2006 Mazda Mazda3 consumer reviews

The sharpest looking 5 door in its class with solid performance driving characteristics. The car's standard equipment across the 3 models is fairly uniform and robust. The only major difference between the 3s and the 3s Touring is side air bags. And for only a couple of hundred dollars it seem worth it for the added safety. The Grand Touring gets you things like leather heated seats, rain-sensing front windshield wipers, automatic on/off headlights, automatic climate control, and tire pressure monitoring system. With things like a stainless steel exhaust manifold, main silencer and pipe; ABS; rack-and-pinion steering; a 2.3L DOHC 16-valve inline-4; all riding on 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels sporting 205/50 R17 V-rated all-season rubber as standard equipment this whip is a great bang for the buck! I got a 3s Touring and find it to be a fun to drive little street car with great punch when you want to zoom zoom and solid handling in the turns.

It's a well made, hopefully reliable and kind of efficient car - it will get you to work and back with minimum fuss but forget about any pretenses of it being a sporty car - It's bordering on painful it's so slow! - there is simply no torque in this engine and all the way to the redline you are left waiting for something to happen other than the gruff noise! The AC is pathetic when you're in traffic and when you accelerate you get a draft of warm air through the vents! With AC running all the time it returns about 27mpg, which is pretty lame for a hatchback with such a sluggish engine... I could understand if it was fast!

I love my Mazda3. Love it. When my old Escort was finally ready to go, I wanted a small, sporty car yet something practical and reliable that I could have for a long time thru kids, etc. I also test drove the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Scion tC. The Civic's interior was just strange and cheap-y, the Corolla (even an S) put me to sleep in the 5-minute test and the tC's brakes were mushier than a Buick Regal. But the Mazda. Ah, the Mazda. It's sporty and peppy yet very smooth. Its interior is attractive yet uncomplicated. Its exterior is very sleek yet not so out there that I'd be sick of it in a year or two. It can power me away from tailgaters in a second and has a beefy sound from a stop, yet I'm getting 30+ mpg with mostly city (manual trans). And a lot of its value is in the little things: a chrome cover over the tailpipe, side curtain airbags, child seat anchors, that massively huge glovebox, the side repeater blinkers, the highest hp in its class besides the Subaru WRX. I still am in love with all the high-quality features on this economy car that a) didn't require me buying 16 different packages and options or b) don't force me into the highest trim level (like the Corolla). I got the 3i with the Touring and ABS packages and I have everything I need (except a trunk release on the remote, I don't get why it doesn't have that). The s I thought had more than I needed, but I don't feel I sacrificed anything. In short, I just love this car.

Have to get leather seats due to goofy color design on cloth seats. Lacks leg room for someone 6 feet tall or above. Some features in the interior appear cheap. A/C could use some power. Drives and handles excellent. Steering and brakes are especially responsive. Very fun to drive. Attractive looking car.

I love my Mazda3. This is the first vehicle that I have ever had that people stop me in the parking lot to ask about it.

I own one of these in the S hatchack style with the manual transmission. In just 33000 miles range the clutch went out, then had that replaced along with related parts to it, those were all faulty, then I had those all replaced in the clutch. And that batch was bad, Mazda's Reps have done little, and the dealer blames the car, so I had to take it to another Mazda Dealer ship they fixed it but now the vehicle is considered a lemon. But Mazda and it's rep have done nothing to correct that, and the dealer wont even acknowledge it. So I say if you like the car take it to only great dealers that have great service, and I hope you never have to deal with the Mazda Reps

So we decided to purchase a vehicle that would somewhat make a difference. Just purchased the Mazda3 Grand Touring. Had nothing but compliments on this cute little sporty car (fits all five of us plus my dog). Everytime I went to the pump, I would have a heart attack. We decided what we needed was a fuel efficiency vehicle. We test drove many cars and this is what we ended up with. Did our research and overall satisfied with our purchase.

After trading in my Jetta, this car really defines their motto, zoom zoom zoom. It's sporty, zippy and fun to drive. Handles nicely. Great on gas. Plenty of room. Inside interior seating material is durable and cool - modern looking. I love the dials on the steering wheel. The trip tronic comes standard and is fun, but would be better with a 5 speed.

The 2006 Mazda3 s touring, is fun to drive, zippy, and sticks to the ground like a sports car. I can't stop driving it! I now understand what "Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!" means. I think opting for the 5 speed manual, s touring (2.3L Engine, 160Hp,) also helps the car feel very responsive. Keep in mind that in California, at least my car, is rated PZero Emissions. I believe this is a requirement of the state, howerver. This means you loose about 7Hp. Of course, it's not a race car... but granted the fact I needed a family car, it's nice to feel like I am in a sports car, occasionally. The reason I decided to go with this car is because I was replacing an SUV, and I wanted something fuel efficient with a lot of cargo space. The fact the Mazda3 is stylish, and pure joy to drive is an added bonus. I also was considering the Toyota Matrix, but I never made it out of the Mazda Dealership. :) Seriously, every day I drove my SUV I felt more and more guilt due being part of the cause of rising gas prices and world pollution levels. With the addition of walking to the store, I feel I am doing some part in helping curb world pollution and rising gas prices. Do your part! Get a smaller car! The car itself seems to have a solid overall construction. I can't say any of the interior or exterior parts look flimsy, or are made of materials the engine may outlast. The indipendent suspension feels quite solid. Because of this, taking turns at speeds higher than "normal" does not knock you about the cabin. Instead, turns feel very comfortable. At no pont did the car feel like it would lose control. Acceleration is good for an economy car. When putting the pedal to the metal, you can definitely feel yourself slightly being pushed into the comfortable bucket seats. Keep in mind, if you are driving or have driven a Ford Mustang, or similar muscle cars, the effect won't be as pronounced. Also keep in mind, my previous car was an SUV, so this is highly subjective. Fuel efficiency is dependant on your driving style. If you have a lead foot, your mileage will average towards the lower end. However, through careful driving, you can achieve acceptable miles per gallon, and help save the environment. Overall, I would definitely recommend this car to anyone considering cars in the same class... Toyota Matrix/Pontiac, etc.