2024 Mazda 3

The Mazda 3 is a compact car offered as either a sedan or hatchback. It can be equipped with one of two engines: a base four-cylinder or an upgraded turbocharged four-cylinder, which also comes with standard all-wheel drive. It might not be as practical or efficient as some of its competitors, but the Mazda 3 has one key thing going for it: It's exceptionally fun to drive.

The Mazda 3 stands out from the crowd with its responsive steering and impressive handling, which contribute to an enjoyable daily driving experience — especially when paired with the available turbo engine. Sadly, the Mazda 3's available six-speed manual transmission is only offered with the base engine and front-wheel drive.

For 2024, the Mazda 3 receives new trim packages, including a Carbon Turbo specification, which brings many of the features from the Carbon Edition package to the 2.5 Turbo model. Also new is the Select Sport package, which replaces the previous Select package. But the biggest news is the addition of an available 10.25-inch center touchscreen. We found the rotary dial interface of the standard 8.8-inch screen a bit cumbersome, so this is a welcome change. The system comes standard on 2.5 Turbo models and adds wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.

The compact car segment has dwindled over the years, but there are still plenty of small hatchback and sedan rivals left for the Mazda 3, including the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Kia Forte and Hyundai Elantra. Check out our test team's Expert Rating below to help you decide if the Mazda 3 is right for you.

To get an idea of the ownership experience, check out the Edmunds 2020 Mazda 3 long-term test. We evaluated a Mazda 3 sedan over the course of one year, and overall, it impressed us, though the non-turbo engine left us wanting for more power. Read all about what we liked and what we didn't.