Mazda3: Everything you need to know

Our Mazda 3 hatchback range guide

Updated Feb 5, 2020

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Compare the different Mazda3 models

Compare Mazda3 models
What to consider
Best Mazda3 hatchback
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Model	Engine	Power	Torque	Body styles	Rating	Drive-away price
Mazda3 G20 Pure	2.0-litre petrol	114kW	200Nm	Hatch or sedan	83%	From $28,888
Mazda3 G20 Evolve	2.0-litre petrol	114kW	200Nm	Hatch or sedan	83%	From $30,639
Mazda3 G20 Touring	2.0-litre petrol	114kW	200Nm	Hatch or sedan	83%	From $33,518
Mazda3 G25 Evolve	2.5-litre petrol	139kW	252Nm	Hatch or sedan	83%	From $34,033
Mazda3 G25 GT	2.5-litre petrol	139kW	252Nm	Hatch or sedan	83%	From $37,643
Mazda3 G25 Astina	2.5-litre petrol	139kW	252Nm	Hatch or sedan	83%	From $41,758

Did you know: Mazda3

The Mazda3 (known as the Axela in Japan – a portmanteau of "accelerate" and "excellent") is the car brand's fastest-selling model. To date, there have been four generations of Mazda3. The first shared a common architecture with the second-generation Ford Focus and the 2004-2012 Volvo V50 wagon, among others.

In Australia, the Mazda3 consistently sells well. In 2006, it was the fourth most sought after passenger car. Likewise, it also ranked fourth overall in 2018.

Mazda 3 side view

What to consider when buying a Mazda3

What should you think about before buying a Mazda3? Why would you go for the Mazda hatch over one of its rivals, like the Hyundai i30 or Volkswagen Golf?

The Mazda3 currently holds the highest aggregate score in our hatchback comparison. We averaged out five expert reviews, giving us the final score of 83%. The nearest rival is the Hyundai i30 with 82.2%, followed by the Golf Mk7.5 which has a Finder score of 82%.
In the opinion of car reviewers, the highlights include a bold exterior, high-end passenger compartment, good ergonomics, heaps of safety features and solid noise insulation. Apparently, it is also a thoroughly well-sorted car to drive.
Finder's hands-on car tester, Alex Jeffs, echoed the findings of other reviewers:

Mazda's latest generation hatch is a well-built, elegantly styled car. Everything feels sturdy and of quality material. It boasts plenty of safety technology, and it wears an upscale-feeling cabin. If you look at the standard features, the increased prices seem justified.”

– Alex Jeffs, Finder hands-on review Mazda3

The Mazda3 isn't the cheapest mass-market hatchback on sale. Here's a comparison of the lowest-priced hatchbacks, as of October 2019.

Model	Entry-level model	High-end model
Ford Focus	Trend: $29,707	Titanium: $38,462
Kia Cerato	S: $24,567.70	GT: $36,927.70
VW Golf	Trendline: $24,990	Highline: $34,990
Mazda3	G20 Pure: $28,888	G25 Astina: $41,758
Toyota Corolla	Ascent Sport: $26,925	ZR: $35,989
Honda Civic	VTi: $24,990	VTi-LX: $37,238
Holden Astra	R: $22,990	RS-V: $31,740*

*Manufacturer Recommended Listing Price (MRLP)

As you can see, the Mazda3 isn't the cheapest of hatchbacks. In fact, the top-of-line G25 Astina is the most expensive, non-performance model on the market. It does have a slightly increased specification than the sector average, however.

One common pet peeve cited by reviewers was the internal space, from the B-pillar back. For this fourth-generation, it seems motoring journalists found the rear cramped and offered little by way of legroom. An additional grievance was the small boot, which with the seats up measures 295 litres. Mazda doesn't provide figures for the rear row dropped down.
For reference, the Ford Focus has 273 litres, but other models like the Volkswagen Golf and Hyundai i30 have more than 350 litres.
All variants of the Mazda3 received the maximum five-star ANCAP crash safety rating in April of 2019. The score broke down to a 98% assessment for adult occupants, 89% for children, 81% for vulnerable road users and 76% for its safety assists.
Standard safety features include the following:
- All-round intelligent seat belt reminders
- Driver airbag
- Front passenger airbag
- Front-seats, side chest airbag
- Front-seat head protection airbag
- Rear seat head protection airbag
- Driver's knee airbags
- Adaptive cruise control (ACC)
- Adaptive headlamps, auto headlights and high beam
- Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) - City
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) - Interurban
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) - Vulnerable road user (Pedestrians)
- Blind-spot monitoring (BSM)
- Daytime running lights (DRL)
- Electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD)
- Electronic stability control (ESC)
- Emergency brake assist (EBA)
- Emergency stop signal (ESS)
- Fatigue reminder
- Forward collision warning (FCW)
- Hill launch assist
- ISOFIX child seat anchors
- Lane departure warning (LDW)
- Lane keep assist (LKA)
- Pre-crash systems
- Rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA)
- Reversing collision avoidance (camera and auto brake)
- Roll stability system
- Secondary/multi-collision brake
- Speed assistance (automatic/intelligent speed limiter)
- Manual speed limiter
- Speed assistance – speed sign recognition and warning
- Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
That must be one of the most all-inclusive lists of standard features and assists currently available.

When is the Mazda3 getting updated?

Mazda 3 hatch rear side view

The fourth-generation Mazda3 only launched in 2019. In 2020, the company will launch Skyactiv-X engines in Australia. These gasoline engines use a combustion process that is similar to the principle a diesel engine works upon. Mazda promises this first mass-produced petrol compression engine is 20-30% more efficient.

Based on previous Mazda3 life cycles, it's likely Mazda will give the car a facelift, perhaps with some extra equipment and features in 2021. There may well be a second revision around mid to late 2022 before the model is replaced by 2024.

Which Mazda3 model is best?

Mazda 3 front view

The term best is subjective and depends on your individual preferences and style of driving. Therefore, different models of the Mazda3 will appeal to different buyers.

Which Mazda3 should I buy as a family car?

Any of the Mazda3 range would suit parent buyers. Even the entry-point G20 Pure, which starts at $28,888 has a heap of equipment. Standard safety features are plentiful and impressive.

Plus, the infotainment is equally well specified. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard inclusions. Unusual for the segment, even the lowest-end model has satellite navigation. Other highlights include an 8-inch widescreen display, a 7-inch multi-information display and radar cruise control.

The only downsides could be the pokey boot, but the rear row should be perfectly fine for families with little ones.

I want something sporty

Unlike competitors such as Hyundai, VW, Honda and Ford, there's no dedicated performance hot hatch in the Mazda stable. Even so, the G25 GT and G25 Astina have a sporty exterior design and offer some advanced safety assists that rival hot hatches do without. If you're fastidious, the manual models are almost 30kg lighter over comparable automatics.

Which Mazda3 has the most equipment and is the most luxurious?

For those who appreciate the finer things in life, the G25 Astina is comprehensively stocked. Key highlights include the following:

LED daytime running lights instead of halogen (LED is brighter and uses less energy)
Sunroof
Mazda adaptive headlights
360° around view monitor (an option on the GT)
Cruising and traffic support (an option on the GT)
Driver monitoring (optional on the GT model)
Front cross-traffic alert (FCTA)
Front and rear parking sensors instead of rear only

You also get leather seats, power adjustable and heated mirrors, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, a Bose premium 12-speaker system and cylinder deactivation technology.

I like diesel cars, is there a diesel Mazda3?

Mazda Australia doesn't sell a diesel-engined 3.

Where is the Mazda3 made?

Mazda assembles the hatchback at their Hōfu, Nishinoura district plant in Japan. According to a company press release, the Ujina 2 Plant in Hiroshima also handles some of the manufacturing responsibilities.

Mazda3 financing

If you're thinking of buying a Mazda3, make sure to take a few seconds to compare different loans below. You could possibly save hundreds of dollars over the loan term.

Loan amount

Loan term

Name	Interest Rate (p.a.)	Comparison Rate (p.a.)	Min Loan Amount	Loan Term	Application Fee	Monthly Service Fee
IMB New Car Loan	4.99% (fixed)	5.34%	$2,000	1 to 7 years	$275.12 ($250 Application fee + $25.12 PPS registration fee)	$0	You'll receive a fixed rate of 4.99% p.a. A low minimum borrowing amount of $2,000 that you can use to purchase a new car or one that's up to two years old.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Loans.com.au - New and Dealer Used Car Loan	From 4.67% (fixed)	5.22%	$5,000	3 to 5 years	$400	$0	You'll receive a fixed rate from 4.67% p.a. based on your risk profile Finance a new car and benefit from features such as fast approval, no ongoing fees and an optional balloon payment. Note: Settle the loan before 30 November 2020 and enter the draw to win a $1,000 fuel voucher. Terms & conditions apply.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Stratton Finance New Car Loan	From 4.05% (fixed)	5.63%	$10,000	3 to 7 years	$700	$8.25	You'll receive a fixed or variable rate depending on the lender you are approved with Apply for up to $250,000 and use cash or trade in a vehicle to use as a deposit. Optional balloon payment available.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Heritage Bank Car Loan	4.89% (fixed)	5.53%	$5,000	1 to 7 years	$200	$5	You'll receive a fixed rate from 4.89% p.a. Finance a new or used car up to 5 years old. Large maximum borrowing amount up to $100,000 and terms up to 7 years.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Credit Concierge Car Loan	From 4.45% (fixed)	5.29%	$10,000	1 to 7 years	$350	$5	You'll receive a fixed rate of 4.45% p.a. with a comparison rate of 5.29% p.a. Get access to over 20 providers to fund a new or used car.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CUA Secured Fixed Car Loan	6.79% (fixed)	7.16%	$5,000	1 to 7 years	$265 ($175 Establishment Fee + $90 Security Administration Fee)	$0	You'll receive a fixed rate of 6.79% p.a. A secured loan with a high maximum borrowing amount up to $100,000. Redraw facility and no monthly fees.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
NAB Personal Loan Unsecured Fixed	From 9.99% (fixed)	10.88%	$5,000	1 to 7 years	$150	$10	You'll receive a fixed rate between 9.99% p.a. and 18.99% p.a. ( 10.88% p.a. to 19.83% p.a. comparison rate) based on your risk profile An unsecured loan up to $55,000 you can use for a range of purposes and pay off over up to 7 years. Note: Majority of customers will get the headline rate of 12.69% (13.56% comparison rate) or less. See Comparison rate warning in (i) above.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Symple Loans Personal Loan	From 5.75% (variable)	6.47%	$5,000	1 to 7 years	from 0% to 5% of the loan amount	$10	You'll receive a personalised interest rate from 5.75% p.a. to 21.99% p.a. based on your risk profile Borrow up to $50,000 to pay for what you need.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Driva Car Loan	From 4.34% (fixed)	5.5%	$2,000	1 to 7 years	$295 (Varies by lender, starting from $295)	$10	You'll receive a fixed rate from 4.34% p.a. Borrow up to $250,000 with loan terms from 1 to 7 years. Get access to a range of lenders.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Plenti Car Loan	From 4.89% (fixed)	5.44%	$10,000	3 to 7 years	from $249 to $799	$0	You'll receive a fixed rate from 4.89% p.a. Borrow up to $100,000 with a Plenti Car Loan and benefit from no early repayment or exit fees.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

Compare up to 4 providers

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Ben Gribbin

Ben Gribbin is an experienced automotive writer and life-long car enthusiast with a passion for restoring classic vehicles. He brings many years of experience working with and writing about cars to Finder.

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Mazda3: Everything you need to know

Our Mazda 3 hatchback range guide