2012 Mazda 3 Review

2012 Mazda 3 Review

Bruce Sheridan

Overview

Mazda is not one of the biggest auto makers in the world today, but its flagship and MVP is definitely the 2012 Mazda 3. Worldwide, about one of three Mazda cars bought is the Mazda 3. The small car market is a fiercely competitive one, and it will only get more and more competitive as time goes on. To stand out in this segment you need a very high quality car. the Mazda 3 may not be a clear cut choice for this segment, but it is definitely a competitor.

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It isn't enough to just excel at one aspect however, as drivers expect more and more from their car deals everyday. The strong point of the 2012 Mazda 3 is that it is one of the most sporty cars to drive in this segment, but it does a nice job of giving a well balanced car. Small cars are pushing every year for better and better gas mileage, and the Mazda 3 has finally broken the 40 hwy mpg milestone.

If you want a sporty and fuel efficient car that makes you feel like a racecar driver on the turns, the 2012 Mazda 3 is definitely worth a test drive. The weak links in the Mazda 3's chain are its cheap plastic interior and less than spacious interior room. If that doesn't deter you and you want a car that you have to peel your hands off the wheel every time, check out the car deals on the 2012 Mazda 3.

2012 Mazda 3

Starting MSRP	Max City / Hwy MPG
$15,200	28 / 40

Pros	Cons
Super sporty driving	Cheap interior
40 mpg club	Not very spacious
Affordable
Many options and features

Trims

The Mazda 3 can come as a sedan or a hatchback, and has available six speed manual and automatic transmissions. Both styles can come in the i Touring, s Touring, i Grand Touring and s Touring. The i SV and i Sport trims are only available in the sedan body style. To get Mazda's SkyActiv technology and its coveted 40 mpg, you need to get the i Touring or i Grand Touring models. With that added feature, the Mazda 3 is one of the best gas mileage cars under 20000 dollars.

Sedan Trims
Name	MSRP	Engine	Best MPG City / Hwy
i SV	$15,200	2.0L 4-cyl	25 / 33
i Sport	$16,845	2.0L 4-cyl	25 / 33
i Touring	$18,100	2.0L 4-cyl	28 / 40
s Touring	$21,300	2.5L 4-cyl	22 / 29
i Grand Touring	$22,500	2.0L 4-cyl	28 / 40
s Grand Touring	$22,900	2.5L 4-cyl	22 / 29

Hatchback Trims
Name	MSRP	Engine	Best MPG City / Hwy
i Touring	$19,300	2.0L 4-cyl	28 / 39
s Touring	$21,800	2.5L 4-cyl	22 / 29
i Grand Touring	$23,150	2.0L 4-cyl	28 / 39
s Grand Touring	$23,400	2.5L 4-cyl	22 / 29

Performance

The Mazda 3 is a vehicle that is well known for its sporty performance and handling. The new one is no different, and it may be better than ever. The SkyActiv technology not only gives more gas mileage, it also delivers more power and speed.

The base engine of the Mazda 3 is the 2.0L 4-cyl. This little engine gets 148 horsepower with 135 lb/ft of torque, and 25 city / 33 hwy mpg. The next step up is the new SkyActiv 2.0L 4-cyl, that gets 155 horsepower and 148 lb/ft of torque and 28 city / 40 hwy mpg. The last engine is the 2.5L 4-cyl, that gets 167 horsepower and 168 lb/ft of torque with 22 city / 29 hwy mpg.

Interior / Exterior

One of the biggest gripes that many drivers have had with the 2012 Mazda 3 is its interior, and to a lesser degree, its exterior. The only qualm with the exterior is that it seems a bit awkwardly designed, especially its front grille.

Open the door and take a seat, and you might notice the abundance of black plastic. This was intentional, as Mazda claims that the new design contrasts the controls with the interior to make it more easily accessible. If you are seated in the spacious front two seats, you will be exceptionally comfortable. However the rear seats are not very roomy at all.

Features

The Mazda 3 comes with more features and options than most cars in its class, and even some of the more luxurious small cars. The biggest feature this year is the SkyActiv technology. This new feature pushes the gas mileage of its 2.0L 4-cyl engine to new heights.

This car also has a considerable amount of comfort, luxury and performance features. One feature that is new for this car is its swiveling head lamps, which will slightly turn with your wheel to give you more visibility around dark curves.

Safety

The 2012 Mazda 3 aced all its safety tests from the IIHS, earning perfect marks for front, side and roll over crash tests. Its excellent performance earned it a 2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick. The government tests did not fare as well, but they were still very good. The Mazda 3 earned only three out of five stars for side impact, giving it an overall rating of four stars.

The Mazda 3 comes with a plethora of safety options and features. Some, like the blind spot monitoring system, are firsts for its class. Every Mazda 3 comes with the full array of safety features, like electronic stability control, a full armory of airbags and anti lock brakes.