Used 2020 MAZDA MAZDA3

#6 in Best Small Cars of 2020

Although price and size identify the 2020 Mazda3 sedan and hatchback as compact-economy cars, you’d never know it by looking at them. Up against more radical designs such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, the 2020 Mazda3 takes a more reserved approach that remains dynamic without going over-the-top. The car’s interior is also a cut above the class leaders, with exquisite style, materials and attention to detail.

The Mazda3 boasts a long list of standard safety features as well as numerous options ranging from a Bose audio system to wireless phone charging. And, while not as powerful as some competitors, the Mazda3 is an enjoyable driver’s car, with superb ride and handling characteristic and a quiet cabin. It can also be ordered with all-wheel drive, a feature found on very few of the Mazda3’s rivals.

The shape of the Mazda3 is so distinctive that a team of World Car of the Year jurors gave it the coveted World Car Design of the Year trophy for 2020.

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Good news, Mazda fans: There’s still plenty of that intrinsic “zoom-zoom” in the latest Mazda3. In fact, we think the 2020 Mazda3 is its best version yet. Yes, the rear suspension has moved to a simpler torsion beam vs. the previous generation’s multilink setup. But Mazda’s engineers have done such a good job that the 3 retains its status as the most athletic car in its class. With its taut architecture and excellent steering feel, Mazda’s compact sedan and hatchback are made to carve corners. Even more impressive are this new Mazda3’s newfound levels of quiet. It has the hushed ride of a premium car.

The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that comes standard on every trim is nothing new, a carryover from the previous generation. With 186 horsepower, it’s best in class for standard horsepower. In addition to this respectable power figure is the way it’s delivered, and another trait that separates the Mazda3 from competitors like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. Rather than using a CVT automatic transmission, the Mazda has a 6-speed automatic that is absolutely sublime. Switch into Sport mode and start attacking corners, and the system feels like it has ESP, reading your mind and knowing when to downshift or hold gears.

If there’s one loss, it’s the wide availability of Mazda’s sublime 6-speed manual transmission. It’s still offered, but only in a high-trim version of the Mazda3 hatchback. The Mazda3’s new, optional all-wheel-drive system is another major plus (see Favorite Features, below).

One look inside the 2020 Mazda3’s cabin and you’ll realize this is no ordinary small car. Even the base model with its cloth seats and black interior looks stylish. Most other trims get a convincing synthetic Leatherette, while top-line cars get the real thing. Soft-touch materials abound, covering the dash, door panels and center armrest. Cool white light illuminates the gauges and switchgear, while a bright 8.8-inch view screen serves as the hub for the audio and navigation. Oddly, the display is not a touch screen but instead is controlled via a console-mounted rotary knob very similar to Audi’s MMI and BMW’s iDrive.

The Mazda3’s driver’s seat is snug but comfortable, providing a good driving position regardless of the driver’s height. Rear-seat legroom is only average, and that’s only if the driver doesn’t have the seat in the rearmost position. In the Mazda3 sedan a modest trunk offers 13 cubic feet of storage, while the hatchback elevates that figure to a more useful 20 cubic feet. The 60/40-split rear seats in both models fold flat to create more space. If there is one drawback to the Mazda3 design, it’s the large blind spots created by the rear C-pillars, especially noticeable on the sleek hatchback.

The 2020 Mazda3 again comes in two forms: as a 4-door sedan or 5-door hatchback. Both are sleek and a testament to Mazda’s design language. Few will argue with the sedan’s beauty. We think it is among the most stylish in its segment. The hatchback is bound to be more polarizing, due to a very thick C-pillar — the mass of metal between the rear-passenger windows and the back.

Another key difference between the Mazda3 sedan and hatch is length. The sedan measures 183.5 inches, while the hatch is an even more garage-friendly 175.6 inches. Base sedans ride on 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, but all other models get snazzier 18-inch alloys.

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
Mazda’s predictive i-Activ all-wheel drive is a first for the 3. Offered only with the automatic transmission, this traction-enhancing option helps the Mazda3 perform better on wet or snow-covered roads, as well as corner better on dry pavement. Only the less powerful (and less fun to drive) Subaru Impreza offers AWD, giving the 2020 Mazda3 a leg up on its primary competition.

MAZDA CONNECT INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
Long a sore spot with technophiles, the latest Mazda3 infotainment and in-cabin technology setup has finally stepped into the 21st century. It features an available digital instrument gauge cluster and a standard 8.8-inch central display screen, the latter operated via a rotary controller just below the driver’s resting right hand. The infotainment system can even accommodate high-res digital FLAC music files.

The 2020 Mazda3 is available in four trims: base, Select (sedan only), Preferred, and Premium. The least expensive new Mazda3 is the base sedan. It comes with keyless entry, push-button start, automatic transmission, and an infotainment system with 8.8-inch screen, 8-speaker audio, two USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity and rain-sensing wipers.

Standard driver assists include lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot monitor, driver-attention monitor and automatic high beams.

Moving up to the Select trim brings a few more comforts, such as Leatherette upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

Moving to the Preferred trim package adds an 8-way-power driver seat with lumbar support and memory settings, 12-speaker Bose audio, heated front seats, and SiriusXM satellite radio. At the top, Mazda3 Premium models include leather seating, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, a head-up display that works even with polarized sunglasses, and a power moonroof. Stand-alone options include a navigation system, wireless charging pad, and black exterior accent package. All-wheel drive can be had on all models except the base sedan. If you want a manual-transmission Mazda3, your only option is a Premium trim hatchback with front-wheel drive.

Standard on every 2020 Mazda3 is a Skyactiv G 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 186 horsepower. Power makes its way to the wheels via a responsive 6-speed automatic transmission, a breath of fresh air in an increasing sea of CVTs. Mazda still offers a very good 6-speed manual too, but only on the top line Premium hatchback. Although we’re sad this option isn’t offered on more models, at least Mazda doesn’t penalize those who want to shift for themselves by offering the manual only on an entry-level car.

All Mazda3’s are pulled by their front wheels, with all but the base sedan offering the option of all-wheel drive. As for fuel economy, the Mazda3 can’t claim best-in-class numbers, but overall the mileage isn’t bad. Standard on the hatchbacks, all models with AWD and the Premium sedan is a version of the 2.5-liter engine with cylinder deactivation (CDA). This system works seamlessly and helps a car so equipped to eke out a few more mpg.

2.5-liter inline-4
186 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
186 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/35 mpg (manual, FWD hatchback), 26/35 mpg (automatic, FWD sedan), 27/36 mpg (automatic, FWD sedan with CDA), 26/35 mpg (FWD hatchback), 25/33 mpg (AWD sedan), 24/32 mpg (AWD hatchback)