Mazda 3 Owner Review || Should You Buy One? Here Is The Good And Bad

Mazda 3 owner review. I share my one year ownership experience with the Mazda 3 and I explain why I bought it over the Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic. I also review a 2024 Mazda 3 Hatchback and compare it to my sedan. I review and compare the 2024 Mazda 3, 2024 Toyota Corolla, and 2024 Honda Civic to find out which is the best reliable compact car buy. If you are buying a 2024 Mazda3, 2024 Toyota Corolla, or 2024 Honda Civic, make sure to watch this comparison review.
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ABOUT ME
With over a decade of experience as a professional car buyer and auto consultant, Shari Prymak has helped thousands of consumers with their car buying needs. Car Help Corner provides honest, objective, consumer advice with all aspects of car buying and car ownership. For more professional advice, check out Car Help Canada, become a member, and subscribe!

[@KevPezJALP]

My 2015 Mazda is holding up. I went through bad financial hardships in 2023, and I had no choice to ignore car repairs. I had to redo a lot of my front suspension. Recently for that fixed, the engine and transmission is still running like new in 2024, at 142k miles. It had 500 miles when I got it, been a champ

[@fotomariuspaun1]

Perfect example of talking a lot without saying anything...

[@6868Evan]

Should you get a Mazda3? Here’s something that happened to me that sucked and had nothing to do with the car

[@Ahuka]

I'm still driving my 2012 Mazda 3 with 250,000 miles on it. And it is still a great car.

[@carhelpcorner]

Amazing. Great to hear!

[@sulaman4280]

It's japanese. What do you expect their cars to last longer and don't have way too many electronics in it like the Mercedes bmw and audi

[@robertwilliam9558]

I have a 2014 Mazda 3 2.0 sedan. It is still running like a champ. Thanks for the review.

[@Motorsportsgeek]

I saw a 2014 completed rusted out

[@manisymone8622]

​@Motorsportsgeek 😢 I will have a trip to see one. Where does the rust form? Where should I look please?

[@webguy943]

Any rust?

[@robertwilliam9558]

@@webguy943 No rust. I'm in California.

[@halexic1]

Regarding the remark "Don't ever maintain your car by yourself and always let dealership repair it" I can tell:"If are interested in car maintenance and love your car, start with smaller things, get repair manuals and definitely do this by yourself, but not because of the money - do it because nobody in dealership will take care of your car like you do".

[@PhillyFan20]

I purchased a 2021 Turbo model 3 years ago and got into an accident last December. It was a write-off, so I was in need of another car. I ended up getting a 2023 Premium sedan model (non-turbo this time) 2 weeks ago since it was heavily discounted. While I miss the extra power from the turbo, the NA engine is more than adequate. I'd definitely recommend the Mazda 3 or Mazda in general to anyone.

[@darkedge117]

How big of a difference was going from turbo to NA on the 3? I have a 6 turbo and can't imagine driving the NA with less power for how big the car is

[@PhillyFan20]

@@darkedge117 It's a noticeable difference. The big difference that you notice is the torque since peak torque kicks in at 2,000 RPM on turbo models. However, the NA 3 is quick since it's a fairly light vehicle. I haven't had any issues with passing slow moving vehicles. I also appreciate the improved fuel efficiency. On another note, since you mentioned that you have a 6, I really hope Mazda reintroduces it with the new inline 6 engine. Fingers crossed. 🤞

[@divedo9108]

I bought a 2015 Mazda 2 in the summer of 2023 had 76000 kilometers on it and drove like a brand new car unfortunately I also got in a car accident in December 13th that year. I was driving on a 70 km zone when a lady coming from the opposite way to make a left suddenly drove 4-5 meters in front of me while I was driving over a green light, so I smashed the brake at 70 km/h as hard as I could and held on to the steering wheel, all airbag went off and car was smoking through the vents from burnt coolant. Took me 5 seconds to realize I crashed, and got really mad because I loved that car but I had to keep it cool so I went out of the car and saw the lady crying. She thought I was dead. Luckily both me and the lady had no serious injuries, it could have ended badly. I had whiplash on my neck the day after but the pain only lasted for 1 day and had some mild pain on my right knee that lasted for 3 weeks.

[@hamzehdagh3364]

when you say heavily discounted, did you buy it from the dealership or was it used?

[@1572vrze]

@@darkedge117 Try the manual version and use the change as intended. It will surprise you! 😜

[@davidp2888]

I bought a 2023 Corolla in February of last year. Nine days after driving off the lot (NINE DAYS), I got hit from behind. Minimal damage, all cosmetic. 4 months after that accident, I got hit again...this was a much harder, more severe hit. Your story really resonated with me. Oddly enough, I'm considering replacing the Corolla with a Mazda 3. Your review was helpful.

[@carhelpcorner]

It's not fun, but it just goes to show it can happen to anyone. But I think you'd be happy with the Mazda. It's an excellent car.

[@hectoOut]

Nah. I bought a 2.5 aspired engine Mazda 3 2024 by not watching this reviewer. I recommend stick with yiur corrolla if yiu don't mind a little dated cabin of the corolla and lack of sportiness. Yiu ll save heaps of fuel compare to this Mazda 3. The corrolla will be less fussy to drive and eager around city and it can certainly beat this Mazda at the traffic light if yiu ask me! Also who need stop start system if the corrolla has already saved fuel whereas this Mazda makes no different in fuel consumption with rough and annoying stop start. It also has the weirdest auto gearbox ever.. lazy and produce no power at bottom end and then runs at a very high compression rate at highest gear and low speed which then introduces vibration in the carbin. it then takes forever to down shift gears to pick up accelerations and then it gives a body slam when it jumps gears and then produces no power at 6.5K rev. Mazda idiots just program it to cap the output so to limit the acceleration. Yiu cannot have funs with it. It prentends to scream like a hot hatch but it doesn't go fast😢. What a wierd car ever! No don't recommend the Mazda 3. Apart from a beautiful interior and great body control and grip.. it s one hell of frustrations to drive this car. Very thirsty car and return no smiles

[@bluewinds10]

@@hectoOut Anyone with half a brain wouldn't buy an auto if they want driving fun and acceleration

[@drewp25831]

Ur totally wrong the new ones with the turbo aren’t even in the same ballpark as the Corolla. And there’s deals to be had. I just picked up mine for with turbo and awd for 26500. Of course turbo and awd aren’t “necessary “ lol. But it’s not even close. Plus u don’t have to worry about cvt issues. There’s tons of reviews with people saying how great they are. I think buddy ^got a lemon. 🍋

[@drewp25831]

@@hectoOutu didn’t get the right one bud. The turbo is a must… plus ur the 1st person I’ve seen with this opinion.

[@floridaoutdooradventures8981]

I bought my brand new 2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring on the 24th of December 2014. I wanted all the options available including the liquid metallic grey color which looks amazing on the 6! I had to wait 2 months for the car to come from Japan as it was a special order. Now, I have 144,000 thousands miles on my Mazda 6, still drives like a dream and I never get tired of looking at it. Mazda 6 has been the best and most reliable car I've ever own and I seriously believe I can drive my Mazda 6 for half a million mile!

[@RowdyRafe]

My 2006 Mazda 3 Still works fine. My first car!

[@jesseawenus1067]

Damn. My 2006 rusted out. I dove it 140,000 km and had to replace it in 2016. It lasted 10 years. I ended up getting a2015 Mazda 3 and it’s held up well with only one significant mechanical failure that left me on the side of the highway.

[@Tragick_Sin]

@@jesseawenus1067what was the failure?

[@cozysav]

Same! I made it until this year without any major repairs and I’ve had this car since 2011

[@rogerrocco5211]

I love your reviews because they are thorough, informative, helpful, precise and honest! Thank you! Sorry about your accidents! Just unfortunate circumstances. But your car now has a record of two accidents which will live forever with the vehicle. Even though they were minor incidents that were completely repaired, the car has lost value that can never be recovered especially if you attempt to liquidate it soon. I had a similar situation with a new vehicle that was thoroughly repaired from a major front end collision. It’s now 11 years old and looks and runs like showroom new so I won’t lose much value if I sell it now. Not happening! It’s a 2013 Prius V5 with 45k miles. It’s the best car I have ever owned along with my 2018 RAV4 hybrid limited. Not a single repair or recall for either one. And I live in the Midwest where winter weather is brutal.

[@graciellastokes7979]

I appreciated this 1st year review of your Mazda 3. I am a happy subscriber . You explain things very well in all your videos, especially for those who do not know about the inner workings and details of what to consider . I am learning a great deal as I consider my next pre- owned vehicle purchase. I lean towards Mazda after having owned 2 Honda Accord and my current Infiniti I35- all pre- owned. I will definitely investigate seeking help for my next venture to the car dealership with your service!

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you!

[@tjapex59]

Loved the personal angle of this video!!

[@batsai]

I'm very glad that you are ok after those accidents! I am loving my 2023 Mazda 3 in the Preferred trim- selected because of your videos AND because it was actually in stock and I could test drive it! Thanks!

[@peterandrewj]

Thanks for the feedback, Shari. Great to hear your experience matched your expectations. I'm vacillating between the Mazda 3 Select Sport for $24.6K, and the Toyota Corolla SE for $24.4K, but I agree with all your points in favor of the Mazda 3. Wishing you better luck on the road.

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you! Both are excellent choices.

[@Angel-ew5or]

I was in the same boat deciding between the Mazda3 and the Corolla. I decided to go for the Mazda3 hatchback sport at the end of the day because it looks better on the outside and the premium feel on the inside at the most basic trim. It also had more horsepower and close mpg compared to the Corolla. I love my car

[@parnpichate]

@@Angel-ew5or I just bought the 6-speed manual and the interior is so premium. I actually look forward to my commute.

[@carlovanrijk4039]

@@parnpichateI’m looking for something like what you’ve got as I’ll be retiring in 3 years. Something to play with on the weekends, while knowing it could last a long time with regular maintenance (I’m a Honda tech). 😃👍🏼

[@carlovanrijk4039]

@@parnpichateit could be that, or a Civic, or a Corolla. Hatchback with 6 spd manual - I don’t think I can go wrong with any of these choices. 😊

[@KirkVandenBerghe]

Yes, I also enjoy when you produce this type of "personal story" content. Thanks for the good work.

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you!

[@orange_turtle3412]

Thats easily the best looking small sedan on the market

[@deller5924]

Thanks for the review, mate!

[@emmanuelginis7003]

Great review. I owned a 2022 Mazda3 turbo premium plus awd for 1 year. Great engine, terrific interior, enjoyable highway commuter car. Did not enjoy the torsion beam suspension that was very rough over bumps. I also needed to replace 2 tires from hitting pot holes. Getting in and out could be challenging for some people and the back seat leg room was very tight. The gas millage is not the best, and it had a small gas tank. I was at the station every week filling up. Still would purchase again if I went with a small car.

[@Doc1855]

I Love the Red interior. Our 11 Ford Ranger had the 1990 Gloomy Gray and Boring Black interior colors that became popular in the last Millennium. I had it reupholstered in Red with black trim and stitching. This matches the custom 2 tone paint scheme, which is Silver over Red metallic and Red pinstripes.

[@TheFlyrodder68]

You came out safe. That's the best part. Please keep doing what you've been doing; it's much appreciated. Best regards.

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you!

[@Doc1855]

Sorry about your accidents, Bud. In 1987 I bought my first new car. It was a Toyota Tercel, 2dr coupe. It was a new body style for the Tercel. Mine was White with charcoal interior. It was the first new Tercel with an automatic transmission and the 2nd one to be sold in Washington state, USA. The first one that was sold was Red and was a 5spd manual transmission. My little Tercel was only 30 days old and it was totaled. The accident wasn’t my fault. I was T-boned by a full sized Chevy pickup. His truck was only 45 days old.

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you. Yeah an accident with a new car isn't fun, but in the end they are just cars. I'm thankful for being safe!

[@latonyawilliams4145]

Thanks alot. Your car reviews are the best.

[@johndoyle325]

I have a 2017 Mazda3 Sport GT with 6AT and the premium package. It has 175,000 Km on it and has been a great car. I can't justify a new vehicle because everything still works and it runs like new. I love it!

[@carhelpcorner]

Enjoy it. It should last a long time!

[@mrdirector61]

Thanks for a great review and for sharing your personal experiences. I’m glad the bad luck didn’t include any injury. I also hope you’re not superstitious! Wouldn’t want you to start avoiding intersections unless the light is green!

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you! No luckily I am not. The accidents were minor, and I continued driving through intersections right after the accident the same day!

[@ryokophreak]

Thank you for the insight. Heavily considering buying this car. But looking at all the options.

[@robfowler7981]

Great review, very informative and great advice 👍

[@jdub976]

I have had mine about 10 months now. I had to say this is the first car in years that I look forward to driving every time. The looks the interior they just did a great job with it. I have nothing but good things to say about it.

[@smallbrownguy]

Great review

[@joey86bu1]

Great update!!! I came to the same conclusion when I was shopping for mine. Except it was the M3 (used) Civic and Camry in the run off. Reliability wise the M3 didn't have some issues that Civics (fuel-oil mixing) and Camry's (?) had in the 2010's. Plus it depreciated worse that the other 2, which made it cheaper to get. The next one I get will have the turbo / AWD though.

[@NQBN]

I just bought a 2024 mazda 3 sedan. It has 2k mikes and runs like a champ.

[@TheYouknow598]

Hey bud, I'm also planning on getting the Mazda3 sedan GS, I'm a huge fan of sedans. Do you think a 6.2 guy like me would be comfortable driving it?

[@NQBN]

@@TheYouknow598 I’m 5,9 and there is plenty of space. Being 6,2 it might be a little tight I assume, but go ride one and make sure test drive it, move the seat back and forth and see how comfortable is it.

[@user-mt1kj8fh2s]

I have a 2021 Mazda3 Sedan with manual transmission and with Skyactiv-x engine. Really amazing package! Works great in Scandinavian climate. Fuel economy.... 4,3 - 5,0 litres / 100 km in summer, in harsh winter conditions (- 20 to - 30 degree celsius) around 5,0 - 5,3 litres / 100 km.

[@carhelpcorner]

How's the Skyactiv-X engine? It was supposed to come to North America but never did.

[@user-mt1kj8fh2s]

It's great. Excellent fuel economy, very very nice torque.

[@remitremblay2091]

Always at the dealer! They know your car/truck, they know what to change/adjust/verify and update….and building that relationship is worth something once your done with the car! Great video! I am debating a Mazda…had a Miata for 7 years…it was amazing!

[@mittu2884]

Thanks for your detailed review Shari. I own a CX 5 GT AWD 2021. It's a stunning looking SUV with fantastic driving dynamics. My friends were so impressed with the features and pricing that 4 of them now have the same car. I'm now waiting for the launch of CX 70. I am looking at a few features and I am bound to book one soon 😊

[@carhelpcorner]

They are amazing vehicles. CX-70 details are coming very soon. Stay tuned!

[@stevechan5569]

Thanks for sharing the personal owner experience of the Mazda 3. Really enjoyed it.

[@carhelpcorner]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@pigboykool]

I love Mazda 3, looking forward for your update on your experience. You got a new sub.

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you!

[@elmertolentino-gm2mf]

Great honest review .

[@alexchoi2060]

I have a 2019 Mazda 3 sedan FWD premium. (couldn't get over the small rear window) I put in aftermarket tinted glass, and once the TSBs (including AC) and recalls were done, the car is running well (37 mpg on mostly highway driving).. It doesn't handle as well as a 3 series, but it has been perfectly fine. From what I understand, not much can go wrong with a NA engine, whereas turbo might cost more to fix.

[@carhelpcorner]

Finding someone who has had serious problems with these cars seems to be very rare

[@user-ep9bw9gi7o]

Very honest review. Appretiate your effort.

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you!

[@rteji8762]

Bought a Mazda CX 5 after watching your reviews. Thanks for the great content

[@level7041]

Well so much for the trade in value…good to hear you were not hurt..

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you!

[@user-cw3xe5hj7f]

I have a 2014 Mazda 3 itouring and I’m at 260k miles with a manual transmission. I’ve only done 1 coolant flush and changed the spark plugs once as well at about 200k. I replaced the rear passenger caliper as it seized. Other than that just regular oil changes. Still driving with the original clutch, which is absolutely incredible. Drives perfectly fine and still has plenty of life left from what the dealership technician told me. After this one dies I will of course get another Mazda.

[@Test-of-Time]

I have the 2022 CX-30 carbon ed. and have been enjoying it since day 1!

[@neelchauhan9770]

By hearing a lot about mazda, I made a decision to purchase CX-5 and, I am loving it.

[@kkrad1]

Very good review thank you. I'm thinking about to buy a Mazda-3

[@allanpulker2120]

Thanks for your review, which aligns with my impressions of the 2021 Mazda 3 which I bought in June 2021. Curiously someone driving a pickup truck drove into the front left fender. It is a beautiful car to drive as well as to look at but does have some problems. For example, the headlights are aimed too high and can't be lowered. Many drivers don't dim their lights, because they assume my high beams are on. Another is that when you turn on the ignition, the radio comes on, which is not a serious flaw, but is annoying. More serious is that it is possible to turn off cruise control. If you don't know how to turn it back on, there's nothing you can do except drive without it, which turned out badly for me. The car is so quiet and effortless, that I didn't notice I was going well over the speed limit. I was stopped for speeding. This would not have happened if cruise control could not have been disabled. The way the wipers sit under the hood looks great, but is a pain in the winter when you're trying to brusĥ the sniw off the windshield. Another winter issue is the lack of illumination of the switches on the doors and the dashboard It is easy to overlook these deficiencies, however, because it is such a wonderful car. I would not hesitate to buy one again!

[@feleciawallace8420]

Excellent summary of your experiences in regards to ownership of the Mazda3... very nice vehicle, absolutely beautiful car... thanks for sharing

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you!

[@barbariancauldron3284]

I love that you watch the road when speaking.

[@davidmoreno3370]

I have had my 2014 Mazda 3 S Grand Touring for 10 years with no major issues. It’s been fixed 4 times from 4 different accidents and still runs great! I recommend buying fully loaded like I did because all the tech is still relevant and upscale for today

[@TharinduDhane]

Mazda makes the most reliable cars in the world. I'm using a Mazda 3 2005 and 300K miles on it., Still hitting the road like a champ.

[@user-yd6yl9lj3i]

I was at the Mazda dealership checking out the CX30 , great driving car . I was on the cusp of buying it until I realized it doesn’t have a factory remote . Mazda wants me to buy their app and pay for it every year to remotely start the car . This car was almost $ 50,000.00 and I think I should have be given the choice of having the remote starter on the key fob . It’s another way to get more money from their customers .

[@carhelpcorner]

I have the app with the remote starter and never use it. I won't be paying for it when it expires.

[@user-yd6yl9lj3i]

That’s was the reason that I didn’t buy it .

[@sandrarenolds]

thanks for the video and in future watch out for those crazy Canadian drivers!

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you I'll try!

[@psykbe83]

You're right, getting to the dealership during the warranty for the maintenance helps a lot in the relationship and easyness to get thing done (will give you obviously higher priority over someone getting the maintenance done to an independant garage). Thanks for the review btw, was looking in relative short term to change one of my cars (unreliable) and was seeking for reliable model but this one over the Corolla or I30 have something more in the design (both outside, stunning in red with black rims and inside with a simple but relaxing look & feel).

[@ChadHargis]

Thank goodness in the US we have the Moss-Magnusson Act that doesn't allow dealers to deny your warranty if they do your own work. As long as you have the receipts for the fluids and parts, you're good.

[@carhelpcorner]

Sad that's not the case in Canada. I should have clarified that in the video. Thanks for sharing.

[@1Springloaded]

Glad you are enjoying your car. I also allow the dealership to do under warranty service. One exception, I change the air & cabin filters before going and pay $20-25 instead of 50 or 60 for the same thing. We can always sympathize with someone. Our ability to empathize only comes from experience.

[@carhelpcorner]

Very true

[@hossahunter22]

Just a tip: take out the giant magnet in your front left bumper😂👌 jk jk. excellent video, sorry about the accidents, and glad it was relatively small damage, and more importantly, that you were safe.

[@ztekz]

Great choice on the Mazda 3 and that color and trim looks awesome! I totally agree, it’s a very reliable, great driving dynamics and solid feeling car! I used to own a 2019 FWD 3 GT and in my 3yrs of ownership, never had any major issues. When I bought it 3yrs ago, was comparing it to the Corolla but that felt a step down as build quality didn’t feel solid, anemic engine and didn’t like the drony CVT thus, ended up buying the Mazda 3. It was on clearance ($5K off) so OTD price came to $28K CAD! I no longer have it cause I was given a company car and sold the Mazda3 to my daughter who now drives it!

[@carhelpcorner]

You got an incredible deal. I totally agree. Thanks for sharing!

[@southsidereps3081]

I feel you, I had 2 car accidents 6 months apart in 21-22, second one totaled my 2019 CX-5 and to date I haven't replaced it as prices and inventory are challenges. But you're absolutely right, the feeling is definitely not good and just plain awful. That said I was quite happy with my CX-5 GS and am considering it again or the 50 this time around for looks and space.

[@heatherprincipe8537]

Couple years ago I had a 22 year old Mercury Sable ready for the junk yard. It was leaking gas profusely, both side mirrors were glued and taped on, AC didn't work, fully rusted underneath but still drove it while researching best used cars $5000 and under. 2011 Mazda 3 i touring was one listed by consumer reports to be reliable and reliable was/is main thing focused on. Thank God I was able to purchase from a private seller a bit under $5000. It drove great every time up until I took it to a car shop and received it back compromised and not fixed. Aside from that my experience in having this 2011 Mazda is It's been reliable thankfully. Previous cars were made out of a metal. The Mazda is the first 'plastic' car I ever had. In previous car's if you would tap a light post in a parking lot very little to nothing would happen but the Mazda would have unthinkable damage. For me it feels like a sophisticated toy car regarding what it's made out of. But I like the zoom zoom and reliability. It's the best car I've ever owned so far. Another good car was a Honda Civic hatchback from the 80's my Mom had. She bought it for $850 or $950 and had to have something fixed on it for $500 after buying. After that it was a great reliable car.

[@stevenjames1138]

I’m thinking about buying a Mazda 3 hatchback with the naturally aspirated engine and the manual transmission. Thanks for the review!

[@oscarhalder]

I have 2023 Cx5 Signature. Driving it for 1 year with zero issues. I agree the top trim is nice to have but not at all necessary. I don't think I ever put the turbo through its paces apart from some highway merging.

[@Bowhunters6go8xz6x]

Totally agree that it is super important to go to your dealership for any work/servicing where you bought it any time on a new vehicle for at least when under warranty and keep your receipts for any work or servicing done. I actually had a service manager at a dealership that became annoyed and started picking at me for not taking my car back to the same dealer that I bought the car from for my servicing. (it was not Mazda, different brand) but it goes to show that there are good reasons to take your vehicle for servicing or repairs to the same dealership where you bought it at least until the warranty is expired.

[@user-uw4ch8qr5e]

Excellent review. I bought a new 1990 Mazda MX6 long ago with a manual transmission and loved it. However, a week after the warranty expired, (with only 17k miles) the power steering and the catalytic converter failed. Mazda did not cover any of this, consequently, I was leary of Mazda to this day. I do understand that this was a time Mazda was tied to Ford.

[@carhelpcorner]

Since Mazda went independent their quality has been superb. Ford definitely dragged them down.

[@javiermiranda1308]

I had the same 3 cars in consideration, I ended up buying the TOYOTA COROLLA XSE H.B., I love everything about it.

[@dornierserctajon8094]

why did you end up with the corolla if i may ask?

[@javiermiranda1308]

@@dornierserctajon8094 The price, in 2021 dealers were asking 5k- 10k over sticker price I was able to buy mine at MSRP.

[@murry001]

I absolutely LOVE the poloymetal grey colour!

[@mycathasawhitetoe]

I feel like you can definitely notice the difference between the turbo and NA in everyday driving when comparing the 2020 mazda6 turbo and 2023 mazda3 ce fwd. Idk how to describe it other than it makes everything a little bit more fluid. Although, I would like it for my needs and budget I chose to go with the NA

[@gregthomson7889]

Funny I was just explaining to my wife why if im the first car at a light of stop sign I stop a few feet back from the corner as almost no one knows how to take a corner and they cut the corner like a race driver.The CX-30 would be a much better buy.Nice and helpful review.

[@carhelpcorner]

You are absolutely right. Thank you!

[@Games4Days912]

2023 Mazda 3 Turbo hatch PP here and absolutely LOVE the car. Legit the perfect hatch for me.

[@Thankyou_3]

Hi Shari, great video and thank you for sharing details about your Mazda. I am not surprised that your Mazda was dead reliable…such an amazing car for the price and value. What I am disappointed is that the 1st service you had with your dealer that they didn’t change the oil and filter. Why would they check a brand new car and not include an oil change! These dealers from all manufacturers are really crooked…the 1st oil change on a brand new car must be done sooner than later especially the break in of an engine will emit small metal particles. Those particles are not good inside the oil pan for long periods of time. I personally think that your dealership should have done the 1st oil change at around 2,000 kms….this will ensure you have no fine metal particles in the oil pan. It is really unfortunate many manufacturers are building good engineered car but dealership experience is absolutely disastrous…$60 just to check tire pressure and open the hood for visual check? This is corruption!! They should have done the oil change without any questions!!!

[@carhelpcorner]

Luckily, when I bought the car, it already had 2,000km and the dealer changed the oil before I took delivery. That's the only reason I let them get away with that first service of just checking this and checking that. That's dealers for you.

[@Thankyou_3]

⁠@@carhelpcornerThat’s good if they had done the oil change before taking delivery. In the last 30 years of car ownership, I have had dealership experience from various Japanese brands and unfortunately in GTA they all are sharks in the water. I don’t believe in relationship building when it comes to dealerships. I was shocked to find out that parts person, service advisors and technicians get commission for up selling. The more they upsell the better for them. I wrote emails last decade ago to head office of certain Japanese brands and disappointed on their response. They pretty much said, dealerships are independently operated and not manage by head office. What a cop out. I do my oil changes now and only take it for larger service where it requires a hoist. All fluid changes, tire rotation and filter changes I do it myself. Again, it is disgusting 🤢 the dealership experience are horrible in GTA. You should do a video on this.

[@larrycuritsjr7289]

Great info...I drive vehicles of all types through all kinds of conditions (work for a rental car company). One metric I judge vehicles on is the ease of using basic functions. Radio, bluetooth, carplay/android etc along with basic driving functions. I agree with you, of those 3 you comapred, The Mazda, is by far a class leader with quality and drive dynamics. Though, when you said the entertainment features (that damn knob) can take getting used to, that was VERY true. Quite frustrating lol. Might be better with the 24? Was curious, how much was each repair for your accidents?

[@carhelpcorner]

It definitely gets easier with time. Mazda improved it for 2024 adding the touchscreen. Both accidents were $5k repairs, but $2k of that was just replacing the headlight assembly for a broken plastic clip 😅

[@larrycuritsjr7289]

@@carhelpcorner doesn't surprise me lol

[@lennygarrison6836]

As always, another great video from you! Two questions….Where was your Mazda 3 built? Was it Japan or Mexico? And, how’s the headlights performance at night? Do you have the adaptive headlights?

[@carhelpcorner]

Great questions. Mine was made in Japan. I didn't know that until after I bought it. I have the adaptive LED headlights and no complaints.

[@loloshitake4594]

You can absolutely do your own maintenance and oil changes yourself and still stay in warranty. You just need to keep the receipt for the parts you buy..

[@paulpellico3797]

absolutely. very weird how any warranty is not covered as longas receipts are kept. ALWAYS keep records...even for your OWN file and use

[@carhelpcorner]

Not true. I have seen many manufacturers deny engine replacements when proper service records from a professional shop were not provided. You can try taking legal action, but the headaches are really not worth saving a few bucks on oil changes.

[@paulpellico3797]

@@carhelpcorner ok, so help the class out here. where is the trick part of "when proper service records from a professional shop were not provided."???? because right there on the blackboard, RECORDS is clearly highlighted.

[@dchrish]

Damn good review.

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you!

[@bonjournaste]

Good to hear opinions on Mazda 3, seems like a no brainer for the price range. Disagree with maintenance/documentation. Just keep a log book and receipts. Can't imagine wasting time driving into dealership and waiting around for someone to putter around with your stuff. Do it yourself and you know it's done right.

[@ahsanmalik1013]

Just chin up. Same thing happened to me with my brand new car within the first year that is yet to complete - hoping to avoid another accident down the road. I can understand with accident take away the thrill of new car no longer the same afterwards. It is getting out of control with driving situation out there. Just stay safe.

[@puma51921]

My daughter has a Mazda 3 and loves it. The Mazda dealership has been one of the best dealership I have dealt with. We test drove; Toyota, Honda and Mazda. Mazda was the winner. Great ride, exseleration and handling. Very quiet ride

[@marko8640]

My 2009 Mazda 3 still going strong, even after 320,000 km. No problems whatsoever.

[@verynick]

I have had 2010 and 2019 Mazda3…it was fine. No hybrid was the reason why I left

[@Doc1855]

Shari, When you have to replace the factory tires, check out Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires. They’re Awesome on dry, wet, slushy, snowy, logging and forest roads. I put a set on my Forester when it had only 1,300 miles. We like the tires so much that when the factory tires wore out on my wife’s Outback. They’re great tires for year round use. We too got tired of putting snow tires on for the winter and then having to put on the summer tires on in the spring.

[@carhelpcorner]

Never tried them but I've heard great things. Since the car came with all-season tires, I bought a second set of Michelin X-Ice Snows for winter and they have been amazing.

[@Doc1855]

@@carhelpcorner Ive heard good things about the x ice tires as well. The good thing about the Cross Climate 2 tires is that you can drive on them year round.

[@racineurr.8924]

Wow! What a nice free pub for Mazda. But guess it's expected Sir. I watch all your videos cause I tend to like how you review but each time something rerfrains me from subscribing. Now, I have all the answers I need. Something about conflict of interest like...

[@anthonylee2566]

Ive test driven one in the summer. It does drive sporty and it has some nice safery features. I thought the scream was small and no remote starter from the factory, bummer! Plus the AC took a long time to make the interior comfortable.

[@maximussiosio5077]

Mazda3 2017 manual here, no issues whatsoever. I’m looking to run this for as long as possible. 🙏

[@aileenmarfhall2682]

Sorry to hear that u hav 2 accident bt i appreciate u for sharing your experience .. Hope 2024 wl bring u goodluck🎉

[@carhelpcorner]

Thanks so much 🙏

[@mrnarason]

I think if you are sitting a red light, never stay too close to the white line because bad drivers can easily cut your corners and hit you. and always look both ways before going, even if it's a green light

[@carhelpcorner]

Exactly right. Live and learn.

[@annezhang8433]

My 2022 Mazda 3 hatch 2.5L was hit 10 months after I purchased it. She was hit at the left front when parked and the at fault driver even didn't leave a note. I had to pay the excess through my own insurance company, mainly because the left headlight was broken and a genuine part costs $2800 AU. Including the bumper, front bar, left bracket and the trimmers, the total repair cost was around $5500. I love my Mazda 3. I can really feel for you. It sucks when things like this happened.

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you. Same thing in my situation. The repair would have been about $3,000, but because the headlight assembly had a broken clip and needed replacing, it ended up being $5,000.

[@alvinsimba734]

When I go grocery shopping I park far away from people as possible even though my vehicle is 4 years old now, I just don’t trust other drivers parking ability

[@alvinsimba734]

@@carhelpcornerI Hope you park your car far away from people when you do grocery shopping…

[@pomeraniacs1601]

I love all the warnings and blind spot monitoring as I think it really helps me avoid being hit by the road warriors. People actually try to race me when they see turbo badge😅but they can’t engage me😇

[@ScreamingEggroll]

I recently bought a used 2020 mazda3 after owning a 2014. Both cars extremely reliable as stated and i absolutely love my 2020. However one thing he didnt mention, probably because it didnt happen to him, is they are notorious for cabin rattle. Currently there are 3 different spots in my car that are rattling. The rear bass speaker rattles when the bass goes below about 40hz. There is also a minor rattle somewhere around the passenger side door (have not been able to pinpoint it) and a rattle coming from the infotainment system. Rattles dont really bother me because i listen to very loud music (the 12 speaker bose system is phenomenal) but if you are about to buy a 3 look out for that

[@YF-k]

Hi, thanks for your videos. Lot of useful stuff. How much did you make on your Mazda3? If you would need a small car again would you pick the “premium package” with leather seats? I’m shopping now for a new car and test drove a Mazda 3 sedan GS trim with prem pack and AWD. Was just nice! But it’s above my budget. Now deciding if I need a premium package at all. Thanks for your response and maybe some advice.

[@carhelpcorner]

I have the GT FWD, but I would have also gone with the GS Premium Pkg. To save some money, you could get FWD instead of AWD. I have Michelin X-Ice Snow tires and it handles fine in the winter.

[@YF-k]

@@carhelpcorner I live in AB, lots of snow and -35 is normal weather but my civic 2005 drives good. The only thing - 80% vehicles on the road are pickup trucks

[@MrAlBester]

My 2011 Mazda 3i Touring , lasted til 225k without any major repairs beyond the fan belt, plugs, oil, brakes, tires etc Was such a fun drive and incredibly dependable

[@andremcintosh]

That madza is a beautiful car. I remember watching your review when you had bought it. Lovely car, interior colour, dashboard design all top notch.

[@FumiyaSugawara]

I have a 2008 Mazda 3, just now started giving me transmission issues. Been a great car all these years love my Mazda.

[@jemtechandmore2101]

We have 2014 mazda 3gt with the full package in it, it’s been 10 years now but it still runs like brand new! There’s some minor cosmetic issues now due to 4 different minor collision that’s also not at our fault that was also being fixed covered by the insurance. Nonetheless it’s been a great car still. Until now it consume average of 6.5liters of gas to 8.5 per 100km. Oil change every 5,000km using synthetic oil, people might think it’s an overkill but in the long run it’s worth keeping the car on a base condition.

[@alainpaquin627]

Regarding the maintenance of my vehicles (car, Pickup, motorcycle), I have been doing basic oil changes for over 40 years (more frequent than recommended and better quality oil), filters, tire rotation (winter , summer), spark plugs etc... and naturally, I keep all my receipts and everything is well documented. 😁

[@carhelpcorner]

Fine to do when the warranty expires, but under warranty, most manufacturers will not accept this as documentation for oil changes. They need records from a professional shop.

[@alainpaquin627]

@@carhelpcorner The main reason is that I have been doing basic maintenance for several decades, being very meticulous in what I do and especially that on one occasion I had an oil change done at the dealership during a winter period (very cold) and subsequently, I noticed that the "bolt" of the oil pan had not been tightened to specification and that there was a slight flow of oil! Personally, all bolts are tightened to specification with a torque wrench. Even when I rotate the tires (summer-winter), the bolts are tightened to specifications with a torque wrench. 😁 Maybe I'm a little too meticulous...😄

[@Doc1855]

I’ve owned my Forester Touring for 13 months and it has 14K miles. I absolutely love the car, the handling, comfort etc. BUT, it has been in the service department numerous times. It’s a 6 hour round trip to the closest Subaru dealership that gives loaner cars to their customers when their Subie’s are in for service. I just got it back from the service department less than a week ago after they had had it for 3 weeks because the DCM was on back order. It still doesn’t recognize me some of the time, the rear hatch opens up when no one is around, the low oil pressure light still flickers when it’s cold and it hit a pothole. Before having the DCM replaced I was getting 24mpg on combination driving and now I’m only getting 20mpg. Sometimes the heated steering wheel gets toasty warm and other times it doesn’t. Sometimes it remembers the phone numbers programmed into my Forester and other times it doesn’t. The remote start has NEVER worked and the other day the alarm went off for no reason while it was parked in my garage. The Starlink light will Not go off, so StarLink is always contacting me while driving to see if I’m having an emergency or asking me if I’ve been in an accident. I’m disabled and living on SSI. I’ve been saving money for many years so that I could afford to pay cash for my Forester. $38K may not be a lot of money to some people, but it’s a LOT of money for me to save up for a vehicle that I thought would be the last car I’d ever need to buy. Subaru isn’t willing to buy my LEMON back and I know that it’s an uphill battle to go under the Lemon Law. My previous car was a 11 RAV4 Limited and it was NEVER in the service department for anything except for maintenance. It ran perfectly for 205K miles, when I sold it last December (2022). This is my First Subaru and it will definitely be my Last one. I’ll sell it ASAP and go back to Toyota. I’m thinking that I’ll have to wait until 2026 and buy another RAV4 AWD Hybrid.

[@braetonwilson4296]

I'm sorry to hear that, hope life improves for you!

[@cwclarkephotos9551]

@@braetonwilson4296 clown

[@braetonwilson4296]

why am I a clown for expressing my sympathies? what's wrong with you?

[@cwclarkephotos9551]

@@braetonwilson4296oh ok

[@Doc1855]

@@braetonwilson4296 Wow, you’re rude. I’ll bet that you have problems in relationships don’t you?

[@margaretWestminster]

Shari, so sorry to here about those two accidents. Main thing is you were ok. I have a question, A few years ago almost all new cars had a choice of a built in navigation system. I’m seeing that it isn’t mentioned a lot. Do you know the reason for that ? I find using a phone is more annoying , especially if it isn’t held securely in plane view . Thank you for your excellent videos.

[@carhelpcorner]

Thank you! The built in navigation systems are disappearing because most people now use Google Maps through Apple Carplay or Android Auto. The functionality is far superior and now that this feature is becoming wireless, there's no need to even touch your phone.

[@Kev27RS]

Good choice on the interior color. It gives contrast to the exterior. 👍 If it was a black interior, the car would have looked boring… I would have chosen silver for the wheels though. Other than the contrast, they would also be more visible / recognizable. The Mazda 3 is a beautiful car, especially in the color Soul Red! 🤩 You don’t see that color on anything else.

[@eliseogonzalez3025]

I just handed in my 2021 Mazda3 HB with manual transmission and naturally aspirated FWD 2.5L. It was amazing for 3 years, nothing to complain about. Now I'm waiting for a new CX30 AWD turbo. No way any other brand can compare to what Mazda delivers to their customers.

[@paulcaley1715]

Good review, and sorry about your accidents, but I disagree on maintaining records of doing your own service. Dealerships leave a lot to be desired with service. There's nothing wrong with following the maintenance manual yourself

[@carhelpcorner]

Except if the engine fails under warranty, they will use the lack of service documentation to deny the claim. It's a small risk, but I've seen it happen many times. All you can do then is try taking legal action and hope for the best.

[@AhmadAzizov]

I have a 2018 gs sedan which has been nothing but pleasure for over 100k kms.

[@jamespavier1624]

We have a 2023 red sedan with the 2.5 and in the past I had a 2013 2.5 sedan they are good cars. No issues with the new one and I had no issues with the old one.

[@HaMou261]

This vidoe is so reassuring Cause I bought a used mazda 3