2023 Mazda Mazda3

…with plenty of substance. Settle into the well-bolstered driver’s seat in a Mazda3, and all is well. A small, chunky three-spoke steering wheel sits in front of you, offering excellent feedback and weighting on the move. The dash is a masterpiece – beautifully screwed together, with knurled dials that click satisfyingly and buttons instead of the unilluminated sliders Volkswagen seems to think we all want nowadays. The only fly in the ointment is the infotainment dial. It’s reminiscent of BMW’s outstanding iDrive system, but there are five menu headings with numerous sub-menus that need to be dialed through. On the plus side, the 8.8-inch screen is pin-sharp and very clearly laid out.

The lack of space reminds you that you’re in a compact, but build quality and available design details like red-or-white on black leather could fool you into thinking you’re in a vehicle from the class above. Mazda CX-5 buyers will recognize a great deal of the instrumentation and switchgear, and that’s a good thing considering it’s long had one of the best SUV interiors. The 3’s cabin is also impressively durable, shrugging off years of family life without a mark to show for it.

It’s decision time. In its attempts to rival its own (and other) SUV ranges, Mazda has given 3 buyers plenty of choices. You can have a sedan or hatchback body style, front or all-wheel drive, two gas engines, manual or automatic transmissions, and half a dozen trim levels. Confusingly, the manual is only available in non-turbocharged FWD sedan models, while turbos are AWD only; the all-wheel drive can be added separately to a few other configurations. Most buyers will end up with a six-speed automatic transmission that’s responsive and smooth, though it does make a bit of a racket higher up the rev band.

For 2023, the old two-liter gas engine has been dropped in favor of a 191 hp 2.5-liter inline-4 unit that offers plenty of punch even when fully loaded. If that’s not enough power, a similarly sized turbocharged engine will blast you to 60 miles in an hour in less than six seconds. It’s a particularly good fit with the hatchback, whose more athletic lines feel better suited to aggressive driving. Handling is excellent and the ride, though firm, is pliant enough not to become tiresome. Fuel economy is also impressive, with cylinder deactivation on non-turbo models pushing the combined figure for FWD automatics to 30 or 31 mpg in hatch and sedan models respectively. Even AWD automatics should be good for 30, though turbo models drop to 26 and 27 depending on body style.

Plenty of equipment. You can park a base Mazda 3 sedan in your drive for $23,615, with the hatchback costing $1,000 more. We’d spend a further $3,000 on the Preferred package, which brings a heated power driver’s seat and a power sunroof, with the Carbon Edition model adding red leather and a 12-speaker Bose stereo for less than $30,000. By the time you’re sinking $36,365 into a Premium Plus hatch, you’re gaining a surround-view camera system and standard AWD on top of the Carbon Edition’s specs.

Whichever model you choose, safety is excellent – another reason to put down your SUV brochure. The 3 dazzles with top ratings from both America’s crash test agencies. Features like adaptive cruise, active lane control, and auto high beams are across-the-range staples, though blind-spot monitoring should be included on hatchbacks due to their compromised rear vision.

Final thoughts. The Mazda3 is a very likable car. Some might question the hatchback’s price premium and unusual styling, but in any configuration, this is a quality product. It’s well-assembled and durable, fun to drive without becoming uncomfortable on longer journeys, and attractively styled inside and out. Mazda is to be applauded for going its own way once again, adding enough character to ensure the 3 stands out in a world of Golf wannabees.

Our criticisms are modest, but limited rear visibility in the hatchback is an issue, and the rear seats can feel quite gloomy due to the relative lack of daylight. The infotainment system gets easier to use with practice, but you’ll end up relying on voice control for simplicity. The 3 sits low to the ground, making entry and exit difficult for people with mobility issues, while the rear is best for two adults and the sedan’s trunk is no more than decent.

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