Used 2012 Mazda 3 Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Regarding engine noise
skyinactiv, 02/17/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Had the car for about two months now. I reviewed all the comments here about engine noise. My family drives the car most of the time and they don't pay careful attention to weird sounds. The only comment I have now is the louder engine noise after cold start in the morning which gets better after about 1 minute. I sent an e-mail to Mazda about it but no response. My dealers response was " bring the car in we will check it out" . The problem is when I take it to the dealer it will not be cold start situation anymore. I will have to take the car out for a drive more often to listen to engine noise during normal use which others are claiming. Other than that everything seems to be okay so far.
Wonderful Little Car
HB, 07/25/2019
updated 07/27/2021
2012 Mazda 3 i SV 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
This is a perfect, basic car. The design is really unique and stylish and the colors add to that. I've had mine for 6 years (purchased used) and have had to do zero maintenance on it apart from standard oil changes/windshield wiper blade replacement/ tire changes. It runs great, a little slow on acceleration up hills but for a 4cyl it does pretty well for itself. It drives effortlessly and has great visibility. It does incredibly well on wet and slick surfaces. It's definitely a fun and comfortable car to drive, the steering/breaking/acceleration are very responsive. Fuel economy is pretty good, notice it's become less efficient over time. It usually gets about 30mpg city and probably more highway if it wasn't always stuck in LA traffic. The interior is very spacious, it fit a rolled-up mattress and smaller pieces of furniture. The sedan beats the hatchback in that respect as there seems to be a little extra length to work with (the seats fold down). The interior feels very light and open, though it does get fairly hot in the sun. The interior is very basic but user friendly. Little tricky to set-up blue tooth. Headlights work great and the windscreen and windows don't fog up like other cars that I've had. The fabric seats are really comfortable and easy to clean and there's a good amount of leg room in the back. The interior has help up perfectly even with sunlight hitting the dash and standard wear. Overall this car is super reliable. I drove it coast to coast with no stops in between and it didn't break a sweat. As for safety, mine was totaled when a driver ran a stop sign and I was unhurt. It definitely doesn't have a great resale value but that might work in your favor if you're looking to buy now, it will definitely last you a long time.
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2012 Mazda 3 for sale near you
3 of 40 listings
- i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-GMSRP: $5,90034 mi away
- i Sport SedanMSRP: $7,995199 mi away
- i Touring Sedan w/SKYACTIV-GMSRP: $5,00064 mi away
See all 40 listings
Good smaller car
retired; grandfather, 05/16/2018
updated 05/16/2019
2012 Mazda 3 i SV 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
I'm a difference finder .. I find what could be better, rather than what's good or great. 2012 Mazda 3 -- i've only got 30,000 miles on it. ZERO mechanical issues so far. ZERO repairs or maintenance [except normal oil changes, etc.]. Visibility from inside is good. I'm retired and so rarely drive during busiest times on highways. Acceleration is what you'd expect from a 4 ... not huge -- and mostly not needed anyway. I'm just on 6 feet ... yes, a Mazda 5 SUV would "sit" better for me. No, I'm not going to rush to buy one ... cost too much for a retiree. I do recommend that you get first quality tires; the original equipment ones didn't make over 27,000 miles. Truly good tires [Michelins or Pirellis] will improve your traction and handling. I chose the lowest model for the cloth seats -- this is Florida and I dislike having my back sweat because the seat is hot. Same engine technology ["skyactiv"] as in newer models. Overall, a fine alternative to a more pricey Toyota or Honda.
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Watch out! Rolls backwards when in auto-drive on hills
sfmaggie, 10/25/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Sport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5A)
11 of 23 people found this review helpful
The automatic transmission doesn't behave like other automatics. I learned this at a stop sign on a steep hill. It was frightening to roll backwards uncontrollably. Took it to the dealer and mechanics said they hadn't heard of such a thing. They tested it on a steep ramp and confirmed what I said. They couldn't find any documentation on how to fix this, so they called their helpline and were told that's just what these automatic transmissions do. There's an item in the owner's manual they were pointed to that instructs drivers to slowly accelerate the gas while letting out the brake pedal. I had more control on hills with a standard stick shift.
Not as good as toyota
alex_z, 12/29/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
7 of 15 people found this review helpful
Have 5000 miles on it. I like interior, Bluetooth, steering, seats. Now about bad things: suspension sucks. It's o.k. for commuting and that's it. Took it for a long trip once and hate it now. It drives o.k. on a smooth road but once you go on a crappy one, your butt will feel every bump. Another bad thing about this car- it's too low. I already hit the bottom a couple of times and now I'm very careful. Visibility is o.k. but not as good as Corolla. I took my wife's old corolla for a 2000 miles trip last week, and it's day and night in comparison of driving. Yes, Toyota sucks in interior and has only 4 speed auto, but much better in comfort. Take it on a crappy road before you buy it.