Used 2015 Mazda 3 Consumer Reviews
Delighted With MY Mazda 3
Bought my Mazda 3 at the end of July, 2015 and have been delighted. I'll start with the single slight negative: the A-pillar is thick, and the rear view mirror is sort of big, low and close, so that I have to move around a bit to get a good view, especially on left-hand turns. But I can get used to this. Positives: awesome gas mileage of about 38 mpgs in combined driving, which is twice as good as the 2001 Taurus I was daily driving. Noise, I agree, is subjective; the 3's road noise is greater than the heavy old Taurus,s, but way less than a rental Chevy Spark I recently drove. I find it tolerable. Suspension is similarly in-between, and quite adequate. Styling is pretty cool; not as cool as the RX-8, maybe, but close. I'm a '96 Miata owner -- haven't tried to drive the 3 in a sporty way, but figure it would hold its own. I tried the mode where you can manually shift the automatic transmission, but will need to practice that, as it seems confusing in contrast to driving the manual Miata. I wish the display would tell you, when driving in that mode, what gear you're in. Maybe it's there, but I don't know where to look for it?
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2015 Mazda 3 S GT 4 door Review
After driving this car almost every day for 3.5 years, I love it just as much as I did the day I bought it. The only complaint I've ever had is the noise level, but its hard to be fair to the 3 when comparing it to a Mercedes G wagon, Acura MDX, Infiniti G37 and/or Porsche Panamera! Great vehicle.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Mazda 3s Review
This is my second Mazda3, I previously leased a 2011 s Sport which I loved. This time around, I cross-shopped this car with the VW GTI, but decided on the Mazda, based on value, interior design and technology. So far I've really enjoyed the car, and have no issues. Pros: adaptive xenon headlights, design, connect/nav system, fuel economy, steering. Cons: road noise is very prevalent (seems to be common in all Mazdas), lacking some small details from 2011 model; i.e. no interior ambient lighting, visible dual exhaust outlets, or subwoofer. Overall this is a great car for the money, and feels premium behind the wheel. Happy with my decision! Update: I’ve had my Mazda since November of 2014, and will be returning it in February when my lease expires. Overall, driving this car has been a pleasure. It looks and feels just as great as the day I got it. If you’re looking for a car with lots of style, luxury features, and good handling, I would definitely check this car out. It has been great for me as a 28 year old with no kids, and no need to haul things frequently; if you’re looking for a spacious car, this is not it. Mazda continues to impress me, and if I was still in the market for a new car, I would most definitely check them out first.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Upgraded from 2012 Mazda 3 iGT
We had a 2012 Skyactiv GT Hatchback that we liked very much. I had seen the new 2015 on the street and just stopped by the dealership to compare with what we had. To attain the comparable trim level we needed to go to the sGrand Touring hatchback. WOW what a difference. I'm 6'6" tall and this is my wife's car which means I ride in the passengers seat often. The first HUGE change I haven't seen mentioned before - the dash in the 2012 tapered in toward the center console. Sort of defining a personal area for the passenger EXCEPT for us tall folks. This meant that I had to ride with my legs always pressed toward the door. Big bumps and the fear of and accident forced me to protect my knees in this riding position. In the 2015 the dash goes straight across, this alone would have been enough for me to agree to the upgrade. There seems to be more head room also. Cargo area is about the same even though the styling makes the car appear lower and wider. The 2.5 SkyActiv engine's additional torque makes a difference, it's smoother and more capable in town and doesn't require the high RPM's to get this extra oomph and it does less shifting to maintain speed on the road in cruise control. The 2015 also is quieter, and has a more solid feel (like doors the close with little effort and less road noise). We bought our 2012 with the Technology package, the 2015 sGrand Touring came with all those upgrades and more. The rear camera parking assist is useful, the added utility of the cross traffic backup sensor has also saved us stress. The dashboard display is so much better than the dinky display that was embedded in the dash on the 2012 (pretty much useless). The audio system is also improved, the bluetooth has been upgraded, with a smartphone as your music source we enjoy road trips more. All this and the sale price that was only $91 higher than the price of the new 2012. Seemed a no brainer to us. *** Update 1/2020 - We have had no issues with this car mechanically, the only issue was the tires (Dunlops) which weather checked and had separations at the point where the tread and sideway meet. This happened @ 30K just outside the warranty period. This struck me as strange because the car has always garaged.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Zoom Zoom - Great all rounder
I've owned this car (Mazda3 S GT hatch) for a little over a year; and so far it's been a great car all around. It's really an awesome vehicle for the class. The driving dynamics are excellent (fun to drive and handles well), and the steering is most precise I've ever used. Mazda is also still willing to offer a manual for us enthusiasts to enjoy. The interior is really good, especially for the class, and I find it comfortable. Mazda did a really good job with the gearbox, the shiftier feel is good, especially for a cable shifter. The engine is very good for a 2.5...you can keep it down low if you want mileage, but if you keep it above 3k you can really throw yourself around. Still smooth near the readline. What's so great is you get all that in a package with excellent utility (if you get the hatch), and real world MPGs that match the sticker. You also can, for a reasonable price, get all the important options (Xenon headlights, seat heaters, blind spot monitoring, rear camera, etc) that previously weren't in cars of this class. I haven't really had any issues with the infotainment systems, I think they finally sorted that out. My only gripe is that I wish the car had better tires from the factory, but to be honest, I have never found a factory equipped tire I liked in any brand. You can always get a better tire, and for less. Sure, you could get another Japanese brand, but this one is a lot more fun. You want this car? Go get it. 08.24.2016 update - So far, not a single problem. Great car. 02.27.2017 update - Still no problems, still really happy with this car. 08.28.2018 update - Same as it ever was, still a great car, still no problems. 02.28.2020 update - Same as it ever was, still a great car, still no problems. 08.28.2020 update - Same as it ever was, still a great car, still no problems.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value