Used 2012 Mazda 3 Hatchback Consumer Reviews

So Far an excellent car

To keep this short and sweet my wife gets almost 500 miles per 11 gallons of fuel. It is a 14 gallon tank so when the fuel light goes on there should be 3 gallons left but it is hard to ignore the fuel light and the range being under 40 miles. Best example of mileage that we have repeated more than once... 60 mph in 6th gear on a straight and level stretch or road with the cruise control and AC on with 4 people in the car 44.7 mpg turn off the ac and it goes up to 47mpg. This is not drafting and the instant mpg readout will hold steady as long as the road is level.

Best ever! Continues to amaze me!

With over 137,000 miles, this wonderful car continues to feel just like the day I drove it off the lot. Alternator was replaced at 80,000 miles, tune up at about the same miles, front brakes at 115,000 miles and oil changes, windshield wipers and cabin filter. That’s the extent of repairs and maintenance. Really, this is among the best cars I have ever owned in my 50 years of vehicle ownership. Update: 144,000 miles and still great. Our daily driver, even on long distance trips. Update: 150,000 miles, one rear shock absorber aluminum mount failed a few thousand miles ago, total cost to replace both shock absorbers and mounts $300. Can anyone complain about that?! I will be having spark plugs changed this week for $155. Mechanic recommends waiting on coils. No change in opinion about this vehicle, just great! Update 156,000: everything I said above! Update 162,500: I hit a missing part of the road a few weeks ago. Felt the car "Shutter". I was concerned so took the car to our mechanic who did a thorough check of all suspension. Clean bill of health. Just an amazing vehicle. Have I said that before? Final update, 169,750: This is a sad day for me. We sold our other vehicle, became a one car family. Plan was to depend on our dependable Mazda3 for all transportation. Our kids said,"Really? Go get a new car." So...we did purchase a new vehicle and sold our beloved 2012 Mazda3. The young man who purchased our Mazda confided in me that he wanted a Mazda3 Hatchback! He purchased a gem and I am so happy my little buddy went to a good home. So, let's review the last 169,750 miles of this vehicles life. This is the best vehicle I have ever owned, 55 years of driving. It has been a true pleasure to drive, absolutely dependable, drives like the day I bought it, not a speck of oil burned, all...that's all features and systems are operational, and when we sold it, we received top dollar. I will point out that this vehicle was well maintained by an excellent local mechanic however as noted above, minimal repairs were required and maintenance was easy. If you are looking for a used vehicle, this is the best available. It's been 8 weeks since we sold my little buddy and I do miss him!

The Perfect Utility Commuter Car

Having a 70 mile (round trip) commute to drive every day will make you think long and hard about what you want in a car. I waited about 4 months to write this review so I would have a large sample size to go on. About 80-85% of my driving are freeway miles, in San Francisco Bay Area traffic. Having now put about 9,000 miles on the car, I can tell you unequivocally that I made the right choice in a new vehicle. I am AVERAGING 39 mpg. I could probably get better than 40 if I slowed down a little. I've had the mileage get as high as 44.5 mpg over a 35 mile stretch with the cruise control locked in at 65 mph. YSeats are comfy for extended drives. Manual tranny and clutch are very precise.

2000 mile review

Looked at the following Hatchbacks. All Subaru models Nissan Rouge GTI Focus Mazda 3 After looking at everything I was willing to buy, I purchased a 2012 I-touring with Skyactiv Engine and Auto Trans. This power plant it awesome. It is the smoothest I have ever driven. Power really comes on at 2800 to 3000 rpm giving me ability to choose gas mileage or Zoom zoom. The interior is 'Spartan' but still an upgrade from my 2002 Wrangler. I really like the BT hands free phone function. According to the computer I am getting 32.1 MPG since buying the car, (50/50 hwy and city). I checked at the pump and my numbers came back 31.8, that to me is pretty good.

Best of Both Worlds

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!

My manual has great “zoom zoom zoom”

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.

The new Skyactiv engine has some flaws

This new Skyactiv engine (as of 2012) has some drawbacks that new buyers should be aware of. It is a peppy little motor that squeezes a lot of miles out of a gallon of gas, but because it is a direct injection system, you are going to get carbon build-up on your intake valves in less than 80-100k miles. That means taking it to the shop and plunking down 800-1000 bucks to get the carbon removed. You'll know when your check engine light comes on. It happened to me. That same month, another check engine light revealed that a had a bad fuel injector, also costing me lots of $$$. And all of this happened before 80,000 miles. I bought this car new as a work commuter vehicle and I put about 50 miles per day on it (all highway). All of the money that I thought I was saving on gas was spent on maintaining the engine, and making the dealer rich. The car handles stiffly, which I like. Not the most comfortable or refined car. Not very reliable, considering I bought it thinking I would have zero problems until after 100k miles.

My Mazda is a Rocket Ship

I've been driving a 2000 Ford Focus SE Sedan before this car, so you can imagine that most cars would be a vast improvement. Not so, my Focus was a great car, it had great pickup, decent gas mileage(23 mixed) and a rather comfortable ride. But my Mazda is a rocketship. I had wanted a Mazda3 back in 2008 when I was originally car shopping. I ended up with a 7 year old focus because the Mazda was out of my price range. So the fact that I have it now is even sweeter. After test driving the Versa, the Focus, the Fit, and the Elantra, it was pretty much a runaway with the Mazda. I knew it was the car for me 5 minutes into the test drive. Smooth driving, fun to shift, everything is great.

My 4th Mazda wagon

Previously owned: -02 Protege 5 -08 Speed3 -10 Speed3 Many things remain the same through the years. Sporty handling, quirky but some how attractive interior, road noise, fun-to-drive, best hatch for the money, etc. What was new and enticing was the Skyactiv drivetrain and a Mazda3 getting over 30mpg.. let alone nearly 40mpg. Haven't quite gotten there yet on average, but it seems possible. If you keep the RPM around 1800-1900 which is close to 60mph.. you'll break 40mpg. After that it seems to dissipate pretty quickly. You'd be lucky getting over 30mpg at 70mph. At the end of the day, you can pick one of these up for under $17K brand new at some dealers. Best car made under $17K.

Great car with minor drawbacks

2012 Mazda3 S Grand Touring Hatchback (non-skyactiv) bought new in August 2013 since apparently I'm the only one who values tech and aesthetics over fuel economy, and the vehicle sat almost a year and a half with no buyer before I came along. The good: Great handling, a blast to drive, decent acceleration for a 4 cylinder. Love the look of the Crystal White Pearl Mica with black leather interior, side sill extensions and larger wheels than base model. MPG is very close to what it's rated at 24.6 avg mpg so far, roughly 60-40 city to highway miles. Awesome reliability. On my second Mazda since 2007 and roughly 100k combined miles between the two with absolutely no major issues whatsoever. Love the soft blue interior lighting, and the panning HID headlights which give awesome visibility at night. Like the infotainment system overall with the sat radio, etc., but no backup camera?? Blind spot monitoring works great. Interior space is good, and I like the layout of the controls and the overall aesthetic of the interior. Dual climate control is nice for the girlfriend who tends to like it cooler on her side than I prefer, but the auto feature is annoying. The bad: -Road Noise. Let me say it again: Road Noise. This car is DEAFENING at highway speeds. Forget using your stereo to actually hear your music, you have to yell just so your passengers can hear you. People are constantly telling me it's the loudest vehicle they've ever ridden in, which is ridiculous. If you take a roadtrip in this thing, prepare for a long one because it's exhausting to listen to all day. I find myself slowing down just to lessen the noise for a bit of relief. - I believe the navigation system was sent by God to punish me for my sins. Going from Jackson, MS to Panama City Beach, FL, it tried to send me to New Orleans first, adding a 3-hour detour to my trip. Thankfully I was also using my android phone's nav and recognized what it was doing. It never differentiates between "Bear left" and just a leftward bend in the road. Identifies your exit as you are driving past it. I despise this nav system and rarely use it. - The seats are some of the least comfortable leather seats I've ever sat in, and not great for extended use. - Not a fan of push-button starts and smart keys. Just give me a keyless entry and an actual turn key ignition and I'll be happy. My dash cam interferes with it, so if the camera is running and I get out of the car with the engine running, the vehicle re-scans for the smart key and can't find it, so it beeps at me and flashes its no-key light on the guages until the vehicle is restarted. And if the camera is running, the vehicle will not start. Also, there's no way to go from engine on to accessory mode without shutting the whole system down first. Finally, I hate having things in my pockets so I always take the key out and put it in the console, but since my garage is detached, I'm constantly getting up to my apartment door only to find I've closed the garage door and walked away without my keys. Push-button starts are just a hassle for someone like me. - Visibility isn't great with this huge fat C (or D?) pillar. Backing out of parking spaces is extremely treacherous, especially with no backup camera or sensors. - I also hate auto climate control. On a hot day, it's kicks on at full speed to get the temp down to your selected number ASAP. I don't need to be blown away, I just need cool air blowing on me. Never use auto feature.

Body integrity problems

I have a Mazda 3 Sky active with 25000 kilometers on it. The hood has developed numerous small rust spots on it. There are also small areas where the clear coat is peeling off the paint. The color is Graphite gray metallic. The car has been well cared for and is not abused in any way. The fuel economy is good, but not as good as advertised, otherwise love the car. The rust has continued to grow, and I have ordered a carbon fiber hood to replace it, as once started rust cannot be stopped.

Perfect Package..Everything you want/need!!

I purchased my Mazda about 4 weeks ago and put just under 2k miles on it. The car has been awesome! I am a car enthusiast and since I currently cannot swing the money for a BMW I landed on the Mazda. It is a drivers car and has all the feautures you want. Great sound (even the stock system without the bose is clear and loud), bluetooth is awesome with my phone and music and the interior layout of the dash and such are clean, sensible, and easy to use. I never thought I woudl get an automatic car but commuting with a manual is just brutal, but the dual-clutch on the mazda is the most responsive ive seen in a car under 21k. Take off the traction control and the car just begs you to drive it!

Fun, Practical, and Good Looks

Have driven for a week now, love it. Traded a Prius with great mileage, for something I can enjoy, with 6-speed manual, I can shift, sun roof is great, interior and exterior are just cool. Really like the car so far. Gas mileage seems decent so far, won't be on the Prius level, but willing to give up mileage for a bit of sportiness.

Perfect Car

I was planning on writing this great wordy review but after I thought about it I though, keep it simple. I have driven all manors of cars and owned mostly Hondas and Acuras with a Subaru thrown in there for fun. This is how I feel about the Mazda 3s GT. It's awesome in every way. The clutch, shifter, brakes, interior, exterior, stereo, suspension, mileage and ergonomics. It all just works and works very well.

Fun, Good Quality, Good Value

I have had my Mazda 3 a little over a year now. I was considering a Honda and Toyota, and settled on this Mazda, after reading Edmunds reviews. This car is amazing! I love the comfort and feel, the bose audio, everything about it. I would recommend it 100%!

Great all around car

I drove an 02 Civic Si for 9 years and loved it. Traded it in on a CX-7, but the CX-7 did not quite get me what I wanted. I traded it in on the newer Mazda 3 Wagon with the I Grand Touring package. I love it. My gas has been 38mpg while commuting, mostly freeway at 65-70mph and has been 36mpg on a long trip doing 80+ most of the way. I'm 6'3" 220lbs and am fairly comfortable in it. could have more head room, but it's not bad at all. I would not want to put 4 adults my size in it, but can fit the little woman and a 9 and 11 year old in the back. I think the nav is a little useless due to the fact that phones have a better one these days. peppy engine, decent storage.

zoom zoom zoom

Driving this car will put a smile on your face. The new direct-injected SkyActiv engine feels fast and powerful. The car handles great on the road. The i Grand Touring comes well equipped with features like leather seats, sunroof, navigation, bluetooth, and Bose stereo. The seats are comfortable and controls are well positioned. The navigation screen is small and a little awkward to use. Bluetooth works great. Bose audio sounds great. Visibility is pretty good except out the short back window. Good amount of cargo space. Overall the Mazda3 is a great car, and Mazda has improved it for 2012.

Second Mazda 3 - same zoom; better mileage

We traded in a 2004 mazda 3 sedan for a 2012 mazda 3 i Grand Touring hatchback with all the options. Also looked at the Focus Titanium and Subaru Impreza. Both seemed like solid cars, but Focus was more expensive for similar specs, and we don't need the AWD (and slightly lower mpg) of the Impreza. The Mazda hatchback has plenty of room in the hatch for a medium-size dog, and is still a fun-to-drive compact car. Our mileage has been in the low 30's in mixed driving.

Great car for the money!

I don't know what the shutter noise is yet cause I'm too busy blasting music all the time. I picked this car after reviewing a lot of cars in this class and so far it's great. I'm nearing 10K miles and it has met my expectations. My previous car was a corolla so this is an upgrade for me. The car looks and feels better and I get the same fuel efficiency or better(540 mile range on a full tank) I also love the other fun features like blutooth that I didn't have before. No complaints here so I recommend it.

sport friendly

I just purchased 9th of June with 51,000 miles one owner. Very pleased with total package. Small, but steers and drives with good pickup, smooth shifting automatic. I wanted a reliable hatchback that had some sport, good handling and good mileage. The rear storage is small but adequate with flat folding of rear seats. I read reviews and found that some reviews were unfounded with criticism of dash and navigation. I find it very user friendly and deem it a good and wise choice. Thanks for the Zoom Mazda 3, you're not a BMW or Audi but as fun and reliable without excessive cost for repairs. I had an old 626 in the day. It never asked for anything but gas and oil changes and served my family well. Thanks Mazda!! 4 1/2 years later our Mazda 3 is going strong. I just replaced tires in summer, oil changes only so far. Very pleased, everything works and yet again Mazda makes a vehicle that zooms for the long haul. Only complaint if any are the plastic headlight lenses that fog but I have treated and they are not really bad as many other makes like Mercedes and BMW. We like Mazda and would highly consider another, possibly a hybrid. And the Zoooom goes on!!

If you have a highway commute...

...set cruise @ 65 through one full tank. Since then my last 5 full tanks have gone from steady 37-38 to over 40mpg, peaking at 42.5 (doing math). It can be done you just have to be smart. Cruise helps more than I thought. Lifetime computer average @ 38.3 after 13k so far. Traded Rio after Kia lied about mpg. 3 is bigger, more fun to drive and much more efficient. A few more standard features would help but my smartphone covers most I would want. Easiest self oil change car I've owned. Next gen looks better but probably more $. Seats more for sport than comfort. Feels solid/reliable. Ride slightly harsh, but drove NJ-FL without chronic injury. Space is useable, lower cargo floor would help.

LOVE this car!!

I got my Mazda 3 hatchback a few days ago and I absolutely love it! Crazy good mpg in town and on the highway (52.9mpg@55mph and 44.0mpg @70mph) all the power I ever wanted, fantastic handling and plenty of room for me and all my gear. I work at another brand dealership, and am willing to deal with the ridicule of my boss and co-workers to drive my 3, it is the perfect car for me. I drive all kinds of cars every day, and the Jetta/Civic/Corolla/Elantra just don't stack up. Only the Focus SE and Dart Ralley compare, the Dart is not offered in a hatch and I have had bad luck with Fords so it was an easy choice for me.

Nice compromise

Having owned both a Madza CX 7 (2011) and a Miata (2002) I have nothing but good things to say about the 3 hatchback. It is fun to drive whether on super highways or on country roads with plenty of room in the trunk to boot. It is highly responsive and much quicker than I had anticipated and gets exceptional gas mileage. My spouse who felt the 7 was unwieldy and difficult to park in tight spots is at ease in the 3 which , we're boomers, is quite bit more comfortable than the Miata. We have not driven it yet in winter but do not anticipate any problems with icy or snowy conditions with the proper snow tires. Ony negative may be the standard Bridgestone Turanzas which are noisy .

I love it

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.

Happy with my Hatchback

I 've now had my 2012 Mazda 3 Hatch for nearly 4years, and am so very happy I went with it. I bought it used with 103K mi; it had been owned by a single owner who even got the oil changes done at the dealership. It's only got 112K miles now on account of I live so close to work. I've yet to do anything to it other than change fluids, filters, battery and tires, run fuel system cleaner through it before I get the oil changed. I find it has reasonable power, and am so happy that it has a more traditional transmission (no CVT), timing chain (I wouldn't trust a timing belt beyond 12yrs), and 4 wheel disc brakes. Leather interior with Bose system. If I can keep it until it is 19yrs old I will be thrilled. It's been a great, reliable car.

2012 Mazda 3 hatch skyactiv

This has been an excellent car overall. Fun to drive, economical, and extremely reliable. Have driven it 160,000 miles and have only changed oil, replaced a batter and tires. No issues whatsover, and it only now needs first set of brake pads ( about 100K of these miles are interstate). My only complaint is that I would like a little more power, but then I wouldn’t have gotten the excellent fuel economy either. So there’s a trade off there.

So far so good

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

the wierd sound issue after 1700 miles on it

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.........

Great handling car but unexpected issues.

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.

Great commuter car

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

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.

2012 Mazda 3 drivetrains

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!!

Still love my car after nearly 5 years!

I bought my 2012 hatchback in February of 2016 and I've never regretted that purchase. It was exactly the car I needed: affordable, reliable, good gas mileage, and fun to drive. I bought the car with just over 50k miles on it and I'm just shy off 100k now. My dealership keeps sending me promotions to get a deal on a trade in and purchase of a new car but this car has been so good for me I'm very reluctant to take them up on it. It's got plenty of pep for a compact car and it handles like a dream. I've never felt as comfortable behind the wheel with any other car as I have with this one. It's also extremely reliable. I haven't had to make any repairs outside regular maintenance on it out of the 4.5 years I've had it. I do wish I had AWD like the newer models but this one does okay for a FWD, even in New England winters. These 2012 models would make an excellent first car for teenagers now or anyone who needs something affordable but solid. My only complaints are that the seatbelt lock is a bit too sensitive and sometimes there's a small hesitation in response after making a stop. Nothing you can't get used to and work around. I love this car so much I'm planning on getting another one (AWD next time though) when I'm ready for an upgrade. Gonna hold onto this one as long as I can though.

Great all purpose driver's car

Mazdas fly under the radar in many ways. They are often overlooked, and therefore sell at bargain prices compared to more popular makes. The Mazda 3 hatchback, aka 5-door, is a great driver's car. With the 2 liter fourbanger and six speed manual, it frequently exceeds 30mpg in spirited driving. It's FWD, but is quite neutral in the curves, with just slight understeer. I've kept up with BMW M3's going over the Santa Cruz mountains on back roads. The Mazda's stick is a joy to use, and the clutch engages smoothly. Revving the engine doesn't sound painful, so you can pass cars easily with by shifting down a click or two, and the return to overdrive sixth and be back in the 30's for mpg. The low points are it's a small car. I'm near the limit at 6'0", and my right knee rests against the center console. More problematic is the sound level; this car isn't insulated very well, and the stock tires are loud. Switching them out made a huge difference, but I waited 25K before doing so. Also, this car with the stick is fitted with smaller wheels, so the absolute best tires (including quietest) aren't available without upsizing the wheels. If I were to do it over, I'd have gone up and inch and fitted it with better/quieter rubber. I did have a stereo system installed, and a lot of sound deadening in the doors and floor helped a bunch. It's an inexpensive car, so you don't get top shelf audio or features with the base model (which is the only one you can get the 6spd manual) but the joy of that shifter and teaching both sons to drive a manual was well worth the inconvenience of upgrading the audio and tinting the windows.

2012 Mazda 3 i Touring

Just traded my beloved 2012 Mazda 3 i Touring for a 2019 CX 3 Grand Touring. I love the CX 3 but still miss my 3 i. The 3 i had much better fuel capacity (14.5 Gal) compared with around 10 for the CX 3 and got much better gas mileage. On the last day I owned the car, it averaged 48 MPG during the 45 mile drive from my home to the dealership where I traded. It then sold in 2 days. Somebody got a car that they're really going to love!

Great little Hatchback!

Really surprised how well is this car running. Bought it with 31k miles on it and it runs like a new car, happy about it. Overall, considering purchase price against what I got (the value), I can't be happier ... good bang for the buck.

Reliable and Feels Great at 136K miles

I have had this car for about 50K miles and it has only needed brakes and tires. With that said I'll say that Mazdas are known to be hard on brakes and tires. I've driven it from Cleveland to Hilton Head twice, and from Cleveland to Louisville a number of times. All trips I've taken it on it has done great. My favorite thing about the car is the way it handles. I had a Genesis Coupe before this car and it seems to handle the same as the Gen Coupe, if not even better. I also enjoy the manual mode. In addition to those things it is just a comfortable car that looks great and still looks modern even though it is 10 years old. I plan on keeping it in the family until the wheels fall off because it is such a solid car.

Zoom zoom fun

I love my car. It's the fifth Mazda that I've owned. I bought it used 1 1/2 years ago. It has a moonroof and 6-speed manual transmission. I bought it with 99,000 miles and now it has 134,000. There is a slight rattle at freeway speeds that's annoying...somewhere near the passenger front seat. The gas mileage averages about 25.5, which is less than the 31 mpg overall that I've gotten from my previous four Mazdas. This apparently is because of the 2.5-liter engine that is not SkyActiv. Aside from the relatively low fuel economy, it is a great car.

18 Months of Driving

I've had this car for 18 months now with over 8,000 miles. It's a skyactiv 6 speed manual. The only complaints I have thus far is the acceleration and the middle console. I find myself needing to downshift to pick up any speed. It's a bit sluggish, but once at cruising speed on the highway, the 3 drives great. The suspension is good. I have hit several pot small holes after a wild winter here in New Jersey, and the 3 has handled them with no problems. The middle console is little to be desired. I wish the arm rest would slide out to accommodate my arm, but it's very short and placed in an odd position. It has storage and I find I need to shift and turn my body around to open it.

Insurance way too high

I pay more for my mazda 3 hatchback than my new juke and it is 3 yrs older. Allstate insurance company said something about it being considered a sports car.

Tirrirrrr sound from engine

I bought 3 HB skyactiv 2.0 I touring a month ago. I drive city & hwy (60% & 40%), and get Average 36MPG, which is good. But, When I drive, I hear a very odd sound, that is heard like "Tirrrrr ttirrrirrrrrrr". It is not normal engine sound, it is extra abnormal sound. Especially in low speed, and at stop sign, that sound is very annoying. I told that problem to dearlership, but they couldn't find out the problem, and didn't fix it. I like eternal design and six speed auto transmission, but I don't want to recommend this vehicle to my friend.

A truly perfect car!

Safety, horsepower, fuel efficiency, value, reliability, and FUN, all in one! Every second behind the wheel of my new Mazda3 is incredible. With Mazda's super reliable track record under the belts of my friends and family and the assurance of my vehicle being a Top Safety Pick, I know that I'll be driving my kids around in this car years from now. So many great features and incredibly fun to drive, and I am still in disbelief at how hard my dealer [non-permissible content removed] worked to get me behind the wheel of this amazing vehicle. You can certainly trust them to put you in the car of your dreams! I would recommend this car to anyone any day!

It's the right car.

I've owned several cars, but I recently purchased my 2012 mazda3 Skyactiv hatch just last summer so I can have a car that will provide some longevity (I've never owned a car for more than 3 years) so I figured I get something economical with some cargo space for my camping and hiking. I was looking to get a Subaru, but I found this Mazda for 10k with only 29000mi on the clock. I can say this. The car is stellar, it lacks a little off the line with the AC going, but it's a little 4 pot, so don't expect much. It's not a car for traveling with a group (but by myself it's perfect) as comfort up front is a little tight on the legs (I'm 5'11") and lacks an overhead bin and some dash cargo space for your phones and stuff. BUT on the highway I average about 41mpg. and to a tank with mixed driving I get roughly 360miles on 28 bucks. So that says something. It feels nimble, and bulletproof, the ride is firm, so get yourself some michellins or pirelli P7 to soften up the ride a bit. But all in all it's a great car that doesn't cost much to own, and it has a terrific safety record. I'm an enthusiast and the technology behind these little zoomers is everything to write home about. No turbo charger which is great because those hey pricey, and it's always fun to drive.

Zoom zoom-zooming

Research models before even entering a dealership...know what you want and price cars are selling at..contact by email before offering to discuss prices...use true car app, edmonds, nada etc to know what these vehicles are selling and negotiate your-not their best price you are willing to pay..use you tube to give you more knowledge...

UNCOMFORTABLE

takes corners and speed bumps terribly. rides extremely stiff

great mileage, cramped and impractical cabin

I drove a Protege5 for 10 years and I loved that car. I fully expected to love my new 2012 Mazda 3 but have been disappointed--no love yet. Yes, it gets awesome gas mileage -- but it is not nearly as spirited or fun to drive as the Protege5. Hugs the road well, but quite sluggish acceleration. If you have the 6 spd manual, plan to do a LOT of shifting very quickly. Disappointing driving experience compared to Protege5. Interior cabin is cramped due to enormous dash and console, and ceiling in rear is much lower than Protege so if you have a dog in the back, it better be a short one.

USED 2012

Great Utilitarian Vehicle with Pep!

Gas Mileage and Power Delivery

One of the reasons I bought my 2012 Mazda3 hatchback with Skyactive was the expected gas mileage. I check it every fill-up and am only averaging about 28mpg with mixed interstate/city driving. I never encounter stop and go driving and the terrain is mostly flat. My best highway-only result was 35 mpg. With other cars I have owned I can usually get better mileage than the estimate. The other issue I have is power delivery. When excellerating from a slow speed or passing the car hesitates for a full second before shifting to a too-low gear. Thank goodness there is a manual shift mode that works well. Don't expect to get 39mpg or Zoom-Zoom with this car. It has neither.

I preferred my 2005 Mazda 3

I traded in my 2005 3 in Jan for a new '12. I absolutely loved my '05 3! So fun & sporty, I was very proud of it. The a/c had gone out on it and after 1 summer in Phoenix with no a/c, I couldn't take it. It does get better gas mileage than the '05 did. I like that you can easily check to see how well your doing with mpg.