Mazda being criminally underrated as always

Naturally aspirated, small, efficient, good-looking, and a manual transmission? That's an enthusiast car right there.

How refreshing to see a car maker not following the trend of the big central touchscreen and sticking to what actually works, physical buttons and dials. Thank you Mazda

Glad to hear you giving Mazda the credit they deserve for their spark-assisted compression-ignition engine. That is a major technical breakthrough in internal combustion, and has been a “holy grail” for engine designers for decades.

Mazda have done something really special with their paint jobs. It really makes their cars stand out. Whenever a car flashes past with a great paint job it turns out to be a Mazda.

honestly, I think it's one of the most stunning cars on the road, especially with the red leather interior. The c pillar is so incredibly unique, and the profile almost looks like a shooting brake. I wish they would make a 3 door, and it really could look as good as a brera

I’m on my 4th Mazda3, all autos. The performance and economy has improved on each one. My present car is a 19 plate, I’ve only still got it as only low mileage during covid and auto is not now an option on the lowest trim level. I’m in my 70s now and have been a car owner since 1965 and I think this is the best car I have ever owned,

I think it's good we still have the choice. I owned two cars with downsized turbo engine, hybrid and now (after two testdrives) ordered NA Mazda with skyactive x. Even though the tech behind this engine is very advanced, power delivery is so oldschool and smooth. I think the issue is that many people after having experience with turbo engines are quite disappointed with amount of torque on low revs. For me this is not a problem and there is real fun to switch gears with this particular transmission. Also many Mazda owners that opted for skyactiv-x when it was released weren't satisfied - this new engine felt like unfinished project. Mazda added fixes and now it is pleasure to drive car with this engine.

It's a great car overall. Just completed a long road trip in it with my wife and young daughter. For me it was really fun to drive, for them there was adequate space, the trunk took a full sized suitcase plus several small bags (it can take up to 2 suitcases without folding seats), and fuel economy was great. The Bose Soundsystem was incredible too.

A criminally underrated car that punches well above the competitors in this class on a few key things if you look at things other than just raw HP numbers.

The idea of keeping a car for only 3 years as the example shown, specially being the car a Mazda, which are famous for being reliable and durable, is such an alien idea to me, I can not even grasp it.

A few weeks ago I watched your various Ferrari FF reviews and very nearly convinced my father that the new updated Mazda3 was the FF. To say we rolled around the floor laughing our heads off when you compared the Mazer to the Fezer was an understatement. Brilliant! Dad's got a top of the range model mind; Soul Red and Burgundy leather - very, very nice! As ever your observations are pretty spot on - no rattles mind. Get the manual because the auto is, shall we say, uninspiring, but it gets the job done smoothly. I think that pretty much sums it up, because in terms of its drivetrain and dynamics it is a safe but smooth operator. Yep these are good cars with an excellent dealership to back it up.

As a Mazda enthusiast for over 10 years I approve this message .

Mazda, especially the 3 of all generations, is a very common car here in Australia. We have had a 1994 Mazda 121 "Bubble" (1.3-litre, 5-spd manual, factory AC and power steering, 250,000-km/155,000-miles on the clock) for 15-years. It is a hoot to drive and has NEVER broken down on us - just the usual maintenance and services. My elder son now uses it as his first car and is hooked. They are a terrific car company, much appreciated here in Australia.

I had a 2019 AWD sedan for 3 years and I miss it every day, at that moment the turbo version wasn’t available yet. So slick, so many tech features from factory at a unbeatable price tag. God I loved that car.

I had a 323F V6 that was simply superb, it handled superbly on decent sticky tyres, and the wee V6 sounded lovely. Most hot hatches back in '94 couldn't keep up with it on twisty back roads, as the brakes were superb. I only swapped for a '97 Impreza turbo. Today my "bus to work" is a Polo GTI, but this looks like a likely replacement. Thanks for the review. D.C.

My mum bought a 2013 se-l, three years old with 30k miles for £9k back in 2016. 40k miles later it gives high 40s to the gallon and has needed nothing beyond servicing. Absolute bargain. Lovely car. This one looks even better.

I have had my 3 Skyactiv X now for 18 months. It’s been a genuinely pleasant experience. Its a slow burner , it doesn’t immediately set your heart on fire but slowly creeps into your affection . Still looks better than any other hatch in this segment too.

Mazda's styling, build quality and attention to detail are simply exceptional.

Mazda has always been so smart with their engines. They worked so hard with the Rotary Wankel, and made it so much better despite its birth defect. I have so much admiration for them and I feel they are underrated as heck.

I got the same car! So glad to watch you review it. I've been really enjoying this car for the last year and a half. First of all, I don't wish to contradict you, but the e-Skyactiv X engine is not actually naturally aspirated. It does feature a supercharger, which is extremely unusual in this segment. The supercharger is mostly used to ingest more air to allow for the SPCCI process to work, without necessarily producing more power out of that excess air, but it's present. At around 4000 rpm in first gear the supercharger whine is quite present and satisfying to hear. However, it is true that the engine feels like a naturally aspirated unit. Concerning the chassis, the torsion beam suspension is quite disappointing from a technical point of view, but I begrudgingly agree that Mazda did the right call. Those cars are still built to a price point and they just decided to put their money into the (stunning) interior and not on the suspension. Most users will prefer the nice interior, which they feel every day, to the suspension, which they won't feel at all. I have myself done some canyon driving with this car and its capabilities are still beyond my own, so, despite being an enthusiast, I don't mind the torsion beam to be honest. I agree that the manual gearbox is very pleasant to use. It does not blip on downshifts for you (which is understandable for this car, focused on luxury, moderate driving pleasure and efficiency rather than pure sportiness), but it does keep the revs up when you are upshifting, which is actually quite nice to have. Granted, the visibility is quite bad. My car has the extremely helpful 360º camera and I strategically place the passenger seat to be lined up with the B pillar, so I still can see a bit from the rear three quarters. For my use case, I use this car alone to do my short daily commute, buy groceries and do quite a few long journeys. The boot space is more than adequate for all my stuff on long trips. I do not mind the dark rear seats; if I am driving for some friends, they should be thankful I'm carrying them at all. All in all, this car is the first one I'm buying with my own money and I'm really enjoying it. I still admire how beautiful it is every day and, for me, it feels like my own Grand Tourer, despite it "only" being a hatchback. I would have gladly bought a true GT coupe, but sadly this segment has been wiped off, so I got what I thought was the closest thing to a GT that I could afford.

I’ve been a Mazda fan since in bought my MX5 RF a couple of years ago. Superb build quality and touches to detail that tell you it’s been made by car enthusiasts and engineers not accountants!

I rather enjoy Mazda's underated, under the radar reputation. They are sleek, capable, comfortable and more rare on the road. Lends an air of exclusivity and originality that suits me. I'm on my 3rd Mazda 6, and 9th Mazda all together. Keep 'em coming Mazda...

Just coming up to owning my Mazda Skyactiv X for a year, I absolutely love it, still smile everytime I get in it. Yes it has small faults but what car doesn't, nothing is perfect in this price bracket. Rear room is tighter than others but I'm driving so I don't care 😀 and too be fair nobody has ever complained when being sat back there. Feel economy is excellent, its comfortable, quick enough, fully loaded and looks stunning in Polymetal Grey with the black wheels. I'd definitely recommend people give the Mazda 3 a look.

Interesting to hear about the engine, I remember engineering explained's video on the engine a number of years ago now, and he was really raving about how revolutionary it was.

My brother went shopping for a Q7 and came back with a Mazda. But I totally get why. It's a very nice place to be. Mazda are killing it right now!

I rented a Maxda 3 saloon in the 2019 variant. Man it's a nice gear box for a front wheel drive car, and it sounds really good when you get on the revs. It fits my temperament fine that you have to get on it to make it go. And it was the most natural feeling car I've driven yet when it comes to city traffic. It was a bit lively on the motorway though.

I swore I would buy the Mazda3 hatch when I first laid eyes on it. Wife didn't like the claustrophobic feeling behind the wheel and wanted the CX-30. But I stood my ground. We got the CX-30 !

I have a 2012 Mazda3 skyactive with just shy of 200k miles on her and she runs great with only minor maintenance over the years. Amazing car, and it’s nice to see that the new generation not only keeps my favorite features, but improves on them.

Mazda produces some really good looking cars, especially when equipped with this striking Soul Red! It seems to me, that the features have been very well thought out, from the start/stop button that doesn't light up until you put your foot on the clutch to the pulsing turn signal (as you mentioned in the video). I don't think it's a bad thing that the Mazda3 doesn't have a touchscreen, as these rotary-push dials are easy to use and very intuitive. Personally, I prefer real, haptic buttons because it feels better and also gives better feedback (example: climate controls should in my opinion, always remain haptic as a button, as it is something as important as it is essential, which you should not be unnecessarily distracted from while driving). In this respect, I have always found Mercedes' MBUX multimedia system to be inferior, as it can be very distracting to operate.

He's spot on about the rear passenger roof height and backup cam getting dirty. Do try the automatic with the flappy paddles. It gets better mileage than the manual, and you still get to anticipate gearing when you prefer, however it doesn't really let you engine brake as it revs the engine before switching gears, resulting in a short acceleration when you might have expected it to slow down. The same year they switched from multi-link rear to torsion beam, they added torque vectoring, which makes it handle damn near identically, while saving a bit of weight, cost, and supplying more cargo space. So it's not the step backward the host claims. Apart from empty talk about what is or is not an upgrade after having made it clear that he's no experience with any Mazda 3 model years, it was an enjoyable, well-produced review. Hopefully the host acclimates himself with the history of Skyactiv so he understands why it is used for the engine, trans, and body separately.

Had the previous 3 hatch manual and loved it. I now have a cx5 and it's the first automatic I've ever owned that I didn't wish was a manual.

Small point I know, but who cleaned the cabin of this car before it was loaned to feature in a YT review? The door controls at 02:41 and the dash at 02:50 are particularly fine examples of their work😅.

The Mazda 3 Skyactiv X (specifically the pretty saloon version) is one of my favourite cars currently in production. I sat in one not that long ago and I was blown away by the interior. It made the current A-Class which I have experience with feel cheaply-made and tacky. The Mazda felt like a quality product that’s going to last. I also love how clever the engine is. Personally I don’t care for power or speed but I very much appreciate the engineering that went into it. Overall I think that it really is a hidden gem in the new car market.

I had my mazda3 for 2 years now and i totally agree with the frustration you get with the blind spot of this car. To stop the vibrations coming from front windows you Just have to lower them a little bit, in Winter It could be a problem but no rattle and very low air turbolence coming from outside

Crossovers have exploded in popularity in the U.S because they are the cheapest awd vehicles available. This is important in much of the northern US where there’s often extreme winter weather we are supposed to trek through to get to our jobs or not get paid.

FYI: Diesel engines don't compress an air and fuel mixture, they only compress air and inject the fuel after compressing the air (where an otto engine would ignite the mixture via a spark). It is one of the reasons, why diesel engines need such high fuel injection pressures, as they aren't able to use a mixture and thus can't use a clean and total combustion, so the injection pressure is used to create a mist of fuel as good as possible. The Skyactiv X compresses a lean mixture of fuel and air, which isn't able to ignite from the mechanical compression alone and uses the spark plug to ignite the smal and rich fuel pocket, which in turn leads to a timeable and controlled rise in pressure and thus ignites the rest of the mixture at once. The benefits are a quality control instead of quantity control, near complete and near instant combustion, low to no heat spikes and thus higher efficienty even as a diesel engine (especially well shown in the NEDC, which prefers diesel engines over otto engines) while producing way less exhaust pollution. Regarding the powerband you could see it from the other side: A turbo charged engine with 240Nm usually doesn't get anywhere near 130kW, with few (maybe even just one) exeptions. In this regard you don't have to rev the engine but rather are able to use most of the torque in nearly the complete rev range, where most turbocharged engines just offer the rev range but won't deliver the torque over the same rev range. You could for example compare the rev range of 90% peak torque to see this. With same peak torque figures (torque is the limit for mechanical applications) most turbo charged engines underperform compared to naturally aspirated engines in both terms of peak power and arithmetic mean torque. 120kW is the least one should expect from a gas engine with 240Nm, which just shows, how bad most turbocharged engines are. In return those turbo charged engines tend to be a bit more fuel efficient, especially in the NEDC. The Skyactiv X on the other side combines the even better fuel efficiency of a diesel engine with the arithmetic mean torque of a naturally aspirated engine, netting you more power per torque while consuming less than turbo charged gas engines with about the same peak torque and technics like cylinder deactivation and miller cycles.

I'm a huge fan of the Mazda 3 hatch. They've really done a nice job with it. Would be so cool if they made the turbo available with the 6 speed manual, but it's still a really nice car to drive around. Made in Japan added bonus. Cheers from NYC USA.

Mazda has always been a hidden gem….they don’t advertise….but it has a huge fan base.

Nice Mazda - I’d be tempted if I was looking for a replacement car - especially in the mild Hybrid guise. The body shell design is a winner for sure - hooked me straight away. I used to have a Mazda MX-3 Coupe 1.6i Twincam which I bought 5th hand in 2004. It was a 1998 model, one of the last off the factory line. Drove it till 2013 before part exchanging it. Nothing broke in 8.5 years of ownership. Regular servicing and the usual things like brake pads and tyres - that was it. The body design on that car was very attractive and the little coupe did have sportier handling than most would realise. It shared the same floor plan with the Mazda 323 Lantis series and though it was no Ferrari, the handling was guaranteed to leave a genuine smile on your face. Perhaps the most astounding discovery I made on my Mazda MX-3 was that Mazda had omitted to mention in its sales brochure that the MX-3 had passive rear wheel steer. I kid you not. I first heard this as a rumour and didn’t take it seriously. However, one day, racing up a ramp off the A406 and trying to beat the lights with a 90 degree right turn immediately after the lights, I didn’t decelerate hard enough and nonetheless committed myself to the right turn, expecting the MX-3 to wobble precariously as I took the turn way too fast. I had never done that before. I was shocked when the MX-3 took the 90 degree right turn at speed, as if it was on rails…!!! 😮 No wobble, no tail sliding, the tyres didn’t even squeal! I was reminded of a UFO / UAP suddenly doing an impossible 90 degree turn in midair without dropping speed. I was genuinely astounded….!!! It was only then I realised THAT was the Passive Rear Wheel Steer in action! Yes, I never did try it again, but I also realised why my MX-3 was in the same insurance bracket as a Mercedes C Class Saloon of the same era. I later went on KZfaq and after some searching, found an original Mazda MX-3 TV advert that actually showed two Mazdas going through their paces to relatively cheesy music of the early 90’s. At one point, the advert showed the MX-3 going through a slalom - and right there, you could actually see the rear wheels turning slightly, repeatedly, as it weaved in and out of the traffic cones! I’ve mentioned this just to confirm Mazda do go the extra mile when it comes to handling on their vehicles like the entire MX series of yore and most of their existing cars too! Yes, I do miss my MX-3 (a.k.a. Blackbird). I believe it’s the only car I often dream about. No, I can’t watch that cheesy MX-3 advert on KZfaq anymore. It’s like watching video footage of someone you really loved but lost when nature took its course. That video always brings a tear to my eye and a lump to my throat….😢. Yes, that’s what owning a Mazda does to you!

This might sound silly to some, but this is genuinely my dream car right now. I just love everything about its styling, inside and out. Sadly, a brand new car is something I'll never be able to afford. I hope they're reliable and age well, maybe someday...

The new hatch back design is gorgeous (but they’ve been great for a while now). Nice and clean. Dual exhaust, great interior that looks much better than others in its class, available 6-speed manual. Superb! Thanks for the review!

Bought a GT Sport trim last year and I couldn't be happier with it. It's head and shoulders above everything else in that price bracket.

Currently running the CX-30 (basically the AWD version of this) on lease. Had a CX-5 before that. Agree with almost everything said here - the feature set, economy and value for money are through the roof for Mazda, so much so that the few niggles can be accepted. The horses do like to hide away though, as said - and the CX-5 diesel was far more performant. Just got to decide which one to go for next - I need the AWD where I live, and it will be a Mazda again, so CX-5, CX-30, or maybe even stretching to a CX-60

Ah man, I'm weirdly obsessed with the Skyactiv-X Mazda 3 (especially as a saloon) to the point where I was all over one whilst buying my 30th Anniversary MX5 last year, so I'm so pleased somebody else has noticed. Not watched this yet, but really looking forward to it when I do.

Big big fan of these, Mazda for the past few years has been churnign out some lovely designs and innovative engines. Well done Mazda!

I like it that mazda still build engines without a turbo. It minimizes problems a lot.

Here's an example of mazda design brilliance: if my car is running and i'm standing at the back, there is no way to open the hatch, even with the fob in my hand. I have to walk back around and unlock it with the door switch. This happens every time i drop someone off at the airport. Also cant get it open if the battery dies. My car battery died a few years ago on a road trip and I had to put down the seats and unload the whole back of the car from the front so that I could get to the compartment where I keep my jumper cables

Mazda 3 Sedan 2021 owner here, with the 2.0 Sky X engine and manual, from the video with GT Plus trim level, now at 17K kilometers after just over a year of ownership. I was looking at other car brands as well but one test drive away of a mazda 3 just sealed the faith for other options. Have not had a single issue nor do i understand the rattles I hear about, as we have pretty bad roads here, and am very allergic to any kind of such noises. Very low fuel consumption and good on the highways and long rides like the video suggest. Over all could not be more satisfied with it, looks, how it drives etc. Reverse camera on the sedan does not seem to get dirty that much. Beside that all on point, went for the sedan as its less dark in the rear, bit more head room and larger boot, so thx for the review !

I bought an identical looking 22 plate Mazda 3 in Sport Lux trim (because I hate leather seats) with the SkyActiv X engine with the automatic gearbox. I've done 9000 miles in it, averaged 44mpg but have regularly achieved 53mpg. I adore the car, the driving dynamics, the interior which is nicer and higher quality than an A Class or A3. I'd recommend the car to anyone. I looked at all the 30ish grand hatchbacks and nothing came close to this complete package.

Brilliant analysis. Love the calculation of total cost of ownership. So often we forget to consider that.

Great presentation style. I like it. Quick, lively, no wasted words.

James you seem to be quite surprsed by just how lovely this Mazda is - they've been doing it for years! 3, 6, CX5 etc, all just very, very good cars, quietly sold with none of the fanfare of the Germans. We have a 2014 3 bought in preference over Golf/Focus etc - its just 'nice' and all have a little teeny bit of MX-5 style spirit or zing to them.

i own a 2023 hatch with manual. overall great car but has little things as mentioned in the video that prevents it from being what it could. compared to its competitors it still wins out based on how you might drive the car. superb video and coverage. thanks for the insights

The sawtooth pattern of the flashing indicators is so nice and pleasing to look at

I bought a new mazda3 Had it a year its so fun to drive and looks nice inside and out. Very happy with it.

The exterior design, as well as the interior design are splendid! A sort of a modern Alfa 147, with a back remembering the Lancia Delta from the 90ies. Both cars I possessed in the past. The interior finish is pure premium! A delight in comparison to cheap plastic interiors of some so called "premium" manufacturers. Mazda is the design brand nr 1. Remember the 323F of both generations, MX-5, the jaguaresque and timeless Xedos6, the funny 121, the timelessly gorgeous latest RX-7, the absolutely unique RX-8 and so on. Ashame, that the car wasn't tidyed up before filming..

Glad I'm not the only one who has realized a crossover is worse than a hatch. I had a Jeep Patriot until I realized the Mazda 3 hatch has similar cargo space and didn't need the all wheel drive(but the new Mazdas do have that option), so I bought a Mazda 3 hatch. Great decision.

I have a 2020 Mazda 3 Sedan with the X engine and have drove it for 60.000km. I love it, it is fast, fun, quiet and very frugal, my kids are still small so rear room is quite good, but I imagine it might be a problem if you have grown passengers in the back often. The boot is huge on the sedan, I can pack for any trip easily. 2 problems, the red paintjob, while it is beautiful it is very poorly protected and after only 60.000km the front is full of little holes that have punctured all the way to white undercolor (very anoying), 2nd problem is that the interior has a few spots with cracking sound, and the service guys tell me that it is very hard to fix since they would need to open entire center console to find those... and it is a shame really the car being so quiet overall you can hear the cracks even more... but all in all I am very happy with it, as is my entire family. Great car!

Just got my new Mazda 3 g20 Evolve, and I couldn’t be any happier, I don’t think I will be upgrading for a very long time

I absolutely love my '21 3 Hatch with the 187hp G engine and my first auto trans in decades! It has become my favorite car I've ever owned.

Hi. I just have to comment - If you own an EV you will only be paying 10p/kw low rate which equates on most runs to 3ppm or better. The other thing you are forgetting is the existence of the MG4 standard range for £25k. having just bought one, I can confirm its a great well considered car (you can come down for a drive if you would like to try mine) - I would love your opinion. My opinion comes from just parting with an EV6 GT line S AWD, owning a Tesla S P90DL for 7 years, two i3s a Mini E and a Leaf. Its not that I'm an EV evangelist, its just that small EVs fit in well with 2 car family life and the poor UK charging structure. FYI the funny noise on the Boxster GTS 4ltr is the cylinder deactivation. Thanks for the great content.

I’ve had this car for almost three years. I can’t tell any difference with the torsion bar from my last Mazda that had the multi link. I don’t track race my mazda 😂. If I’m getting more space in the back and it’s cheaper to fix and am getting a better price off the bat, then the torsion bar setup is brilliant.

Mazda is such an underrated company. They'll be the new Toyota in a few more years.

We looked at one of these in red with the black wheels, but then also looked at the new Honda Civic hatchback, also in red, and have to say overall we liked the Honda. The Mazda has sexy lines, but the Honda looks sporty, and has a very cool interior - minus the piano black that frankly looked awful in this review. No one's fault - it's what piano black does and we will never understand why it is continually used. In anything. Anyway, the Civic should definitely be looked at. It too is a sexy thing now.

Mazda has perfected the body paint process ❤

I've had two Mazda 6s and an MX5, and they were all superb. The only fault was on the later 2015 2.2 SE-L Nav 6 that we had, in which the centre consol's Back button jammed and stopped working, making it tricky to navigate the system, but we did find workarounds. The marketing choice that marked it down was to charge £100 per year to keep the SatNav updated after the initial 3 years. 3 Years' worth of updates could be had for a discounted £275, but when every other manufacturer were providing free updates, it was a slap in the face, and I just wouldn't pay it. Infotainment systems on Mazdas always seem to be previous generation: for example, my 2010 MX-5 had a 2 line LED display for the trip computer when everyone else had 6" or 7" colour screens incorporating SatNav. The interiors on all the cars were of really high quality, the rides were comfortable, and the handling superb, even on our 6 Diesel Tourer (aka, "estate").

I test drove a Leon, Golf, Corolla & BMW 2 series but bought the Mazda. Why? The inside was more premium than the rest, has more tech and the biggest difference was refinement. The Mazda 3 was by far the quietest. Road noise and wind noise are incredibly well suppressed. As for a comparison against EVs at 10k miles a year running costs even over 10 years will be much less because of the initial outlay cost of an EV. Only an MG4 is cheaper but it’s not going to handle like this car and can you really be sure of residuals non a 10yr MG EV when battery tech moves on?

The whole Mazda lineup the last couple of years has gone pretty far in design! All models are looking really beautifull !

Can confirm, the Skyactiv automatic is not soul sucking and performs very well (best auto IMO that is not a ZF 8 speed)

Love my 2020. Loaded for less than my old Acura TL. Matches it for acceleration if you add a Roar pedal adaptor. Without that it is a noticeably slower and teh ride is stiffer than those expensive models, but the override pedal makes it fly and it's cheap in comparison so I'm happy with it. Not a single maintenance issue so far.

My 2024 model is arriving in 2 months, ordered the with the skyactiv-x engine that is supercharged for extra good MPG and also auto, mazdas auto box is a pure masterpiece, its a simple 6 speed traditional automatic that shifts smoothly and lasts the entire cars life. 2024 is a facelift btw with standard wireless charger and wireless android auto/apple carplay and some misc changes like allowing people to use the touchscreen if they please. Its a 2024 Mazda 3 Homura 186 hp e-skyactiv-x FWD Auto in Jet Black and my optional extras was studless nordic winter tyres on original grey 16 inch mazda rims for swedish winters + rubber floor mats + rubber boot mat and im paying 26300 pounds, this will be my 4th Mazda 3, started out with a Mazda 323 -99, bought a manual Mazda 3 -16 Vision R and "updated" to a Mazda 3 Sport -18 auto and now a 2024 gen 4 :) I've had rattles in my Mazdas but they fix it under warranty at the dealership for you and im so used to a clogged up backup camera so during winters i just wipe it everytime before i enter the car with my gloves.

The 2, 3, 6, MX-5, CX-30 are very beautiful cars, Mazda has some of the best designers

Did you sneeze on the dials James? 🤣 What a gorgeous car, they really should bring back the MPS moniker and make a road rocket version. That would be amazing!!

I bought a 2024 Mazda three and love it . I did a 1500 mile road trip and I got 40 miles to the gallon and I get over 30 in the city not far off a highbred without the expense or hassle i like Toyota Honda . Mazda is my new car brand

you gotta see the paint in person to really appreaciate how beatiful the color is,i was so mesmerized by it

Great video and thanks for pointing out the shortcomings that some reviewers have missed. The one thing that always puts me off the Mazda 3 is the ridiculous amount of shiny black plastic, especially on areas of the car that get grubby quickly like near the gear selector. Speaking of which, what happened to the display binnacle....that's gross.

My Mazda 3 is Deep Crystal Blue Mica a colour which really suits the car. I got a puncture at the end of last year on the dashboard I got a display of each tyre and its pressure in kpa including the one that was losing pressure. The car still came with a space saver tyre which in my opinion is still better than a tyre repair kit.

I'm finally getting mine in 4 days after almost a year of waiting. The highest spec in Malaysia is the Hi-Plus Ignite, though it is only a 2.0 engine and without the Bose sound system. Somewhat of a "rare" vehicle to see on the road here (Borneo), I'm glad I watched this video. JayEmm demonstrated a good balance of pros and cons and like what he said about the cons "none of these for me makes the Mazda-3 a bad car".. It is a good car hands-down, though not for everyone, it certainly fits my lifestyle..

Can't believe I'm only just bumping onto this channel 👌💯🔥

A very good review on a very good car. Only one criticism though….. the interior of the car was so dusty and dirty, unlike any other car review I’ve seen. All of the shiny surfaces, the top of the steering wheel hub, the driver’s window, the floor etc etc were in need of a clean prior to filming.

Great review! You're hilarious and fair, and you hit on all the points drivers consider relevant. I'm a Mazda guy. I've always thought they have been great value cars.

The real beauty of Mazda is how well their cars handle. My wife’s RAV4 hybrid has more amenities than my CX-5, but the handling is night and day.

Great video and well commentated. I learnt a lot about the skyactiv system I did not know.

I'd have a Mazda over a golf anyday

Mazda are an amazing company doing what they can with limited resources. Shame its so expensive/unprofitable to develop sports cars however they do make all their cars engaging to drive. I even hear great things about the CX-5

Bought this Mazda 3 in 2019 when it came out and it was by then my 3rd Mazda 3 but by far the most stunning. Even after 5 years now, I still stop and stare when it‘s parked and I get a good look at it. Absolutely stunning and as you said: The red is the best red I‘ve seen on the market in years! Even beats the slightly different red on the other Mazda models.

Sitting up even just a little higher than other traffic changes drivers mentality a lot. When you are in a smaller car and see people coming your way, crossing the centerline, you think different things than if you are in a 2 ton SUV and looking at them from above quote come on and get it and quote for us is “OMG“ lol.

I liked driving the Mazda 3 and it costs way less than the GTi in the USA, let alone the VW’s $4,000 required maintenance after 4 years which includes the DST transmission. However the Mazda 3’s rear three quarter vision was terrifying. That C pillar is huge and the B pillar was right in my line of sight every time I tried to change lanes 😟. I tried the Mazda 6 but it had a terrible blind spot too. I went with the Mazda CX-5. Never thought I’d be one of those people.

I have had the 2020 Mazda 3 skyactive-X for the last year and it has been amazing, more of a head turner than a golf!

Voice over JayEmm is so knowledgeable, great idea to switch to him for those details

The rant about the Nissan Qashqui brigade in the first 45 seconds of this video was enough to warrant the thumbs up!! A proper, excellent review as well. Have to admit, MX-5 aside of course, I'm generally not a Mazda fan, BUT, whenever one of these current generation Mazda 3's drive past, my eye is drawn to it. It is a very handsome looking car, and miles ahead inside than any previous generation. If I was in the market just now for a new, petrol engined, small hatchback, it would seem wrong to not at least consider one.

Jay, just a slight correction. In diesels, the combustion is not a result of compression but a result of fuel injection in the compressed air. But that's not important to anyone except for a few engine nerds like me :). The important thing is that mazda 3 is a stunning car, especially in the metallic grey, and it's a sin that so few ppl consider it as an option.

Mazda’s are honestly so underrated. The mazda6 i had recently i did 60,000 miles in the space of only a couple of years. Fantastic ergonomics, fantastic handling for the size of the car, really predictable. I miss it terribly even if the diesel engine had the worrying rising oil issue. The mazda3 is easily the best looking new hatchback around. Such a gorgeous design in and out. They really spent time behind the wheel of these things and it shows. They remind me of mid 2000’s fords which were amazing fun on the road.

This is why I like my previous generation car. You can also get a supercharger on it aftermarket which is really amazing

Great review thanks. I've had a 2005 Mazda 3 TS2 2.0 from new, it's still soldiering on after 115,000 wonderfull miles. Hardly spent a penny on it, aside from servicing, and consumables. It was voted the best compact for female drivers in the USA. That's on account of it's commanding driving position and view over the bonnet, in addition to the ability to adjust everything for the driver. All round visibility is unrivaled in the 2005-8 Mazda 3. I'm looking to renew my 2005 Mazda 3, but as soon as I saw the 2023 Mazda 3 I knew this would not be the car that would be replacing my 2005 model, as rearward visibility is almost zero, and yes the rear of the cabin is like the proverbial dark hole of Calcutta. Rear passengers should be advised to take a valium before embarking on any journey longer than 5 miles. I guess this might be relieved somewhat by buying the version with the electric sunroof, as indeed my 2005 Mazda 3 does have. It's almost as if the front of the car was designed by one team at Mazda, and the rear another team, and they never had a single meeting to discuss. That rear end is simply wrong! What a damn shame...

Couldn't agree more about crossovers - I can't stand them and I'm absolutely baffled that they've taken over the new car market! (I dirve an MX-5.)

Even though this means nothing to me as an Alaskan, American, I still love the effort you have put into your content lately. If you could harness Andy Wilman's seamless vision of Top Gear and the Grand Tour, between voice overs and love footage, you would be crazy popular!!! Keep it up, old Chum?... Or whatever you Brit's say . 😂😂😂

I’m very happy with my 2022 Citroen C4 but I gotta say the exterior design of Mazdas these past few years is extremely slick. FWIW I think my 155hp C4 is a great Golf alternative if you favor comfort over raw performance.

Superb observations for a great review as always. Quality content delivered!