2020 Mazda3 Hatchback Review: Luxury-lined, Luxury-priced.
Stunning and luxurious, the Mazda3 hatchback should dominate the compact car segment, but it doesn’t. Here’s why.
This was bound to be complicated, because like, seemingly, every other automotive writer in the world, I, too, once owned a Mazda3. It was a 2008 Mazda3 hatchback, in black mica, with a 5-speed manual transmission, that I drove for half a decade.
The humble Mazda was the source of many “firsts” that have gone on to define much of my life as a car enthusiast. My first manual transmission car (that led to becoming a lifelong manual diehard, or blowhard depending on who you ask); my first time thrashing through a winding road; my first modified car; my first foray into motorsport with SCCA autocross and then track day driving; my first cross-country road trip, these are just some of the key memories that are attached to my old Mazda3.
So, when I found a 2020 Mazda3 hatchback, in soul red crystal, with a 6-speed automatic and all-wheel drive parked in my driveway, I knew things would be complicated.
This latest Mazda3 has evolved so far from the humble hatchback that I wistfully look back at through rose-tinted nostalgia goggles, that I could almost be convinced it’s a different model, entirely.
The exterior is automotive sculpture, making previous 3 models look downright dowdy by comparison. From most every angle the 3 is stunning. In fact, the only bad angle on the new Mazda3 is just before the rear 3/4 view, where the high belt line, and lack of quarter panel glass make the rear of the car appear overly rounded off. A more pronounced, kicked-up rear spoiler would add a needed dose of aggression to the only soft shape on this otherwise heavily-styled machine. Aesthetics are subjective, but keep the hatchback’s design in mind, because it becomes important in a minute.
However, the 3 still has some growing up to do, figuratively and literally. The Mazda3’s infotainment system, the same one in most every Mazda vehicle on sale today, is less than ideal. While Mazda has correctly skipped the touchscreen (they’re too distracting), Mazda’s implementation of a rotary click-wheel to control the system invariably draws comparison to another high-end German brand, this time BMW. Except, unlike BMW’s iDrive system, Mazda’s needs a bit more fine tuning, as it can be a bit overwhelming looking for basic prompts. Changing the radio station is way more work than it needs to be.
Also, remember that sloping roof line from three paragraphs ago? It, in tandem with the AWD driveline (which takes up space under the floor), appears to have contributed to the lack of headroom for rear seat occupants, as well as the slightly smaller than expected trunk space offered by this hatchback model. Oh, and don’t forget the notable rear blind spots. None of these things are issues in a comparable Honda Civic Sport hatchback.
Pragmatists may also object to the 3’s class-leading powertrain, as well. Under the hood is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder good for 186 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque, the most in it’s class, besting the aforementioned Civic Sport and it’s turbocharged mill. It’s incredibly smooth and refined, feeling amply powerful around town and on the open road, though the automatic transmission occasionally feels a step behind.
This 3 has the optional all-wheel drive, which adds a reasonable $1,400 to the sticker price. It and the Subaru Impreza are the only cars in this segment to offer AWD. While this does bestow additional all-weather capability to the 3, it does also knock down the MPGs a bit, down to 24 city, 32 freeway and 27 combined, which is less than pretty much every other vehicle it competes against, showcasing the natural trade-off between power and fuel efficiency.
ALSO SEE: 2020 Mazda CX-30 Quick Drive Review: Ballin’ On A Budget
During my week with the Mazda3 it returned exactly 27 MPG, just as advertised, but that’s also the same number I observed from the larger CX-5 SUV, which also featured the same powertrain combo. Anecdotally, these numbers are also the same as what consumers should see in the CX-30 SUV, as well, which is based on the same platform as the Mazda3.
The comparisons to Mazda’s compact SUV line-up doesn’t end there, either. Dynamically, the Mazda3 and CX-30 feel like fraternal twins, a result of their identical hardware. The two have the same engine, transmission, steering, brakes, and suspension, though that last item is a bit of a sore spot.
Mazda inexplicably stepped backwards with this latest 3, going from a fully independent suspension to a simpler rear torsion beam axle. This cost-cutting measure has dampened the Mazda3’s trademark fun handling. While this is less noticeable in the CX-30 (no one is thrashing their family SUV through a canyon road), the design change has compromised the Mazda3’s position as the stand out fun option in the compact car class. The Honda Civic and even the Toyota Corolla hatchback offer more lively, agile handling and are the more fun to drive options now.
Then there is the price, as this Mazda3 hatchback, with AWD and the Premium Package costs $32,065 after the $920 destination charge, which makes it the most expensive option in the segment, other than notably more performance-oriented models like the Honda Civic Type R. The Premium Package comes at a $2,300 premium over the mid-spec Preferred model, however much of what it adds, like the slick 18-inch wheels, leather seating and the head-up display, among other goodies, are some of the key parts that make the 3 look and feel so… premium, in the first place.
Interestingly, trim level for trim level and option or option, the Mazda3 costs almost exactly the same as Mazda’s own CX-30 SUV, and for the same money, I suspect buyers who feel that they need AWD and all the luxury goodies would also prefer the additional interior volume, usability, and more commanding ride and view of the road offered by the CX-30, as well.
The Mazda3 is the most luxurious, substantial compact car on sale today, but the price tag accurately reflects that. And the middle of the road driving experience makes it a hard sell over it’s competition, which has simply caught up over the years and ultimately bested it. The 3 is also seemingly bested by models in Mazda’s own line-up, with the excellent CX-30 and CX-5 SUVs offering superior value for the same amount of cash.
See, I told you this would be complicated.
Want to see more Mazda goodness? Follow Jake on Instagram, it’s all cars all the time.
