2025 Mazda 3 Hatchback - 6-Speed Manual Compact City Commute

[@HiiImChris]

Unpopular opinion, people complain about space too much. Sedans were popular for decades and it was perfectly fine. 99% of the time you have absolutely sufficient space and you dont need a huge ass suv. They take up space, look boring, and you dont need 100 cubic feet of space to carry 2 passengers and your walmart groceries

[@louiszhang3050]

It's just Americans. When I went to China with my family, we got a Didi (Chinese version of Uber) and the dude pulled up in a Corolla. We thought we were cooked, but everything and everyone (we had three check-in bags, carry-on bags, and people) fit in the car just fine, though we needed to put one carry-on luggage on the middle seat. People work with the space they have and it's totally adequate. When I told the taxi driver that everyone in America needs a giant SUV for the ride height and the space, he asked, "Does America not have paved roads? And what do Americans carry in their cars every day?" Funny enough, when I grew up in China, we drove a 2007 Mazda 3.

[@Localtraveler2376]

@@louiszhang3050if you like it so much move back. 25% if the world Co2 omissions come from china and 75% of new Co2 omissions from 2015 come from china. To imply that china is better in any way than the US is ridiculous.

[@Saboda53]

⁠@@Localtraveler2376That was not his implication. He was just pointing out that only in America do folks insist on driving huge, lard ass vehicles to do what can easily be done with smaller, human sized cars.

[@maximeparent3004]

My parents had a Kia Rio for years, we did many trips with it, I never complained about comfort. I was just a child that enjoyed going places with my parents. Yes, the trunk was fully packed sometimes, but with some Tetris skills it always fitted. Even my older sister joined us sometimes. Nothing but great memories in that little car. That need for space when people hardly has 1 or 2 kids these days is delusional. The vast majority of people could have compact cars.

[@YocoWheelin]

The tough American population won’t like this.

[@austinnafziger4159]

I absolutely love the Mazda 3 Hatch. I got one at the start of the year with the manual. Grey on red interior. It handles great for what it is, and while not super powerful, certainly can get out of its own way. Compared to my previous daily (A Z4 Coupe) this is worlds apart. It's comfortable, luxurious and still super engaging to drive. The interior design is one of the best Ive seen and the exterior is striking and unique. I cant gush enough over my love of it. Even the oft maligned "space" isn't that bad. I can fit normal people in the rear behind the drivers seat in my position and even a 6'4" guy can fit, albeit with the seat in front of him or behind him being useless.

[@jalapeno.tabasco]

i'm 6 4 and i can only fit in the non sunroof Mazda 3, that's why i got a select sure the premium has a better interior but i like being able to sit without my head touching the headliner lol i wanna get the AWD turbo hatch, i have a FWD red one rn

[@markaruski]

Miracle of miracles -- a spare tire!!!

[@opium_opiumoo]

first time i saw the gen 3 hatch i thought it was a beauty, first time i saw the gen 4 model, i fell in love. cant wait to see if there will be a gen 5 and what they will cook up

[@YocoWheelin]

191hp is pretty nice for this day in age with a manual NA. Kudos to Mazda and anyone who buys one.

[@sjnavaid]

my impreza has 150 and it feels way too lethargic. might look into one of these in the future

[@jbm0866]

I have the turbo Mazda 3 and would have a hard time giving up the instant low down torque, but I do admit when I test drove the naturally aspirated version (auto trans) it didn't feel like it was underpowered. Around the same time I bought my car I was able to test drive a Toyota Corolla XSE hatch and it certainly did feel borderline underpowered, and a Honda Civic Sport with the 1.5 turbo only felt marginally quicker to accelerate vs the naturally aspirated Mazda 3, and noticeably less shove than the Mazda 2.5t. I think the non-turbo 3 (especially with manual and FWD) will be adequately quick for most people, and like Topher says...probably the best all around version of the 3 for people who love to drive twisty roads/off ramp shenanigans. I live in Texas where straight line acceleration and passing power on rural 2 lane highways suits my driving style. If you do go for the non-turbo I highly suggest getting the lighter FWD version (regardless of transmission) unless you live somewhere the AWD is truly needed.

[@nbain66]

​@@sjnavaid NA Subarus always do. My Legacy had 167hp and was very slow.

[@jonathanseibert761]

@@jbm0866I have a manual 2024. I’m like $2k away from the turbo. Absolutely ridiculous. So called enthusiasts are just allowing themselves to get robbed for THE CHEAPER TRANSMISSION… manuals should be BASE or on every trim (besides where mechanically unlikely like the turbo)

[@angelsfallfirst7348]

@@sjnavaid My DSM has 145 and is pretty zippy. A lot of it has to do with weight and gearing, and the impreza is a bit flaccid in both regards

[@WondorBooks]

Very happy to see a video of the 2025 model year of this car. It was very high up my list when looking for a new car in 2020. I loved it, but ended up going with a hybrid toyota instead. It feels and looks incredibly high end for its price. A really neat car!

[@__-fm5qv]

I think I've watched very single one of your Mazda 3 videos lol. I'm really hoping I can afford one next year! Trade in my old Volvo C30, which I love to pieces but to pieces she is falling sadly. Hoping to move from the 2.0L duratec powered C30 to the Skyactiv X powered Mazda 3. They do somehow seem to be very similar in spirit, both responsive 2L i4's that require a bit of revving but have enough low-down grunt for boring commuter duties, both are what I'd call "warm hatches" really designed to blend sportiness and comfort (for 4 people only), and both have slightly controversial styling that I personally love. I did test drive the g we get over here (the 2L 120 hp), and while it did lack a bit of punch I did love how the controls felt, everything was just very precise and direct. I was especially impressed with the braking feel. Normally first time stepping into a car and hitting the brakes it can be a bit of a guessing game, especially in modern heavily assisted brakes. But stepping on the brakes first time, though very different to my C30, it instantly told me exactly how much pressure it needed and felt very natural. And again responsive, no noticeable deadzone at the top but not twitchy at all.

[@dommerdom]

What a phenomenal interior!

[@nooooooooooo6uoki67]

nice interior honestly

[@Saboda53]

Tip: you can make the “warning chime” stop completely if you simply “buckle up” when you sit down. I haven’t heard mine in years.

[@naoltitude9516]

same thing on bmws!

[@louiszhang3050]

Right? I do the same thing lol. I normally don't start my car until I'm literally about to start driving though. I barely know how the seatbelt chime sounds like on my car.

[@Love2Cruise]

After 3 years, I've tuned the start up chimes out and don't even notice them anymore.

[@milmel4968]

I miss this car so much😢. Its the most fun i had driving this car

[@timflint25]

I've got a 2013 Civic Si...I remember when I drove it for the very first time at the dealership for a test drive, the rev hang absolutely killed the enjoyment for me. I didn't know what it was back then. But it felt like the clutch and shifter were great, but it was impossible to shift smoothly, and more frustrating than enjoyable. It literally sucked the fun out of the car. I had already made up my mind though (I wasn't getting another unreliable VW or Subaru) so I made the purchase. To be fair, it's been super reliable, fairly practical, and pretty great in all weather thanks to the LSD. But that rev hang is truly a killer. And I always regretted not trading it in for 2017 Toyota 86 back when I had the chance.

[@mfdoom4358]

cant the rev hang be tuned out?

[@timflint25]

@mfdoom4358 yes, mostly - but it's at least $600 and how well it works is debatable

[@MrFunnpun]

I bought a 2020 AWD sedan premium for $28k and 0% APR since COVID had just started, and no one was buying cars. I was very pleased with its interior and performance (for the price). I loved the way the car drove and looked, but it had some issues. The steering wheel buttons and trim kept coming off or cracking, and the diff went at 30k. Luckily the diff was still under warranty.

[@carolinacars739]

16:00 I had the Bridgestone Turanzas as the OEM tire on my 2017 Toyota 86 and I thought they were horrific. I had the feeling like I would slide off the road if there was any moisture present, even when driving moderately.

[@VanillaWahlberg]

Having owned a 2017 & 2018 Mazda 3 Hatchback, I wouldn't ever own another Mazda. Both had quality-related issues that the dealer couldn't fix, including a beyond irritating whine from the gearbox area at 65MPH that eventually was any speed over 15 MPH. I ended up getting a 2017 Elantra Sport 1.6L Turbo Sedan and it's got quite a few of the creature comforts and still a 6MT with 30+MPG. The only thing missed is the red, and the soft touch interior. It has AA & Carplay with touchscreen and the rest of the comforts.

[@Theanimal1579]

Hyundai and Kia are pretty bad

[@LoveLikeaHurricane]

awesome because this is the only car in this type that comes with spare tire from factory. However at that price, I would be going for a GR86 instead. Can still add a spare tire on my own.

[@hondaftw1234]

I put 31,000 miles on my 2023 Mazda 3 Premium 6MT so far. This is a great little car.

[@mr.hiyashirabbit5226]

No I didn't completely forgot about this vehicle but it's nice too know so I can save up to buy one

[@williamlong2682]

HEY THAT’S MY CAR! 😍😍 It’s definitely surprised a lot of people I’ve encountered that they still make this. I’ve been super happy with mine over 3.5 years and 50k miles. I understand the space constraints relative to, say, a Civic hatch, but it’s had all the space I’ve needed (have fit whole bikes inside with the front tire off and the back seats down) and the only passenger I’ve driven who hasn’t fit in the back seats is my 6’3 dad. Driving wise, it does lean more toward the luxury/refinement end of the spectrum, but it can hang if you want to hustle every once in a while. The manual was super easy for me to get used to, but my only issue with it is with the more efficiency-focused gearing, the gears are fairly far spaced, which, with some of these Seattle hills, can be annoying. Hill start assist is a godsend, though, as is radar cruise control with the manual for road trips. Drove mine from LA to SF, SF to Seattle, and on countless trips now from Seattle to Portland and back. Best efficiency on the highway I’ve seen is 37-38 mpg. Overall, Realistick mentioned this in his review, but this is one of those very precisely and specifically targeted cars for a particular customer, but if you are one of those people, there’s nothing else quite like it. Would be a great new car for someone coming out of something like a 6-speed Volvo C30 or Audi A3. Ok, thanks for coming to my owner’s TedTalk.

[@drako1096]

Yo! I currently have a manual C30 and am looking at one haha

[@paulfrompayroll]

i owned a v50 T5 6MT and unfortunately it has been totalled completely. i have had a 2020 sonata 1.6T automatic for a couple years now and I am thinking of getting into one of these to be back in my element. this has less hp than the T5 i owned but i honestly couldn't even use most of what the T5 offered in terms of power because i would be in jail if i actually revved out third gear (and got caught)

[@somecharactersnotallowed1319]

The sedan looks way better imo. The back of the hatch just looks like a giant fat ass without a bad blind spot.

[@offensiveexplosion]

If this had anything other than the torsion beam in the back there would be even less trunk space, so there's that.

[@louiszhang3050]

Props to Mazda for still offering a manual in 2025. If I were to get a manual today, this car would be on the top of my list along with the Civic Si and maybe the Acura Integra (though that car is a lot more money)

[@jbm0866]

I have yet to drive the new Integra, but something tells me the Mazda 3 would be the overall better manual experience. Not to mention Mazda dealers will actually deal. I've never known Honda/Acura dealers to take much if anything at all off their asking price. (Toyota is the same as Honda in my experience, or at least for their popular models)

[@Derek-pq3zb]

@@jbm0866I test drove the new integra with the manual and the cvt….im sorry…but the 1.5 turbo in both cars is a yawn fest…for the pricing. Acura should’ve offered the 252hp 2.0 turbo from the Honda accord as the standard engine IMO…I previously owned a 2018 6MT and 10 speed Accord. Both were a blast to drive

[@naoltitude9516]

@@Derek-pq3zbmanual v6 accord coupe would be peak if still available..

[@louiszhang3050]

I personally care a lot more about the manual transmission than the engine. Either way, I'm not really in the market for a new car any time soon lol

[@jbm0866]

@@Derek-pq3zb I've heard the same and agree. If Honda really wanted to set the Integra apart from it's Civic counterpart they should have at minimum offered a detuned 2.0 in the Integra A-spec (something around 215-220 if not the full 252hp) which would still leave plenty of room for the Type S to be the performance flagship of the Integra line.

[@dragonalfaata]

Did this generation ever get a facelift? Can't notice anything different on the outside compared to 2019 model

[@jalapeno.tabasco]

the hatch has slightly different headlights

[@aca2983]

Nothing of substance has changed.

[@Kuku_hihi]

funily enough like 90& of mazda 3s in europe are manual i havent seen any automatics

[@dominikkedzia7419]

I find watching Americans driving a manual very entertaining

[@saeednrzadeh4754]

The only automaker that is doing great these days is Mazda. I have 24 x3 30i and cx30 gs, In some areas interior quality of Mazda is better than BMW. Also I think 8 speaker Mazda sound system (not bose) deliver amazing quality. And also Mazda is the only automaker that I did not see negative comment about. Kodu Mazda.

[@travishita4880]

This or Integra A spec manual? I need help deciding!!

[@joeyschmoey9138]

Test drive both if you can! You can get a discount with the Mazda good luck with Honda or Acura so overall one car is like $7k more than the other. This also does not have a tiny turbo engine with possible future reliability problems. The Mazda interior is way way nicer and looks are subjective but the exterior is nicer imo. The Integra will be zippier even though the numbers on paper are almost the same, but the Mazda is not slow either. Oh and rev hang is almost nonexistent that's a plus. If you are willing to spend 37K there are better options.

[@Anonymous589x]

Man I wish Mazda sold this car in India too. It's beautiful

[@terrancemoore496]

Mazda normally have awesome manuals. We need to stop comparing to Honda's manuals. Yes, Honda/Acuras are the benchmark in manuals, but then comparing to the Honda make the viewer (like me) thinks that manual sucks.

[@alvin.holbrook]

That door handle pull sounded awfully tinny. Would do Mazda a lot of favors if they were able to make that sound more substantial.

[@aca2983]

CX-30 is the same. They'll never move "upscale" with hollow sounding doors.

[@tuanh_duong]

Topher uploads. Me watch

[@mperius]

Ugliest rear quarter in the business, but otherwise looks great. Mazda is killing it

[@RavenValkyrie]

8:22 Why is that chime giving me Grand Turismo Vibes?

[@playedbyear998]

no rev hang on a 2025 manual is something very special right now

[@joby602]

Yep, hopefully it will spur on other manufacturers to sort their sh*t out too, because it clearly isn't the only way around emissions requirements.

[@emotionz3]

I’d argue they actually drop too fast, sometimes you need to skip a gear to make a smooth shift if you are a slow shifter.

[@Srt8Jeep]

I’m constantly battling minor rattles on my Cx30 also. Still wouldn’t swap it for anything in class at all

[@LongLiveJapan87]

I was considering one of these recently, had a previous gen manual hatch and loved it. I just can’t bring myself to trust the longevity with the cylinder deactivation, though. Makes me regret getting rid of my 2016 😢.

[@freedomovereverything1776]

I thought the manual transmissions don't have it?

[@LongLiveJapan87]

@@freedomovereverything1776 I’m assuming you’re talking about the cylinder deactivation. Yes, they do, unfortunately. 😔 I found out when I test drove one.

[@freedomovereverything1776]

@LongLiveJapan87 The reason I ask is because mine doesn't have the istop and it doesn't feel like the cylinders deactivate. It's a 2024 how in the heck do I find out if it does? Sick profile pic btw 👍

[@LongLiveJapan87]

@@freedomovereverything1776 thanks. As far as the cylinder deactivation, there should be a screen on the infotainment that monitors whether it’s active or not. iStop is different, though. I’m talking about where it shuts 2 of your cylinders off when conditions are met where the computer doesn’t think you need them all firing. I’m sure it’s better than what GM does on their V8s, but I still don’t see how it won’t become a headache down the road running on half your engine.

[@LongLiveJapan87]

@@freedomovereverything1776 as far as I know, the MX-5 is the only non-turbo Mazda vehicle you can buy that doesn’t have cylinder deactivation. I can’t say for sure on the PHEV CX-90/70.

[@effrosynivetta8805]

any rattling?

[@duncanmclellan5479]

Nice review. On the short list for a DD that will be comfortable, enjoyable to own, and will do 200,000 miles at low cost.

[@tigerhawk84]

I have a 22 turbo and can confirm in the cold there are rattles that don't exist in the summer. I love the car, my only real complaints are my glossy black center console already looks like shit after 10 000km all scratched and stuff, and the fuel economy is atrocious. Even on road trips with cruise control its a struggle to stay above 30mpg. I average like 30-31 after 300km+. In the city you are looking at very low 20s. The NA is probably a bit better, especially in FWD format since the turbo is AWD. Only thing I wish these had was rear vents. Idk why but North America seems to get a ton of vehicles without rear vents that have them in other markets. What an odd thing to remove, especially in Canada. Elantra, Corolla, Mazda3, etc.

[@novoyatlev]

Have you tried premium fuel? Looks like it's better for fuel consumption, and even a bit cheaper even with the higher cost of the fuel itself.

[@marcinmerrimack1726]

“Drivetrain hump” is needed for the exhaust pipe, is it not?

[@donhebel1011]

Engineered for AWD primarily from what I've heard. But imagine since it's the same hump for all models they use only that body to save on stamping costs.

[@Mx5pro]

Mazda is such underrated company in the US. You get soo much quality for your money and most dealers will sign you for so little down. ps I don’t work for Mazda 😂

[@terrancemoore496]

I got what you are saying.🤣

[@jeanvaljean1475]

You are not alone. In romania every idiot who turns 18 wants a bmw. Most killed people in accidents are by young drivers with bmw.

[@360milliondollars]

I know Kia, Genesis, and Hyundai make great cars just can't buy one due to their poor customer service and lack luster dealer experience when you need the vehicle serviced.... My alternative is a Mazda...LOL

[@aca2983]

Mazda dealers have not exactly been shining stars, at least up until about 2010.

[@SamLed1111]

Mazda perplexes me. They have always been an "almost there" car company. Yet they do alot of things right including being very reliable. Test drove this car when cross shopping the SI and GLI. It did alot of things right. But it was missing something which I cannot put my finger on, IMHO. In the end I purchased the GLI with the manual. Is Mazda more reliable? Yes. But it was missing the character and fun of the GLI and SI for similar money. Just my ten cents.

[@MegaNinjaMonkeyZord]

I feel the opposite, drove gti and q5 for a while and steering felt bland, more comfortable and better interiors though. Mazdas aside from cx50 are handling telepathically in my opinion, mountains and back roads are where they shine

[@SamLed1111]

@MegaNinjaMonkeyZord it depends on the tires you have as well. To me the Mazda felt cramped inside and tinny. I enjoyed the manual on the Mazda but overall it felt tinny and cheap. Plus the Mazda interior and exterior cosmetics does not age well. An Uber picked me up in one of these while I was in NY for work (his was a '22) and the interior was already wearing poorly. Yet Mazda is more reliable mechanically.

[@zackslotman1560]

I would sell my car immediately if they made a Mazda 3 sedan with a 6 speed manual. The manual is much better looking than the hatch

[@timflint25]

I really love this car, but I do think that $34k is too much. The NA 2.5 should be $30k max. You can get a 2025 Camry LE AWD for $30k and get 52mpg. Obviously no manual there, but the economy, quality, size and luxury of the new base model Camry carry an insane value over this thing. I'd prefer anything NA manual myself, but that extra $4-5k really hurts the value proposition of this car.

[@aca2983]

Toyota interiors- I just can't. I've tried.

[@digitulized459]

my 2018 gt 6spd is the best car I've ever had!!

[@Hot-1LE]

Its a shame the turbo dosnt get the manual. Even bigger shame we have had no speed3 for a long long time. Even though the recipe is there

[@jamesrather1510]

So, so close to trading in a mint Speed3 for one of those (or the Turbo) but I just can't get the same buzz off of driving it. Interior is a million times better in the gen4, it's gorgeous on the outside but it's just so sedate and chilled out to drive to no sense of mischief and readiness to throw down.

[@sambitdas9416]

Wait what? Isn't Emily his cousin?

[@importhackulicity8220]

Right? I thought she was his half-adopted god-niece-in-law-once-removed through the paternal side of her step-grandmother’s twice-divorced cousin’s second husband’s daughter

[@rhoma459]

@TopherDrives would you take this or the ‘25 Si?

[@steveandkarlabolender1517]

31k?

[@korruption2802]

Test drove one of these, def my dream vehicle atm

[@emotionz3]

Couple or my observations: I’ve owned and driven 3 skyactive Mazda’s with an FWD MT, one was 2.0 the other 2.5’s, one 2.5 built in Mexico, the other Japan. All of them, arguably, have TOO much rev drop. It’s like the opposite of revhang. It’s a more desirable problem but still a problem. Fortunately it can be tuned out IF you can still find someone who tunes skyactive because OV and many others have folded Mazda support. But basically it requires you to shift fast, feather the throttle, or skip a gear, to make a smooth shift. Every one of the Mazda’s does this regardless of engine and tuners have told me it has to do with direct injection and the requirement of a vacuum assist pump kind of overdoing what it’s meant to do. The way to tune it out has to do with throttle response, or rather, throttle lift off delay, a literal setting in MazdaEdit. I would argue as nice as these cars are to drive with a manual, the way the gearing is setup (identical ratios to the 6AT) and the way the engine is tuned for low down torque, it isn’t as fun as it could be. The engines have a really low redline which requires a lot of shifting, and again, it can be tuned, and they do pull to about 7200rpm for the 2.0 and 7000rpm for the 2.5, but the heads used on the non-MX5 skyactive NA’s don’t flow well. Some tuners have claimed they do and it’s one of their pulls to get you to buy a tune but I’ve driven two tuned vehicles and neither had much puff left beyond 6k. Increasing the redline is purely a practical drivability decision so you have a wider powerband, albeit not much power at the top. Lastly, I agree they are all too quiet to get a good feel for. Pulling the engine cover and changing the filter help, but the fact is especially starting in 2019 the engine bay is very insulated from the passenger compartment and lack of engine vibration and feedback don’t really complement the nature of a manual transmission. You will find yourself glancing at a tack quite a bit. All in all, I would not recommend anybody buy one of these as their first manual. I’ve taught around 20 people to drive a manual in my lifetime and the Mazda lacks so much feedback its bordering video game controller. The clutch is too light, the shifter is dead, and the engine is clearly tuned and calibrated around an automatic transmission. The best vehicles to learn to drive manual on continue to be an older Ford Focus or Mini Cooper, Honda Civic, Golf GTI, or a proper RWD platform like a MX5, BRZ or Mustang. Any vehicle designed from the beginning to be automatic, with a manual put in as an afterthought, is going to be immensely compromised.

[@jjvodvarka]

Bought a new 2024 6 MT a year ago. Love it 👍🏽

[@jbm0866]

This is going to sound totally insane to some who read this, but watching this and other driving videos of the manual really makes me want to run down to my Mazda dealership and trade in my 2021 turbo hatch for one of these. I'm sure I'd miss the effortless passing power, but everything else about the drive would be so engaging I wouldn't miss it as much. I know I wouldn't miss the AWD since I live in Texas where it's rarely needed. In four years of ownership I've just stayed at home on the rare snow days...so I havent even experienced it at all.😂 (It does help traction accelerating hard from a dead stop, just a very brief chirp from the front tires before the rears kick in)

[@jjvodvarka]

@jbm0866 not at all. There are so many personal choice factors that determine a satisfactory drive. I chose the simplicity of naturally aspirated, fwd tech. The basics done (very) well.

[@bobs_sa8480]

27:26 that reaction is spot on they really are ghastly things🤣

[@ryanbrandt5404]

My only problem with this mazda is the cylinder deactivation. I worry that driving on 2 cylinders will warp the 2 that are deactivated..... eventually. Especially on my 7.5 hour trips to myrtle beach. Idk does cylinder deactivation kick in at 75mph? That would cause a grat temp difference between the cylinders that are on and the ones that arent

[@joeyschmoey9138]

I agree and I only notice it when cruising at about 40 mph. And I know GM had some issues with it many years ago so only time will tell. But there are so many options with this car wish they gave us the option to turn it off.

[@ryanbrandt5404]

@joeyschmoey9138 supposedly a mechanic can turn it off. Idk if it affects the warranty.

[@capta1nmark]

Whens the redesign you think it'll get update?

[@SSC3034]

Likely within the next two years or so. Mazda will likely keep their current models in production until the Skyactiv-Z engine is ready

[@mdye.04]

I wish they offered the AWD variant in manual, I’d buy that in a heartbeat

[@teknolojigundemi]

This cars most expensive trim is 41K , Type R is 45K.

[@cerinawoehrley4199]

I paid 25 000 for my 23 carbon sedan with 2.5 awd a month ago a nice car all around non cvt and you can see better out the back in the sedan I do like that red color

[@Mr1wd]

No rev hang! 🎉

[@Da__goat]

I wish they put AWD into the Mazda 6 with their 3.3L I6. It would have been a solid IS350 competitor

[@malikwu6444]

they will need to design an all new platform for a sedan with the new I6, since the I6 is a rwd biased platform but mazda 6 is fwd

[@Commandos12]

i was aware of this car. but it's too expensive comparing to a jetta manual so i went with jetta (2024)

[@mjiii232]

The sigh at 27:30😂

[@360milliondollars]

I knew it was around... I have to get et the 6 I can't fit in this... LOL

[@alexandrefauchon7755]

Love seeing a manual in these!

[@scott1245]

In Europe and I assume elsewhere, the mazda 3 screen is 10.25inch since 2023. It's super lazy and bad business for mazda to still use the 8.8 screen when other cards are currently pushing 12.3 inch

[@Saboda53]

I don’t understand why you open with the 3’s drawbacks! It is, by design, a smaller hatchback and, believe it or not, some of us prefer smaller - not larger - vehicles. Clearly, Mazda designed this thinking about single people and couples, who simply want a back seat to toss stuff onto, or (very) occasionally take a third passenger. So why OPEN with the “small hatch” and the “small rear seat” where “other cars are getting bigger”?! I just don’t get it.

[@TopherDrives]

simply an objective comparison to the rest of the segment.

[@axledog7297]

I know multiple people who daily these with at least 1 child seat without issue. The "too small" goalposts have moved so damn much over the past couple decades.

[@liamdunlap9628]

17:54 can’t you go off the tach as well? Driving a quiet, manual car without a tach can be difficult but this Mazda seems fine.

[@daniellee003]

That's a nice knob.

[@Blank00]

Gotta appreciate Mazda, Acura, Honda, Toyota, and Mitsubishi for being the last bastions of physical HVAC controls

[@HesCalledDan]

27:25 My sentiments exactly every time I see one of those.

[@shogunero3.6]

Mazda makes the best interior designs.

[@jbm0866]

I have a 2021 Mazda 3 turbo hatch and I do hear more squeaks and groans when it's really cold out, but it's nowhere near the rattle trap of say a friends BMW 3 series or Audi A5 of another friend. Of course on the glass half full side of things that's simply a result of interior pieces having very tight tolerances. At least I have zero moonroof rattle issues like I've had in past cars from Honda, Acura, VW (the worst) and Toyota. When you consider how many separate pieces go into making a car it's truly a miracle all of them aren't filled with constant rattles, squeaks and groans.

[@slocarfr]

ironically one of my favorite cars in gran turismo

[@jietzh]

I was waiting for this one!! I love that you can get a premium with a manual

[@ankurshah2323]

Makes no sense. If they were really targeting the enthusiast, they would've added the 6 speed manual for the turbo engine not the base one.

[@jeanvaljean1475]

The cheapest and only manual you can have today in Romania has only 140 hp and cilinder deactivation. Do yours have that?

[@zachmassy5215]

man, Mazda is just killing it lately. i’m heavily considering one and i’ve checked them out at dealers, so impressed by quality and design. if i didn’t need the rear seat space, i would def get the 3 hatchback turbo!!

[@jimmyturner95]

That Syn Cole song was #2 on my wrapped this year, thanks to you hahaha 😊

[@notdaijoubu5062]

It's funny you mention the rattles. Every Kodo Mazda I've been in - CX9, 6, 3, my Miata - rattles quite a bit in the cold. Dead silent when it's warmer. They must just be shivering.

[@Watsaname1999]

Mazda 3 MT, Civic SI, and WRX were the only cars I was seriously looking at when buying a first new car. Unfortunately in my area both Mazda and Civic had 2-3K markup and WRX has 3.5k markdown. WRX it was! I still wonder how the Mazda 3 would have been definitely felt comfier but almost felt like I was in a cocoon compared to the wrx. I see that there are 2 used Mazda 3 MT at a Mazda dealer near me for 23-24k both under 10k miles seems like a great way to get into a luxurious car without breaking the bank.

[@7728abbott]

7 years? Really. Great point! Still seems new.

[@ReggieSanchez23]

Time to get one

[@jasonsymes2127]

Its a good looking car

[@9lHETbl]

Amazing car. Manuals are more reliable for the winter.

[@wackyklinger602]

I would absolutely purchase one of these, was looking at a preferred or premium like this, I love the automatic honestly more than the manual, I already have a civic Si for the manual so i'm not too worried about that, but the thing that kills it for me is that I want to grab one under 30k, but all those trims that are not turbo have cylinder deactivation. I have many buddies that have experiences with chevy's version, causing lifter failure, I worked at Honda as a tech and VCM is a nightmare, after around 100k miles you'll need piston rings unless you stuck heavily to no more than 5k oil changes, even 3k mile oil changes you will almost always need them before 200k. Granted VCM was only on the v6 models, mazda doing it on their 4 cylinders is kind of disappointing.

[@zachsuwitzlocaltv]

my mom has a 2021 mazda 3 hatchback and its a fantastic daily driver car

[@restroomselevatorsofflorid2102]

Color and trim?

[@bender4489]

i think this is what i wanted more so than my wrx

[@1_helper-PST]

wait i thought they discontinued the MT?!

[@jerryreid813]

Yes, i knew that this car was available in a manual. Currently looking at manual options available anticipating a purchase in spring or summer. Want AWD and manual but not many options so may have to go AWD or manual.

[@isaacfralish2147]

As someone in the same boat as you I've come to the conclusion that the WRX is really your best bet for AWD and manual. Yes there's the GR Corolla but I personally can't stand the interior in that. That said, if AWD wasn't a priority for me this Mazda would be at the top of my list. I had a same spec auto version as a rental for a week and it was quite perfect for daily usage.

[@chasetrain]

​@@isaacfralish2147 Theres also the golf r

[@timw2083]

Yes GR Corolla (i love mine)... And the WRX are about it. Would good snow tires work? I recently replaced my Pilot Sports with Pirelli P Zero AS3. They are pure snow tires but we don't get a lot of snow where i live

[@jerryreid813]

@timw2083 I would love to get a GR Corolla if not marked up. Used to drive a Matrix. Currently drive a 2014 WRX but do not like the plastic cladding on the new ones.

[@jerryreid813]

@@isaacfralish2147 I am not beyond getting the new WRX just thought that i would eventually move up to a STi. My current one has done well over the years.

[@dawsonjohannes613]

I love my GR86… but I’d be lying if I said I never thought about telling Mazda to make more of this by buying one. I rented a CX-30 on my last business trip and Mazda’s interior quality is just great these days.

[@amkobih4479]

Can get the feeling of how cold it was just by looking at that coolant gauge and how little it moved for the whole drive

[@gangatalishis]

Yeah you gotta drive it on the highway to really get it up to temp.

[@supermutant01]

This is pretty normal. This means this temp gauge is actually accurate and tries to measure the actual coolant temp.

[@Defy_Convention]

C pillar is so goofy especially in white it looks like an egg

[@Letsberealish]

You're like a budget milesperhour

[@austinclement7934]

Thinking of getting a used one or a civic hatch manual to replace my 12 civic coupe EX.

[@PringleSn1ffer]

I love love love these Mazda 3s they are such a good option for a compact. I love Mazda's design language so much, it makes other competitors look so tacky. I ended up buying a used 2020 WRX that I got a good deal on, but the 4th gen Mazda 3 was at the top of my list for a long time. If they offered a turbo engine with a manual I would have ended up buying one.

[@StickyMaros]

I really wish I got to drive the manual, I asked the dealership but they said they were extremely rare, and I’d have a hard time finding one. I’ve heard they’re great though. I’m just happy they haven’t gone to a cvt, the auto is great!

[@downd7886]

This, a civic si, a civic hybrid, or a WRX?

[@SKAR3E]

They missed the mark by not making the manual in AWD