Mazda likely has the most peculiar reputation in the automotive industry. The Japanese manufacturer’s lineup includes the MX-5 Miata, the world’s best-selling roadster. It also includes a handful of sedans, hatchbacks and SUVs that don’t sell particularly well.
It’s a long-time industry dynamic. Mazda makes worthy vehicles, notably the 2025 Mazda 3. But the carmaker’s offerings have rarely received appropriate attention. A breakthrough occurred last year when the Mazda 3 sedan sales in the United States increased 39.8 percent from 2023.
But here’s the caveat: The Mazda 3 sedan’s total sales volume in 2024 was 23,853. It’s a lowly number when the competition among small sedans includes the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Nissan Sentra, Volkswagen Jetta and Toyota Corolla. Rivals for the Mazda 3’s hatchback include the Honda Civic hatchback, Subaru Impreza, Volkswagen Golf GTI and Toyota GR Corolla.
It’s a tough crowd. The Honda Civic is annually among the country’s top-selling small sedans, including 223,321 units in 2024. The Toyota Corolla is the top-selling car in history.
Still, the 2025 Mazda 3 is a top candidate in the segment. Honda and Toyota gave the carmakers’ small sedans sportier exterior upgrades in recent years. Mazda joined the new wave of good-lookers in the current generation’s 2019 debut. Throughout the segment, staid little sedans are no more.
The Mazda 3’s longish snout provides the quasi-look of a modestly priced Ford GT Cobra. It has little resemblance to old-styled, modest sedans often relegated to rental fleets and students with modest budgets seeking solid transportation.
The reviewed 2.5-liter, 250-horsepower turbocharged trim is the top performing option, completing the 0-to-60 miles per hour standard in 5.6 seconds. The effort is one of the surprises in the segment. The Mazda 3 trim with a six-speed transmission is not only quick, it advances with confidence and in near silence.
Mazda, like many carmakers, claims its small four-door sedan has seating for five. But only two adults can ride comfortably in the rear seats. Overall, the Mazda 3 has adequate space except its small trunk.
Gas mileage averages are 23 miles per gallon in city dwellings, 32 mpg on the highway. The MSRP is $35,880, final tally $37,580.
The Mazda 3’s driving prowess is also present while maneuvering through traffic, at top highway speeds and while negotiating the chaos of city traffic. Lane changes are smooth.
Mazda’s standard features list is generous. While adopting much of the equipment from the six additional trims, the 2.5 Turbo Premium gets a sizable chunk of other stuff. Front and rear parking sensors, a heated steering wheel, leather upholstery and paddle shifters highlight the trim level.
Safety upgrades include a lane-centering system, a surround-view camera system, rear automatic braking, forward collision warning with automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, lane departure warning and a drowsy driver monitor.
An 8.8-inch infotainment display is standard as is Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities in lower level models, a 10.3-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard on turbo models. Both offerings have an easy-to-use interface, mostly controlled by a rotary knob on the console.
Standard on several trim levels are 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry and rain-sensing wipers, Alexa built-in voice assistant and blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert.
A Bose premium audio system is standard on Premium and Turbo Premium Plus models and optional elsewhere. SiriusXM satellite radio is also optional.
The 2025 Mazda 3 offers a lot but it likely will never approach the legacies of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. But it’s a worthy unheralded underdog.
James Raia, a syndicated automotive columnist in Sacramento, also contributes business, lifestyle and sports content to several print and online publications. E-mail: [email protected].
