touring tires.

I only hate the huge windshield pillars on my 2015 Mazda3 sedan. HATE THEM! The rest of the car I am very happy with. Enjoy

 

[sciphi]

Enjoy! We test-drove a hatch when we were car-shopping recently. Great-driving car. Not-great visibility in the hatch. Hope the sedan is better.

 

[NateDN10]

The rear visibility isn't as good as it was in the Cobalt. I find myself trying to look over the trunk... But that's a pretty minor issue. It's fine for normal driving and for backing up there's the camera.

 

[MCompact]

I dearly loved my 2007 MS3; I actually held off buying a replacement in hopes that the oft-rumored +300 hp AWD MS3 would become a reality.
Unfortunately, it proved to be vaporware...

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
I dearly loved my 2007 MS3; I actually held off buying a replacement in hopes that the oft-rumored +300 hp AWD MS3 would become a reality.
Unfortunately, it proved to be vaporware...


Mazda is done building sports cars in terms of power sadly. They have some nice platforms that could use more power for fun but as tiny car maker made a decision to not build powerful engines as option. I'd see though new Mazda cx 9 uses a turbo version of current 2.5. So maybe they'll shoe horn into the 6 or 3.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: 3for3
Congrats! It is a great compact car, and I did test drive the 2015 Civic, Corolla, Focus, and Elantra before I picked up my 2015 Mazda3 sedan. The driving dynamics are terrific in the Mazda.

A co-worker who drives a 2002 Mercedes SL500 coupe, followed me to the freeway on-ramp after work one night. As soon as we hit the U shaped on-ramp I quickly lost him because he said he did not expect me to be able to go so fast around the curve. He asked if it was AWD, nope just a great suspension setup, very good steering feel, and great touring tires.

I only hate the huge windshield pillars on my 2015 Mazda3 sedan. HATE THEM! The rest of the car I am very happy with. Enjoy

Something is very wrong here.

The 2002 Mercedes SL500 with proper tire in a hand of a good driver is as fast as a Corvette of the same year on fast corner, no way Mazda 3 sedan can outrun SL500 in any corner, fast or slow.

My S2000 with good tire couldn't outrun MB SL class of the last 10-15 years, may be SL class of 1970-1980. I am pretty sure my S2000 outrun Mazda 3 sedan in any corner type or any on ram type, 90 degree or 270 degree.

 

[3for3]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: 3for3

Something is very wrong here.

The 2002 Mercedes SL500 with proper tire in a hand of a good driver is as fast as a Corvette of the same year on fast corner, no way Mazda 3 sedan can outrun SL500 in any corner, fast or slow.

My S2000 with good tire couldn't outrun MB SL class of the last 10-15 years, may be SL class of 1970-1980. I am pretty sure my S2000 outrun Mazda 3 sedan in any corner type or any on ram type, 90 degree or 270 degree.


Nothing is very wrong here.

I clearly stated that my coworker FOLLOWED me to the on-ramp.

FOLLOWED me, not raced me, not chased me, not hotrodding, but as stated, followed me. We drove posted speed limits and proper respectful and responsible driving manners all the way to the freeway on-ramp.

Once we got to the on-ramp, him still following at posted speed limits and safe distances from each other, I down shifted via my six speed automatics manumatic mode, and quickly put more distance between his car and mine. He was not expecting that, he/we were not racing or competing with each other. I simply took the opportunity to take a few seconds to show off the handling dynamics of my little compact runabout.

The next day he approached me at work and made the comments about how he did not expect my Mazda3 to be able to "rocket into and out of a hairpin curve like that", he half jokingly made the comment about it being AWD and I said nope, just a great handling car for what it is, and great tires, too.

He could have blown my doors off all the way to the freeway, the on-ramp and any other road conditions, yup I know that, but I never said or suggested that my Mazda3 beats an MBZ, or an S2000 for that matter when intentionally raced against each other.

I will give all the exact details next time I post, so nothing is construed as being very wrong with the post.

 

[dcf]

The new Mazdas are so much better since Ford is gone.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: 3for3
Nothing is very wrong here.

I clearly stated that my coworker FOLLOWED me to the on-ramp.

FOLLOWED me, not raced me, not chased me, not hotrodding, but as stated, followed me. We drove posted speed limits and proper respectful and responsible driving manners all the way to the freeway on-ramp.

Once we got to the on-ramp, him still following at posted speed limits and safe distances from each other, I down shifted via my six speed automatics manumatic mode, and quickly put more distance between his car and mine. He was not expecting that, he/we were not racing or competing with each other. I simply took the opportunity to take a few seconds to show off the handling dynamics of my little compact runabout.


Originally Posted By: 3for3
The next day he approached me at work and made the comments about how he did not expect my Mazda3 to be able to "rocket into and out of a hairpin curve like that", he half jokingly made the comment about it being AWD and I said nope, just a great handling car for what it is, and great tires, too.

He could have blown my doors off all the way to the freeway, the on-ramp and any other road conditions, yup I know that, but I never said or suggested that my Mazda3 beats an MBZ, or an S2000 for that matter when intentionally raced against each other.

I will give all the exact details next time I post, so nothing is construed as being very wrong with the post.

This was your previous post "As soon as we hit the U shaped on-ramp I quickly lost him because he said he did not expect me to be able to go so fast around the curve", it is much difference with "Once we got to the on-ramp" and "rocket into and out of a hairpin curve"

"As soon as we hit the U shaped on-ramp", I interpret this as beginning, during and after the U shaped on-ramp you out run the MBZ SL.

I am not saying Mazda 3 isn't a good handling sedan, it is one of the better handling compact sedans, but it isn't designed to take on corners as fast as MBZ SL class with proper tires. The Mazda Miata is a very good handling car but still can't compete with MBZ SL at any hairpin.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
I dearly loved my 2007 MS3; I actually held off buying a replacement in hopes that the oft-rumored +300 hp AWD MS3 would become a reality.
Unfortunately, it proved to be vaporware...


Not that it was/is even rumored, but I was hoping the same for a 3 door, AWD Fiesta RS from Ford.

That is even more ethereal than the 'modern day/powerful 323 GTX' "vaporware" you describe above, so I bit the bullet and ordered a Fiesta ST last friday.

I guess a Wavetrac/Quaife diff, better/wider/stickier/lighter wheels and tires, some suspension work, and eventually turbo/power upgrades will have to satiate me for now.

 

[ls1mike]

Enjoy! Should be a nice car!