2005 Mazda 3 V Sport 1.6 Gasoline from United Arab Emirates

Summary:

Great car, though stay clear of the smaller engines

Faults:

Three months after purchasing, the central control screen stopped working. Repaired within minutes by dealer.

General Comments:

The car is well-built however, the small engine is probably its worst character. With a 1.6, you are constantly required to accelerate to maintain high speeds. The 1.6L model is the only model sold in the Middle East.

The interior looks amazing and has all the bells and whistles to keep you entertained.

The sound system could be improved. The speaker positions do not provide adequate surround sound and at moderately high volume levels, you can hear high vibration noises from the doors.

The auto-headlights and auto-wipers are a big plus - adds the luxuries of a high-end model to a very affordable car.

The A/C can be weak at times, but trying to keep the interior cool in grid-lock traffic in 45C heat, a shortcoming is quite understandable.

The car conserves gas, however, having only 4 gears results in a high RPM level (as per Middle East model specification) and greater gas consumption.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th January, 2007

2005 Mazda 3 GS 2.0L from North America

Summary:

Very good package for the price

Faults:

Nothing so far.

Last when I changed the oil the dealer replaced an engine splash guard under warranty. He said it was broken, probably I hit a bump or something. Anyways he replaced it under warranty.

General Comments:

Zoom, zoom, zoom.

Fun to drive. Great maneuverability. Lacks some torque at low rev, you need to go over 4500RPMs to get the best of it. Manual transmission is great.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th April, 2006

2005 Mazda 3 S 2.3 liter from North America

Summary:

Fabulous vehicle. Well engineered. Excellent response. Very fun to drive. Zoom-Zoom!

Faults:

Fuel pump needed to be replaced about 10,000 miles. Turns out, it was a factory recall and was replaced without incident by dealership.

General Comments:

I drive over 3,000 miles a month and I LOVE, LOVE this car. She's quick to respond in both acceleration and braking. Oh My Goodness! The braking system is incredible. Brakes can be very touchy when cold or damp, but they are the best brakes I've ever driven. I move a toe and she responds. There are times when I'm doing 85 mph and don't realize it. It's so smooth.

Cruise control works well. Love the stereo system and the sunroof. Seats are comfortable and fit my small frame well.

I get about 32-34 miles per gallon, even with the air conditioning running. Handles like a dream. She handles driving over Donner Summit (7,239 feet) like it was flat, in 5th gear.

She fits all of my gear and runs like a dream.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th January, 2006

24th Mar 2006, 16:15

100% my experience...

About the glove box latch... anyone else?

20th Jun 2006, 13:48

No problems with the glove box, but I do have a question about the mileage. I'm supposed to get 25 mpg city driving, but I find that I actually get 19-22. I've had the 2005 3s for 14 months now and have 4600 miles on it, so it should be past the break-in period. I keep the tires at the correct pressure, so that's not an issue. I live in Northern California, and the only thing I can think of is the new gas formula required to replace the MTBE gas previously required in this state. Any comments/suggestions?

28th Jul 2006, 06:50

There have been many complaints about poor city MPG in the 2.3L 3, especially with the automatic transmission. Many people score in the teens...

There are a couple of good places for info:

www.brianbauer.org has a database of cars and what MPG people are getting.

http://brianbauer.org/viewdata.php?start=0&vehicle=7

www.mazda3forums.com has many threads about gas mileage.

15th Aug 2006, 13:25

Thanks; I'll check it out. I've sort of resigned myself to it by now, as I just passed the 6,000-mile mark with no improvement in mileage. I guess that's the price I have to pay for owning such a pavement panther. Life is short; it's worth it. Those of you who own one know what I mean.

15th Apr 2010, 20:54

I was the one with the below-average gas mileage. I'm posting this because today is the 5-year anniversary of my purchase of this fine car, and so far, the only complaint I have is that the gas mileage was overstated by Mazda. Other than that, I have had '0' problems with it. It is the greatest car to drive, with handling that could rival a Porsche 9/11 (but without the expense). It's comfortable, fast, powerful. I would certainly buy one again. Although it seems as if I won't have to for a very long time.

Repairs/expenses so far: brake replacement, and one set of tires. Just normal wear and tire.