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The love of my life.
Nicole, 12/01/2015
2012 Mazda 3 s Touring 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 5A)
19 of 24 people found this review helpful
This is my first car (I'm 17 years old). I bought it used with 90,000 miles, chips and dings, and a spoiler, all directing to the fact that the person before me had a blast with it. Still, I've had the car for around a year and haven't had a single problem with it. It's not a sports car by any means, but it is very, very quick. It accelerates like a bolt of lightning, takes corners at any speed you'd like without squealing or pulling from the ground, and the steering is taught and responsive. The turning radius is incredibly tight, and the whole car feels extremely aerodynamic and sporty, especially for a pretty normal mid-size sedan. The cargo space is roomy, enough for me to put my cello in the back if I fold one of the back seats down, in addition to a stand, a backpack, and a fold up chair (which is a LOT). My favorite part, however, is the styling. I have the dark grey touring sedan with a spoiler and tinted windows. The sides are subtly curved, the back is rounded beautifully, and the front... Well, I can't put it any other way. It's the happiest car I've ever seen. The great big smile on the front of my car is what made me fall in love with it. I have a jolly sense of humor, so I don't take my car very seriously; If you want your car to look serious, skip on this one, you'll hate it. But if you want to drive the jolliest mid-size sedan in your neighborhood, you'll fall in love with the clever (and puzzlingly controversial) grille shape. The bonus to all of the above is the gas mileage. I have the skyactiv engine which allows me to get around 30-40 mpg (and it's also bright blue). I'm so very proud of my car, and I treat it like a baby. I hope to be driving it for a long time from now.
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I wish I could say I love the car but...
jl2157, 12/14/2014
2012 Mazda 3 i Grand Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
10 of 12 people found this review helpful
I wanted more than ANYTHING for this car to be the last one I purchased for a while. Fuel economy was great (Avg. 30 MPG City) and it's so much fun to drive. Sadly, at around 11K Mi. one of the transmission valves blew. Mazda replaced all the trans. valves without issue. Fuel efficiency dropped to 28 MPG. Then at 19,500 Mi. the transmission gave out entirely. Mazda Roadside was quick to response and the dealer has been excellent. Still, I've only had the car 2 yrs. and the entire transmission is now being replaced!? This was a $24K car. To say I'm very disappointed is an under statement. Sadly, I'm now considering trading this in on a more reliable brand once repairs are done.
2012 Mazda 3 for sale near you
3 of 474 listings
- i Touring SedanMSRP: $8,90034 mi away
- s Touring SedanMSRP: $8,99543 mi away
- i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-GMSRP: $8,99543 mi away
See all 474 listings
The real truth
Stefanie Coombs, 11/19/2017
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
23 of 30 people found this review helpful
I bought my Mazda 3 last summer after researching what used model would be best for the best price. I was initially impressed with the car for the price and mileage on the car. The reviews were so strong on the resale and longevity that I was comfortable paying a higher price for a certified used car. After a week the cabin noise was driving me nuts so I took it to my mechanic for a once over. He told me that nothing appeared to stand out as the culprit for the noise. I began looking on other websites to find a solution. The consensus was that the light body weight that allows for speed also allows for road noise to invade the cabin. For over a year I have just amped up the radio to cover the noise. A week ago I received a notice from Mazda about a gap above the temperature and time display that separates during high temperatures. They called it an "extended warranty program" and not a recall. I took my Mazda back to the original Mazda service company. During the repair, they did an inspection of the car and found the #3 motor mount had started to crack and leak. These motor mounts are oil filled apparently. Again, I researched before allowing them to fix it. What I found was that the Mazdas have a problem with their motor mounts and this is a common repair. I thought great, maybe this is why the cabin is so loud. When I picked up my vehicle from the service company, I could not start the car until the third attempt. The front end shook like the engine was seizing. But the car eventually turned over and was running. The "repaired" dash also had a bigger gap above the time/temperature display. (add a lot of arguing, cursing, and freaking out here and then we will fast forward and save you the drama). The service manager then told me that the Mazdas (particularly around my year) are known to have difficulty with "cold" starts after a "rich" start. A "rich" start being the very first start, then if the car is not allowed to warm for ten minutes and is turned off and started again, it fails or delays to start. He also informed me that the "gap" in the dash board is not actually what the repair was for, and since the dash does not have clips to pull the dash down to the clock, that this is what the repair will look like. So this is the real truth, the Mazda 3 is known for it's loud cabins, cold start problems, bad motor mounts and gapped dashboard problems. And all these things can't help you sell it and run like hell.
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2nd Mazda3 for me in 4 years
gr8mazda3, 09/22/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
After doing a lot of research and comparing the Focus, Dart, Sonic, Cruze, Golf, etc., I just kept coming back to the Mazda3. I had to trade in my previous one, a 2008 GT loaded, due to the manual tranny. I loved that car, but back issues have gotten into my left leg now, and shifting became a safety issue. I passed on the GT model and got the SkyActiv I Touring sedan with 6A. After health issues forced me out of driving for pure fun, I used to hypermile with my 08 model. With K&N filter and using 100% gasoline, I could get 33-35 mpg consistently. It has taken some time for me to get used to that auto, but I got 37 mpg on 1st tank. So much easier on my back, leg, but still zooms.
Still loving my Mazda
Laurel Abreu, 06/09/2016
updated 06/16/2022
2012 Mazda 3 s Grand Touring 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Update: I've had my Mazda for 6 years now and I love it as much as I did when I got it. I've had to do normal maintenance on it: tires, brakes, shocks, etc. But it still runs beautifully and it now has about 120,000 miles on it. I really feel I can get another 5 years or more easily. The car's strength is definitely it's performance. It's a manual transmission and it accelerates well, it handles the curves well, it shifts well. It's a lot of fun to drive. The main issue would be the size and comfort, but it's what is expect with a small car. The front seats are comfortable for short rides, but for long rides I need a cushion. The rear seats also are comfortable but don't have a lot of room. The ride is a bit bumpy. The trunk is small. Mechanically, it's in solid shape and it still is fun to drive. Over 100,000 miles on it and I still don't have any trouble with it. I'm still loving my Mazda.
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