Used 2010 Mazda 3 Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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diehard080, 02/17/2015
updated 09/21/2020
2010 Mazda 3 s Grand Touring 4dr Hatchback (2.5L 4cyl 5A)
95 of 101 people found this review helpful
When I purchased this car I was under the impression that car's would continually be made to last longer and longer as technology improves. Well that does not appear to be the case and this is why it will be difficult to ever let go of my Mazda 3 SGT HB A . I appears many cars these days are built more cheaply than ever and have a planned obsolescence built in where sometime before 100k major issues arise which cause owners to " just get a new car " . Well thats bunk / because any good car manufacturer has the technology to build cars that can easily last 300k . They often wont , and pack the car full of technological garbage that they sell people on needing instead of using those resources to put better parts in areas of the car that matter, like the engine ...for starters. Self parking , blind spot intervention, etc etc are computers that cost $ , fail at some point , make it more likely something will break and ultimately make people worse drivers by letting them falsely think they dont need to pay attention or learn how to parallel park. Whats really happening is the consumer is paying the auto companies to do R&D on your nickel for the inevitability of self driving cars / anyway- This 2010 Mazda GT was indeed a rare bird that you will likely NEVER see again . Thats why I will never sell it . It was a car that was built to last and was sold right before all the tech stuff you dont need, would have automatically be on ANY car that was at the top of the option spectrum . My GT has leather, Bose , Sunroof , Led Lights and bluetooth ..Which just barely made it into that year . So where did the rest of the $$ to build a $24k car in this class go ? ( and mind you there were many cars $10-20K more that weren't built like this one ) - Alloy rims , yes , Sport suspension, yes and of course all the other handling tech that did improve driving and could be turned off DSC , Abs etc - But heres the kicker that blows the german cars and other 50k cars away - the engine - No not the most hp (167 ) not the best gas mileage 25mpg avg. but the bulletproof components that car makers have all but cut out to save $$ , because after all who keeps a car 300k miles ? ..I DO . Mazda had a well build 2.3 liter 4 cylinder 16 valve dohc that was being used in thier Mazda 3 successfuly for years . in 2010 Mazda had already began work and massive investment into thier skyactive systems which eventually were launched in 2013 . They needed to spruce up the existing Mazda 3 and make it good enough to last until the skyactive line launch in 2013 - So Mazda decided to give it a few nice body tweaks and then address one complaint of 3 owners prior to 2010 -power ! So to save $ they took the existing 2.3 in 2009 , bored to 89mm and stroked up to 100mm making that bad boy into a 2.5 ! pumping out about 17-20 more hp and more torque , but even better - they made it literally indestructible. They took thier aluminum alloy block and forged in 4340 steel molybdenum piston sleeves to reduce friction and deliver high-heat resistance - making this engines cooling fan seldom ever kick on . Since it was bored and stroked they upgraded to a forged steel crankshaft with 8 counterweights. There is a flexible joint between the crankshaft and the flywheel for resonances reduction at the middle and high revs (2,000-5,000 rpm) of the engine. The engine has a cassette type balancer unit as well. It has two balance shafts driven through a gear directly by the crankshaft. Bottom end also received forged powder-metal connecting rods and new aluminum pistons with graphite-coated skirts. !!! god damn !!!! Take that BMW ! The engine has an aluminum alloy cylinder head with four valves per cylinder. On top of the head, there are two overhead camshafts driven by a maintenance-free timing chain equipped with an automatic chain tensioner. The valvetrain has shimless, mechanical bucket tappets (no hydraulic tappets). Intake valve lift is 9.1 mm; exhaust valve lift is 7.8 mm. The 2.5-liter engine is equipped with variable valve timing system for the intake valves only (Mazda's Sequential Valve Timing or S-VT system). Like the 2.3, the 2.5 has a plastic variable length intake manifold. The system name is the Variable Induction System or VIS. The VIS provides long ports layout for low revs and short for high engine revs. Those manipulations increase the pulsing effect of the airflow and draw more air into the cylinder for better efficiency and performance. The 2.5 engine has an electronically controlled sequential, multi-point fuel injection and ignition system with individual direct ignition coils. The exhaust gases go through a stainless steel exhaust manifold/header with a heat-insulating layer and the catalytic converter. Unbelievablely reliable engine for a car that can be bought for under $20 k in the base model ! So the upshot is , that its one of the most trouble free reliable engines built by any car company and rivals the legendary 22re engine that toyota
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Tired of reviews from people who don't realize the full capability of the Mazda 3 S
mazda2go, 10/10/2011
2010 Mazda 3 s Sport 4dr Hatchback (2.5L 4cyl 5A)
84 of 93 people found this review helpful
I had been researching new cars under $25 grand for two close friends for almost the past two years. I had owned four new Mazda products in my life and had enjoyed each and every one of them. I had traded in my last Mazda, a 2000 Protégé ES, for my dream car which was the new 2005 Ford Mustang. Running errands on a day off during the workweek, I ran across a local Mazda dealership rotating their inventory on their lot. Someone was pulling a Crystal White Pearl Mica 3 S hatchback out of the showroom onto the lot. It caught my eye due to already having had the windows tinted. After finishing my errands, I headed back to the dealership and was approached by the sales lady while texting and sending pictures of the vehicle and window sticker to my friends. It was equipped with the Moonroof/Bose package as well as the 5-speed Sport Automatic transmission and had the black cloth interior. She talked me into taking it for a test drive even though I was not purchasing , only looking for my friends. needless to say, the test drive lasted over thirty minutes and consisted of various types of roads as well as taking it up on the interstate. As much as I had coveted my Ford Mustang, I was thoroughly impressed with the 2010 Mazda 3 S hatchback. So much so, that I left the lot in my new Mazda 3 S on September 8th of 2010. I have had my Mazda for over a year and waited until now, October 10, 2011 to write an accurate review. I have read many mixed reviews with, in my honest opinion, inaccurate information that I do want to clear up. First off, this is a COMPACT car. You need to sit in it, front and back to see if it is right size for you. There is no logical reason to try to put 10 pounds of lard in a 5 pound jar or to put a 12 foot tree in a room with an 8 foot high ceiling. Enough said. Second, it's not going to break the speed barrier. It has a 2.5 liter 152 cubic inch front wheel drive motor that only produces 167 horsepower@ 6000rpm and 168 foot pounds of torque @ 4000 rpm. Its a peppy 4-cylinder motor without a turbo. It will do 0-60 mph in approximately 7.5 to 8.5 seconds depending on having the manual or automatic transmission. If you "need" something quicker the MAZDASPEED 3 is the version for what you want with a turbocharged 2.3 liter 263 hp @5500 rpm with a 6-speed manual. Mazda has this covered for you. Do you really need something quicker? My 2005 Mustang with the 4.0 liter V6 with cold air intake got 17 mpg to 25 mpg and it was running around 225 horsepower at a curb weight of 3300 lbs. On the interstate my Mustang could keep up with a new 2010 Shelby Mustang at twice the price to it's owners dislike. This isn't the Autobahn, so once you are at highway speed a quicker 0-60 and higher top end is irrelevant. It has more than enough power to merge with traffic both on and off the interstate. On an emergency trip to our local vet hospital, I was more than impressed with not only it's speed, but also it's stability and handling. Third, gas mileage is rated at 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway for the automatic that I have. I only commute approximately 8 miles each way daily to work and the majority of the time I take the twisty back road where the trip is more "enjoyable". I average 25 mpg. I have gotten as high as 32 mpg on a trip with both interstate as well as bumper to bumper traffic to nearby Pigeon Forge in the Great Smoky Mountains. Curb weight for the Mazda 3 S hatchback with automatic is 3105 pounds. I am quite happy with my gas mileage with my Mazda. You can drive it like a miser or drive it like you stole it. Either way, I enjoy the ride. Fourth, complaints over the size of the NAVIGATION screen. Although mine does not have navigation, the Tom Tom as well as the Garmin have the same size screen. Mazda just places it in the dash for less glare. I can't see justifying the cost where it is included in a package. Fifth, speaking of electronic features in my Mazda 3 S and many car magazine editors reviews of those features, I just have to say this, you are totally unaware of just what all this car will do for you and you have too many cars to drive at one time. With the Bluetooth feature, it synced up perfectly and easily with my iPhone 3GS. Controls on the left side of the steering wheel will not only answer and disconnect the call for you, but it can initialize a call by voice commands by speaking the number or by programming in your favorite numbers to call. You can also increase or decrease the volume of calls as well as the audio system here. Criticisms over the USB being an extra cost option, with the iPhone it connects thru the stereo via the Bluetooth feature sounding as if it was hardwired into the stereo. There is also a button on the left side of the steering wheel to scroll thru your favorite channel settings next to the volume button. Sixth, winter traction in snow with the factory tires. I read so many negative reviews, I figured that someone, especially someone that worked for an automotive magazine would know how to effectively drive in the snow. Due to having 17 inch tires, snow tires in that size were not an option so I purchased a set of low profile tire chains for under $100. Needless to say, I did practice installing them so that I would be ready in case I needed them, which I do recommend. I did not have to use them when driving in 4 to 6 inches of snow. If you drive according to the weather and road conditions, you should have no problems getting to your destination in the Mazda 3.
30K mile UPDATE-
diehard080, 10/12/2012
2010 Mazda 3 s Grand Touring 4dr Hatchback (2.5L 4cyl 5A)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I have revirewed my 2008 versus this 2010 and already have concluded it just that much better. I will focus on the passing of time,servicing and performance continuity. I replaced the Avid-Yoko's which I found on the harsh side like the previous 08-09 suspension set-ups but slightly more ameinable to all-around driving with a bias towards all-out sports car tuned firmness. I installed Bridestones new Pole Position S-04's and even though the overall tire is heavier at 70-90mph this car is silent and super-stable at 85 I'm turning 2900 rpms and its not even breathing hard -this damn 2.5 wants to be ridden to 120+ and sprout wings. Everyting else is tight and right ! Just oil/filter and gas .
A Very Fun ride at a great price
hatcher3, 12/31/2013
2010 Mazda 3 s Sport 4dr Hatchback (2.5L 4cyl 5A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I leased my 2010 Mazda 3 Hatchback 2.5s with Moons and Tunes package in Oct 2010. It has been three awesome years of fun ride. Good: Excellent handling in curves (here in Portland) and really grips well to the road. Very good torque and performance. Overall very good styling in the exterior and the interior. One amazing ride for the price Not so good: Bluetooth could handle adding contacts better. Gas Mileage for a car of this size is not great. I averaged 23/24 over 3 years. High Road Noise which bugged be a bit. The Bose sound helped tune it out, but still it was louder than some other cars I have owners. Not engine noise, but mostly road noise, esp from Tires. Overall- Thumbs Up
Clutch Issue
Raquel, 08/12/2009
2010 Mazda 3 s Grand Touring 4dr Hatchback (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I purchased a 2010 mazda 3 hatchback on 5/31/09. Car was driven for only two days and had problems w/ the clutch disc. Dealer repaired the issue then drove the car the next day. Car just stopped in the middle of the road and will not move, this time dealer ended up changing the clutch and transmission.To make the long story short I opted for a collateral exchange with the same model and specification as the 1st car I purchased.I got a 2nd car,after driving it for 2 weeks, car broke down again bec of the burnt clutch.I have driven a manual stick shift car for almost 20 years and this problem never happened to my Accord and Acura.I opted for lawyer representation bec Mazda won't fix the issue
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