2025 Mazda Mazda 3 Expert Review
Reviewed by Bob Hernandez
The most affordable Mazda these days is the brand’s current compact darling: the 3. It’s offered in sedan or hatchback variants, with FWD or AWD. There’s even a variant with a manual transmission (though the vast majority come with a six-speed automatic). Small car rivals include the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Hyundai Elantra.
Mazda also sells a subcompact SUV that uses the 3’s platform—read about the CX-30 here.
What’s New
- Turbo Premium Plus sedan models gain a black rear wing
- Select Sport and higher sedan and hatchback trims now come with Alexa voice assistant
- Premium and Premium Plus sedan and hatchback models receive Mazda online navigation
- Greige interior no longer offered for the hatchback
What We Think
Even the entry-level 3 benefits from Mazda’s upscale moves. Both exterior and interior radiate premium, from the car’s body styling to the cabin’s top-notch materials and build quality. The 3 may be lumped with other mainstream compacts but Mazda is really taking aim at the Acuras and Lexuses of the world.
Lead foots will appreciate the torquey shove of the turbo models, while non-turbo 3s could use a bit more grunt. Every version delivers a mostly refined and mature driving experience, Mazda prioritizing handling and braking excellence, as well as noise, vibration, and harshness mitigation. There’s also some welcome feedback through the steering wheel. Models with the manual transmission come with an added level of engagement.
We wouldn’t characterize the 3 as sporty, though. A rear torsion beam setup contributes to the perception of a slightly stiff suspension. In the non-turbo AWD hatch, we also encountered a lack of transmission refinement at low speeds.
Furthermore, fuel economy is only average, rivals are more spacious in the back, and the 3 is one of the more expensive choices in the segment. It does an ok job at balancing the everyday and the high-end, but anyone looking for outright practicality or performance at a more attainable price should consider competitors such as the Honda Civic or Hyundai Elantra as well.
Performance
Most 2025 Mazda 3 trim levels feature a 2.5-liter non-turbo inline-four and a six-speed automatic transmission. Buyers can also get a six-speed manual transmission with this engine, but only on the S Premium trim, available exclusively with FWD and the hatchback body style. Output is rated at 191 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. With FWD, our test team was able to hustle a Premium sedan model with this engine to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds.
Top models come standard with a turbocharged engine developing 227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque on 87-octane gas, or up to 250 hp and 320 lb-ft on 93 octane. This setup enabled a 0- 60-mph launch of 5.9 seconds in a current-gen. hatchback with AWD.
Efficiency
As you might expect, non-turbocharged FWD models with an automatic return the best fuel economy of the lineup. Last year’s versions are EPA-rated 27/35-37 mpg city/highway and should be the same for 2025. With a six-speed manual or AWD, those numbers dip to 26 mpg city and between 33 and 36 mpg highway.
Turbo models are least efficient, partly because they’re only offered with AWD. Those get 23/31-32 mpg city/highway. Both the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla return better fuel economy on average, largely by employing smaller, less powerful engines and avoiding AWD.
Safety Ratings and Features
Both the Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback are IIHS 2024 Top Safety Pick+ recipients, the institute’s highest award. This is despite the fact IIHS has continued to update its tests. The 2024 models also earned NHTSA five-star overall safety ratings.
Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping, automatic emergency braking, and a driver focus monitor are standard active safety equipment. Also available are low-speed adaptive cruise control, rear automatic emergency braking, parking sensors, and a 360-degree camera. Trying out some of the systems on a 2022 turbo AWD, we didn’t get the sense they were as supportive as those from Honda, Hyundai, or Toyota.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
More space than the Corolla, not as much as the Civic—that’s essentially the takeaway when comparing interior volumes. The 3 has space advantages in rear legroom and the cargo hold relative to the Toyota, but neither has more capacity than the Honda.
Technology
Standard features on the 2025 Mazda 3 2.5 S base model include an 8.8-inch central display, 7.0-inch driver information screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, six speakers, and two USB ports. Available upgrades include wireless phone mirroring, a 10.3-inch center display that becomes a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and two more sound systems, an eight-speaker option and 12-speaker Bose setup. A wireless phone charger, heated steering wheel, frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror, illuminated vanity mirrors, power driver’s seat, and heated front seats are also available.
Which 2025 Mazda 3 Trim Level Is Best?
The 2025 Mazda 3 sedan is available in six trims (called packages): 2.5 S, 2.5 S Select Sport, 2.5 S Preferred, 2.5 S Carbon Edition, 2.5 Carbon Turbo, and 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus. The 2025 hatchback is offered in seven trims, with a 2.5 S Premium slotting in between the 2.5 S Preferred and 2.5 S Carbon. This extra trim level is the only one to offer the manual transmission.
Given our pick, we’d want the handling of the AWD variant, the torque that comes with the turbo powertrain, and the space afforded by the hatchback. The Carbon Turbo model is our sweet spot, which comes with a starting price of almost $34,500. The top model in the hatchback range is right above it, and it starts around $38,000, while the entry-level non-turbo hatch starts at around $26,000.
Sedan pricing starts at around $25,000 for the 2.5 S base model, while the 2025 Turbo Premium Plus four-door carries a sticker price of almost $37,000.
