This is a superb review. He is smart enough to realize people differ in taste and needs. His review isn't driven by ego or any agenda beyond a desire to offer thoughtful responses to the car. I don't know how this could be done better.
Except he has a vegan agenda. Maybe all this while ago he was a little more subdued but he rails against leather seats these days. It’s funny how in his reviews he talks about how much he likes PVC plastic-leatherette and how premium it feels, but then complains about how leather gets hot in summer and cold in winter. Which is it? Leatherette performs equally or worse to leather in this regard, it’s basically vinyl. But he will selectively choose to highlight the positives of leatherette but when it comes to leather it becomes all bad. He can highlight faux alternatives for the vegan-minded, but there’s no need for the level of agenda pushing he does today. Yea we get it you don’t eat meat and like to increase plastic consumption instead of using an organic byproduct that will otherwise be discarded.
Even after owning BMW, Mercedes, and VW in the past, I am very pleased with my Mazda 3 S Grand Touring hatchback. Some minor (imo) compromises compared to the others but I don't miss the high cost of ownership. The Mazda 3 is a great value: Fun to drive, great design in its class, and inexpensive to operate/repair.
I have owned an a4 b7 1.9 tdi tunned for the past 5 years and I am looking for a new car. I am test driving a g120 hatchback next friday. I am really curious about how it goes. There should be no difference in city between the g120 and g165. But if I think more, the g165 would be my final choice. Other cars, I don't really feel like they resonate with me as good.
I love the practical approach you take in your car reviews. They are more attuned to real world driving than other reviewers do. I am now subscribed to your channel.
18" wheels for the Mazda3 Hatch makes such a huge difference for overall sporty design. The Mazda3 range is a safe buy without looking too boring, and with more than enough speed for average commuters, imo. Great review as always!
Always thought the Mazda's were crap for some reason. Last weekend drove a Mazda 2 as a rental car, and boy...what a sweet comfy ride!! Infotainment was top notch, and sound was super as well (far superior that my 2015 Audi A4 B8 !). The 3 must be even better I reckon.
I had a great time looking at this video (picking my Mazda 3 GTM up in a couple of weeks), especially the way you explain everything calmly. Good skills, cameraworks and a great car. Keep it up. I'm subscribing!
Had a 2 litre petrol for 1 year now. Lovely car to drive and for somebody who is tall like yourself Thomas, it has to be the most comfortable car i have driven. Handles so well also, perfect driving position in my opinion.
Hi how is the 2 litre petrol fuel consumption cos am planning to get one tomorrow but I'm Aquarius if is not going to be taking too much fuel am currently using 2.2 desle now but the fuel consumption is more for me am only doing max 10,000m 8000 par year . Thanks
Love all the mazda cars in this new kodo design language! Designwise best brand/indentity right now. Major step up also in the interiors desing and quality! Driving pleasure and reliability/durability ratings very good as usual! If I was to buy a car right now it would definitely be a mazda! Comparing to the german brands the price quality ratio would make the difference... Greeting from Portugal! Keep up the good work!
Great review as always Thomas. I feel that Mazda really knows what they're doing. Their cars are probably the best designed japanese cars. They look italian but then have japanese reliability. Te interior could be better nuilt but it looks really pretty and the rotating knob for the infotainment is the best method and the german premium brands know it. :) Did you go to Italy to test drive the Giulia? I would really like to see your review of it. I know it is not built as good as an A4 but I would love to see your thoughts on it compared with the Jaguar XE.
Thomas I thought your review was very interesting, I have a Mazda3 Fastback 2.0ltr SE L Nav in Soul Red, I have had it since Jan 2016 & I can't complain about it at all, it does everything I want & need. I have no problems with build quality, I have no rough edges or flimsy arm rest. I have previously driven a BMW 3 Compact/ Saloon & a Mercedes C class Coupe, I found the build quality on these to be fairly patchy at best. My car before I got the Mazda3 was a Renault Laguna 2.0 Expression & again I had no build quality problems. To put this in context the build & finish of the Mazda3 is far superior to the next segment up from it, I would definitely get another Mazda3 Fastback but in the Sport mode next time.
Hello Thomas, I really like your car reviews. I think Mazda pretty much underestimated in Europe. I have tested many premium German brands before doing my purchase decision and I should say , it is really hard to understand how VW sells so good with its terrible gear box :) Mazda has a great silent engine and very smooth gear box. I strongly recommend this car to people who wants to buy BMW 1 serie or VW Golf. I did buy 2.2 lt 150 ps diesel motor and I am super happy.
Damn is this guy thorough or what! Will definitely take care no to hurt my fingers from that sharp plastic edge behind the steering wheel. :D Love the review!
+Gronsun96 we always note the wishes of our viewers and we try to fulfill every wish. Sometimes it works quite fast and sometimes it just takes a while. Nevertheless you're welcome!
Drove a 2.5 sedan auto for loan car. Very strong engine and auto feels more like duel clutch than a standard auto, very satisfying! After trying the 2.5 I couldn't go back to the 2.0
I always like hatchbacks better, I actually had a 2nd gen Mazda3 hatch, but in this generation I went for the sedan!, cool thing in Mexico is we can buy the 2.5 petrol!
Great review. I drive the 2014 Mazda3 2.2d. Absolutely love this engine: powerful yet smooth. In NL this engine is now only available in the GT-M line, which is EUR 5000 more expensive than mine back then. This makes a huge difference tax-wise when driving it for business/work (lease).
One of the best looking small cars in my opinion (the hatch). The front gives it a nice stance on the road and makes it look a lot bigger than it is I think. Best review of the mazda 3 online!
very thorough review and I have seen all mazda 3 reviews. this is by far the best. interestingly in UK the 2L petrol (sedan) is only available in 120 BHP option and 165 reserved only for hatchback. makes me wonder how the bhp increase has not meant an increase in torque at all.
The 120hp and the 165hp versions are the same engine - only electronically throttle limited to meet softer demands for emission, road tax and insurance in many euro countries. Actually, the 120 hp version is underrated with a power output closer to 140 :)
Thanks for the review, job well done! I would buy the sedan with petrol engine, manual transmission. It's a shame that Mazda doesn't offer the stronger engine with manual gearbox...
It's a pity you don't get the 2.5 litre engine in Europe. Here in Australia we get a 2.0 litre and 2.5 litre petrol and a 2.2 litre diesel. The 2.5 litre petrol is so much better to drive than the 2.0 litre. It completely transforms the car into something much more sporty. The 2.0 litre lacks torque, something the 2.5 never lacks. But a nice review, thank you.
Thomas, a good thing you did is testing the backseat space between the two models. You did not find any difference in the Mazda 3 but in some models there could be a difference like in the Mazda 6 sedan and Mazda 6 Hatch as the 6 has differen space between the wheels. So good thinking. Thumb Up for that. Also something I have experienced myself a difference between the backspace when there are fully electric front seats and manual front seats. This is in the current model Nissan Xtrail. I have tested the Xtrail and the difference in the back space with/without fully electric seats was 4cm in my seating position. Which for me was enough to push my knees in the front seat with the electric seats (1,86cm long like you are). So have that in mind next time when you have a two trim test. It was very strange and the sales person did not believe me at first, so i got a meter to check it and WOW 4cm difference.
Thank you for the comprehensive review. I've been driving the 2.2 diesel saloon since September 2015 and I love it. There is one thing about the car that does get on my nerves and that is visibility. The "A" pillars are intrusive because of the sporty rake to the roof. This can cause problems with roundabouts were your field of view is obscured by the pillar or when you pull up to a junction. Also, because of the high rear waste line you cannot see much when reversing and parking sensors are a must. All that being said I love my car and have learned to overcome the above problems (most of the time).
Great review again. May be its a good idea to do a water wash of the areas of body where you shoot close up shots to add that little bit of extra quality to the video :)
Always perfect reviews, very detailed. Just one question, I know that not a lot changed from the last generation, but i still need your opinion on this car, like the new model has better navigation screen, GVC, better insolation . so a review is more than welcomed , thank a lot.
+bartiz12 Cars that are built somewhere else aren't worse necessarily. The same construction applies normally. The points Thomas pointed out is something that's just part of the design. I used to have the Mazda 6 until very recently (I got a company car), and the thing with the middle console is what my car had as well (no sharp steering wheel edges though). It isn't something that has to do with bad assembly, it's a design thing.
Good review! The Mazda3 makes a good value proposition for those who 1) do not want to shell out 2x the money for a European car, and 2) trust Japanese engineering.
OK, that was scary: when I saw the side profile of the sedan, I thought to myself: "That doesn't look quite right, the rear needs to be a bit longer". Only to hear you say that same thing a few seconds later. You were not reading my mind, were you? :-) My choice would be the hatch because of that (and the practicality). I very much like the blue color too, it's the kind of blue I really like. The interior is also quite nice, and the car seems to drive quite nice as well. Just too bad that in Europe we are very limited in choice, when you want to have a gasoline engine AND automatic gearbox. I would want a bigger and more powerful engine than the 120 hp version, but we can't get that here.. Too bad, because I have fond memories of the Mazda 323 I used to have as a student. It served me very well for more than 7 years. (Yes, I was a student for quite a long time! :-) But maybe one day I will drive a Mazda again though..
Great review Thomas! I found it very interesting also because I intend to buy one of those. Personally, I prefer sedan, manual transmission but I still have doubt between 2.0 120 KS and 2.2 150KS... Anyhow, most probably it will be a mazda 3. Cheers :-)
I have the 2015 SP25 Mazda 3 hatchback as our 2nd car, I must say for the price I think it has nice interior design and good value as it is very well equipped. A lot of positives so I will only mention the negatives. - Bose sound system is not that great compared to the standard Pioneer on my CT200H - NVH is quite bad in my opinion especially on freeway 80km/h above. Noticeably a lot noisier than the lexus - The door lock does not auto lock when we drive / auto open when we open the handle - The sunglasses holder is too small. None of my sunnies fit in there..
Got a 2.2D hatch :p Except for the road noise at higher speeds it''s a really nice car! Had an E90 LCI 325 before and the Mazda is nicer to drive. Very sporty, but not as nervous. Smoother and less crashy - 18" M sport chassie vs Mazda with OEM lowering and 19" wheels. It's amazing considering the price! I agree with the host about the sedan. All sedans in this smaller class looks rather strange. Only the older ones like the last 323 or second gen Focus looks good.
THANK YOU for your very nice and detail review. I like your objective and neutral view for the cars. Most of the other testers sound like commercial seller. Question: for me, it would be very interesting, if there is a large difference between the stock speaker system and the bose system. Is it worth it? In austria, we have other trim levels and the main reason for me for the better trim level ("revolution") would be the bose system, but its like 1500€ more expensive. Have you tested them both? (Sorry my english is not the yellow from the egg ;) )
thanks thomas, that's exactly what we want to do ! :) Hmmm, that's a good question. I always had the Bose Sound system in there I think, sound wasnt THAT good afaik. But maybe it is worse without it
excellent review i will go for the hatch version 2.0 engine 18inch wheels much better then 16 inch automatic gearbox ,however for city driving and not in sportiness i guess new mazda 2 is good for the price and for the hatch look and trunk besides m2 hatch looks more proportional on side view
Regarding the sedan vs. the hatchback, I would say it's a toss up which has the better styling. Both are overly fussy in their styling in the rear half-too many lines, curves, and odd angles gives the impression it was designed in a boardroom of company executives who couldn't come to an agreement, so they just decided to stuff everybody's ideas into the car.
The center console seems to be loose on the Mazda 3 and 6, but does it happen with the CX3 and the CX5? Also, this might sound weird, but I would like to see a Suzuki Celerio review.
N/A engines are imho more durable than the Turbos. However as for look and feel, the Golf plays in another league: ruclips.net/video/s3EL0umq11c/видео.html
+Autogefühl Did you ever try to get a reaction from Mazda about the internal build quality issues you've pointed out? Since this isn't the first time we've seen this and it doesn't seem like an expensive fix that is hard to solve, I wonder why these issues are there.
Is it just me, or has the rear been elevated slightly? (I mean, in terms of the taillights) Because if it has, I'm not really a fan of it since it reminds me of the BMW GTs, which in my opinion look awful, and like you said, the taillights should have been elongated a bit in order to make this car seem a bit more sedan-like. But overall, solid cars and an even more solid review Thomas!
Design is fantastic but funny rear seat knee room is a major turn off. Mazda should work on it if they want to compete with rivals. I am wondering how they achieved this low a knee room when the distance between front and rear axles is 270cm, 5cm longer than Golf!
Very good comparison Thomas ! I would go for the sedan version and diesel engine, but for a compact car is quite small compared to the best car in this class, Skoda Octavia. Indeed Mazda has very good engines, but speaking about the engines, I've read that in Holland in ten years will no longer be sold the combustion engines, just electric cars.
Hi Thomas! I was between the Mazda 3 and new Civic. I LOVE the civic's Honda sensing features for Adaptive cruise control, however, for some reason, in Puerto Rico they sell Hondas when new for 5-8,000 ABOVE msrp! They sell Mazdas for around 2,000 above msrp, and so I purchased a 2015 Mazda 3 Gran Touring 2.5L (top of the line model) with only 5,400 miles for $22,500! (I saved almost 10,000).
Yeah the back should be a bit more pronounced just like with the new Superb i think the rear looks kinda strange. Although with the skoda being so long the car is more of a mix between sedan and caravan rather than sadan/hatchback.
+Jan Šinkovec The Suburb is way bigger. Not the same segment. De Mazda 3 is a C segment car, the Suburb a D (like the Mazda 6). The rear can't be too long on a C-segment, because it would go past why a lot of people buy a C-segment.
***** yea like i said its a long car but im talking about the back (c?) pillar, its too far out towards the trunk and it makes the estate version look like a sedan.
Good loking car though he is right about length of the sedan version is to short at the end and this car could could pass as fastback or liftback in my opinion.
I have the 2014 first year for this generation of 6 in the states, if i got the 3 i would pick the 5 door hatchback with the 2.5 engine, and in the states we get a choice of cloth, leatherette or leather, i hope they improve the leatherette seats. as for noise i look at the 6 forum most of the noise is from the dunlops, i plan of getting better tires eventually. Interesting enough at least in the states the new CX-9 coming out will have a 2.5l turbo gas engine.
really bad we don't get the mazda3 automatic gearboy in diesel. here in slovenia,EU we only get petrol automatic, and 2 diesel versions with manual gearbox....
ja dizel avtomatik, kaj pa benz avtomatik.. ki ima 165 konj? .nope, nothing.. dobesedno če hočeš benz automatic potem imaš 120 konj dovolj je rekla mazda.. za slovenski trg seveda.. kar je totalno bedno ker 120 avtomatik za benza dobiš samo pri top konfiguraciji revolution top kar pomeni da daš 26k € za avto ki bo imel 120 konj.. L.O.L. .. dobiš pri škodi, seatu, golfu in drugje za ta denar 150+ konjov brez problemov in z avtomatikom in z benz motorjem..
V prvem komentarju si napisal, da nimamo na voljo dizel avtomatika ... Sem samo napisal, da je ... tudi mene zmoti okleščena ponudba pri nas ...sam bi rad 165 bencinarja avtomatika RT ... Če zaslediš, da ga kje drugje v evropi prodajajo ... mi le sporoči.
v glavnem všeč mi je naraven atmosferski motor 2.0 oz. 2.5(ki ga mazda ne da evropejskemu trgu, no vsaj slovenskemu ne), ampak 120 konj ni dovolj, vsaj 150 rabiš, dizel pa itak pride v poštev če imaš službo tam 40km+ od svojega doma.. jz mam 5 km.. lol, ni šans da kupim dizla, ..rabim benza pa močnega da mi bo se všeč vozit ko grem mal izven svoje okolice.. po drug stran za 22k € dobiš hudga megane grandtoura, karavana z ravnim dnom -prtljažnik se ful hudo zloži, avtomatično z pritiskom na gum zadaj, prostora dovolj da spiš v njem.. poraba benza dokaj mala, celo malo boljša od mazde 3.. res pa da ima turbino kar mi ni všeč, po drugi strani koliko časa nameravaš imeti avto, 20 let? potem avto s turbino prej crkne kot naravni motor ki ga ma mazda(atmosferski).. po drug strani ga bomo res imeli 20 let.. ponavadi po 5-9 letih zamenjamo avto..tko da turbina gor ali dol who cares.. in 132 konjov je kr vredu.. sem vozil testno megan grandtoura in mazdo 3.. glede na to kar ponuja je megan zmagovalec zdj.. edino kar gre plus mazdi je mogoče lepši zvok motorja(subjektivno), lepši izgled-itak, in to je to več al manj.. megan grandtour ali navaden megan hatch bolj prostorej, fuuul bolj, bolj ekonomičen, bolje zvočno izoliran(mazda ful slabo sem razočaran kar se tega tiče, motor slišim celo v idle v kabini..).. po drugi strani mazda ponuja 8 let garancije oz. 200.000 km.. hmm.. kokerkoli treba testirat vozila, čim več čim boljš.. moram še probat golfa, seata, toyoto(auris, corolla, ) civic hatcha, hyundai elantro.. in potem malo ocenit vse..
+Neo Hideo Golf is more versatile, spacious and practical. You have more engine choices. Mazda drives more sporty and are usually more reliable. Looks are matter of opinion so I am not going to talk about it. If you are after good driving car with sporty feel, go for Mazda. If you want a versatile hatchback which can serve as small family car - Golf is better bet. I personally prefer Mazda, I like naturally aspirated engines, sporty driving and looks (I love the looks). Since I don't need family car I don't mind the space. Once a year it could serve as car to travel in for holidays, you can always buy roof boot / box. I am not a journalist, however I drove Hyundai ix35 and I found it pretty boring compared to 2005 Ford Focus and 2007 (mk6) Ford Fiesta. Driving experience is my priority so you see why I would go for Mazda :) If you are after good driving, you could also check out Ford Focus. Polish reviewer I follow says that new Opel / Vauxhaul Astra is the best compact on sale. Focus is his second.
+Neo Hideo Everyone has a Golf (well at least in Europe :)), and when you drive it, people will assume it's a lease car. The TSI-engines are very unreliable which for me is a reason to look past it. So if you go for the Golf, go for one of the bigger engines (1.6+); but those are also more expensive. I also think this is the better looking car. However, in terms of the car keeping value and as Thomas pointed out some aspects of the internal build quality, the Golf could be better. Did you drive both of them already? Btw, check out the Honda Civic as well. The new one is very good (they have it in the US already) and in Europe the old one got restyled last year and maybe has some interesting promotions looking at the introduction of the new one next year. I prefer the Civic (the one that is current in Europe) compared to my BMW 1 series. For some it might be a bit sporty though. O and in Europe, the new Opel Astra is supposed to be good as well (not sure what that car is in the US. Some Buick??). Haven't experienced it myself though.
Seen our various Seat Leon reviews? Maybe you can decide then: ruclips.net/video/aCF0KER8mFo/видео.html ruclips.net/video/YW0sfUZ5Cy0/видео.html ruclips.net/video/H6yaH0bZTrg/видео.html ruclips.net/video/aU43lvrjdSQ/видео.html
l think you hate Mazda and general every car markets which not German.Ok,you want to commend your car brands, but just be real.Try to find objection as one around steering wheel with the vw or opel or some premium brands and you will see they also have big misses.If just one vw(or another) would be more relaiable then mazda ever,call me.
totally agree with you Thomas, i sense no bias whatsoever, actually unbiased to such a point its refreshing, .. its reason why i watch this channel, real car enthusiast who enjoy the car in every detail and appreciated whatever good it brings and criticize only if they have to,not nitpicking like some other reviewers..
+gbriank1 So what do you have? Probably no car at all? Btw, it's so dumb to compare and value brands based on the logo. The BMW that should go against this is the 1-series. Probably the BMW series that has the worst value for money ratio (I have one, so I know). And Mazda has nothing to do with BMW anyway. I think the only comparable brand is maybe Alfa Romeo.
Right now, a Taurus SHO. And yes, I have owned a Mazda3...previous generation. And I can almost guarantee I've owned more cars than you. Mazda steering is about one of the best EPS systems on the market. Something other brands should acquire from Mazda.
gbriank1 It's just cheap to degrade a brand based on nothing. That was the point. And the Taurus... Isn't that conforming to your reasoning, like the poor mans BMW 3, Audi A4 series or Lexus IS/ES-series or any of the many other cars in that segment that were deemed worthy to be sold internationally?
I'm a Jamaican, living in Canada, watching a German do a review on a Japanese car... Diversity
LoL : Romanian, living ing UK
Same here except i live in Jamaica
@@empresslee8764 a mi birth place, big up st. Elisabeth ‼️
Indian in Canada who grew up in Singapore, watching a German reviewing a Japanese car. 😂
This is a superb review. He is smart enough to realize people differ in taste and needs. His review isn't driven by ego or any agenda beyond a desire to offer thoughtful responses to the car. I don't know how this could be done better.
thanks steve !! Join us for more :)
Except he has a vegan agenda. Maybe all this while ago he was a little more subdued but he rails against leather seats these days. It’s funny how in his reviews he talks about how much he likes PVC plastic-leatherette and how premium it feels, but then complains about how leather gets hot in summer and cold in winter. Which is it? Leatherette performs equally or worse to leather in this regard, it’s basically vinyl. But he will selectively choose to highlight the positives of leatherette but when it comes to leather it becomes all bad. He can highlight faux alternatives for the vegan-minded, but there’s no need for the level of agenda pushing he does today. Yea we get it you don’t eat meat and like to increase plastic consumption instead of using an organic byproduct that will otherwise be discarded.
Even after owning BMW, Mercedes, and VW in the past, I am very pleased with my Mazda 3 S Grand Touring hatchback. Some minor (imo) compromises compared to the others but I don't miss the high cost of ownership. The Mazda 3 is a great value: Fun to drive, great design in its class, and inexpensive to operate/repair.
I have owned an a4 b7 1.9 tdi tunned for the past 5 years and I am looking for a new car. I am test driving a g120 hatchback next friday. I am really curious about how it goes. There should be no difference in city between the g120 and g165. But if I think more, the g165 would be my final choice. Other cars, I don't really feel like they resonate with me as good.
Most of these commentators are tire kickers and dreamers. It`s a solid well built car. Quiet. Comfortable. Reliable.
I love the practical approach you take in your car reviews. They are more attuned to real world driving than other reviewers do. I am now subscribed to your channel.
Thanks a lot Ben! I look forward to read further comments from you to our test vehicles and I'd also like to welcome you to the Autogefuehl community!
The best review I've seen so far for this car. thank you and keep up the good work ;)
thanks buddy!
Agreed. I'm a big fan of Mazda
I couldn't find proper review in English for European Mazda 3model
18" wheels for the Mazda3 Hatch makes such a huge difference for overall sporty design. The Mazda3 range is a safe buy without looking too boring, and with more than enough speed for average commuters, imo.
Great review as always!
+bongmistt thx mate!
Always thought the Mazda's were crap for some reason. Last weekend drove a Mazda 2 as a rental car, and boy...what a sweet comfy ride!! Infotainment was top notch, and sound was super as well (far superior that my 2015 Audi A4 B8 !). The 3 must be even better I reckon.
This is the first review where they show the cloth seats. Thank you for that, not everyone is going to opt for the leather seats.
+Thien indeed!
How is the road noise btw?
Really the best in-depth review channel I’ve seen! Good job and thank you Thomas!
I had a great time looking at this video (picking my Mazda 3 GTM up in a couple of weeks), especially the way you explain everything calmly. Good skills, cameraworks and a great car. Keep it up. I'm subscribing!
thanks so much! Great to have you here now !
Had a 2 litre petrol for 1 year now. Lovely car to drive and for somebody who is tall like yourself Thomas, it has to be the most comfortable car i have driven. Handles so well also, perfect driving position in my opinion.
+Nathan Dawson thanks 4 the feedback !
Hi how is the 2 litre petrol fuel consumption cos am planning to get one tomorrow but I'm Aquarius if is not going to be taking too much fuel am currently using 2.2 desle now but the fuel consumption is more for me am only doing max 10,000m 8000 par year . Thanks
Sedan looks better but hatch is more useful.
Hm really? I actually thought on the contrary. Hatch looks cooler, but the sedan with its bigger boot size, is more practical.
Love all the mazda cars in this new kodo design language! Designwise best brand/indentity right now. Major step up also in the interiors desing and quality! Driving pleasure and reliability/durability ratings very good as usual! If I was to buy a car right now it would definitely be a mazda! Comparing to the german brands the price quality ratio would make the difference... Greeting from Portugal! Keep up the good work!
obrigado !
Great review as always Thomas. I feel that Mazda really knows what they're doing. Their cars are probably the best designed japanese cars. They look italian but then have japanese reliability.
Te interior could be better nuilt but it looks really pretty and the rotating knob for the infotainment is the best method and the german premium brands know it. :)
Did you go to Italy to test drive the Giulia? I would really like to see your review of it. I know it is not built as good as an A4 but I would love to see your thoughts on it compared with the Jaguar XE.
Thomas I thought your review was very interesting, I have a Mazda3 Fastback 2.0ltr SE L Nav in Soul Red, I have had it since Jan 2016 & I can't complain about it at all, it does everything I want & need. I have no problems with build quality, I have no rough edges or flimsy arm rest. I have previously driven a BMW 3 Compact/ Saloon & a Mercedes C class Coupe, I found the build quality on these to be fairly patchy at best. My car before I got the Mazda3 was a Renault Laguna 2.0 Expression & again I had no build quality problems. To put this in context the build & finish of the Mazda3 is far superior to the next segment up from it, I would definitely get another Mazda3 Fastback but in the Sport mode next time.
Hello Thomas, I really like your car reviews. I think Mazda pretty much underestimated in Europe. I have tested many premium German brands before doing my purchase decision and I should say , it is really hard to understand how VW sells so good with its terrible gear box :) Mazda has a great silent engine and very smooth gear box. I strongly recommend this car to people who wants to buy BMW 1 serie or VW Golf. I did buy 2.2 lt 150 ps diesel motor and I am super happy.
thanks buddy - spread the word for us :)
Damn is this guy thorough or what! Will definitely take care no to hurt my fingers from that sharp plastic edge behind the steering wheel. :D Love the review!
holy cow you did the review that i asked for! thanks a lot! gr8 as always
+Gronsun96 we always note the wishes of our viewers and we try to fulfill every wish. Sometimes it works quite fast and sometimes it just takes a while. Nevertheless you're welcome!
I agree with you on HUD , should be either real meaning displayed in wind screen and adjustable up and down .
Drove a 2.5 sedan auto for loan car. Very strong engine and auto feels more like duel clutch than a standard auto, very satisfying! After trying the 2.5 I couldn't go back to the 2.0
Sedan is more beautiful to me :)
I always like hatchbacks better, I actually had a 2nd gen Mazda3 hatch, but in this generation I went for the sedan!, cool thing in Mexico is we can buy the 2.5 petrol!
there is something about the hatch that gets to me... the sportiness!!
Great review. I drive the 2014 Mazda3 2.2d. Absolutely love this engine: powerful yet smooth.
In NL this engine is now only available in the GT-M line, which is EUR 5000 more expensive than mine back then. This makes a huge difference tax-wise when driving it for business/work (lease).
dank u wel !
One of the best looking small cars in my opinion (the hatch). The front gives it a nice stance on the road and makes it look a lot bigger than it is I think. Best review of the mazda 3 online!
Definitely better than any English reviewers :)
💪🙏
Fantastic channel and great car! Keep up the good work
thx! keep supporting us :)
very thorough review and I have seen all mazda 3 reviews. this is by far the best. interestingly in UK the 2L petrol (sedan) is only available in 120 BHP option and 165 reserved only for hatchback. makes me wonder how the bhp increase has not meant an increase in torque at all.
thanks buddy - spread the word to your friends!
The 120hp and the 165hp versions are the same engine - only electronically throttle limited to meet softer demands for emission, road tax and insurance in many euro countries. Actually, the 120 hp version is underrated with a power output closer to 140 :)
Thanks for the review, job well done! I would buy the sedan with petrol engine, manual transmission. It's a shame that Mazda doesn't offer the stronger engine with manual gearbox...
thanks !
Hatch looks way better with the right mods.
Schöner Testbericht!
vielen Dank!
I love this car. I was so happy to see one in my school's parking lot :)
Mazda 3 Sedan Skyactive
It's a pity you don't get the 2.5 litre engine in Europe. Here in Australia we get a 2.0 litre and 2.5 litre petrol and a 2.2 litre diesel. The 2.5 litre petrol is so much better to drive than the 2.0 litre. It completely transforms the car into something much more sporty. The 2.0 litre lacks torque, something the 2.5 never lacks. But a nice review, thank you.
+Crosshead1 Thanks for your support and your information! That's really interesting to hear.
Thomas, a good thing you did is testing the backseat space between the two models. You did not find any difference in the Mazda 3 but in some models there could be a difference like in the Mazda 6 sedan and Mazda 6 Hatch as the 6 has differen space between the wheels. So good thinking. Thumb Up for that. Also something I have experienced myself a difference between the backspace when there are fully electric front seats and manual front seats. This is in the current model Nissan Xtrail. I have tested the Xtrail and the difference in the back space with/without fully electric seats was 4cm in my seating position. Which for me was enough to push my knees in the front seat with the electric seats (1,86cm long like you are). So have that in mind next time when you have a two trim test. It was very strange and the sales person did not believe me at first, so i got a meter to check it and WOW 4cm difference.
+Teodor Milcheliev very interesting to hear! :)
Thank you for the comprehensive review. I've been driving the 2.2 diesel saloon since September 2015 and I love it. There is one thing about the car that does get on my nerves and that is visibility. The "A" pillars are intrusive because of the sporty rake to the roof. This can cause problems with roundabouts were your field of view is obscured by the pillar or when you pull up to a junction. Also, because of the high rear waste line you cannot see much when reversing and parking sensors are a must. All that being said I love my car and have learned to overcome the above problems (most of the time).
thanks for the feedback!
You are so thorough and awesome!
Very nice review! How about a Seat Toledo review? My dad might buy one and your review might help a lot
+Jere Ojala thx! We will note your wish but as we are very busy at the moment we cannot promise that there will be a review soon
I totally understand and really appreciate your response! :)
Jere Ojala
Thank you :)
Very good review, thx
thanks, join us for more reviews!
Great review again. May be its a good idea to do a water wash of the areas of body where you shoot close up shots to add that little bit of extra quality to the video :)
+Dileep Nair thx for your opinion. We note that!
+Autogefühl thank you!
Always perfect reviews, very detailed.
Just one question, I know that not a lot changed from the last generation, but i still need your opinion on this car, like the new model has better navigation screen, GVC, better insolation . so a review is more than welcomed , thank a lot.
+darkdawn01 thanks so much
+darkdawn01 we ll do that in a couple of weeks!
Autogefühl thanks a lot :) looking forward to your reviews, keep up the good work, I really appreciate the honest review from an honest man.
thanks a lot !
Great Review, subbed!
thanks, keep tuning in! :)
i'm on it, still looking for a good compact sedan, may you do more Reviews of them ;)
I am curious if the build quality changed because recently they moved production of Mazda 3 from Japan to Mexico to cope with big sales.
+bartiz12 Cars that are built somewhere else aren't worse necessarily. The same construction applies normally. The points Thomas pointed out is something that's just part of the design. I used to have the Mazda 6 until very recently (I got a company car), and the thing with the middle console is what my car had as well (no sharp steering wheel edges though). It isn't something that has to do with bad assembly, it's a design thing.
Good review! The Mazda3 makes a good value proposition for those who 1) do not want to shell out 2x the money for a European car, and 2) trust Japanese engineering.
cheers! Also check out our review of the new generation:
ruclips.net/video/EE7Et0NioBk/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/Epm7lUZqSfo/видео.html
They have a Ver. That's a little longer in rear it's called the Model 6 lol. Nice drivers car ., reliable !
Thanks
Joe
+TechExplorer haha yeah right with the Mazda6 =) ruclips.net/video/hg912lTCc_U/видео.html
OK, that was scary: when I saw the side profile of the sedan, I thought to myself: "That doesn't look quite right, the rear needs to be a bit longer". Only to hear you say that same thing a few seconds later. You were not reading my mind, were you? :-)
My choice would be the hatch because of that (and the practicality). I very much like the blue color too, it's the kind of blue I really like.
The interior is also quite nice, and the car seems to drive quite nice as well. Just too bad that in Europe we are very limited in choice, when you want to have a gasoline engine AND automatic gearbox. I would want a bigger and more powerful engine than the 120 hp version, but we can't get that here..
Too bad, because I have fond memories of the Mazda 323 I used to have as a student. It served me very well for more than 7 years. (Yes, I was a student for quite a long time! :-) But maybe one day I will drive a Mazda again though..
+artemusje2 haha great =))
Great review Thomas! I found it very interesting also because I intend to buy one of those. Personally, I prefer sedan, manual transmission but I still have doubt between 2.0 120 KS and 2.2 150KS... Anyhow, most probably it will be a mazda 3. Cheers :-)
cheers! Feel free to recommend us :)
Another great review. Thanks.
+Richard S 👌
I have the 2015 SP25 Mazda 3 hatchback as our 2nd car, I must say for the price I think it has nice interior design and good value as it is very well equipped. A lot of positives so I will only mention the negatives.
- Bose sound system is not that great compared to the standard Pioneer on my CT200H
- NVH is quite bad in my opinion especially on freeway 80km/h above. Noticeably a lot noisier than the lexus
- The door lock does not auto lock when we drive / auto open when we open the handle
- The sunglasses holder is too small. None of my sunnies fit in there..
+dantze Thanks for sharing your xp with the community!
Got a 2.2D hatch :p Except for the road noise at higher speeds it''s a really nice car! Had an E90 LCI 325 before and the Mazda is nicer to drive. Very sporty, but not as nervous. Smoother and less crashy - 18" M sport chassie vs Mazda with OEM lowering and 19" wheels. It's amazing considering the price!
I agree with the host about the sedan. All sedans in this smaller class looks rather strange. Only the older ones like the last 323 or second gen Focus looks good.
+Roger Skagerström thanks for the feedback !
+Autogefühl I think the sedan looks better...
THANK YOU for your very nice and detail review. I like your objective and neutral view for the cars. Most of the other testers sound like commercial seller.
Question:
for me, it would be very interesting, if there is a large difference between the stock speaker system and the bose system. Is it worth it? In austria, we have other trim levels and the main reason for me for the better trim level ("revolution") would be the bose system, but its like 1500€ more expensive. Have you tested them both? (Sorry my english is not the yellow from the egg ;) )
thanks thomas, that's exactly what we want to do ! :) Hmmm, that's a good question. I always had the Bose Sound system in there I think, sound wasnt THAT good afaik. But maybe it is worse without it
Können in den Kommentaren auch ruhig deutsche Fragen beantworten übrigens ;)
2016 mazda 3 sport nav 2.0 petrol 120hp or seat leon fr 2.0tdi 150bhp which do you think will have better long term reliability?
excellent review i will go for the hatch version 2.0 engine 18inch wheels much better then 16 inch automatic gearbox ,however for city driving and not in sportiness i guess new mazda 2 is good for the price and for the hatch look and trunk besides m2 hatch looks more proportional on side view
+Andre khoury sounds nice !
+Autogefühl would likento know Mr thomas if u agree
Regarding the sedan vs. the hatchback, I would say it's a toss up which has the better styling. Both are overly fussy in their styling in the rear half-too many lines, curves, and odd angles gives the impression it was designed in a boardroom of company executives who couldn't come to an agreement, so they just decided to stuff everybody's ideas into the car.
Is it slow? It seems slow in the video atleast. I’m interested in the diesel model
The center console seems to be loose on the Mazda 3 and 6, but does it happen with the CX3 and the CX5?
Also, this might sound weird, but I would like to see a Suzuki Celerio review.
Thomas, would you buy Volkswagen Golf 2016 or Mazda3 2016?
N/A engines are imho more durable than the Turbos. However as for look and feel, the Golf plays in another league: ruclips.net/video/s3EL0umq11c/видео.html
+Autogefühl Did you ever try to get a reaction from Mazda about the internal build quality issues you've pointed out? Since this isn't the first time we've seen this and it doesn't seem like an expensive fix that is hard to solve, I wonder why these issues are there.
+L.GH. Djoetma The car manufacturers always receive our opinion of the cars and then it is their decision if they want to change it or not.
Is it just me, or has the rear been elevated slightly? (I mean, in terms of the taillights)
Because if it has, I'm not really a fan of it since it reminds me of the BMW GTs, which in my opinion look awful, and like you said, the taillights should have been elongated a bit in order to make this car seem a bit more sedan-like. But overall, solid cars and an even more solid review Thomas!
+MoneyDawg Thanks again! :)
+Autogefühl 👍
How can i lock the four/five doors without the key, and i'm inside of the car?
should be next to the door handle, folding the button above that
One area of concern is the Glare of the dash on the wind screen on Sunny days , should be better !
+TechExplorer yeah thought so too !
Can you tell something about the wheels. Is there a big difference between driving with 16 inch vs 18 inch?
Softer or stiffer ride
Design is fantastic but funny rear seat knee room is a major turn off. Mazda should work on it if they want to compete with rivals. I am wondering how they achieved this low a knee room when the distance between front and rear axles is 270cm, 5cm longer than Golf!
I know this is years later but most of the car is in the long front. Short back also leads to the limited space there.
What year is the Mazda3 in video?
I love my new BN Sedan :)
is it the 2016 or 2017 model you're reviewing?
+TheBlackGhost970 without torque control
I asked if it is the 2016 model or 2017..
2016 one
Very good comparison Thomas ! I would go for the sedan version and diesel engine, but for a compact car is quite small compared to the best car in this class, Skoda Octavia.
Indeed Mazda has very good engines, but speaking about the engines, I've read that in Holland in ten years will no longer be sold the combustion engines, just electric cars.
+Cris FanCars Interesting point! We will check this and thanks for your comment. :)
+Cris FanCars got some more info, indeed in Norway and Netherlands, governments have such plans, not sure when they will be fixed 100 per cent though
Hi Thomas! I was between the Mazda 3 and new Civic.
I LOVE the civic's Honda sensing features for Adaptive cruise control, however, for some reason, in Puerto Rico they sell Hondas when new for 5-8,000 ABOVE msrp!
They sell Mazdas for around 2,000 above msrp, and so I purchased a 2015 Mazda 3 Gran Touring 2.5L (top of the line model) with only 5,400 miles for $22,500! (I saved almost 10,000).
+Gabriel Flores oh wow!
Yeah the back should be a bit more pronounced just like with the new Superb i think the rear looks kinda strange. Although with the skoda being so long the car is more of a mix between sedan and caravan rather than sadan/hatchback.
+Jan Šinkovec The Suburb is way bigger. Not the same segment. De Mazda 3 is a C segment car, the Suburb a D (like the Mazda 6). The rear can't be too long on a C-segment, because it would go past why a lot of people buy a C-segment.
***** yea like i said its a long car but im talking about the back (c?) pillar, its too far out towards the trunk and it makes the estate version look like a sedan.
Beautiful car.
+Autogefühl: Is it a facelift of the current version?
+VolvoCars not that I know of
Which is better/fun Mazda 2 or 3?
3 has more space, 2 is better for inner-city :)
R FlorezD Mazda3 for family driving, Mazda 2 for the city, it's a hoot and looks cool in white with black wheels.
I always use lumber support! So pls tell us every time a car doesn't have one! Thx!
Fold up a towel
Good loking car though he is right about length of the sedan version is to short at the end and this car could could pass as fastback or liftback in my opinion.
Thanks! Also tune in to our video of the new generation, you find with RUclips search Autogefuehl mazda3
I have the 2014 first year for this generation of 6 in the states, if i got the 3 i would pick the 5 door hatchback with the 2.5 engine, and in the states we get a choice of cloth, leatherette or leather, i hope they improve the leatherette seats. as for noise i look at the 6 forum most of the noise is from the dunlops, i plan of getting better tires eventually. Interesting enough at least in the states the new CX-9 coming out will have a 2.5l turbo gas engine.
4:10 Dangerous territory lol
i didn't know they sold the sedan in europe quite strange .
really bad we don't get the mazda3 automatic gearboy in diesel. here in slovenia,EU we only get petrol automatic, and 2 diesel versions with manual gearbox....
Pri attraction in revolution opremi imaš na voljo dizla avtomatika ...
ja dizel avtomatik, kaj pa benz avtomatik.. ki ima 165 konj? .nope, nothing.. dobesedno če hočeš benz automatic potem imaš 120 konj dovolj je rekla mazda.. za slovenski trg seveda.. kar je totalno bedno ker 120 avtomatik za benza dobiš samo pri top konfiguraciji revolution top kar pomeni da daš 26k € za avto ki bo imel 120 konj.. L.O.L. .. dobiš pri škodi, seatu, golfu in drugje za ta denar 150+ konjov brez problemov in z avtomatikom in z benz motorjem..
V prvem komentarju si napisal, da nimamo na voljo dizel avtomatika ... Sem samo napisal, da je ... tudi mene zmoti okleščena ponudba pri nas ...sam bi rad 165 bencinarja avtomatika RT ... Če zaslediš, da ga kje drugje v evropi prodajajo ... mi le sporoči.
v glavnem všeč mi je naraven atmosferski motor 2.0 oz. 2.5(ki ga mazda ne da evropejskemu trgu, no vsaj slovenskemu ne), ampak 120 konj ni dovolj, vsaj 150 rabiš, dizel pa itak pride v poštev če imaš službo tam 40km+ od svojega doma.. jz mam 5 km.. lol, ni šans da kupim dizla, ..rabim benza pa močnega da mi bo se všeč vozit ko grem mal izven svoje okolice.. po drug stran za 22k € dobiš hudga megane grandtoura, karavana z ravnim dnom -prtljažnik se ful hudo zloži, avtomatično z pritiskom na gum zadaj, prostora dovolj da spiš v njem.. poraba benza dokaj mala, celo malo boljša od mazde 3.. res pa da ima turbino kar mi ni všeč, po drugi strani koliko časa nameravaš imeti avto, 20 let? potem avto s turbino prej crkne kot naravni motor ki ga ma mazda(atmosferski).. po drug strani ga bomo res imeli 20 let.. ponavadi po 5-9 letih zamenjamo avto..tko da turbina gor ali dol who cares.. in 132 konjov je kr vredu.. sem vozil testno megan grandtoura in mazdo 3.. glede na to kar ponuja je megan zmagovalec zdj.. edino kar gre plus mazdi je mogoče lepši zvok motorja(subjektivno), lepši izgled-itak, in to je to več al manj.. megan grandtour ali navaden megan hatch bolj prostorej, fuuul bolj, bolj ekonomičen, bolje zvočno izoliran(mazda ful slabo sem razočaran kar se tega tiče, motor slišim celo v idle v kabini..).. po drugi strani mazda ponuja 8 let garancije oz. 200.000 km.. hmm.. kokerkoli treba testirat vozila, čim več čim boljš.. moram še probat golfa, seata, toyoto(auris, corolla, ) civic hatcha, hyundai elantro.. in potem malo ocenit vse..
Beauty...
this or Golf? or something else?
+Neo Hideo Golf is more versatile, spacious and practical. You have more engine choices.
Mazda drives more sporty and are usually more reliable.
Looks are matter of opinion so I am not going to talk about it.
If you are after good driving car with sporty feel, go for Mazda.
If you want a versatile hatchback which can serve as small family car - Golf is better bet.
I personally prefer Mazda, I like naturally aspirated engines, sporty driving and looks (I love the looks). Since I don't need family car I don't mind the space. Once a year it could serve as car to travel in for holidays, you can always buy roof boot / box.
I am not a journalist, however I drove Hyundai ix35 and I found it pretty boring compared to 2005 Ford Focus and 2007 (mk6) Ford Fiesta. Driving experience is my priority so you see why I would go for Mazda :)
If you are after good driving, you could also check out Ford Focus. Polish reviewer I follow says that new Opel / Vauxhaul Astra is the best compact on sale. Focus is his second.
+bartiz12 Marek?
Miguel B. Yes, Marek Drives :)
+Neo Hideo Everyone has a Golf (well at least in Europe :)), and when you drive it, people will assume it's a lease car. The TSI-engines are very unreliable which for me is a reason to look past it. So if you go for the Golf, go for one of the bigger engines (1.6+); but those are also more expensive. I also think this is the better looking car. However, in terms of the car keeping value and as Thomas pointed out some aspects of the internal build quality, the Golf could be better.
Did you drive both of them already? Btw, check out the Honda Civic as well. The new one is very good (they have it in the US already) and in Europe the old one got restyled last year and maybe has some interesting promotions looking at the introduction of the new one next year. I prefer the Civic (the one that is current in Europe) compared to my BMW 1 series. For some it might be a bit sporty though.
O and in Europe, the new Opel Astra is supposed to be good as well (not sure what that car is in the US. Some Buick??). Haven't experienced it myself though.
LEV is which german city?
+Xiahoud Leverkusen, Mazda Europe and Germany have their headquarters there
+Autogefühl I'd always wondered why German Mazda test cars had LEV license plates. Now I know. Thank you.
Crosshead1
You're welcome
new wheels can be picked up cheaply
seat leon fr vs mazda3 hp? :d what would u advice? in turkey mazda not selling well so im trying to decide.
Seen our various Seat Leon reviews? Maybe you can decide then: ruclips.net/video/aCF0KER8mFo/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/YW0sfUZ5Cy0/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/H6yaH0bZTrg/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/aU43lvrjdSQ/видео.html
2016 gt 6 months old and its fucked in 6 months
Not happy
Verdienst du ca. 2000€ und hast du selbst ein Auto
if thomas gets into a MINe HE GET STUCK LOL
👍🏻👍🏻
I really like Mazda , if you dare to own one , Mazda has a tendency to rust . I hope not this model to .
No 2.5L for Europe? You poor guys always get pissy little engines.
tuya 5 ģ
Z😡😡
It looks cheap and plasticky
l think you hate Mazda and general every car markets which not German.Ok,you want to commend your car brands, but just be real.Try to find objection as one around steering wheel with the vw or opel or some premium brands and you will see they also have big misses.If just one vw(or another) would be more relaiable then mazda ever,call me.
+Veselin Jovanovic I have no motivation to promote German car brands or any other brand
+Autogefühl l didn't say it but you are German and it is normaly to more like your domestic brands.
+Veselin Jovanovic i dont :) really unbiased
totally agree with you Thomas, i sense no bias whatsoever, actually unbiased to such a point its refreshing, .. its reason why i watch this channel, real car enthusiast who enjoy the car in every detail and appreciated whatever good it brings and criticize only if they have to,not nitpicking like some other reviewers..
Poor man's BMW.
+gbriank1 So what do you have? Probably no car at all?
Btw, it's so dumb to compare and value brands based on the logo. The BMW that should go against this is the 1-series. Probably the BMW series that has the worst value for money ratio (I have one, so I know).
And Mazda has nothing to do with BMW anyway. I think the only comparable brand is maybe Alfa Romeo.
Right now, a Taurus SHO. And yes, I have owned a Mazda3...previous generation. And I can almost guarantee I've owned more cars than you.
Mazda steering is about one of the best EPS systems on the market. Something other brands should acquire from Mazda.
gbriank1 It's just cheap to degrade a brand based on nothing. That was the point. And the Taurus... Isn't that conforming to your reasoning, like the poor mans BMW 3, Audi A4 series or Lexus IS/ES-series or any of the many other cars in that segment that were deemed worthy to be sold internationally?
***** What are you talking about? If someone can't afford a BMW, Mazda is an excellent choice. Driving characteristics are very similar.
gbriank1 "poor mans BMW" suggests that's the reason to buy a Mazda, that you can't afford something better. This is bullshit.