Zeffy94
Senior Member
- First Name
- Matt
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2017
- Threads
- 77
- Messages
- 1,850
- Reaction score
- 1,490
- Location
- Doylestown, PA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2017 Mazda3 GT Hatch 6AT, 2018 Honda Civic Type R (traded in)
- Vehicle Showcase
- 1

- Thread starter
- #1
I got the privilege of driving a Mazda 3 hatch GT with the automatic today. I'm considering trading my Type R in for a new car, mainly because as much as I love it I want something a little more comfortable, more easy to live with right now. I'm also looking to save a lot of money to buy a house within the next year, and the trade in value of my car has got to a very high point (29K) which is why I'm considering it this time. This is a strong contender.
Obviously, the Mazda 3 hatch is not a CTR. However, despite being based on the last generation 3 platform, the 3 is a very nice car. The interior is tasteful, but the new 3 interior blows it out of the water. This car was fully loaded - all the driver assist stuff, tech, etc. It has a heated steering wheel for gods sake!
I think this generation of Mazda 3 will age well. The looks are very sculpted and a little bit understated compared to the Civic. That being said, I prefer the Civic because it looks like nothing else.
OK, now for positives/negatives:
POSITIVES:
NEGATIVES:
I really enjoyed the test drive I had in the 3. One of my friend owns a 2014 Mazda 3 sedan and he loves it. I can see why. I think this generation of Mazda 3 is a bit of a hidden gem and very underrated.
Obviously, the Mazda 3 hatch is not a CTR. However, despite being based on the last generation 3 platform, the 3 is a very nice car. The interior is tasteful, but the new 3 interior blows it out of the water. This car was fully loaded - all the driver assist stuff, tech, etc. It has a heated steering wheel for gods sake!
I think this generation of Mazda 3 will age well. The looks are very sculpted and a little bit understated compared to the Civic. That being said, I prefer the Civic because it looks like nothing else.
OK, now for positives/negatives:
POSITIVES:
- The car is zippy. With 184 hp and 183 lb-ft of torque, this car has some pep to it. Nowhere near as fast as the CTR obviously, but for it's size it's plenty to merge onto the highway.
- The 6AT is very smooth. I was shocked at how responsive the paddles are in manual mode. They react quickly and smoothly.
- Obviously, the Mazda has a much more restrained exterior compared to the Civic. I enjoy the looks of this generation of Mazda 3. I do like how the 3 is a more 'traditional' hatchback shape.
- The heads up display is wild. Every time I passed a speed limit sign it displayed the speed limit right there in the HUD. That's such a cool feature.
- Comfortable. Power seats that are heated and there's even manual lumbar support.
- Spacious. Good amount of storage in the back hatch.
- The steering is VERY communicative. It reminds me a lot of the Civic.
- Handling is sublime. This car likes twisty roads I'd say at about 70% of the fun that the CTR gives you. Not bad for an economy car.
- The Mazda FEELS smaller than the CTR does. It is smaller in width.
- Visibility is great out the rear hatch.
NEGATIVES:
- The infotainment is kind of plastered onto the dashboard.
- Speaking of, the infotainment is a bit clunky. It's no worse than the Civics IMO, but it's not better either.
- Compared to the red interior of the CTR, the Mazda's is fairly plain. That being said, while there's a bunch of hard plastics, there's enough variation to make it feel a bit more special.
- The gauge cluster looks a bit old.
- It's a bit noisy inside the cabin, but I'd say it's slightly less than the CTR overall.
- Ride quality is biased towards sporty handling versus comfort. It's not uncomfortable but it's not super plush.
I really enjoyed the test drive I had in the 3. One of my friend owns a 2014 Mazda 3 sedan and he loves it. I can see why. I think this generation of Mazda 3 is a bit of a hidden gem and very underrated.
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