2019 Mazda3 Review
2019 Mazda3
MSRP: $21,000
Engine: 2.5 Liter 4 Cylinder
Horsepower/Torque: 186/186
MPG: 25 combined as observed
Text and Photography :: Richard Maneen
Luxury. Comfort. Affordability. The freshly redesigned 2019 Mazda3 packs all of this and more into a beautiful and compact package. From it’s luxurious interior to its asphalt gripping AWD system, the Mazda3 will leave you grinning from ear to ear. As an owner of a 2011 Mazda3, I was quite excited when my editor reached out to me to review this vehicle. I’ve been a Mazda fan since I was a little kid and I couldn’t wait to see what tricks Mazda had up their sleeve with this one. Needless to say, this car is a breath of fresh air in a mundane and copy cat automotive market.
The interior is plush and comfortable. I put in some quality seat time and not once was I ever wishing for more comfort. The leather and stitching on the seats and steering wheel is made of premium material, and it definitely shows. The Mazda Connect infotainment system was easy to use and has a large 8.8 inch center display. My only complaint with this system is that it can be a bit laggy at times. There were even a few instances while I was using navigation that the system forgot what road I was on and re calculated my route to a longer route, which resulted in a longer travel time. Not the biggest errors in the world, but they were surely annoying to say the least. The Bose 12 speaker premium audio system was exceptional. Bass heavy songs vibrated the windows while more guitar centric songs made me feel like I was front row at a rock show. Inside you will also find heated seats, dual climate controls, paddle shifters and a moonroof. All of these options look like they belong and operate without any issues.
Under the hood you will find the Skyactiv 2.5L pumping out 186 horsepower paired to a six speed automatic transmission. Power output is good for the size and weight of this vehicle. Shifting in sport mode was smooth with no kick back from the transmission. MPG is rated at 25 for city and 33 for highway. After my testing I averaged 20 for city and 30 for highway, which isn’t far from the estimated value.
Overall, Mazda did a wonderful job with the full redesign of the Mazda3. From it’s breathtaking body lines to it’s throaty exhaust note, this is an amazing “bang for your buck” sedan. We were given the premium package with AWD, which starts out at $27,900. With all this vehicle has to offer compared to the competition, I’d say that it is priced fairly well. Step inside the 2019 Mazda3. You just might feel like you’ve hit the jackpot.
