I love my Gen 4. I'm glad you brought up the paint issue, my poor mazda is battered with rock chips on my hood. I try not to look at it too closely to avoid being in a bad mood over it 😖. The stop and go cruise control is rad, i feel like people who have had bad experiences with it probably had 2019 models where it wasn't as polished yet. I can understand not trusting it after it acting up once but I use mine every day during my commute no problems. While I love my interior, I have to admit I was a bit jelly when I saw how awesome the 22' Honda Civic interior is. I love that dash. Mazda has some competition again in this class interior wise IMO
Hey, glad you're loving yours! Yeah, the paint was one that I hear over and over again. It sucks that the paint is so weak! Hopefully Mazda is listening to the complaints about it too. That makes total sense about the traffic jam assist! I didn't think about the fact that the complaints may have been earlier production. I'll have to check in with the people that mentioned it. Yeah, in the past few years Mazda has been the clear winner for me between this and the Civic, but Honda has definitely stepped up their game. The Civic Sport Touring vs a Mazda 3 Premium is a way tougher choice now. The interior and the driving dynamics in the Civic are really good, and both offer a manual. Though NA trim vs NA trim or Turbo trim vs Turbo trim and automatic vs CVT, the edge goes to Mazda.
@@atheistmecca971 the dealership considers it “normal wear and tear” unless you make a giant fuss about it. not much can really be done. You can get a PPF film for the car, but they cost a lot. Let’s say you bought a $25,000 Mazda 3. A $2500 PPF install is already 10% of the value the car. it’s a tough sell to me. I just deal with the chips and don’t care anymore tbh.
Pretty much all new vehicle paint is like that. You have to get a professional, high-end, "lifetime" multi-layer ceramic coating to really seal/protect the paint, etc. like it needs.
I own a Mazda 626 Sedan in Prestige Silver Metallic colour, 1990 model ... bought brand new in Melbourne, Australia as a gift from my father for my 18th birthday. He paid $ 32,000 Australian dollars for it back then! It's now 32 years old, has done 500,000 kilometres (310,000 miles) and l continue to drive it daily. Has never failed me. Unbelievable car. I cannot part with it. My first and so far, only car ...!! It still looks like new and has always been outside for its entire 32 years, so far. People cant believe it! Yesterday l purchased the 2022 Mazda 3 Sedan in Sonic Silver Metallic colour. I am so excited. I am keeping my 626 and will never part with it and intend to drive both cars.
That's awesome! I'd love to check out a 626. That's great that it's been so rock solid, and that you still love it! I hope you enjoy your 3 as just as much, and it treats you just as well! I definitely have a soft spot for Mazda, with my 2012 Mazda3 being the first car I purchased myself. Never gave me any trouble, and I loved driving it.
@@GearboxCarReviews Thankyou so much! ... My Mazda 626 still runs like new and looks amazing. In its 32 years l have religiously taken it for servicing/maintenance every 6 months over all those years, without fail! So l have taken care of it really well. That car completely solidified the Mazda brand in my mind ... plus l love the styling of Mazda! Dont know if you ever saw the Mazda Vision Concept car unveiled a few years ago but in my mind it is the MOST beautiful car l have ever, ever seen in my life. Breathtaking. Warmest hello from Melbourne, Australia! 💗
I haven't seen that Vision Concept car, but I'll have to go check that one out! Thanks again for sharing your story, and I'm so glad you found some cars that you love!
The carbon sedan is the value play given you get the Bose without going up to the premium. Plus the sedan is $1000 cheaper than the hatch. Absolutely gorgeous in the polymetal grey. Our next long term review tester.
Agreed! Nice to be able to step up to the Bose system without having to go Premium, and by limiting the options on colors and such, Mazda can keep the price down a bit.
This is a great review: detailed, helpful and balanced, so thank-you. It’s also the review that tipped me over the edge to go ahead and order a 2023 Mazda3 Carbon Edition, over several other options. You’re welcome to share this fact with Mazda/your local Mazda dealership should you wish, as it demonstrates that well put together, independent reviews DO sell cars, in this case, more successfully than the guys in the dealership. Good job brother!
You're welcome! And thank you! Comments like this really help motivate me to keep going with the channel. I'm really glad I was able to help you out with your decision and I hope the car is everything you're hoping for. Thanks again for the comment!
Excellent sedan. Great review. I have a 2014 Mazda 3 sedan. It still runs very strong with no issues. I want to buy the new one, but hopefully Skactiv X will arrive to the United States.
Thanks! Yeah, they're great cars! I'm constantly recommending them to people. I haven't driven a 3rd gen yet, but my jump from a 2nd gen into a 4th gen is such a crazy difference in comfort and noise. Have you driven any of the newer ones yet? Yeah, I'm wondering when Skyactiv X will hit the US. I imagine we're probably a few years off from a new Mazda 3 generation, but I guess we'll see!
There are small changes from year to year and trim level to trim level. The Carbon Edition didn't exist 'til 2022, I think they're dropping the base engine option for 2023(?), cupholders changed around a bit, I believe one year had cylinder deactivation, I believe the Premium trim dropped the heated steering wheel from 2021 to 2022. It's a lot of little things that will have to be looked at on specific trims unfortunately. I wish there was an easier way to track what's what.
Absolutely! There are a lot of factors: your lifestyle, financials, needs, etc, but it's practical, comfortable, fuel efficient, and reliable. Mazda's are typically a great value play. You get a lot for your money and they're solid cars.
I get mine in a week. My old 2013 3 was in a wreck last June, was still mechanically sound before it was totaled! Shame.. But in with the new I guess. I tried to get the Turbo version in black, no luck. This was the second best option so I took it, hoping I'll enjoy the 186 HP compared to my old 2.0.
Oh man, sorry to hear that! It's definitely a much different car than the 13. It's crazy how much they've changed. The interior and the ride are so much more premium than they used to be, and I'm sure the new engine will feel better than the old 2.0. My '12 had the 2.0 and it felt like it was struggling a lot of the time. The new one definitely doesn't. Sorry you weren't able to get into the turbo. Maybe you'll be able to find one to swap out in a year or two. I'm finally going to get a chance to drive a 3 turbo in a couple of weeks. Pretty excited about it! Congrats on the new car!
Great job on this review. Ordering one of these in January 2023. 2 5 litre engine getting a 5 h.p bump to 191 for 2023. Tad bit better mpg due to the cylinder deactivation. Your thoughts on cylinder deactivation in the 2023's, Pro's or cons. Thank you.
Thanks! Congrats on the order! Fuel efficiency isn't really Mazda's strong suit, so cylinder-deactivation should definitely help with that. I believe the Mazda3 had cylinder-deactivation years ago, but there was some kind of recall and they actually stopped for a little while. As long as they've got the kinks worked out, and it's a fairly seamless system, I'd say it should be a positive overall (it should be since they've had it on other models since). It does seem a little strange that they opted for cylinder-deactivation on a 4-cylinder rather than more gears and a more efficient transmission, but I'm certainly no mechanic.
Good call. The horsepower numbers alone don't mean much without talking about weight and the resulting speed. Seems like the Mazda is around 6.9s and the Civic is about 7.5s.
Any time! At the end of the day, you won't really feel a half second difference day to day in the car though unless you're drag racing. Both are solid options for sure.
Unfortunately, this was just a quick review and I didn't get the chance to really try out the adaptive cruise. From what I've heard, it sounds like the earlier ones in the generation (2019) may have had some issues that were ironed out in later years. Hopefully I'll get the chance to test one out more extensively here soon and I can give you a better answer.
I really can't stand piano black either. It's in so many cars, and I just don't understand it. I've seen some aftermarket replacements that are faux carbon fiber that look pretty decent.
I've just ordered 2022 Mazda 3 2.5L hatch in soul red and reading your comments about stone chips do you reckon fitting a bonnet protector would solve this problem?
I think something like that will probably cover you for most of the potential issues, but you'll likely still have to deal with some chips on the sides from your tires kicking up salt and rocks. I would maybe just keep some touch up paint to have on hand as well if you're concerned. I would ask around in Mazda groups to see what solutions they've found, too. But from my reading, it does seem that paint protection film and having touch up paint on hand are the best things to do. Congrats on the new car!
I'm torn between the carbon edition 3 and 6... Sadly no turbo available on the carbon edition Sedan 3 wtf mazda? Might go with carbon ed 6t once the car market chills. On the other hand the 3 got newer stuff like infotainment and better back up camera. I just love the mazda red interiors but not a huge fan of the hatch.
It's so weird how they did some Carbon Editions with turbos and some without. Can you swing a Mazda3 turbo? I think you can get the Carbon color scheme still and then you get the best of all worlds other than the space.
Nah.. with all the hypes! My Mazda 3 2.5L 2023 has a horrific whinning engine noise from idle acceleration. Talking about the whinning CVT hey. I avoided to buy CVT and I ended up with this much worst car the Mazda 3 which I didn't pick up the low rent whining engine during test drive! I brought it back to Mazda and the Mazda mechanic dude said that s how engine is supposed to make noise like that! For a brand new car with a cheap rent noise!. I wanted to punch the guy's face 😢. The car struggle at low rev for a big 2.5L engine, which shocked me and when I hit floor it didn't react 😢.. and when it did it didn't know which gear it should be in so it picked the weakest gear for 7K rpm and of course it just vomited like a old man after that 😭😭😭😭.. it a horrific automatic gearbox I have ever driven😢. Lack of power at bottom end and lack of power at top end. Just a horrific car! The more I drive it the more I hate it😢. I am just normal traffic driver but geez I never thought I bought such a bad just for the look. A heavy SUV can just eat this car at traffic lights. Apart from good body control and great handling and excellent interior this car definitely does not offer driving pleasure. Just very twitchy engine, woeful gearbox and thirsty. For a full tank 51L could only reach < 500Km on average . Shocking for the so call Skyactive G 😢
I love my Gen 4. I'm glad you brought up the paint issue, my poor mazda is battered with rock chips on my hood. I try not to look at it too closely to avoid being in a bad mood over it 😖. The stop and go cruise control is rad, i feel like people who have had bad experiences with it probably had 2019 models where it wasn't as polished yet. I can understand not trusting it after it acting up once but I use mine every day during my commute no problems. While I love my interior, I have to admit I was a bit jelly when I saw how awesome the 22' Honda Civic interior is. I love that dash. Mazda has some competition again in this class interior wise IMO
Hey, glad you're loving yours! Yeah, the paint was one that I hear over and over again. It sucks that the paint is so weak! Hopefully Mazda is listening to the complaints about it too.
That makes total sense about the traffic jam assist! I didn't think about the fact that the complaints may have been earlier production. I'll have to check in with the people that mentioned it.
Yeah, in the past few years Mazda has been the clear winner for me between this and the Civic, but Honda has definitely stepped up their game. The Civic Sport Touring vs a Mazda 3 Premium is a way tougher choice now. The interior and the driving dynamics in the Civic are really good, and both offer a manual. Though NA trim vs NA trim or Turbo trim vs Turbo trim and automatic vs CVT, the edge goes to Mazda.
Is this paint something covered by the warranty?
@@atheistmecca971 the dealership considers it “normal wear and tear” unless you make a giant fuss about it. not much can really be done.
You can get a PPF film for the car, but they cost a lot. Let’s say you bought a $25,000 Mazda 3. A $2500 PPF install is already 10% of the value the car. it’s a tough sell to me. I just deal with the chips and don’t care anymore tbh.
Pretty much all new vehicle paint is like that. You have to get a professional, high-end, "lifetime" multi-layer ceramic coating to really seal/protect the paint, etc. like it needs.
I own a Mazda 626 Sedan in Prestige Silver Metallic colour, 1990 model ... bought brand new in Melbourne, Australia as a gift from my father for my 18th birthday. He paid $ 32,000 Australian dollars for it back then! It's now 32 years old, has done 500,000 kilometres (310,000 miles) and l continue to drive it daily. Has never failed me. Unbelievable car. I cannot part with it. My first and so far, only car ...!! It still looks like new and has always been outside for its entire 32 years, so far.
People cant believe it!
Yesterday l purchased the 2022 Mazda 3 Sedan in Sonic Silver Metallic colour. I am so excited.
I am keeping my 626 and will never part with it and intend to drive both cars.
That's awesome! I'd love to check out a 626. That's great that it's been so rock solid, and that you still love it! I hope you enjoy your 3 as just as much, and it treats you just as well! I definitely have a soft spot for Mazda, with my 2012 Mazda3 being the first car I purchased myself. Never gave me any trouble, and I loved driving it.
@@GearboxCarReviews Thankyou so much! ... My Mazda 626 still runs like new and looks amazing. In its 32 years l have religiously taken it for servicing/maintenance every 6 months over all those years, without fail! So l have taken care of it really well. That car completely solidified the Mazda brand in my mind ... plus l love the styling of Mazda! Dont know if you ever saw the Mazda Vision Concept car unveiled a few years ago but in my mind it is the MOST beautiful car l have ever, ever seen in my life. Breathtaking.
Warmest hello from Melbourne, Australia! 💗
I haven't seen that Vision Concept car, but I'll have to go check that one out! Thanks again for sharing your story, and I'm so glad you found some cars that you love!
@@GearboxCarReviews Thankyou!
Here's a link to the Mazda Vision Concept coupe .... ruclips.net/video/42L5_KCvhnQ/видео.html
I just got mine 2023 hatchback from Modern Mazda. Very great people! Nice content as well.
Nice! Congrats on the car! Great choice! And I agree, the people at Modern Mazda have always treated me well. Great group over there. Enjoy!
The carbon sedan is the value play given you get the Bose without going up to the premium. Plus the sedan is $1000 cheaper than the hatch. Absolutely gorgeous in the polymetal grey. Our next long term review tester.
Agreed! Nice to be able to step up to the Bose system without having to go Premium, and by limiting the options on colors and such, Mazda can keep the price down a bit.
This is a great review: detailed, helpful and balanced, so thank-you. It’s also the review that tipped me over the edge to go ahead and order a 2023 Mazda3 Carbon Edition, over several other options. You’re welcome to share this fact with Mazda/your local Mazda dealership should you wish, as it demonstrates that well put together, independent reviews DO sell cars, in this case, more successfully than the guys in the dealership. Good job brother!
You're welcome! And thank you! Comments like this really help motivate me to keep going with the channel. I'm really glad I was able to help you out with your decision and I hope the car is everything you're hoping for. Thanks again for the comment!
Excellent sedan. Great review. I have a 2014 Mazda 3 sedan. It still runs very strong with no issues. I want to buy the new one, but hopefully Skactiv X will arrive to the United States.
Thanks! Yeah, they're great cars! I'm constantly recommending them to people. I haven't driven a 3rd gen yet, but my jump from a 2nd gen into a 4th gen is such a crazy difference in comfort and noise. Have you driven any of the newer ones yet?
Yeah, I'm wondering when Skyactiv X will hit the US. I imagine we're probably a few years off from a new Mazda 3 generation, but I guess we'll see!
skyactiv x is 10 grand more than the skyactive g
Getting mine tomorrow, 2022 Mazda 3 Sedan, Carbon Edition. This is a huge upgrade from driving a 2007 Camry haha
Congrats! Yeah that's definitely an upgrade! Enjoy!
Been contemplating getting this as my first car. I don’t know how I feel about the wired apple car play though 5:38
I wouldn't worry too much about that. There are plenty of aftermarket solutions to make it work wirelessly.
What is the difference between the 2019,22, and 23 model years? I am looking to get current gen Mazda 3.
There are small changes from year to year and trim level to trim level. The Carbon Edition didn't exist 'til 2022, I think they're dropping the base engine option for 2023(?), cupholders changed around a bit, I believe one year had cylinder deactivation, I believe the Premium trim dropped the heated steering wheel from 2021 to 2022. It's a lot of little things that will have to be looked at on specific trims unfortunately. I wish there was an easier way to track what's what.
I’ve been obsessed with this car but would it be a good first car?
Absolutely! There are a lot of factors: your lifestyle, financials, needs, etc, but it's practical, comfortable, fuel efficient, and reliable. Mazda's are typically a great value play. You get a lot for your money and they're solid cars.
I get mine in a week. My old 2013 3 was in a wreck last June, was still mechanically sound before it was totaled! Shame.. But in with the new I guess. I tried to get the Turbo version in black, no luck. This was the second best option so I took it, hoping I'll enjoy the 186 HP compared to my old 2.0.
Oh man, sorry to hear that! It's definitely a much different car than the 13. It's crazy how much they've changed. The interior and the ride are so much more premium than they used to be, and I'm sure the new engine will feel better than the old 2.0. My '12 had the 2.0 and it felt like it was struggling a lot of the time. The new one definitely doesn't. Sorry you weren't able to get into the turbo. Maybe you'll be able to find one to swap out in a year or two. I'm finally going to get a chance to drive a 3 turbo in a couple of weeks. Pretty excited about it! Congrats on the new car!
Great job on this review. Ordering one of these in January 2023. 2 5 litre engine getting a 5 h.p bump to 191 for 2023. Tad bit better mpg due to the cylinder deactivation. Your thoughts on cylinder deactivation in the 2023's, Pro's or cons. Thank you.
Thanks! Congrats on the order! Fuel efficiency isn't really Mazda's strong suit, so cylinder-deactivation should definitely help with that. I believe the Mazda3 had cylinder-deactivation years ago, but there was some kind of recall and they actually stopped for a little while. As long as they've got the kinks worked out, and it's a fairly seamless system, I'd say it should be a positive overall (it should be since they've had it on other models since). It does seem a little strange that they opted for cylinder-deactivation on a 4-cylinder rather than more gears and a more efficient transmission, but I'm certainly no mechanic.
@@GearboxCarReviews Thank you. Keep up the great reviews. Very informative and helpful. 👍😊
@@1mddowell Thank you! Much appreciated! Be well!
If you could include the 0-60 times in your reviews that would be great! Seeing that it has 7 extra hp than the civic 1.5T but is it actually faster?
Good call. The horsepower numbers alone don't mean much without talking about weight and the resulting speed. Seems like the Mazda is around 6.9s and the Civic is about 7.5s.
@@GearboxCarReviews oh wow if thats true then that would be a big factor for me in deciding. Thank you!
Any time! At the end of the day, you won't really feel a half second difference day to day in the car though unless you're drag racing. Both are solid options for sure.
I was wondering how you had so much space in the back there. You're super close to the steering wheel.
Yeah, I do sit pretty close generally. I'm going to start trying to show the back seats with the fronts in a couple of different seating positions.
how's the adaptive cruise control ? i have heard it takes long time to move when the car in front has already moved ahead
Unfortunately, this was just a quick review and I didn't get the chance to really try out the adaptive cruise. From what I've heard, it sounds like the earlier ones in the generation (2019) may have had some issues that were ironed out in later years. Hopefully I'll get the chance to test one out more extensively here soon and I can give you a better answer.
I have heard the interior trim plastic pieces scratch really easily.
As someone that hates piano black, I am interested to hear alternatives
I really can't stand piano black either. It's in so many cars, and I just don't understand it. I've seen some aftermarket replacements that are faux carbon fiber that look pretty decent.
the color of the seats looks orange-red to me. Is it orange-red or red-red?
It's definitely a red-red. Must be the lighting or the camera.
I've just ordered 2022 Mazda 3 2.5L hatch in soul red and reading your comments about stone chips do you reckon fitting a bonnet protector would solve this problem?
I think something like that will probably cover you for most of the potential issues, but you'll likely still have to deal with some chips on the sides from your tires kicking up salt and rocks. I would maybe just keep some touch up paint to have on hand as well if you're concerned. I would ask around in Mazda groups to see what solutions they've found, too. But from my reading, it does seem that paint protection film and having touch up paint on hand are the best things to do. Congrats on the new car!
Wish I could find one
I know, this chip shortage is killer. Keep an eye out, one will pop up! Good luck!
I snagged mine last week
@@WhaddupImJohn That’s awesome! How are you liking it?
@@bleedingstar1011 i love it! Saving me a lot on gas and the interior is super nice and premium for this price point. Extremely impressed
Dang! I have paddle shifters on my Premium trim sedan that I bought the other night.
Oh, interesting! The Premium looks like it's the only one NA that gets paddles. Thanks for the correction! And congrats on the car!
@@GearboxCarReviews Yes it does, oddly enough and thank you! I am loving it:))
I'm torn between the carbon edition 3 and 6... Sadly no turbo available on the carbon edition Sedan 3 wtf mazda? Might go with carbon ed 6t once the car market chills. On the other hand the 3 got newer stuff like infotainment and better back up camera. I just love the mazda red interiors but not a huge fan of the hatch.
It's so weird how they did some Carbon Editions with turbos and some without. Can you swing a Mazda3 turbo? I think you can get the Carbon color scheme still and then you get the best of all worlds other than the space.
wtf. other people say it's loud
The road noise? I've never heard anyone say a 4th gen is loud. Maybe the turbo one is louder? The older gens were definitely louder.
JESUS lovea you Acts 2:38 Bible, Isaiah 55 Bible, Jeremiah 29:11 Bible Happy Thanksgiving 🎉
Nah.. with all the hypes! My Mazda 3 2.5L 2023 has a horrific whinning engine noise from idle acceleration. Talking about the whinning CVT hey. I avoided to buy CVT and I ended up with this much worst car the Mazda 3 which I didn't pick up the low rent whining engine during test drive! I brought it back to Mazda and the Mazda mechanic dude said that s how engine is supposed to make noise like that! For a brand new car with a cheap rent noise!. I wanted to punch the guy's face 😢. The car struggle at low rev for a big 2.5L engine, which shocked me and when I hit floor it didn't react 😢.. and when it did it didn't know which gear it should be in so it picked the weakest gear for 7K rpm and of course it just vomited like a old man after that 😭😭😭😭.. it a horrific automatic gearbox I have ever driven😢. Lack of power at bottom end and lack of power at top end. Just a horrific car! The more I drive it the more I hate it😢. I am just normal traffic driver but geez I never thought I bought such a bad just for the look. A heavy SUV can just eat this car at traffic lights. Apart from good body control and great handling and excellent interior this car definitely does not offer driving pleasure. Just very twitchy engine, woeful gearbox and thirsty. For a full tank 51L could only reach < 500Km on average . Shocking for the so call Skyactive G 😢