Skip to main content

Used 2012 Mazda 3 Consumer Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
117 reviews
3...

See Edmunds pricing data

Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

Price history graph example

Trending topics in reviews

Pros
Cons
4.75 out of 5 stars

2012 Mazda 3 with 1200 miles on it now.

sirturkey, 03/16/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
24 of 25 people found this review helpful

I got my Mazda 3 when it had 15 miles on it, and now it has around 1200. I love this car. I upgraded from a 2004 Passat. The SKYACTIV-G engine truly performs. I've been getting a combined 34.8 mpg with mostly city driving but with a few long distance bouts. On my distance trips, I've been getting 40-44 mpg at around 70 mph. I generally drive like a grandpa but it's difficult NOT to accelerate quickly in this car! The seats are not nearly as bad as what other people say. I'm 6'0 and they fit me rather well. As for the complaints about the interior controls, I find them rather intuitive. In regards to weird noises from the engine, I haven't heard anything.

Report Abuse

4.88 out of 5 stars

Best of Both Worlds

mandowen, 05/17/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Grand Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful

This car will serve different needs, depending on your mood. If you are feeling economical, the fuel efficiency is great. I got over 41 mpg on a recent road trip. If you want to have some driving fun, the car is very responsive and, although I have the automatic, you can flip it into manual mode for more control. The hatchback is very roomy and I recently brought home my son's dorm refrigerator in it. Great car!

Report Abuse
5 out of 5 stars

excellent car....wife "loves her zoom zoom"!

ajax13, 04/13/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Grand Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
21 of 22 people found this review helpful

First car review I have ever written, at 59 yo too. But this car warrants the review!! We have had this car since the end of Nov., & 3500 miles on it now. Is my wife's car & her choice after driving the Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus, VW Jetta...this was her choice hands down, & mine too! This is the first car my wife says, "she loves, & loves to drive", that she has ever had! She calls it her "ZZ"=zoomzoom-lol. When reading the original reviews of this car before buying it, I noted that the word "love" was used by most reviewers in the 1st paragragh=now I/we know why-it is plain fun to drive! Excellent car in all ways, as my ideal owned past car was a 1990 Nissan 300ZX, & this car matches it!!

Report Abuse

4.38 out of 5 stars

25,000 MILE UPDATE

hoveringfalcon, 04/26/2013
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful

I've had my 3 for just over a year, and have put 25,000 miles on it. I still think it's a fantastic car. It's not perfect, and I will soon explain why, but it provides a superb combination of sportiness and fuel efficiency that is unmatched in its class. If you love driving but need something that sips gas, look no further. However if you prioritize comfort and luxury options above all else, you might want to cross shop before you buy.

Report Abuse

5 out of 5 stars

My manual has great “zoom zoom zoom”

R Dub, 09/03/2018
updated 09/07/2021
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful

2018- First off, mine’s a manual. I have excellent get-up-and-go (yes, with AC on) unlike some other reviews I saw on here, & I’m guessing it’s because I’m selecting the gear for acceleration. I’ve had this car for 5 years now. I get 32 mpg- some city, but mainly half mountain pass commuting and half So Cal stop-and-go traffic fwy commuting, with my average weekly commute currently at about 300 miles. To me, with rough mileage like that, 32mpg is excellent. I love scooting on up the mountain in this car, it’s always a pleasure to drive. It’s got great zip & has excellent handling. My husband says the road noise is higher than average but it has never bothered me since I put non-factory tires on it- it’s amazing what a good tire can do. Other cars I’ve driven on these same roads are a manual 2002 Nissan Altima, a manual 2001 hyundai tiburon, and an automatic 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sport Unlimited. They’ve all had good pep (thankfully the Jeep was post 2012 with the beefier engine!). The Altima performed very well, but my Mazda3 has performed the best on the mountian with the steep incline and some tight turns. No mechanical problems thus far. The dash glue can’t handle So Cal summers apparently, and a couple of years ago, the dash material separated by about an inch from the top middle instrument panel. The fake chrome paint stuff on my steering wheel emblem and the regular paint on my steering wheel buttons is starting to show quite a bit of wear this year which is annoying for a 6 yo car. I plan to drive it into the ground, so reselling this won’t be a problem & if all the markings go, I know what the buttons do, so not as big of a problem for me. Mine’s a hatchback & with the back seats laid down, i can fit four of those big rubbermaid bins in there plus extra room for smaller items on top. I think that’s excellent gargo capacity. I’m having a baby soon & I tried out the carseat in the back in all 3 seats and it fits well & is easy to lean in to maneuver and adjust straps. The depth is a little short in the back which has never been a problem with adult passengers, but with the bigger car seats you do have to make sure the front seats aren’t positioned all the way back. I’m 5’6” & my husband is 6” & we both feel comfortable in it. It takes full synthetic for oil, so an oil change is $45 on the cheap end on up to $90 depending on who does it, but keep in mind it’s synthetic and you get more miles between changes- 7000-8000 With synthetic instead of 3000-5000 with regular oil, so it’s comparable since oil change frequency is half. UPDATE-2021- it’s been another 3 years. The wear on the steering wheel emblem and buttons has gotten a little worse and the paint on the “spoiler” on the hatchback is sun damaged. The paint on the rest of the car still looks great. Still zippin’ along. No mechanical problems. Gas mileage is between 27 & 30mpg - no more mountain driving, now I do city and freeway. One infant or all-in-one carseat is fine, but the second one will limit the driver’s space. When we have another kiddo, I may need to get a different car just because of that.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
Report Abuse
3...
Items per page:
5