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Used 2012 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A) Consumer Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
26 reviews

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4.13 out of 5 stars

the wierd sound issue after 1700 miles on it

jangk, Villanova, PA, 01/03/2012
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.........

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3.88 out of 5 stars

Great commuter car

cardriver15, Hayward, CA, 12/09/2012
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.

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4.13 out of 5 stars

Good economy, stiff ride, limited space

foggnm, Albuquerque, NM, 08/19/2012
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.

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3 out of 5 stars

Great handling car but unexpected issues.

Kyman, Rancho Cordova, CA, 09/22/2017
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.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
3 out of 5 stars
Value
3 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars

Great all purpose driver's car

mark1169, Santa Cruz, CA, 02/25/2018
Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Hatchback w/SKYACTIV-G (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

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.

Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
3 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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