$19,245
$18,690
$18,490
$21,145
$21,420
$22,345
$22,895
$19,495
2012 Mazda Mazda3
Starting at $18,490Media Center
The Mazda3 is a premium compact car, exciting to drive and look at, and equipped with unexpected luxury and technology features not typically found in its class.
The Mazda3 is offered in four trim levels: SV (sedan only), Sport (sedan only), Touring, and Grand Touring. Powertrain choices vary from a 148-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, and a five-speed manual or automatic transmission, to a 167-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.
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2012 Mazda Mazda3 News, Reviews and Awards
The radio can be operated by an older adult, even one with bifocals.
The Mazda 6 is also the source of the 3's sophisticated rear multi-link suspension, which is set up to give the car great stability in high-speed sweepers.
The only gaffe we noted inside is foot room for the rear passengers that is cut off at the heels by a required crossmember.
The four-door, though it goes well, is a less exciting design than the very cool five-door; the S package and upgraded wheels make this practical hatch a segment leader in the looks department.
Equipped with the five-speed manual and the 2.3-liter engine, our tester did the 0-to-60 dash in 7.4 seconds.
...if there's understeer, the inevitable consequence of front-wheel drive, the threshold is higher than in all but a few cars in this class, and those few are the performance specials such as the SVT Focus, Dodge SRT-4, and Saturn Ion Red Line.
Larger in most exterior dimensions than the outgoing Proteg?, the 3 offers only negligible differences in interior space. There's still enough room for taller drivers to get comfortable up front, and the rear seats are acceptably spacious for a car in this class.
With its distinctive snout, smooth flanks and shapely rear end, it looks more like a downsized European-bred machine than a Japanese car that starts well under $20,000.
...we could do without the cheesy LEDs that light up in correspondence with volume or station changes. And as good as they look, the controls don't have the high-quality feel that you get with the Honda Civic.
We came out of an Ikea store with an unassembled table in a flat box measuring 48 inches long and 30 inches wide, and it slid neatly in the back of the five-door with the 60/40 fold-down rear seat flattened. Flipping the seats down is easy.
The old econobox ain't what it used to be. This is what it has become. Is this a great world or what?
The standard cloth interior is sturdy, in blue or red check with leather at the edges. The leather is smooth and black and a well-priced option compared to other cars.
2012 Mazda Mazda3 Inventory
