So far so good
jhunterk, 04/02/2013
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Have had the car for 10 months, 6k miles, 0 problem so far. IMHO, it is the best compromise among gas mileage, cosmetics, reliability, and a sporty ride. On highway, the 40mpg is spot on. The hatchback is super useful, once I was able to put FIVE dinning chairs in it. Very good lumbar support too. Con: The ride could be bumpy on crapy road because of its sporty suspension. Not as quiet as toyota, could use better noise isolation
Unbelievably Good Car
Anthony James, 10/25/2022
2012 Mazda 3 i Grand Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
As a car guy at 74, I have owned a lot of cars in my lifetime. Dollar for dollar, the only other one that comes close to my Mazda 3 is my 1990 Miata (which I still have). I bought my Mazda 3 slightly used from our local dealer where I also get it serviced. The car is a wonder. Comfortable, nippy, attractive, and very well built. It gets amazing mileage on regular fuel and is just about the perfect vehicle for two adults. The only thing that will ever pry me out of this car is a yet to be made. That will be whenever Mazda, Honda or Toyota makes a PHEV or EV using solid state batteries to match the 600-700 mile range of this baby. I can wait.
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2012 Mazda 3 for sale near you
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- i Touring SedanMSRP: $7,99924 mi away
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I love it
kylejj, 08/16/2013
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I traded in my Honda Civic for this car and I am now a Mazda guy after loving my Honda. I test drove and researched many of makes and models, but ended up finding Mazda was just a better car and then the price made it even better. The car is a blast to drive and I do drive very hard, but still return an average of 34mpg for 50/50 city/hwy driving. The car handles great, but does have a tight suspension where I feel all the bumps, but that is because the roads in Indiana are awful. The controls are great and easy to use. (no navigation). There is plenty of room for 4 adults and our luggage. I love the versatility of the Hatchback.
the wierd sound issue after 1700 miles on it
jangk, 01/03/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
17 of 25 people found this review helpful
2 weeks ago, I directly emailed to Mazda company with the problem. Then, the issue was transferred to the representative of the dearlership in which I bought, so they was informed by me that issue, and they drove the car with me, but they just explained that " problem is because of new SkyActive transmission, so we cannot sovle the problem fundamentally because the wierd sound is part of manufacture." So with disappointment, I returned to my home.... ....I live Philadelphia suburban area, which means I live in a little bit cold area, but the wierd sound is not related to the cold weather.........
I got the skyactiv mazda3!
caloyski, 01/06/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
8 of 11 people found this review helpful
I love the new skyblue for skyactiv---a real standout from the silver, white & black cars you see on the road. I considered the new elantra, it was a sleek car and gets great mpg like the 3, but I was still biased towards the reliability of japanese cars. And the civic & corolla looked so plain---they were everywhere. I have read some user reviews here about the sound they hear from the engine is a problem. When not used to something, it doesn't neccessarily mean it's broken. It has a new engine, so don't exepct old school appeal. It may make more noise to warm it up than a standard gas engine, but after that it's great. I tried the new impreza w/ cvt, the sound was weird but not broken.
Great commuter car
cardriver15, 12/09/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
6 of 8 people found this review helpful
After test driving the Civic, Focus and Elantra, I decided on the 3 because of that fun factor. It doesn't necessarily feel like an economy car when driving. I'm getting the advertised 32-33 combined mpg. 40+ highway mpg is feasible if you stay below 70mph. I've found 37-38mpg is more realistic if you're like me and tend to drive faster than 70mph on the highway. It's aged pretty good for an almost 3 year old design. I think newer designs like the civic and Elantra already look aged compared to the 3.
Good economy, stiff ride, limited space
foggnm, 08/19/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
10 of 15 people found this review helpful
I've averaged 29.5 in mix of city/hwy driving. The car will get 39 mpg on the highway (when my canoe is not on top). The ride of this car is very stiff off the lot. It was almost jarring, but I think the suspension has loosened a bit or I've gotten used to it. But this is typical of a small/compact car. The car handles superbly. The automatic transmission is so smooth and quiet. Highway performance is adequate, no problems passing or going up hills Cabin noise is minimal for a small vehicle. Cargo capacity is lacking compared to a small SUV or even a mid-size car. Technology/climate controls are simple and easy to use. Questionable value compared to Civic, Corolla, Kia.
Great handling car but unexpected issues.
Kyman, 09/22/2017
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
8 of 12 people found this review helpful
This was actually my 2nd Mazda 3 as I had a 2010 iTouring sedan which was totaled in a rear end accident. I really enjoyed the car as it drove well. I purchased a 2012 iTouring hatchback right away. Great handling and felt more upscale than other compacts in its class. Having come from a Audi A4 before the Mazda 3 felt nice and planted. Steering was responsive with great feedback. Not one issue after 4 years of owning the car. Then, after some routine maintenance I found out the rear shocks were bad and needed to replaced. I noticed the car had been riding roughly before had. This caused the tires to "cup" and required replacement. The car only had about 40,000 miles by then. At this point the car is out of warranty. About a year later the AC stopped blowing cold. I had the AC recharged and was told there's a small leak. This required nearly $600 in repairs. After another stop for routine maintenance I find out the front struts are now leaking and needed replacement. At this point I'd had enough and traded in the car.
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Insurance is high
3_mazdas, 03/27/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Grand Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
10 of 17 people found this review helpful
I own 3 Mazdas, all from 2012 (cx9, 6, and 3). I agree with all regarding this car's excellent performance, gas mileage and design. I have the Grand Touring i with Skyactiv and Tech Package and my wife and I love it for all the reasons above. One word of caution though. Insurance is quite high. The premium for my mazda3 is 50% higher than that of my brand new CX-9 which is worth $10k more than the mazda3. And my wife and I are considered the best drivers by Geico. So, if you think you save lots on gas mileage, think twice, after valueing insurance. THis is considered a sports car, unlike competitors such as Civic or corolla. If you like a fun and green car, then get the mazda3.
2012 Mazda 3 drivetrains
John Hall, 12/11/2018
updated 12/13/2021
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
12 of 21 people found this review helpful
I purchased a 2012 Mazda 3 brand new. It has 58,000 miles on it, and I have performed all required maintenance. I have to replace the transmission at a cost of $5,400 and Mazda has offered no help with an obvious defect!!
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