LOOKS

The 2025 Mazda3 features a short and sleek design with distinct sidelines, and it looks like what it is — a fun, fast ride.

My test vehicle featured 18-inch alloy wheels, and lower trims come with 16-inch wheels. It also included a gloss black front grille, LED lighting in front and rear, a power sliding glass moonroof, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, and heated side mirrors.

Its weight is quite low at roughly 3200 pounds due to its smaller size, making it quite nimble.

Moving inside, you get limited space, but this vehicle is more about performance than capacity.

And the space you do get is premium, with arguably a best-in-class design that is approaching luxury level in terms of quality of materials. The interior of the Mazda3 offers high end, comfortable leather-trimmed seating that rivals will struggle to match. Some lower trims will have cloth seats.

The Mazda3 seats 5, though the back is tight for tall or even medium-sized folks. Like all compact sedans, space is the biggest challenge. There is very little rear leg room with people up front. So I would say don't buy the Mazda3 if you have regular back seat riders or children in car seats, and move up to a larger sedan or SUV instead.

Trunk space is also limited at just 13 cubic feet in the sedan, so don’t expect to carry much cargo. That number grows to 20 cubic feet in the hatchback.

Other interior features in the Mazda3 include:
— Power driver seat with power lumbar and 2-position memory
— Heated front seats
— 60/40 split fold-down rear seat
— Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
— Rear armrest with cup holders
— Dual-zone automatic climate control

HOW’S THE RIDE? 

The 2025 Mazda3 offers two different engine options. 

The base engine features a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine that delivers a solid 191 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. It comes paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, either FWD or AWD, and a manual transmission option is offered on the hatchback model.

The second engine option is a 2.5-liter, turbocharged power plant that delivers a healthy 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet, and comes exclusively in AWD.

Having driven both engine options of the Mazda3, I would recommend the turbocharged version, which will provide a much more thrilling experience. But even those who opt for the base engine can still get some enjoyment out of this vehicle.

A Sport mode is offered to boost the driving experience, and the vehicle features Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control System. 

The 0-to-60 speeds on the turbo engine are about 6 seconds, but you’ll be in the low 7-second area with the base engine.

In either version, the Mazda3 is a sporty ride that handles better than most compact cars and is extremely responsive to driver input. You’ll just have a lot more power in the turbo option.

Overall, in typical Mazda tradition, the Mazda3 is easily one of the best drives you will experience in a compact ride.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

The 2025 Mazda3 offers an 8.8-inch color center display, and some trims offer a larger 10.25-inch screen.

The system is compatible with Wireless Android Auto and Wireless Apple CarPlay. I easily connected my Android phone to the vehicle, and once I did I was able to answer calls while driving via the center dial control.

While I did get used to the setup of the tech system, which is controlled by a center dial, the overall tech design is overdue for an upgrade in the Mazda lineup, especially the fact that touchscreen controls are not enabled unless you are connected via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

The vehicle also features an 8-speaker system, but you can upgrade to a stronger 12-speaker Bose sound system on the higher trim levels. Other tech features include Mazda Connected Services, USB-C inputs, plus Bluetooth connectivity for phone calls and audio.

Moving on to safety, the Mazda3 delivers a perfect 5-star government safety rating, which is impressive for a smaller vehicle.

The Mazda3’s safety systems perform well, doing a solid job warning of vehicles around you. There’s also a lot of safety systems for a vehicle this size.

Safety features on the Mazda3 include:
— Forward collision warning
— Automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
— Lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
— Adaptive cruise control
— Rearview camera
— Driver attention alert
— Blind spot monitoring
— Rear cross traffic alert
— Full array of airbags
— Tire pressure monitoring
— Drowsy driver monitor

MPG

Official fuel mileage numbers on the Mazda3 I tested, with the nonturbo engine and AWD, were 26 city/35 highway/30 combined. With FWD and a nonturbo engine, those numbers climb to 27/37/31. And the turbocharged engine will get you 23/32/27.

In my time driving the Mazda3, I averaged about 27 mpg.

These numbers are lower than most rivals. For example, the Corolla offers 35 mpg combined, and that rises to 50 with the hybrid offering. Civic and Elantra offer similar numbers.

But none of those offerings will match the drive quality of the Mazda3, so the level of importance fuel mileage holds to each buyer will determine whether this is going to give them pause when considering the Mazda3 vs. rivals.

PRICE

The Mazda 3 that I tested was priced just over $31,000. Its base price starts about $24K, and the top trim comes in just under $37K, so there’s a wide range of pricing options depending what level you choose.

Trim levels include Base, Select Sport, Preferred, Carbon Edition, Premium, Carbon Turbo, and Turbo Premium Plus.

Compared to rivals, the Mazda3 is one of the pricier models available in the segment — as most rivals (Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, VW Jetta, Nissan Sentra, Kia K4) start at a few thousand bucks less. But those rivals also don’t offer the power and drive quality of the Mazda3, or its luxury-level design, so opting for a lower price comes at a cost.

It’s all about what matters most to each buyer — a better drive or more savings.

Warranties are decent, including a 60-month/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, and a 36-month/36,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty.

BOTTOM LINE

The Mazda3 is short on space but long on sportiness and luxury.

If you’re in the market for a compact ride, the Mazda3 is one of the leading contenders, with Mazda’s traditional pep in its step spicing up your commute and an overachieving interior.

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