Good but it gets expensive – 2010 Mazda Neo, automatic, petrol. Has been a fairly great car but starting to show its age. Have had the car 6 years now with only general maintenance, drivers seat recall & the gearbox TCM module failure being done. The car has only been used for local driving barring one trip to QLD & is not driven daily. Current kilometres: 181,000. Car has… Read more
been maintained at regular intervals. Our last inspection though revealed: - Air conditioning pump bearing is worn out (Aircon will stop working & requires a full replacement) $1400 - Engine mounts 2/3 need replacing. $450 - Rear main seal is leaking. $1500 - Gearbox mount is broken. $175 - Sensor fault in the SRS system, mechanic checked and cleared it but no idea what's causing it. - Door light & warning chime come on at random even when the car is fully closed. Had to manually turn off interior light to prevent battery drain as it turns on when it thinks the door is open. The dark blue paint is also getting badly faded & peeling even though it is garaged as much as possible. If you can find one with lower klms I'd recommend one but even with regular maintenance & low klm driven yearly since I bought this car it has quickly become a money drain. General Pros: Good on fuel, comfortable to drive, went really well on the long distance drive. Good size boot (sedan). Zippy in traffic. Cons: Lights are awful even after replacing the bulbs. Is expensive to maintain beyond general serving. TCM costs $1100 alone.
Great car but has problems with the automatic transmission due to faulty TCU – Bought a Mazda 3 2010 model. Was running great till 140000ks then the AT warning light came on and the car would stall and shudder. Took it to Mazda dealership twice they could not find the problem. I looked up Mazda forums and found all Mazda3 models from 2006-2013 have a problem with Transmission Control Module failure which cause the car to… Read more
stall shudder and gear to get stuck. Finally had to pay 1050 to replace the TCU. There should be a recall on these models as it is a serious safety issue.
Excellent car for the price – I've been really impressed with my 2010 BL Mazda 3 2.0L petrol. It has not broken down once in over three years. My average fuel economy is around 7.5 litres / 100 kms. Spacious interior - I'm 1.86 m tall (6'2"), and I don't feel cramped. If I had to fault one thing on these Mazdas it is that I see a lot of BLs that have sun-faded paint. It's… Read more
a shame, because it makes an otherwise great car look shabby. So if you do own one, then be sure and park it in the shade.
Reviews with attachments
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Loved this car. Great steering. Looks fab. Fussy dashboard, tight rear seat and "okay" for noise and comfort – We purchased a 2013 BL2 Mazda 3 Neo hatch brand new in January 2014 and sold it nearly four years later in late 2017. A lovely blue colour. Five speed auto. Tinted windows. Reverse sensors. Floor mats. This was our first new car and also our first car on the 'newer' side. My newest car before this was ten years old. Having no children at the… Read more
time we cross shopped against the i30 and also several 2010ish used cars, many with a sportier flavour. Personally we loved the look and it turned in very nicely and confidently with high grip levels for what it is. While it's not a sports car (I did have a LV Focus Zetec as rental once and the handling on that was amazing), it sits flat, turns in quick and it really was a lot of fun to drive. A five speed auto is much better than a four speed auto. It's also got pretty good torque to weight and moves decently off the line. The chassis feels nice and tight, offering little in the way of flex or creaking noise over undulations.
The standard features were pretty good (easy for you to find online). In 2020 the only feature I'd like to add would be a reverse camera with a good screen with Android Auto and Apple Carplay - something you can surely add after market. Cruise control, full power windows etc, bluetooth, plenty of safety features. The stereo is good from the perspective of old cars and it does have front tweeters (a feature I believe was dropped in the BM Neo) but surely it's an average modern car system, nothing more. I've been in ordinary cars with clearer highs.
I often think back at how nice it drove... but it's also not very practical (if that's a concern).
The dashboard is busy, large, dark and distasteful to my eye (the BM that came next was a revelation!). The rear centre seat is an uncomfortable perch and rear legroom is short, as are the rear doors. The boot space is OK. The car's undoing was how little knee room you have in front of a rear facing baby seat - my knees were touching the dash and that's truly uncomfortable. We could fit a pram in the back but it would take half the surface area. So obviously, our circumstances changed.
To be fair you don't buy this car as a 'family car'. It's a two up front with occasional use in the back - a brief it serves very well. But there are other cars in this class that do offer more in that regard. The i30 from that era offers an airier cabin, better legroom and a larger boot (in terms of volume, though it is not as long), all in a smaller package.
Reading reviews you often read about the noise and comfort. Ours was the entry level on 15" tyres and the series 2 - short of opting for a sedan or premium tyres it would be the most quiet and comfortable of the range. On the freeway at 110kph it would pull 2,500rpm in fifth gear (locked up torque convertor) keeping engine noise to a minimum. The engine is loud when thrashed. Overall I don't think it was a 'noisy' car but it definitely not a 'quiet' car. Though a mate with a 2009 Impreza thought it was. I think the freeway gearing does help it compared to a lot of other cars from that era and before. On the topic of transmissions it has a manual control in just the way you want it: forward to downshift, it wont kick down on full throttle and it will hit the rev limiter if you let it.
As for the suspension. More comfort would be welcome, small bumps like speed humps are quite bad, but it was worth it for how it drove.
Servicing at the dealership is overpriced at $300ish at the time with six month intervals a limitation and additional expense. The car was completely reliable in our time with it.
Fuel economy. A lot of 9-10 L/100km around slow, short urban (worst case scenario) trips. High 6's on the motorway, from memory.
Overall... a lovely car if it suits your lifestyle.
In-depth reviews
Great example of fine Japanese car industry – Brought this zippy little get around a couple of days ago. 2012 SP20 SKYACTIVE Hatch. After my trusty Toyota Aurion finally gave out the A/C and the mechanic said a very large number, I decided it was time to upgrade. I loved my Aurion, but being a 2008 model with over 200,000KMs on it, it wasn't worth getting it fixed. My profile is that I… Read more
have a 3 y/o and a 1y/o, don't really drive very much, so needs to be safe, still need some space and good on fuel. Trying to find something within my budget and that ticked the boxes was a bit difficult at first, then I found this beauty.
While I will admit that there are cars in the same price bracket and year that are maybe more luxurious or a bit more savvy, I came back to Mazda given I owned a 1995 323 Protegé that could run off the smell of a fart, and was so reliable, it probably would've outlived me.
Mazdas of this grade may not seem like much to write home about, given they are pretty basic and simple, but they are super reliable, and cheap in servicing and repairs.
Now for some more brutal honesty PROS - Sporty exterior style makes it look like a speed demon (unfortunately it isn't) - 5 star safety rating (great if you're a paranoid parent like me) - Simple and easy to use control interface, yet still stylish, and ticked all my boxes in technology. - Reminders for servicing and tyre rotation - I-stop function for saving fuel in heavy traffic. -super good on fuel, and cheap (ish) to refuel. - Hatch design means if you're a parent like me who takes half the house with you on every outing, you've got plenty of room to fiddle and rearrange, as compared to a sedan.
CONS - Navigation system isn't live streamed, so will happily take you through the kind of traffic where you need a pillow. - Hill decent function can get annoying and hold the car from gear shifting. Starts to get a bit noisy, but you can just accelerate out of it. - struggles a little bit going up hill, but not too bad if you can build some speed up first. - while I-stop is great at saving fuel, it can get a little annoying if you're only stopping for a couple of seconds. I think you can disable it, but I haven't worked that out yet.
Overall, I would say that pros outweigh cons. I look forward to some great adventures with my little sweetie. Will certainly not disappoint any owner. Great for a first car, cheap get around, or if your car has decided to give out and you need a new one.
Excellent and reliable transportation, with lots of fruit for base model – In late 2020 I brought a 2012 Mazda “3” sedan in a private sale. The purchase was made to replace our mid spec 2008 Honda Civic VTI-L, which had 235,000 kilometres on the clock and will be used for my 170 kilometre round trip commute up the Pacific Highway to and from work each day. Put simply we wanted a younger car with less clicks on the clock.… Read more
It has been a very noticeable step up, although to the Civic’s defence, it was a very good car in its own right.
This review is based on two months of ownership and 3,500 kilometres of travel.
Our 2012 Mazda “3” is the base model “Neo” sedan and had 122,500km on the odometer at time of purchase. There’s a lot to like about it, especially the level of standard equipment it come with. It includes cruise control, front and rear power windows, variable intermittent windscreen wipers, a nifty, but basic onboard computer to monitor fuel economy, distance to empty, maintenance schedule, tyre rotation and speed alarms. There are two large instrument binnacles that house the speedometer and tachometer separately, while there is a small electronic display between the two that also shows the fuel gauge, odometer and two separate trip metres. Interestingly there is no gauge for the engine temperature. The car also has cruise, stereo and audio controls on the steering wheel, a reach and rake steering wheel and fold down rear seat that can access the largish 430 litre boot to carry long items like a whipper snipper, so that is a big smiley face from me on that point. It comes with a USB port to charge your mobile phone on the run, but strangely no Bluetooth, which is a glaring omission on a 2012 vehicle, even if it is the bottom spec variety. You can run your GPS/Dashcam off the cigarette lighter in the storage console between the two front seats and there’s a port to plug your MP3 player in too, or if you are a bit old school, there’s also a single in dash CD player, with the normal stereo adjustments. The stereo itself is quite excellent, with great sound coming from the good quality speakers. There is no distortion when the volume is cranked up. This definitely appeals to someone like me, who loves his music to help overcome the tedious one hour commute home from work, while on road trips to watch the footy or when heading up to see family at Yamba NSW. So all in all, that’s a lot of fruit for a base model car and it has impressed me.
Our car is the 6 speed manual variety. To date the engine has started straight away every time and is smooth and quite in operation. The performance from the perky two litre engine is, dare I say it, somewhat sporty, which can bring a smile to ones face. It does like being revved and is at its best when you’re running through the gears. The changes are slick and precise, which adds to the enjoyment of changing gears for yourself and makes the overall drive more engaging and fun. Another thing is in comparison to my old five speed manual Civic, I’ve found myself having to change up and down more regularly. I imagine this may have something to do with the extra cog and way the engine and transmission are aligned. This is more an observation than a criticism. I only really use 6th gear on the highway or above 80km/h. The Mazda “3” has been a noticeable step up from the Civic, which felt a bit underpowered. While the two litre motor is no sports car in terms of outright power and torque, there certainly is no issue with it cruising on the highway at 110km/h. Besides if I wanted a performance car, I would have brought a Subaru WRX. The headlights are both bad and good. Low beam is inadequate, especially when travelling on the freeway at 110km/h or when it’s raining, yet the high beam is very bright, providing good forward vision. So I guess Mazda gets both a frown and a smile on this one.
On the road the car is what you expect from a car in this vehicle category. It will happily cruise on the freeway at 110km/hr on a shade under 3,000rpms, as it will driving from home to the local shops to buy a loaf of bread and a bottle of milk or picking up the kiddo from his friends place. The steering is light, responsive and provides adequate feedback from what’s happening on the road. The suspension travel is generally OK, although big bumps can unsettle the ride. You definitely know when this happens by the loud “thump”, and the car jolting about. Unfortunately you do have to drive fairly conservatively around Taree, as the conditions of its local roads are the worst of any place in Australia I’ve driven on. From reviews I have read from both motoring journalists and actual Mazda owners, one major bug bear is the level of road noise that infiltrates into the cabin of this company’s vehicles. My one is no different. It is an incredibly noisy place to be, especially when driving across coarse bitumen roads at freeway speeds. It does become a little tiresome and tedious when you driving the 170km I do each day and is the one really disappointing aspect of what is otherwise a really good car. I currently have Goodyear Tyres on it from when I brought it, so I’m not sure if that is a contributing factor or not. I’ll soon find out as I am about to replace the front ones with some Toyo Nanoenergy ones. Cranking up the stereo volume does help with this issue. There also have been a lot of negative comments in regards to the cars fuel economy. I have not found that to be the case at all. In fact it has been quite the opposite. I have averaged around an excellent 6.5 litres/100 km, although that may be a little misleading because 90% of my driving has been cruising at 110km/h on the Pacific Highway. It would be interesting what the fuel economy would be if I spent more time poking about town. I am getting around 650km out of the 45litre tank and it costs around $55 to refuel.
The interior of the car is a bit of a disappointment. There is a lot of cheap dark black plastic, including the steering wheel, which make it a tad dreary and sombre place to be. There is no rear air vents for back seat passengers and only one storage pocket on the back of the front passenger seat. While only very minor, it does simply take away from the overall appeal and is just another example of running with a cheap and nasty cost cutting charter. Having just one rear pocket really doesn’t quite make much sense to me and comes across as doing something a bit half arsed. That said, on a positive note, there are a few cubby holes for to store ones knick knacks like house keys, wallet and mobile phone. The centre console bin even has a little tray you can put a pen on. Between the front seats there are two cup holders to sit a cappuccino in while on the run and both the sun shades have a mirror on the back off them so the girls can put the lippy on or for you to see to give your hair a quick brush. There are large door pockets that can accommodate several water bottles, so that is an added bonus. While the front seat bucket seats are comfortable, you do sit low in them, which can restrict vision for the vertically challenged like me. The steep slopping bonnet and wide A & C pillows add to this problem. The rear seats one are a bit limited for both hip and leg room and are definitely for just two adults if you’re travelling more than an hour or so away. It’s not really an issue if you are like me and don’t carry rear seat passengers very often, but if you will be using them a lot, it is something you will need to consider.
While I am generally very happy with the car and consider it a good purchase with excellent features for a base model, it’s not all kisses, hugs and high five’s. There are aspects about its design that could have been better thought out and done better. One thing I absolutely HATE is the space saver spare tyre. They are nothing short of a mean spirited, cost cutting exercise by car manufactures and Mazda are no different. It’s was an aspect of the “3” that was VERY CLOSE to being a deal breaker for me. Had we been considering it for my family’s main car, it would have been. Given they are speed limited to 80km/h, they are dangerous and should be made illegal. OK rant over.
At the end the day, for me, the positives of the 2012 Mazda 3 Neo sedan far outweighed the negatives. Firstly there was the excellent reliability of the brand to consider. It had a massive influence on me deciding to look at this car in the first place. It has many practical features, excellent highway fuel economy, spirited performance and lots of space for a small car, which are all big, big winning ticks. Throw in all the excellent features for a base model, for me, buying at the price I got it for was a bit of a no brainer and I haven’t regretted buying whatsoever. On the negative side of the ledger, you will need to decide if the intrusive road noise, lack of Bluetooth, drab interior and space saver tyre is a deal breaker for you. For me it wasn’t which is why I am a happy owner.
Zoom Zoom – I purchased my blue mazda 3 BL2 2013 manual hatch back in 2016 with 25,000kms. This is the second mazda I've owned. My very first car was a mazda 323 1979 model (and it rocked even in 1999!) My 2013 Mazda was an outstanding car, super reliable and lots of servicing/tyre options - definitely the upside to owning a ridiculously popular car. I had… Read more
all services carried out at MyCar with an average cost of around $190. Outside of servicing my car only needed a battery and tyres. It never missed a beat, felt solid on the road, 6 speed manual was easy, it handled the city and open country roads effortlessly. I only fueled up with 95 and easily got 650kms between refuels. The only downside, parking is tricky due to difficulty seeing over the bonnet and out the tiny rear window and of course the loud road noise. All in all it was a magical car for myself and my two children and i highly recommend it to anyone considering a medium sized convieniant hatch. Its spacious, comfotable, clever and packed full of features (cruise control, bluetooth, hands free, air con, air bags galore etc). Our little mazda unfortunately didn't survive a recent freak hail storm, otherwise I would still have it today. I ended up replacing it with a 2014 mazda 3 and it's amazing too. I am floored what mazda has managed to do between 2013 and 2014 - absolutely incredible. If you're looking for safety, efficiency, reliability and style - look no further than a mazda 3 BL II.
Recent reviews
my best friend – it has been such a good car to me and still is! will drive it till it dies
Fantastic first car – This car has proven itself as a long distance vehicle. Two weeks ago I drove this vehicle from Sydney to Melbourne and back. While it does not have the latest tech, it still has cruise, bluetooth and many primary safety features not yet standard on many cars in 2010. Yes a 12 year old car with a 2.5 litre 6 speed manual capable of achieving… Read more
between 6 and 8 litres per 100 kms with three adults, luggage and aircon which was more than capable in keeping up with the task and never lacking in power or torque. Yes it is noisy compared to today’s cars and the ride is harsher but not overly uncomfortable. This is not our primary car but for someone it could be a great first car. Be sure to buy one withe 2.5 L engine that is an SP25 if your budget allows.
Don't ever buy a MAZDA ABS brake units fail.$3300 for new unit – Our 2011 Mazda 3 went into Mazda for 80000 service at 500 dollars this included brake fluid flush. Not long afterwards the brake pedal became soft, took the car in early before 90000 service to get it looked at, after Wanneroo Mazda first said there is nothing wrong and on my insistance they did find something wrong and bleed the brakes again and… Read more
brake pedal went back to normal. One and half day later the same problem returned and I took it back only to be told the ABS unit is faulty and needs to be replaced for 3300 dollars, searches on internet reveal this is a all to common problem. Do not buy a MAZDA. Wish someone had told me this sooner.
Reliable car – Have our Mazda 3 Neo automatic for over 8 years with 110k. Mostly city driving but have done between Melbourne to Sydney. Never missed a beat and only replaced consumables. Would recommend. Show details
My Mazda is Da Bomb! – I use my Mazda to get me from A to B on weekends and mu husband uses it for work during the week so it gets a workout! I love my Mazda 3 - it's just the size for me and I live the hatch back style. The boot is a good size and I like the look of the dashboard and the comfy seats. I wish it had built in sat nav but that will have to be my next car! I get it serviced yearly and I only had one very small oil leak issues once in 5 years. Show details
Great Car – This is a great car to drive. had this for 11 yrs and never missed a pin. I just love this car. A future car will be from Mazda family of sure. Show details
Find out how Mazda 3 BL compares to other Sedans
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Amazing little rocket – I bought my Mazda second hand. It has never complained and I have had no issues with it. Mazda has always been helpful when needed. Except they will charge you 70 dollars just to open your bonnet so be careful! Overall amazing car and not a bad word to say Show details
Well built long lasting car – Bought a 2nd hand 2011 Mazda 3 BL series in 2014 and has been a reliable and safe car that has minimal issues so far. Car was bought at a bargain price way below market price. Servicing as been much cheaper than our other car the VW golf. Fuel efficiency is also a positive no problems lasting a week on a full tank. Show details
Enjoyable Car and Very Reliable – This car represents an amazing value and has been very reliable. Built quality is amazing with no rattling discernible and handling is very tight. While the engine doesn’t sound desirable and sounds like a lawnmower, you get over that quickly and has enough power for your day to day. The automatic transmission is very silky smooth as well. It… Read more
should be noted that servicing might be more expensive than competitors as it has 6 month service intervals.
The ideal car for me. Never had a moments problems – I use my car at least every second day, either to do Local shopping, Visiting friends,Travelling to holiday destinations, and for Transport to the local railway station if I want to go into the city. My car is serviced by Mazda Pakenham and they call me when the service is due. First day I got it, it was "keyed" at the shops and on day three it… Read more · 1
was "keyed" at Caribbean Gardens market. Tends to be a target for rogue shopping trolleys .... but I can't blame the car for that.
Mostly lives up to the hype – Bought a used 2013 hatch in late 2017 from a private seller and have generally enjoyed the car. Most aspects of the car are great, the styling has held up well against more modern cars, the whole car still feels tight (I.e no rattles etc) and steering, brakes and handling ability has constantly impressed me against even newer cars that I have… Read more
driven. Beyond this, the car hasn’t given a hint of trouble with the engine and gearbox still feeling butter smooth.
The 2 litre engine while sometimes feeling a little lacking in low rpm torque feels better than you might expect and the automatic transmission has fine intuition, always in the right gear so you rarely feel lacking in go. Combined with the aforementioned ride/handling characteristics makes this little car a joy to drive.
However, these cars have two downfalls I have found in my onwership. The road noise and the fuel consumption. Now, the road noise on smooth roads is fine, but once the road starts getting even somewhat coarse, then the roar, particularly from the rear is very noticeable, but I will say it’s not as bad as some may make it out to be, but compared to a lot of other small cars you will notice. The other is fuel consumption combined with its fuel tank size. My driving style is about average and with an average speed of 40km/h the car averages around 10l/100km which I feel is on the high side for a car of its size. Combined with the tank only taking 45l from empty fueling up becomes a common exercise with this car. Not bad, just expected better from a 2013 vehicle.
Over all though, this is a great little car that is mostly a pleasure to own and drive and seems like it will do the distance.
Thanks Mazda again – Took our 2012 CX5 in for 110,000 service and was informed that there was a warranty item to be attended to. Apparently some vehicles have had the struts on the tailgate weaken, so all cars with the same batch were having the struts replaced at no cost to the customer. Many thanks Mazda once again. Show details
Excellent allrounder – Excellent car for both city and country driving. Great powerful engine mated to a smooth shifting six speed manual gearbox make it a dream to drive quickly and the 2,5 litre engine makes overtaking a breeze. Handling on twisty roads is excellent as is ride. The interior is well finished and the seats are very comfortable especially on long trips.… Read more
The stereo has great sound and the Bluetooth works very well with pairing up of my mobile phone very easy. The satnav screen is too small and the absence of a USB port is noticeable.
Overall the car is a delight to own and drive.
Mazda 3 Neo Hatch Back – I bought my Mazda 3 Hatch Neo back in 2011 and it was second hand. It is my first car and I absolutely fell in love with it, I have it for about 2.5 years now and it works great! The drive is smooth, fuel consumption, stylish and air con works fantastic. Though, I think that the price of the vehicle has depreciation a lot since it's first… Read more
purchase. I bought it at about $18 K but I think the price is now about $15 K range. Overall, I love my car.
Looks good, feels good, has some issues – On the good side: -Impressive looking car, holds its own even after 9 years. -Leather seats still looking and feeling fine, -Handles well, responsive, plenty of torque. -ABS Brakes excellent -Fun to drive -Parts have not been expensive, except for lights -Has Drive chain, not belt (no expensive replacement needed) -Bose sound system (but… Read more
see Road Noise)
-GPS
Not so good:
-Warranty was only 3 years and still is for new models.
-Road noise is appalling. I gather this hasn't improved much. Makes a nonsense of the Bose sound, especially if you don't listen to headbanger music.
-Forward visibility isn't great if you are not tall - can't see front end of car. Also, 'A' pillar is very wide and can obscure traffic to the right.
-Front skirt is low enough to get dragged on kerbsides and carpark edges with ease.
-Rear window visibility can be poort
-Common fault with this model (including mine) is the large fuel tank baffle breaks off inside the tank making lots of noise and you may need to replace whole tank. Mazda does not care if outside warranty period. Should have been a recall.
-Dummy spare wheel.
-Lights expensive to replace
-The fancy functional windscreen can take a while to replace if damaged by hail.
-Hatch door button died promptly soon as 3 year warranty was up.
-At purchase, had usual silly dramas to get basic things like floor mats, even on the 'luxury' model.
-Fuel economy around town is not as high as stated, but that is probably typical. More in the 8 to 10 range.
Overall, it's been fun, but now that it's time to look around again, I wouldn't do it again. They've improved in all the wrong areas.
Find out how Mazda 3 BL compares to other Sedans
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SP25 is a great drive – Great car with great handling. The gearbox is pretty spot on with finding the right gears, and I love using the flappy paddles. Never had an issue with acceleration or overtaking, even with 4 people in the car! Plenty of power. Cons: road noise can be mind numbingly bad on some roads at highway speeds. Mine's got the Bose premium stereo but the… Read more
audio's really average, it's almost a deal breaker for me - It's not loud enough, and it feels like something's missing eg center vocals. The large round knob on the stereo isn't actually the volume control (confusingly). The rearview mirror is too low for me, it gets in the way of my view.
Best car I have ever had – I bought my Mazda 3 second hand and I feel it's the best car I have had. It is very comfortable to drive so no problem with long trips. Its roomy but not too large and has a good size boot! It holds the road nicely and great on fuel. Show details
Our 2nd Mazda 3, Can't recommend enough – Would highly recommend any Mazda. This is our second Mazda 3 Sport and it still feels like a new car 5 years on, and it still looks really modern and new. We are now thinking of buying a Mazda BT -50 because the quality so high. Would definitely recommend the leather upgrade. Show details
Flawless – Has not missed a beat.....I have done 150,000 in the past 7 years and I have done all of the services at home and it’s perfect. I’m a single mum and it’s economical and reliable. Just want to upgrade to get the latest mod cons. Will definitely buy one again ☺️ Show details
Amazin – The drive of this car is so smooth, it is so quite and has never missed a beat since 2011 The interior is neat and easy to clean. Clear readings of the petrol in km and is very cheap on petrol. It is around $40-$55 to fill up and is extremely reliable Show details
Great car except for highway noise – Purchased a new mazda 3 BL neo in 2012. In the 4 years and 120k, the car was faultless. Apart from tyres and services the car required no maintenance. Downsides are the terrible cabin noise on the highway. On smooth freeway services it isn't a big deal.however on coarse roads it can drive you crazy. Show details
Simply the best – I always wanted to buy Mazda. However, I bought this beast as a second car. Then after, loved this beauty. Fully satisfied. Smooth, good looking and dashing. Never regret buying this model but check all the necessary requirements before hand. For this model, 5 star. Very economical and never had problem upto now. Show details
Good car for driving long distances but problems with transmission computer – I bought this car new in 2011, overall it's been a good car, I drive on the M5 everyday to and from work so it's been good for long distances and therefore I've clocked a lot of kilometres. In the last couple of years the main problem has been the transmission computer. I've needed to have it replaced once 18 months ago and now a second time just… Read more
this week. I've been told that this is a common problem with Mazda 3s. I like this car because of the power in accelerating on motorways but I am tossing up whether I really want to buy another Mazda. The other thing about Mazda is I have found their servicing costs have been quite expensive which is why I switched to NRMA for servicing costs - not sure if other car brands have extreme costs in servicing. By the way - not sure what the size of the engine is...?
Good car but my parents complained about an issue under warranty and never fixed – Blinkers at times don't switch off alternates from one to the other I personally drove it in Sydney yesterday to take my mother to a doctor's appointment .I had to stop in the emergency breakdown lane as i didn't know what the he'll was going on .It happened 3 times mum just said flick it forward to stop it .This shouldn't be like This it can… Read more
cause serious accident and also confuse the person behind .Lucky my parents live in a little village and the car don't get out much However the point is it shouldn't be like This and should have been fixed.This was reported under warranty to Singleton Mazda to fix who didn't fix it and now they have no record . VERY POOR FOR A QUALITY AND BRAND NEW CAR AT THE TIME.
a great reliable car – We purchased the Mazda 3 as it had good reviews for reliability and safety. It runs well and is a good for fuel consumption. It feels solid and is easy to drive with good brakes and gear change is smooth for an automatic. I would rate this car. It is a 2010 model however works well. Show details
Mazda 3 MPS – Owned my Mazda 3 MPS for 2 years. At the time, it was 5 years old. 20,000km driven. Interior: Impressive for its time, it was leagues ahead of the WRX, at the time of sale in 2017, it was holding up well. Screen is a little small at approx 3", but it was usable, even to the point of displaying GPS. Seats were trimed in leather, but seat bosters… Read more
did little in the corners to keep you in the seat. Good quality, plastics a little hard, lighting was above average.
Exterior: large bonnet scoop, aggressive curves, hatch back, dual 2.5" exhausts from factory, whats not to like?
Performance: extremely quick in a straight line, adequate in corners. 2.3L engine shared in the larger CX-7 SUV, and also the Mazda 6 MPS, this was the lightest application of this engine, only driven through the front wheels, rolling acceleration will give more expensive cars a run for their money. I averaged 13L/100km in a city, 8.5L/100 on the highway. Clutch is solid, but the feel isn't all there. Shift throw is good, and these only came in manual.
X-factor: a little biased but velocity red really makes this car pop out, more rare than the usual WRX of its age, has character
Overall, very reliable car, just make sure to hold on as torque steer can catch you out. Well kitted out as well in luxury guise, with bi-xeon lights that also turned into corners. BOSE and bluetooth works well.
Ideal First Car – Bought this car from a lovely couple in 2017 with 72000km indicated. Did not come with logbook however I do believe it was serviced regularly under government plan for health care workers. The car is truly a gem to drive. The steering is light (perhaps too light for some) but feels great and while it does tend to understeer (like most FWD cars)… Read more
it doesn't mind being pushed a little harder into corners.
The engine is fine, perhaps a little underpowered but seems about right for a 2.0L. The saving grace is the sub 1300kg kerb weight that makes it feel peppy when unladen. Load up with a few passengers however and overtaking requires a little more effort.
Fuel consumption is a little high for the class - and the onboard trip computer is optimistic. Long term average over 6 months has been calculated to be 9.1l/100km with 2 country trips, the rest city driving. Not a bad effort, however the computer suggests an average of 8.2l/100km.
Interior space is somewhat cramped in the back, with barely enough leg and headroom for adults. The car does come with a centre armrest which is nice. Room in the front is fine.
I do wish my car came with bluetooth (Which i understand it was fitted with in the BL Series 2, mine is a series 1) however the aux is sufficient.
Great little car to zip around town – The driving experience has been fantastic. Great handling. Good acceleration - though if placing the peddle down hard, does take an ever so small moment to kick back a gear. The road noise is as expected for a small/medium car. Controls are easy to use with the functionality of connected the mobile phone also easy to use - using an android… Read more
device.
Everything you need to control whilst driving is at your fingertips - the climate controls are easy to access without taking your eyes off the road.
There are blind-spots with the angle and position of the front drivers-side pillar.
The interior furnishings are high quality and robust - especially for the kids.
The downside is that there are no directional vents in the second row - there is a vent under the passenger and driver's seat. The aircon is good to cool the entire car fairly quickly.
Space is great - the boot is very deceptive and able to fit a family of luggage without forcing the hatch closed.
The stereo system is great - fitted standard with Bose speakers. Great sound without the "parcel shelf" vibration.
400-500kms per tank of fuel. Mainly around town driving.
Extra Information
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People who have had problems with their automatic transmission should submit their reviews for Mazda to take corrective action.