What's New
The Mazda3 is improved for the 2022 model year with a new Carbon Edition trim, which adds various specification enhancements but no mechanical changes. Indeed, this compact sedan/hatchback range has been effectively unaltered since it debuted in 2019.
Choosing Your Mazda Mazda3
The Mazda3 range is available in sedan and hatchback guises, which are marketed separately. The sedan offers two gas engines, but the hatch only comes with the larger of these powerplants under its hood, while eight trim levels are offered on the sedan and seven on the hatch.
Prices start at $21,815 (all prices include destination) for the 2.0 sedan model, with a two-liter engine. The next model up is the 2.5 S sedan, priced at $24,115; from here onwards, equivalent hatchback models are available for a $1,000 premium. Where it’s available, AWD is a $1,400 upgrade, though it’s standard on 2.5 turbo models. The Mazda3 range tops out with the $35,415 Turbo Premium Plus hatch, which bucks the trend by costing $1,300 more than the sedan.
Engine Choices
Available only in the sedan’s lowest trim level, the Mazda3 range starts with a two-liter gas engine producing 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. This is supplied to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. It returns an EPA-estimated 28 miles per gallon city, 36 mpg highway, and 31 combined.
Every other sedan (and every hatchback) is powered by a 2.5-liter engine that generates 186 HP and the same lb-ft figure in normally-aspirated guise, all fed through the same six-speed 'box bar' a six-speed manual option on one or two models. High-end trims add a turbo to the 2.5-liter engine, boosting power output to 250 hp and 320 lb-ft alongside standard all-wheel drive.
Needless to say, fuel economy fluctuates depending on which engine, body style, transmission, and drivetrain you specify.
Engine Type | Horsepower | Torque | Fuel Economy (City/Highway/Combined) |
2.0 | 155 hp | 150 lb-ft | 28/36/31 MPG |
2.5 | 186 hp | 186 lb-ft | 26/35/30 (sedan 2WD) 26/34/29 (hatch 2WD) 25/33/28 (sedan 4WD) 25/31/27 (hatch AWD) 24/33/27 (hatch 2WD manual) |
2.5 turbo | 250 hp | 320 lb-ft | 23/31/26 (hatch AWD) 23/32/27 (sedan AWD) |
Passenger and Cargo Capacity
Cargo capacity for the five-seater Mazda3 stands at 13.2 cu ft in the sedan, while the hatch offers a more generous 20.1 cu ft with the rear seats in place.
Safety Features
Whichever Mazda3 you choose, safety is catered for with eight airbags, brakeforce distribution with brake assist, traction control, and radar-guided cruise control. Driver aids include lane departure warnings and lane-keep assist, smart braking support, a driver attention alert, and high beam control. Select trims are the first to receive blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, while Premium adds adaptive front lighting and traffic sign recognition. The latter is dropped on Turbo models but recurs on Turbo Premium Plus alongside a 360-degree view monitor, smart rear braking, and self-piloting in traffic jams.
Connectivity
The base Mazda Mazda3 sedan receives an eight-speaker stereo with HD radio, Bluetooth, and twin USB inputs controlled through an 8.8-inch center display with voice command and Mazda-connected services. S models include smartphone mirroring, while satellite radio and a superb 12-speaker Bose audio system arrive on Carbon Edition. Navigation is standard on Premium and Turbo Premium Plus, but it's absent from the base Turbo trim.
2022 Mazda Mazda3 2.0 – MSRP from $21,815
Available exclusively as a sedan with the smallest two-liter engine, base Mazda3s come with automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, folding power side mirrors, and 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Remote keyless entry facilitates access to a cabin where you’ll find air conditioning, a push-button starter, a seven-inch LCD instrument display, and an 8.8-inch infotainment system controlled through a rotary knob.
There are no packages on any Mazda3 model.
2022 Mazda Mazda3 S – MSRP from $22,765
Powered by a larger 2.5-liter engine and available in sedan or hatch guise, S models gain smartphone mirroring but are otherwise identical to the base trim.
2022 Mazda Mazda3 Select – MSRP from $24,115
Keen Mazda-spotters will notice the introduction of larger 18-inch alloy wheels on Select models, alongside integrated turn signals in the side mirrors. Inside, dual-zone climate makes its debut in tandem with a more advanced keyless entry system. The seats receive leatherette trim, while the steering wheel and shift knob go one better with real leather. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts are also standard.
2022 Mazda Mazda3 Preferred – MSRP from $25,765
The first model available with all-wheel drive, Preferred trim adds heated front seats with eight-way power and two-position memory for the lumbar-adjustable driver’s seat. There’s also an overhead console with a sunglasses holder, beside a power sliding glass moonroof.
2022 Mazda Mazda3 Carbon Edition – MSRP from $27,415
Front-drive only Carbon Edition models are distinguished with red leather seating, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, and a signal-boosting external radio antenna.
2022 Mazda Mazda3 Premium – MSRP from $28,365
Featuring signature LED external lighting and paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, Premium models have navigation, traffic sign recognition, and a full-color head-up display projecting onto the windscreen. Black or white leather replaces the red on Carbon Edition models, while adaptive front lighting improves night driving.
2022 Mazda Mazda3 Turbo – MSRP from $31,565
The extra performance generated by Turbo engines is some compensation for the loss of traffic sign recognition, leather trim, and navigation. Curiously, this model gains a heated steering wheel and windshield wiper de-icing.
2022 Mazda Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus – MSRP from $34,115
As its name suggests, the specification elements of Premium and Turbo trims are combined, and to good effect. There’s a heated steering wheel and windshield wiper de-icer alongside navigation and leather trim, while safety is bolstered with a surround-view monitor, rear smart braking, and traffic jam assistance.
Compare Mazda3 Trims Side-By-Side
With so many models, choosing your optimal Mazda3 is a matter of personal taste. We’d recommend a Premium sedan, which has enough creature comforts to feel sophisticated and offers better visibility than the hatchback while also costing a thousand dollars less.