Mazda3 from Ford Focus

[jhiker]

Currently running a 13 plate Ford Focus 1l eco boost.
I’m quite interested in a Mazda 3 as my next car but I’m bewildered by the range of model variants on Autotrader…
How do you pick the bones out of this lot - see pic.
I’m looking at a petrol/mild hybrid automatic and I’d like sat nav and heated seats. At my age comfort and reliability is more important than performance.
Which engine variant is the one to go for?
Lastly, I’ve read a lot of complimentary comments about the build quality and the cabin ergonomics - I have yet to see the inside of one so I’m hoping I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Thanks for any insights..

[samoht]

Assume you're looking at the Mk4 from 2019 on.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mazda/3/359637/used-... has the equipment levels of each trim. Seems they all have nav, but you need to go up one step from the bottom to SE-L Lux for the heated seats.

There are two petrol engines available, both 2.0 four-cylinder, Skyactiv-G is the basemodel with 120hp, Skyactiv-X has 180hp.

It seems both are mild hybrids.

[jhiker]

Thanks for that. Yes, mk4 2019 on.

[Alfa Pete]

If you want decent levels of kit for a Sport or GT Sport, Gt Sport Tech. If you go for either of the latter you won’t want for anything. They have a very high spec, with Bose stereo, leather, heated seats, steering wheel, adaptive lights , sunroof,etc.
I’m on my second. Ran 2020 Skyactiv X gt sport tech for 2 years and nearly 50k miles. Recently replaced with 2022 version of the same.
There isn’t much that will get you a similar spec for the money.Interior is really nice place to be, car is decently refined. Not the last word in excitement but very easy to live with and drives very nicely with nice steering, lovely gear shift quality if you go for the manual and handle well.

Edited by Alfa Pete on Friday 15th December 16:15

Edited by Alfa Pete on Sunday 17th December 07:42

[itlab]

Alfa Pete said:

If you want decent levels of kit for a Sport or GT Sport, Gt Sport Tech.

Edited by Alfa Pete on Friday 15th December 16:15

It used to be easy and anything with sport in the name was pretty well equipped like you've said. Which made auto trader searches nice and simple

but they changed the model names earlier this year, the new models go from PrimeLine to Takumi, with Takumi being the top spec.

Prime Line
Centre line
homura
exclusive line
Takumi

[Truckosaurus]

Also, the earlier cars can have an official Carplay/AndroidAuto update done pretty cheaply which sorts out any nav issues.

The 120bhp cars can also be un-de-tuned to the 160bhp the MX5 has with the same engine.

I keep being tempted by the saloon version as somewhat of curiousity.

Isn't it also the last naturally aspirated petrol (of decent size eg. 2 litres) hatch available?

[Wacky Racer]

Mrs WR ran a Mazda 3 Petrol auto sky active X 180hp for three years. Lovely red leather interior.

Very nice car, just had wing mirror replaced under warranty (not retracting) which is a known fault with Mazdas of this age,

[scot_aln]

Truckosaurus said:

The 120bhp cars can also be un-de-tuned to the 160bhp the MX5 has with the same engine.

I get some turbo cars can be limited but how on an N/A car is over 30% limited?

[dontlookdown]

Underrated cars imo. Not the most exciting but nice interior, decent to drive and with all the usual solid Japanese virtues.

Go for the 180bhp petrol. The 120 is underpowered.

[ZX10R NIN]

jhiker said:

Currently running a 13 plate Ford Focus 1l eco boost.
I’m quite interested in a Mazda 3 as my next car but I’m bewildered by the range of model variants on Autotrader…
How do you pick the bones out of this lot - see pic.
I’m looking at a petrol/mild hybrid automatic and I’d like sat nav and heated seats. At my age comfort and reliability is more important than performance.
Which engine variant is the one to go for?
Lastly, I’ve read a lot of complimentary comments about the build quality and the cabin ergonomics - I have yet to see the inside of one so I’m hoping I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Thanks for any insights..

The GT Sport Tech is the pick spec wise.

[Truckosaurus]

scot_aln said:

I get some turbo cars can be limited but how on an N/A car is over 30% limited?

Not sure what the question being asked is, but here's BBR's page on Skyactive remaps, mentioning 'throttle limits' on the lower powered cars, and note the large power increase but small torque increase (in line with what you'd expect from an NA remap).

https://bbrgti.com/products/bbr-mazda-skyactiv-sta...

Similarly, the Superchips page (+50bhp, +11NM) - https://www.superchips.co.uk/ECU-Remap/Mazda/Mazda...

[ZX10R NIN]

scot_aln said:

I get some turbo cars can be limited but how on an N/A car is over 30% limited?

Simple you don't ever achieve full throttle on the lower powered model Mercedes done the same with the 6.2 63 models.

[scot_aln]

Oh! Fair enough. Had never seen anything that high by remap of an N/A engine before.

[Alfa Pete]

Wacky Racer said:

Mrs WR ran a Mazda 3 Petrol auto sky active X 180hp for three years. Lovely red leather interior.

Very nice car, just had wing mirror replaced under warranty (not retracting) which is a known fault with Mazdas of this age,

I had this issue and the same work carried out on my first one.
Apparently Mazda will generally fix the mirror issue on cars up to 5 years old even said out of warranty.

[Alfa Pete]

dontlookdown said:

Underrated cars imo. Not the most exciting but nice interior, decent to drive and with all the usual solid Japanese virtues.

Go for the 180bhp petrol. The 120 is underpowered.

I test drove both and it seas definitely worth getting the x.

I’d also say if you can go for the post 2021 car as the X engine received some useful updates and a smidge more power.
Even though the updates sounded minor my new one is a lot more tractable and smoother than the previous one.
These are badged E Skyactiv X.

[Seasonal Hero]

A friend has one. Probably the best looking hatch of the last 10 years and it’s a genuinely lovely place to be. Hugely underrated cars.

[cheesejunkie]

I've owned two Mazdas (6 and MX5, 6 was loaded with everything) and never had a problem. I've friends who've owned other models but I can't think of any who own a 3. But in all cases they seem to be happy with their purchase. We considered one once as my wife learned in a Focus and it was one of the obvious choices after she passed her test but we ended up with a V40 instead, we'd have happily got the 3 as an alternative.

I know it's not the specific point of the thread but it does annoy me sometimes when browsing cars the number of trim levels and the way the auto trader filtering web UI works. Some filters are multiple choice and some are one choice only with no obvious reason for the difference. Variant is one where I'd like to be able to pick multiple options.

[Wacky Racer]

Alfa Pete said:

I had this issue and the same work carried out on my first one.
Apparently Mazda will generally fix the mirror issue on cars up to 5 years old even said out of warranty.

Yes, that's what I was told.

Same thing happened on my Mazda 6 estate at the same time.

[jhiker]

Thanks. Any comments on the automatic transmission?
I know the manual is supposed to be very slick but I've decided on the convenience of an auto this time.

[hyperblue]

Wacky Racer said:

Alfa Pete said:

I had this issue and the same work carried out on my first one.
Apparently Mazda will generally fix the mirror issue on cars up to 5 years old even said out of warranty.

Yes, that's what I was told.

Same thing happened on my Mazda 6 estate at the same time.

Shame it’s an issue on the 2019 onwards model as it is also a known issue on the previous model. Happens on our 2018 Mazda 3 in cold weather. That said, we’ve not had any other problems with it.