2019 Mazda Mazda3 Road Test and Review

Mazda’s engineers don’t have it easy. The automaker's reputation for building affordable, fun to drive, fuel-efficient vehicles has become so legendary that its engineers have to achieve greatness time and time again. Well, they’ve come through with the redesigned 2019 Mazda3.

All-new this year, the 2019 Mazda3 remains one of Mazda’s least expensive and most fuel-efficient products. It’s also still one of the most fun-to-drive cars in the extremely competitive compact class. Now in its fourth generation, the Mazda3 has improved in essentially every way, from its sexy new shape, to its high-quality interior, to its performance. And for the first time, the Mazda3 is offered with all-wheel drive. Built in Japan, the new Mazda3 is available as a four-door sedan or a versatile five-door hatchback, with prices starting right around $22,000. It competes with a long list of popular cars, including the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Subaru Impreza, and Volkswagen Golf and Jetta.

Mazda offers the 2019 Mazda3 sedan in four trim levels: base, Select, Preferred, and Premium, while the slightly more expensive hatchback model comes in three. In the past, every Mazda3 was front-wheel drive, though Mazda now offers all-wheel drive on both body styles for just $1400.

Every 2019 Mazda3 is powered by a smooth 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 186 horsepower, which is above-average power for this class. Most models are only available with a six-speed automatic transmission, but a six-speed manual is available on the front-wheel drive Premium hatchback. Prices start at $21,920, including a $920 destination charge, for the Mazda3 sedan and top out around $29,000 for the top-of-the-line Premium hatchback with all-wheel drive. Overall, those prices are about $2,000 more than last year's model. Our front-wheel drive 2019 Mazda3 Premium sedan test vehicle cost $27,990. Considering its high style, considerable performance, and extreme level of features, the new Mazda3 represents a solid value.

The 2019 Mazda3 is very satisfying to drive. Around town, it’s agile and easy to maneuver. It feels light on its feet, and its balance and handling are exceptional. This little car likes to be tossed around, especially with its larger 18-inch tires, which are standard on all Mazda3 models except the base sedan.

Some may find the Mazda’s ride to be a bit firm, but the tradeoff is an athleticism few cars in this class can match. Out on the highway, it’s smooth and composed, but you can definitely feel the road. The interior remains quiet, however, even at speeds above 80 mph. The Mazda3’s brake pedal is firm and there’s plenty of stopping power. Its steering remains among the best in the segment, with just the right amount of feedback and quick response. Once again Mazda proves an affordable small sedan doesn’t have to feel cheap and drive poorly. The new Mazda3 is fun and engaging. And it feels substantial, like a car costing considerably more.

With 186 hp, the Mazda3 isn’t scary fast, but it’s plenty quick. Its 2.5-liter four-cylinder is smooth and likes to rev out. There’s also plenty of torque off the line. Floor the throttle and the Mazda chirps its front tires and accelerates to 60 mph in about seven seconds. There are quicker and more powerful cars in this segment, but the Mazda3 is more than zippy enough for most drivers.

We were also impressed with its quick-shifting six-speed automatic transmission. Although it doesn’t have as many gears as some other automatics in the segment, it does its job well and always seems to be in the right gear. Using the paddle shifters mounted to the Mazda’s steering wheel allows you to select gears manually, and Mazda has programmed the powertrain to smoothly match revs on the downshifts. For more performance, you can activate Sport mode with a button on the console next to its shifter. It dials up the throttle response and the transmission’s shift points. The changes are subtle but appreciated when you’re in the mood for a little extra response.

With the automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, the Mazda3 sedan is rated at 27 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. The city number on the hatchback dips to 26 mpg. With its optional all-wheel drive system the Mazda3 sedan is rated 25 mpg city and 33 mpg on the highway, while the hatchback achieves 1 mpg less. With the manual transmission, the hatchback is rated 25 mpg city and 35 mpg highway. I averaged 31 mpg during a week of mixed driving in a front-wheel drive sedan. 

Those are competitive fuel economy numbers. But some of the Mazda’s rivals are significantly more fuel-efficient. For instance, Honda offers a version of the Civic that’s rated at 32 mpg city and 42 mpg highway, and the all-wheel drive Subaru Impreza sedan is rated at 28 mpg city and 38 mpg highway with an automatic transmission. Like other cars in its segment, the Mazda’s engine is engineered to run on less-expensive regular-grade gasoline to keep costs down.

Mazda’s designers have created one of the most appealing cabins in the compact car class. The interior of the 2019 Mazda3 is beautifully assembled and packed with high-quality materials, and the design is modern but simple. The gauge cluster is clean and simple with a large center-mounted speedometer and a sizable tachometer to the left. Our fully loaded Mazda3 Premium was also filled with features such as a sunroof, heated front seats, leather, dual-zone climate control, navigation, and keyless entry.

Our test vehicle's front seats were firm but comfortable, even after several hours of continuous driving, and the driving position is perfect.  Rear seat space is about typical for this segment, which means the 2019 Mazda3 seats four adults very comfortably. Five fit in a pinch as long as the ride is short, though headroom is tight if you’re over 6 feet tall. The Honda Civic does offer more overall rear seat legroom.

Our test car was also packed with high-tech features, including a head-up display, which projects the speedometer and other information on the windshield in the driver's line of vision. In the center of the Mazda’s dashboard is a new 8.8-inch screen, which is well placed and larger than last year's.

Unfortunately, it’s not a touchscreen. Instead, the Mazda’s infotainment system is controlled by a large knob on the console behind the shifter, which can be a little clumsy. There’s also a learning curve to the system’s menus, which aren’t as intuitive as they could be. We got the hang of it after a few days, and you will too. Bluetooth is standard on every 2019 Mazda3, and the infotainment system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Onboard Wi-Fi is not available, which seems like an oversight.

All Mazda3 models come with a rearview camera, and most also get a suite of tech-based active safety systems and driver aids that Mazda calls i-ACTIVSENSE. The package includes a driver attention alert; a lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, which makes minor steering corrections to keep the car from veering out of its lane; blind-spot monitoring with a rear cross-traffic alert; radar cruise control with stop-and-go capability; and Smart City Brake Support, which automatically applies the brakes in an emergency situation to lessen the severity of a collision.

Another clever system on every Mazda3 is G-Vectoring Control Plus. This system helps the vehicle's stability by reducing the engine’s torque in an instant to help the car’s front tires grip the road. Incredibly, the software operates without notice from the driver.

Storage inside the Mazda’s interior is also generous and well thought out. The center console bin is large and deep. There’s another sizable bin ahead of the shifter and one to the left of the steering wheel. The Mazda’s door pockets are also large and have slots for water bottles. The two front cupholders are well-sized, though unfortunately, they’re now ahead of the shifter where tall drinks can interfere with the dashboard.

The 2019 Mazda3 sedan does have a larger trunk than before. It’s now 13.2 cubic feet, which is still a bit small for this class, but every Mazda3 comes standard with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, which easily folds flat for larger items. If cargo volume is a priority, go for the spacious hatchback. It offers over 20 cubic feet behind the rear seat and more than twice that when you fold the backseat. That’s about the same space available in a Honda Civic hatchback.

This is also the best-looking Mazda3 ever. With its curvaceous bod, low roofline, and wide muscular stance, our Soul Red Crystal Metallic Mazda3 sedan turned heads around Los Angeles, and the hatchback is even sexier. All models represent a solid value, but our preference would be the well-equipped Mazda3 hatchback with the Preferred Package and all-wheel drive, which costs about $27,500.

Overall, the all-new Mazda3 is an easy car to recommend. It’s quiet, comfortable, and efficient, and its interior is one of the more finely finished in the segment. More importantly, it’s fun to drive, which is what a Mazda is supposed to be. The 2019 Mazda3 may not be perfect, but Mazda’s hardworking design and engineering teams have created another winner.