Used 2012 Mazda 3 Sedan Consumer Reviews
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.
Love my Mazda
jonno86, 04/22/2014
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I've now owned my 2012 Mazda3 Skyactiv (auto) for almost 21 months, and I still love the car as if I bought it yesterday. In true Mazda fashion, the 3 delivers the fun-to-drive factor - it has razor-sharp steering and handling. It really makes the car handle predictably and makes me feel very connected to the road. However, that close connection to the road reduces ride comfort because of the firmer suspension. This is usually the compromise with a sporty-handling car. Reliability has proven to be rock solid. I was very nervous about purchasing the Skyactiv model with its completely new engine and transmission design, but my fears were unfounded.
Only thing lacking is comfort
Gregg Nice, 11/23/2015
2012 Mazda 3 s Touring 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Bought this car as a dealer demo in December 2012 with 8200 miles on it. Car is almost perfect. Stick shift was smooth and short. Acceleration with the 2.5L engine was more than enough. And the car handled great. Easily the most fun I've ever had driving a car. Also loved the dash. Dual climate control a plus and the AC was ice cold in the S-touring version. Also had buttons in easy to locate places. Never was distracted by needing to look around too much to find a button. Bose sound system is great. Love the exterior and interior looks, clear rear lights and blinkers on the side view mirrors are nice touches. I received lots of compliments on this car. Averaged about 26 MPG combined. Could get 31-32 highway only with No AC, but that's about the best I got. The one big negative......COMFORT. Because it has a sporty suspension you feel every bump. And the front seats are simply not made very well. Also at 6'2 I'm probably an inch or 2 too tall for this particular car. I needed the seat all the way back and the steering wheel just doesn't telescope far enough out for a comfy driving position. Also the seat back adjusters are very cheap. You'll notice the chair takes a while to click in place when adjusting. Within the first month I noticed it was aggravating my back and hips, and unfortunatly I finally had to move on from it last month as the discomfort just became too much for me. However if you are under 6'0 and/or comfort is not a huge deal to you, then I would highly recommend this car. I put about 21k miles on it in the year and a half I had it and never had a single problem. Drove and handled like a dream. And the stick shift was really fun to drive. It's clear Mazda put most of the money under the hood of this car. Which I don't think is a bad thing. Interior doesn't have the greatest materials but I never had a problem with them. If you want a car that's fun to drive that is reliable, safe, and good looking, this is the way to go. If you want a sedan with a smooth ride, look elsewhere.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2012 Mazda 3 for sale near you
3 of 43 listings
- i Touring Sedan w/SKYACTIV-GMSRP: $6,995101 mi away
- i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-GMSRP: $5,90034 mi away
- i Touring Sedan w/SKYACTIV-GMSRP: $11,590177 mi away
See all 43 listings
25K miles update
mokosh, 05/21/2014
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
After 25K miles of ownership I would still give it 3 out of 5 for comfort. Had a computer recall update, (high idling rpm) now it's much better (visit your local dealer and let them update the computer and you'll see the engine difference.) Still too low, new model is 3'' higher. Good for commuting, sucks for long trips. Good mpg. Many useless buttons on a cd player. Rear seats don't have enough leg room. Still reliable. Sitting position not as high as other models. Just understand me right, suspension is perfect on a race track, but not very good on a daily basis - the way too firm. Good for the price, however I would take a look on corolla or civic if you prefer more comfortable ride.
My Fourth Mazda and the Best Yet!
guitar_guy, 12/02/2011
2012 Mazda 3 i Sport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought this after finally retiring and selling my 2003 Eclispe, that was still running strong after 200,000 miles. I love this car. I had test driven others in this class, but the 2012 Mazda 3 could not be matched in terms of combination of preformance, comfort and styling. The build on this car is solid. The manual shifting on this car is smooth as silk, and the gear ratios are very good. I love that the car is equipped with timing chain and stainless steel exhaust, which make for a relatively maintenance-free vehicle. Looking forward to the next 200,000 mile in my fun-to-drive Mazda 3. A great transition from sports car to great performace sedan.
44.6 mpg!!!
caloyski, 09/18/2012
2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
İ have the new skyactiv automatic with 6,000 miles now. Recently, wife moved to a new work and still in process of relocating---in short i travel 180 miles and 5hrs per day, 80/20 mixed highway/city driving at 60mph in highway. İ got 44.6 mpg! İ didn't rely on the trip computer, i did manual math to be sure. İ love this car, handles so well. A bit tight in space, but if you wanted space, go buy an suv and gas up always. Lol. İ drive a 1999 crv same route, i get 22mpg. Transmission changes are so smooth, wow.