Used 2016 Mazda 3 Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Excellent crash performance
Ash, 09/12/2016
2016 Mazda 3 i Sport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
59 of 59 people found this review helpful
I was hit in the middle of the passenger side by a driver who ran a stop sign, hard enough that I spun 180 degrees and she continued on to hit a house across the street. I estimate she was doing 35-40 mph on a residential street and she never even touched her brakes. The Mazda3 was amazing. 2 days later I have a bruise where the seatbelt crossed my lap and another on my back where I'm assuming the seat supports pressed into me. That's it. No stiffness or soreness, no other injuries. The wreck honestly felt smoother than a bumpy roller coaster ride, although not nearly as fun. And when the air bags deployed, the car used my phone over the Bluetooth connection and called 911 automatically. I really liked my car. It handled well, was comfortable, fun to drive, attractive, and priced right. If the insurance totals mine out, I will be purchasing another Mazda3.
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Mazda for Life
John Sannes, 10/24/2015
updated 10/31/2018
2016 Mazda 3 s Touring 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
40 of 40 people found this review helpful
I have previously owned 3 Mazda cars, just sold a 2013 Civic Si. What I really needed was a commuter car, and always liked the previous Mazda3, so I decided to try a new one. It's great. Comfortable on long drives, has a very nice stereo system in the GT (HD radio and XM). The GT has the Active driving display (HUD) which I really like. I'm not a big fan of the basic-basic dash layout, but the dash mounted infotainment screen gives you a lot of info (HD traffic, Nav, Text SMS, etc.,) The HUD also gives you Nav directions. Car does not perform like a Miata, but it is no slouch either. I have changed tires (and that made a good difference in how the car handles in tight corners). I love manual transmissions (and one is available), but I get into heavy traffic, and my wife can't drive stick. The shiftable automatic is great. Fuel mileage is very good for the size car it is and uses regular gas (avg. 32 mpg). If you are looking for a good all around car the 3 is a great choice; however, I would suggest that you don't skimp and get the bargain basement car hoping to upgrade parts later. I love the GT. UPDATE: 10/2018 25,000 miles (I used the O.E. upgrade and added Apple CarPlay - LOVE it. Sounds dumb but makes the car better by allowing Pandora and Waze to be placed on the Nav screen. Result? I don't like XM, I like Pandora instead. The problem with the 6-sp auto is that is that unlike a manual trans, you can't always tell what gear you're in by putting your hand on the shifter and when moving through traffic, I will lose count - and be in the wrong gear. Using the paddle shifter negates this. Problem solved. Trunk has more room than I anticipated and it's just a very easy car to live with. If only I could afford more than one Mazda at a time. I would buy a Mazda again in a minute.
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Great alternative to the Audi A3
Andrew in Marin, 03/08/2016
2016 Mazda 3 i Grand Touring 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
I stopped buying Japanese cars a while ago. Despite the benefits of reliability and fuel efficiency, the Civic, Corolla and Prius were not fun for me to drive. I then tried a BMW 3 series which was a blast to drive but broke down too much and was expensive to fix. The Passat seemed like a good compromise but still had reliability issues and was expensive at the pump. Why am I telling you all of this? The Mazda 3 grand touring Sedan checks all the boxes for me. It's fun to drive (more so in the city than on the highway) It has a great infotainment system (Bose) and the interior reminded me a lot of the Audi A3 that I was testing (for $10k + more). The interior feels upscale, the acceleration is good and the handing is excellent. It feels much like my Miata from the 90's. My one concern is that I am not getting the advertised MPG which is one of the reasons for choosing this car. I am getting a combined of 28 MPG with modest driving. I had expected more like 33 MPG. The dealer says MPG will improve after 5000 miles (I'm only at 750). That seems like a long break-in time. Has anyone else experienced this? Overall, it's a great car.
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Great Ride and Handling
Mike Horstein, 07/14/2016
updated 01/27/2017
2016 Mazda 3 s Grand Touring 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
The 3s Grand Touring was an easy choice. It rides and handles beautifully. The steering is quick and precise, and the driver's seat is very comfortable. The transmission shifts are crisp, and are very responsive to accelerator pressure. In addition, the audio system is the best I have experienced, no doubt because of the Bose speakers. When stopped temporarily on a hill, you have 2 seconds to move your foot from brake to accelerator before the car begins to roll. The headlights, taking their cue from the steering wheel, swivel to point in the direction you will be going, rather than where the car is pointing. There are, however, a number of annoyances. The electronics (with the exception of closing the driver's window) are disabled when the ignition is turned off. It requires a separate operation to restore the audio. Three distinct operations are needed to select a station, instead of, for example, simply switching between a pair of AM and FM stations. I would have appreciated all four windows, not just the driver's window, operating with one touch. The numbers on the dash cannot be read in sunlight when wearing sunglasses. The blind spot monitoring is mostly an annoyance, forever warning me not to change lanes while I am doing so safely. The reason is that it only measures distance, and has no knowledge of relative speed. While the BSM feature can be disabled, it cannot be decoupled from the cross-traffic alert, a most desirable feature. To deal with this problem, I have attached a pair of blind-spot mirrors to the side-view mirrors, and rely on this combination to make my decisions. While I am satisfied with the 25 mpg (in primarily city driving), the range is a big disappointment. The manual says that the car has a 13.2 gallon tank; however, it functions as if it had only an 11-gallon tank. Both the gas gauge (an inconsistent discrete device) and the range indicator show no miles left when only 11 gallons are required to fill the tank. So I get no more than 225 miles from a tank of gas. I would much prefer the old needle, which was a true indicator of the gas remaining in the tank. Despite these complaints, I would buy the Mazda 3 again, because it is a pleasure to drive.
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Two Weeks In
sarge79usaf@yahoo.com, 03/05/2016
2016 Mazda 3 i Sport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
I have always knew I would end up getting a Mazda3. I went from a 2003 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro that I purchased brand new, to this 2016 Mazda3 2.0. Other than losing all wheel drive and the peppiness of my modified Audi, this automobile is quite an upgrade for me. First off, there is instant power to the wheels, instead of waiting for the turbo to kick in at 3k RPMs. The cabin interior is quite nice, even though I went from leather to cloth. I at first scoffed the side impact avoidance system I went along with, but it actually helps with the slight blind spots this car has; however, the side impact indicators stay on a little too long after I am well past the mouth breather lingering in the passing lane... The entertainment system/Bluetooth connectivity is great and the sound is as well, even though I didn't go with the Bose premium sound. A little weird not having a CD player, but I guess they are a little dated now anyways. As I mentioned the Bluetooth connectivity is a no brainer, so no CD player needed at all for someone with an iPhone/Droid/or any other Bluetooth enabled device. The ride is smooth and handles corners extremely well, as well as the plethora of potholes the wonderful D.C. area has to offer. Speaking of potholes... I took this to New York and this Mazda3 handled their potholes as well like a champ. Overall, I am happy with this purchase, but a little dismayed at how much it would cost just to get the SD card for the GPS. I'll just stick with my cellphone.
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Spartan car with average appeal?
T Truehouse, 04/03/2019
updated 02/09/2023
2016 Mazda 3 i Sport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
27 of 30 people found this review helpful
If you buy a used 2016 Mazda 3 iSport you will be a bit underwhelmed but satisfied, but you might not be thrilled by it. It IS a pleasure to drive, but perhaps only in contrast with my previous car of fourteen years. It feels a little larger and heavier than my spouse's 2006 Toyota Corolla (in fact the weight of the Mazda reminds me of my old 1995 Corolla). The steering is excellent. The seats adjust less easily and have limited settings. The driver's seat on the base model does not appear to be height adjustable and the curve of the seat seems to force you forward into a hunch. The acceleration is smooth, but if you need a fast response (emergency swerve for example) it might not execute as you'd expect. There is no "Sport" button on the base iSport model! However, if you "punch it" while highway driving, then you have the opportunity depress the accelerator (to the floor) a second time for increased acceleration, which I liked. Like many 4-cylinder budget cars, the A/C diverts power from acceleration (you'll hear it rev harder). Also, there is a gear-shift feature that sort of gives manual control over the transmission, but it's really worthless. I have tried it and the automatic transmission is better. It really seems more like a gimmick to make you feel as though you're driving stick (with no reverse for rocking). Cabin noise is considerable. The car sits extremely low to the ground and you should be careful to remember that the plastic front bumper could get hooked on a parking block or snow bank. If you are older or have back issues, you might find getting into it a bit difficult. The brakes are okay. The general visibility is okay, and there is a backup camera, though I use the mirrors because the screen image is washed out and distorted. The "A" and "C" pillars are substantial and the rear passenger windows are small. The interior is dark and the rearview mirror sort of obstructs vision. I find myself actively looking around it. Most of stock technology in the iSport is mediocre and unimpressive. The stereo is very quiet and seems to calibrate the volume with acceleration (gets louder when you rev higher, drops when you de-cel). Because the cabin noise is considerable, you will most likely have to keep the volume up. I barely use the large media screen. When I tried to run an iPhone though it, I could not hear Google Maps turn-by-turn instructions. In fact, the link with the car seems to have suppressed the volume on the phone. When I plugged in an iPod, it will play, but the stereo interface does not preserve the settings consistently after you shut off the car. The bluetooth connection works okay for hand-free phone calls. I am not sure where the car's antenna is located (there is no "nub"). I really want to like Mazdas and their engineering ideas (fuel efficiency, lighter weight, higher compression), but I must say that I am struggling to find reasons for keeping this car. It's not a very practical 4-door sedan (the back seat is cramped), it's not a sports car, and I didn't get the hatch, so the cargo space is limited. The gas mileage average is modestly higher than some competitors and its safety ratings are average. Oil changes will run (approximately) from $60-$90 (for full synthetic) depending on the shop, but, depending on your mileage, they are not frequent (2-3x / year). That said, the car has been reliable and, in the end, that's all that I need. UPDATE: Mileage continues to exceed competitors. I have driven a Toyota Corolla and a Honda CRV, and this Mazda beats both. In fact, this Mazda feels more substantial than a newer Corolla and its technology is on a par with the CRV base model. Moreover, the 2016 screen is superior to the CRV's and maintenance menus are about the same. Plus, there's no turbo in the Mazda, so you don't have to worry about oil dilution (like the CRV). Not much maintenance so far. No visible rust or breakdown of electrics. Generally comfortable ride for long distances. If you need a commuter car, this is a good option. UPDATE 2021: Since the arrival of the COVID pandemic, the used value of this car has risen to $15, 200 (as of today; it was 13, 940 in early July) because of low inventories at dealerships and demand for used cars. It is still averaging about 35-36 mpg in the city and there have been no issues yet (at 50k miles). UPDATE 2022: I sold the car to CARVANA in October of 2021, but not because there was anything wrong with it. We had another car and insuring and maintaining two cars while working remotely seemed unnecessarily expensive. Demand for these cars has risen and the used cost is close to the original MRSP. UPDATE 2023: Having sold the car, all I have are fond memories. Mostly, I recall it was comfortable, felt safe, had smooth transmission shifts, got good mileage, and it was a nice-looking car. I sold it at 50k miles and there were no issues. After I sold it, I bought a 2017 Chevy Spark which is the epitome of no-frills cars, but even the Chevy has better quality internet connectivity, screen interface, really clear backup camera, and a superior stereo. It has a terrible CVT and shifts clumsily, but it gets better mileage than the Mazda and handles about the same. The ride is harder and the seats are less comfortable, but for an inexpensive runabout it's what I need. Buying it made me aware of all the stuff I did NOT need on Mazda such as power windows and mirrors. All that stuff adds weight and expense. I sort of wish cars would go back to basics and pass savings on to consumers, but I know that's unrealistic.
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Might as well be a BMW
Anna Lopez, 05/16/2016
2016 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I was scared to go from a BMW to a Mazda but something pulled me to this car rather than buying yet another BMW. Seriously this car has everything you want in a car but more. It has a luxury badass look outside and in. It has blindspot monitoring, a backup camera, even has voice commands. When I drive this car I feel like a million bucks, I drive fast knowing I'm not wasting as much gas as anyone else is. Plus with gas at almost 3.00 i only pay $19 to fill up. This was my first new car and I was scared [non-permissible content removed], but having it now for 7 months, I love everything about it
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More than Happy
Carlos M, 06/09/2016
2016 Mazda 3 s Grand Touring 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
It was a really hard decision .. Mazda 3 vs Honda Civic , I went to a Mazda dealer looking for the Mazda 3 I-Touring which I drove, after the test drive I wasn't satisfied at all with this car, nice ride, good handling but not enough power then I drove the Mazda 3 "S" what a big difference, I felt the power, response was twice better, acceleration.. If you are looking for fuel efficiency get Mazda 3 "i" if you want better acceleration more powerful engine you must have the Mazda 3 "S". I have been driving this car for 2 weeks I am happy to say I really love it. I drove the the new civic and I have to say it is a beautiful car but those cvt transmission .. those cvt transmissions are horrible.
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2016 Mazda 2.0L I Touring sedan
Ron, 12/30/2018
2016 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Been turning wrenches for over 35yrs ASE.. so I'll go off my mechanics view of this car .. over all the car is better than I expected for a compact car as it rides better than my 06 Lincoln LS sport touring sedan.. the size of the Mazda meets our needs as it's only me and my wife as for a family it may be a bit small but this 3 series is really nice has great handling - brakes - lighting - entertainment - excellent crash rating A+ Reinforcements in the body structure A+ under the hood you can see around the motor another plus unlike my LS you can't see crap ! As I look under hood as a mechanic I see everything and for me that's another plus! Can easily work on this 4cyl a/c waterpump alternator etc plenty of room and it has timing chain no belt drive an added plus for me not having to remove front cover to do belt and water pump etc . Getting good hwy mileage 35 mpg at 75mph , 40.1 below 65mpg .. as for road noise ? I and my wife have no issues talking to each at 75-80 mph as other have stated ? Only real issue I see later down the road - yrs is possible electrical issues like push button start keyless entry electric rack-in pinon steering all computer control etc all mfg are heading this way as you might say I'm old school lol ... For the money Mazda 3 is well built cornering is a breeze and the auto transmission shifts smoothly thru all gears. No it's not a sports car but the handling is better than I expected for a compact car ! Yes it's Mexico production car which doesn't bother me as Mazda has very strict high standards for production! most of the parts I install on American cars are either Mexico or china made ! And some American cars are made in Mexico as well
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Girl Power in My Mazda 3 i Touring 6 speed
Phoenix, 07/02/2018
2016 Mazda 3 i Touring 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I really like my car, I have a 2016 Mazda in 6 speed. I saw it on the lot and fell in love with it. Now that I have it for a while I can say these are some of the draw backs: I do not like the bucket seat, I have to put a pillow behind my back to be comfortable and for some reason I think it is moving slower than two years ago. The MazdaUSA team is extraordinary, I had the interior middle console replaced because the buttons began to sick about three weeks ago. But I want to add that the console is user friendly and it feels like an extension of my hand (when it is not on the gear stick). I do great mpg on it, takes me about $30on a good gas day to fill up and I can get 455 miles (I keep it on range). For those who don't know what range is, the dashboard can display the milage in range, miles and some other stuff, but since I use the navigation I see 60 miles to home and I look at the dash and see 70 miles and know I am good. I gave the purchase and resale an ok grade because my car looks terrible, as soon as a little too much breeze touches it the panel lifts, I can actually see parts of the bumper lifted a little. Oh and it scratches easy too, but I must say it is a beauty when I wash it and clean it up. The inside air filter is great too, I have managed to keep the inside air cleanish. Next is the USB port, it is inside the glove box, and for a compact car that is inconvenient, I have wires stretching out for my charger and my darn navigation in between the the seats. They had a big space where that CD player is and a big enough space underneath it to put the darn USB, another pet peeve is the=at when I have the charger plugged in my headset gets the sound redirected to the car, so I have to choose talk or charge and play out loud. Next problem is that the noise that comes in the car when the windows are down is horrible and when it is up more horrible, I just keep the music on. What I love, the smooth shifting and the display is awesome, it even tells u when it thinks you should down gear. I love the sunroof and the foot rest, the cruise control is great too. The breaks are sharp and the blindspot monitoring is great. If I could choose the car again I would.
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