New Mazda3.....first impressions

[GaryMX5]

I think I found a real winner. I've been a mazda guy for years. This is the ninth one (they should start giving me stock or something) . I've had an RX7 and Miata (so I've experienced the zoom zoom). A couple of 6's and a couple of cx5's and a 2018 3 (I'll use to compare this one to). While I've only had it a few days I will stick my head out and say it's equal to or better than all the other Mazdas I've owned. I got a new Carbon Edition sedan with AWD. While still normally aspirated it is more lively than it's CX30 garage mate (same motor etc and I'm also impressed with it). Handling and suspension are firm but not overly so (good touring car feel for a relatively light 3200 lb car). Steering is on the heavy side (a mazda trait).....they want "you" to drive the car! While not fast, I'll call it brisk and it merges into traffic easily. Car and Driver o-60 test is just over 7 seconds. My CX5 turbo was faster but didn't feel as stable. Ride quality is surprisingly good and it's quiet which is probably due to better (but still not great) tires. My old 18 3 came with Dunlops which ruined everything good about that car until I replaced them.The old 3 had independent rear suspension and this one has the torsion beam rear end. I cannot tell the difference but maybe some more miles will make any differences more apparent. Mazda interiors have really evolved. Not elegant but a more simple refined appearance with nice materials. Gauges and knobs instead of graphics and touch screens. It's a nice space to be in and you adapt quickly. The most important aspect of this car is the bang for the buck. I got this car for 28K which is an amazing bargain in my book! It's truly in an area between compact luxury and compact economy. We have a road trip planned for the end of the month so I'll update after it.

 

[MRC01]

Back in the day I raced a '95 RX-7 in SCCA. It was a great car: solid, reliable, excellent handling and a real hoot to drive. That made me a Mazda fan. Years later I bought (and still own) a '14 Mazda3. I've installed stiffer springs all around, Koni shocks, rear swaybar and tuned exhaust. When the crappy OEM tires wore out I replaced them with Contis which have been excellent. It's solid as a brick house at all speeds and about as fun to drive as any econo-box gets. And super reliable and practical like most hatchbacks are. Super happy with it 12 years later, hope to keep it forever.

 

[nwjones18]

Back in the day I raced a '95 RX-7 in SCCA. It was a great car: solid, reliable, excellent handling and a real hoot to drive. That made me a Mazda fan. Years later I bought (and still own) a '14 Mazda3. I've installed stiffer springs all around, Koni shocks, rear swaybar and tuned exhaust. When the crappy OEM tires wore out I replaced them with Contis which have been excellent. It's solid as a brick house at all speeds and about as fun to drive as any econo-box gets. And super reliable and practical like most hatchbacks are. Super happy with it 12 years later, hope to keep it forever.

Same story on my 07. The thing is a hoot to run around town in. I've thought about an exhaust as the stock one is so quiet I often can't hear the engine over the a/c or radio and that makes launching sort of hard with the manual... Its also humming at 3500rpm on the interstate so was afraid anything with a hint of sound would be annoying.

To the OP enjoy the new ride! I'd love a new one, but I'm on a mission to see how long I can drive mine for now..

 

[bdcardinal]

I can't recommend Mazda 3 enough to people that want a reliable, fun little car. Back when Ford has the DCTs in the Foci I steered people to Mazda 3 all the time since we are a dealer for both. When people ask what we sell a lot of on Mazdas I always say "filters, brake pads, body parts since people hit them a lot. Occasional hard parts when weird thing happen, but mostly oil filters."

 

[GaryMX5]

Back in the day I raced a '95 RX-7 in SCCA. It was a great car: solid, reliable, excellent handling and a real hoot to drive. That made me a Mazda fan. Years later I bought (and still own) a '14 Mazda3. I've installed stiffer springs all around, Koni shocks, rear swaybar and tuned exhaust. When the crappy OEM tires wore out I replaced them with Contis which have been excellent. It's solid as a brick house at all speeds and about as fun to drive as any econo-box gets. And super reliable and practical like most hatchbacks are. Super happy with it 12 years later, hope to keep it forever.

My RX7 was an 82GSL first gen. My sons and I converted it into a SCCA stage rally car (called ProRally but very few pros at the time). It got a 12 point cage and req'd safety stuff, a lightly improved suspension (struts and springs), hefty strut braces f&r and some light engine improvements oversize radiator, battery (for rally lighting), dual msd ignition, and straight exhaust, stripped the oil injection system and ran a few ounces of Mystic Marvel oil per tankful... nothing too radical as we were rookies. We beat on the car and it kept coming back for more. As stage rallies became insanely expensive we competed for several years in SCCA Rallycross. Motor had 90K miles on it when we started and I was fully expecting to have to rebuild it (wanted to feel and hear some porting) but never had too.

 

[JeffKeryk]

The Mazda 3 is the best kept secret in the car business.

 

[GR_CoB]

Pics or didn't happen.

 

[pbm]

I think I found a real winner. I've been a mazda guy for years. This is the ninth one (they should start giving me stock or something) . I've had an RX7 and Miata (so I've experienced the zoom zoom). A couple of 6's and a couple of cx5's and a 2018 3 (I'll use to compare this one to). While I've only had it a few days I will stick my head out and say it's equal to or better than all the other Mazdas I've owned. I got a new Carbon Edition sedan with AWD. While still normally aspirated it is more lively than it's CX30 garage mate (same motor etc and I'm also impressed with it). Handling and suspension are firm but not overly so (good touring car feel for a relatively light 3200 lb car). Steering is on the heavy side (a mazda trait).....they want "you" to drive the car! While not fast, I'll call it brisk and it merges into traffic easily. Car and Driver o-60 test is just over 7 seconds. My CX5 turbo was faster but didn't feel as stable. Ride quality is surprisingly good and it's quiet which is probably due to better (but still not great) tires. My old 18 3 came with Dunlops which ruined everything good about that car until I replaced them.The old 3 had independent rear suspension and this one has the torsion beam rear end. I cannot tell the difference but maybe some more miles will make any differences more apparent. Mazda interiors have really evolved. Not elegant but a more simple refined appearance with nice materials. Gauges and knobs instead of graphics and touch screens. It's a nice space to be in and you adapt quickly. The most important aspect of this car is the bang for the buck. I got this car for 28K which is an amazing bargain in my book! It's truly in an area between compact luxury and compact economy. We have a road trip planned for the end of the month so I'll update after it.

So what oil and filter are you going to run in it?

PS: I'm also a 'Mazda guy' although I've only bought 3 new ones in my life....a 1982 GLC...a 1989 626 and a 2021 Cx-30.
The CX-30 seems happy on most 0w20's (and even a couple of times on 5w20 syn (PUP) I had in my stash). It burns no oil in our typical 6000 to 6500 mile OCI every 4 months. I do get the feeling that 300K is doable. Good Luck with your new Mazda3

 

[Hirev]

Congratulations on the new ride. i always thought Mazda made some good cars

 

[Urshurak776]

I love my 2023 Mazda 3. I recommend either the made in japan OEM filters or Premium Guard / Pentius.

 

[GaryMX5]

So what oil and filter are you going to run in it?

PS: I'm also a 'Mazda guy' although I've only bought 3 new ones in my life....a 1982 GLC...a 1989 626 and a 2021 Cx-30.
The CX-30 seems happy on most 0w20's (and even a couple of times on 5w20 syn (PUP) I had in my stash). It burns no oil in our typical 6000 to 6500 mile OCI every 4 months. I do get the feeling that 300K is doable. Good Luck with your new Mazda3

I'll use Quaker State Full Synthetic that I have used in my last 5 or 6 mazdas. It's claimed to have a healthy dose of moly which is also in Mazda (and Toyota) oils. I'll defer to Mazda on this one even if it's not technically needed or required. I currently have a stock of Mazda filters. The 3 uses the same filter as my cx30. I will only have to stock one filter and one oil to keep both cars happy (and me).

 

[Urshurak776]

I'll use Quaker State Full Synthetic that I have used in my last 5 or 6 mazdas. It's claimed to have a healthy dose of moly which is also in Mazda (and Toyota) oils. I'll defer to Mazda on this one even if it's not technically needed or required. I currently have a stock of Mazda filters. The 3 uses the same filter as my cx30. I will only have to stock one filter and one oil to keep both cars happy (and me).

I am using the Quaker State Ultimate Protection in my 2023 Mazda 3. It's a whole dollar more than the standard synthetic. Seems to be a better base oil. I only do 5K OCI's more or less, so probably doesn't matter much, but for a buck, worth it to me. Plus, Walmart ships it right to my door for free.

 

[Kira]

The Mazda 3 is the best kept secret in the car business.

It was the dealership's #1 seller when Sis bought her 2012.
Parts Dept. gave me a discount on FZ ATF.
A front wheel bearing went out under warranty. They replaced both.

people hit them a lot

??

A friend's wife had an engine problem in a Mazda I cannot identify.
He tore the engine down and found a missing/mis installed part to be the problem!
He took the engine parts in boxes to the dealership and demanded a new engine.
They flatly denied his claim.
He hates Mazdas now.

 

[Dave Hess]

I think I found a real winner. I've been a mazda guy for years. This is the ninth one (they should start giving me stock or something) . I've had an RX7 and Miata (so I've experienced the zoom zoom). A couple of 6's and a couple of cx5's and a 2018 3 (I'll use to compare this one to). While I've only had it a few days I will stick my head out and say it's equal to or better than all the other Mazdas I've owned. I got a new Carbon Edition sedan with AWD. While still normally aspirated it is more lively than it's CX30 garage mate (same motor etc and I'm also impressed with it). Handling and suspension are firm but not overly so (good touring car feel for a relatively light 3200 lb car). Steering is on the heavy side (a mazda trait).....they want "you" to drive the car! While not fast, I'll call it brisk and it merges into traffic easily. Car and Driver o-60 test is just over 7 seconds. My CX5 turbo was faster but didn't feel as stable. Ride quality is surprisingly good and it's quiet which is probably due to better (but still not great) tires. My old 18 3 came with Dunlops which ruined everything good about that car until I replaced them.The old 3 had independent rear suspension and this one has the torsion beam rear end. I cannot tell the difference but maybe some more miles will make any differences more apparent. Mazda interiors have really evolved. Not elegant but a more simple refined appearance with nice materials. Gauges and knobs instead of graphics and touch screens. It's a nice space to be in and you adapt quickly. The most important aspect of this car is the bang for the buck. I got this car for 28K which is an amazing bargain in my book! It's truly in an area between compact luxury and compact economy. We have a road trip planned for the end of the month so I'll update after it.

Yes, Mazda did a great job with the 2019+ Mazda3 interior.

 

[GaryMX5]

The Mazda 3 is the best kept secret in the car business.

While I couldn't agree more I think the reason it's not popular is maybe because Mazda seems to limit how many it produces. It's not considered a volume car. My dealer had three on the lot that just arrived. Other dealers didn't have many more. My salesman said they could sell every one they get quickly but they are not allocated many at all. Mazda is pushing their Suv's especially the CX50 which is nice but to big for my taste now. Apparently big profit in those. Another reason is that the 3 was always a small (subcompact?) that has grown up and is not really marketed as being more upscale than other compacts. It puts the Elantra, K40/Forte, Sentra, Corolla, and some Civics to shame in terms of performance (191hp vs +/- 150 for many of the others). And with far better handling and a "real" transmission!

 

[loneryder]

I had a Rod Millen modified Miata. It had RX7 hubs and brakes. He put a turbo with adjustable boost and a 4" straight exhaust. kThe only stock item left on the car was the Miata transmission. Because of that trans I could outrun or keep up with anything to 100. At 100 it ran out of gear. That car used to scare me as the rear end seemed to always be on ice. The custom made exhaust manifold rotted out and I had no way of getting a new one built so I had a shop pull the turbo off and plug the harness back into the computer and it started right up. It had absolutely no acceleration. I think the rings were shot. Put a regular exhaust with a fart can exhaust. I sold it to a young female computer engineer. I don't think she drove it long because it was such a dog. Several years later a guy calls me and just bought the car from her and wanted to make it into a racer for Summit Point. I told him it had a lowered suspension and RX7 hubs and brakes. He didn't care. I wouldn't think you could run it against other Miatas in their class.

 

[bdcardinal]

??

For whatever reason our Mazda collision sales are super high. I don't mind because there is actual profit in selling Mazda collision, so it is worth our time.

 

[MRC01]

I can't recommend Mazda 3 enough to people that want a reliable, fun little car. Back when Ford has the DCTs in the Foci I steered people to Mazda 3 all the time since we are a dealer for both. ...

I can understand that, no self-respecting car enthusiast would want anything but a manual with a car like a Mazda 3.

The Racing Beat bolt-on exhaust is dyno tuned, adds modest gains (too small to feel but they show up on paper), only slightly louder than stock. Build quality is better than the OEM exhaust. It's the quietest aftermarket exhaust I've ever heard, no drone, silences high frequencies and sounds nice and bassy when you give it full beans. Think of it as an aftermarket exhaust for adults. They also make high quality springs with rates about +20% stiffer than stock.

PS: the stiffer rear swaybar reduces understeer and gives a more precise responsive feel to the steering. But it didn't mesh well with the soft stock suspension, causing some bump steer. Then I installed the stiffer springs and shocks, which matches perfectly and fixed that problem. It handles about as well as any FWD car can now, vastly improved from stock. But it's not track stiff, more like road/GT firm, perfectly fine on the street as a daily driver.

 

[bdcardinal]

I can understand that, no self-respecting car enthusiast would want anything but a manual with a car like a Mazda 3.

Even in automatic form, it was a much better car. The CX-5 then was also very highly recommended by me to people. For an "a to b mobile" with a bit of fun built in, they were perfect.

 

[MRC01]

My RX7 was an 82GSL first gen. My sons and I converted it into a SCCA stage rally car (called ProRally but very few pros at the time). It got a 12 point cage and req'd safety stuff, a lightly improved suspension (struts and springs), hefty strut braces f&r and some light engine improvements oversize radiator, battery (for rally lighting), dual msd ignition, and straight exhaust, stripped the oil injection system and ran a few ounces of Mystic Marvel oil per tankful... nothing too radical as we were rookies. We beat on the car and it kept coming back for more. As stage rallies became insanely expensive we competed for several years in SCCA Rallycross. Motor had 90K miles on it when we started and I was fully expecting to have to rebuild it (wanted to feel and hear some porting) but never had too.

My '95 was mostly stock. I installed stiffer springs & shocks, front & rear swaybars, strut tower brace, R tires. And a 3" diameter mandrel bent straight pipe exhaust (no muffler). The twin turbos were sufficient to quiet the exhaust, even without a muffler it was well within legal noise limits and quieter than some street legal cars. And that straight pipe notably improved engine response. My G-meter maxed out at 1.3 and I could clip into "error" in the corners. It did 0-60 timed in 4.8 seconds so I think that engine was underrated at 255 HP. What a gear car. It was classed in Super Stock for autocross, competing against Vettes, 911s and such, and at the national championships no other car came in 1st or 2nd place for about 10 years.