Mazda 3 BP (Hatchback) G20 Evolve Automatic (2019-2026)

Beautiful car with a mix bag of experience – Fairly speaking, it's one of the most beautiful car, power wise it's good for 2.0 ltr though struggles on Western Sydney's mountainous inner roads. Economy coming to 10.9L/100k. The good feeling factors are ADL, BSM, HLA, LDW, DAA and the beautiful looks. The most disappointing features are SBS/SCBS/SBSR - I tried in safe environment at speed… Read more

above and below 20 kph but finally I had to emergency break manually, and LAS - doesn't really work. Had gone through online manual and looks like need to do experiments with the config. The TPMS is confusing and in absence of demonstration by the dealer, it renders useless. The TSR comes with so many conditions. It is very confusing in School zones as it picks up 40 irrespective of time. After couple of drives, one get used to it though annoying at times. While we are in 2021 the reverse camera still shows solid lines instead of guide lines. i.e. doesn't show estimation with wheels turned. Neither the rear view mirrors turn down automatically during reverse parking for easier view. Specially, when the rear view mirrors are very small. Overall I gave rating 6 out of 10 for Mazda Evolve MY21.

High quality vehicle – High quality interior that is beautifully laid out, good noise insulation, and packed with safety features. Handles very well and enjoyable to drive. The boot space is not huge but enough for my needs. Show details

Decent car with a case of form over function – Key take aways: • Great standard features and tech (AEB, HUD, etc) • Amazing interior design and cabin quality • Poor outwards visibility • Aircon is poor for summer use (cabin takes long to cool down on a hot summer day and isn't ice cold enough for hot climates) • 2.0L is adequate (but slow) - it needs more pep so the 2.5L is a worthy pick … Read more

This review may sound bashing as it is easier to pick out faults that the car has as opposed to what it does well or excels in but hopefully it helps someone in the market for one.

My car came equipped with the Vision package so it comes with extra goodies such as: a 360 camera with dynamic reverse guidelines (the normal camera guidelines are a fixed box), front parking sensors, cruise & traffic support and front cross traffic alert.

Build quality:

My car was one of the early build date models for the new BP series shape, and this meant that it displayed some issues associated with the production of an all-new model. These issues are typically ironed out further in the production phase for many manufacturers which is why some people prefer to wait a bit when a new model is released (so they don't become beta testers haha).

The build quality issues include the: 1. Rear edge of the front driver's door sticking out a bit (the bottom section is not really in line with the front of the rear door, however the rest of the body panels and gaps are fine). I bought the car as a demo knowing that it had this problem so it wasn't really a big deal. 2. Rubber garnish running up and down B pillar (between the doors) wearing prematurely due to a design fault/build quality issue. The top of the front door trim would be in contact with the rear door trim when exposed to the sun and would rip a rubber strip running up and down the doors over time (the black parts expand on hot days). It was a known issue for the 2019 models and I had it fixed three times under warranty (twice in the first year of ownership due to the initial dealership being useless and again in 2023 with the dealer who organised the second fix). The last fix seems to be a permanent solution so don’t be scared to try your luck even if your warranty is about to expire. 3. Power window chrome accent peeling prematurely (occurred on one switch just before 20,000km service and I had no issues getting this sorted under warranty which made the dealership experience pleasant as you would assume that they would decline it on the premise of wear and tear). I have not experienced the same issue with an extra 40,000 on the ODO.

Interior/Tech: TLDR: great design, material quality, tech, good storage solutions but poor aircon performance in summer

The interior design is a step above its competitors - it looks classy, has an abundance of quality materials throughout and the layout/controls are logical and easy to use. The cabin ambiance honestly feels so much nicer/premium compared to a base model or mid-spec Corolla/i30 which it is commonly cross shopped with. Storage is abundant - the boot is decently sized and there are a lot of cubbies and places to store water bottles or personal items. It is a shame that there are no hooks or rings for nets in the boot to help hold loose items that may roll or tip over. Another downside is that the steering wheel feels a bit thin compared to other cars - it's missing that "full" feeling/thickness that you would expect when you grab onto something.

The car's media screen is thoughtfully set back into the dash and angled towards the driver. The rotary dial and shortcuts surrounding it are easy to use and minimises distractions while driving. A negative would be that you cannot set a travel destination with the factory sat nav while driving unless you: (1) use the voice command prompts while driving or (2) put the car in park with the handbrake on. If you can get past that, the factory sat nav itself is a treat to use - it is much better than what I have experienced with Toyotas. The guidance is clear, speed camera icons appear on the map (no audible warnings for these), and the system even shows you where each lane takes you when you are on and approaching a multi lane intersection. The directions also appear in the heads up display and this really boosts the usability of the system. Personally, I prefer using Apple Carplay as it works great with navigation apps such as Google/Waze (smarter voice recognition for when you're on the go).

For the audio snobs: the standard speakers are clear, refined and don't crack or get fuzzy at high volumes. It does however lack bass, so if this is something you care about you will notice a big difference in a SP25GT/Astina (these are equipped with a Bose sound system and subwoofer that work really well).

Performance/driving experience: TLDR: the 2.0L is adequate/slow and needs to be pushed a fair amount - go for the 2.5L if you can, the car handles pretty good but does not have the raw fun factor as seen in an i30 N-Line, the driving tech is alright and the auto-wipers suck

Owning a 2.0L (G20) meant that there is not much 'go' factor to the car - it doesn't seem to have low end torque or eagerness to move until you rev the engine more. The 2.5L (G25) makes accelerating feel a lot more effortless and it is definitely worth test driving this engine. Don’t be surprised if you have to step on it as you approach a hill in the 2.0L (my test drive of the car gave me flashbacks of my 2010 Corolla). The steering feedback is good (very well weighted and accurate - might be heavy for some) and the car pretty much feels at home in turns and corners (it just doesn't have the raw fun factor seen with the Hyundai i30 N-Line). Roundabout turns can be a bit more tedious in this car as the steering is not necessarily overly light or assisted. The brake feel is also a bit firm (it is gradual and predictable once you adjust to the car) and not as soft, touchy or spongey that you may find in other cars.

On the road, the Mazda 3’s cabin is quiet and fairly refined. You won't hear much road noise unless you are driving on a coarse road (attributed to premium Bridgestone tyres fitted as standard and extra sound deadening over the last model). At highway speeds, there are no issues with wind noise. The suspension is a bit on the firmer side so the car does not feel supple over shopping centre speed humps - apparently the sedan runs on a softer suspension if you prefer comfort. After changing out the stock tyres with sports orientated tyres with softer sidewalls, the ride feels more compliant over bumps. The air conditioning is pretty poor in this car (especially for an Australian summer) and it was the main reason that tinted windows were a must for me. On very hot days the cabin is cool at best (not ice cold) and takes a long while for the temps to come down (not great compared to its competitors). The rear aircon vents are a nice added bonus in the small car segment but it doesn’t do much damage (it's more-so a gentle/light breeze). Fuel wise, my car typically averages 9.5L per 100 KMs, however I primarily use my car in urban settings and this is pretty much in line with other small hatches I have driven in the past (they get 2-3L over their combined usage figures).

Outward visibility is poor and the side mirrors are ridiculously zoomed in (you get used to them over time but they are a bit crap for parking in my honest opinion). Driving aids such as rear cross traffic alert, reverse braking and reverse sensors do give you some peace of mind when navigating in and out of parking spaces but these wouldn’t really be necessary in a car with better visibility. The 360 camera is a godsend and having it takes the guesswork out of pulling out of tight spots, seeing if you are lined up nicely or seeing ahead for anything below the belt line. Its smart integration means that it is also activated when the front sensors detect anything ahead.

In terms of driving technology, the active cruise control in this car works okay. I personally prefer the systems that Hyundai and Toyota have rolled out in their cars. Their systems are much more intuitive in terms of braking, maintaining speed, lane centring and leaving a smaller gap between cars. The emergency braking systems can be sensitive in this car (more so the reverse braking - but you do have peace of mind that they do work when needed). What doesn't work so well are the automatic wipers which take ages to turn on and sometimes don't even wipe at the appropriate speed. You're better off using manual mode when it's pouring. The service representative at my local dealer mentioned that this car has a small rain sensor so there's not much that can be done about it unfortunately. Also, in very cold or very hot weather, the safety system sensors may deactivate momentarily as conditions are not optimal for operation - sometimes the car has poor visibility of what is ahead or the sensors are fried in the hot summer sun and needs to cool down a bit (you will get a dash notification warning you about it anyway).

A quirk I have noticed with the car is that while it is running, if you decide to exit the drivers door (while other doors are auto locked), you won't be able to use the key to open the car doors/boot and would have to do this via the drivers door panel.

Summary:

The Mazda 3 is by no means a bad car, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with it for the first 2.5 years and have actually come to appreciate it by the 3rd year. It's well packaged, well composed for quick turns and has been a reliable car so far (sitting at just under 60,000 kms after 3.5 years of ownership). Most of the efforts for this generation seem to be about refinement and ease of use. If you are considering this car, please give the 2.5L model a shot.

If I had to do it again, another strong contender would be the Hyundai i30 N-Line even though it costs more. This is a matter of personal preference, but the Hyundai is more of a driver's car. It does miss out on some modern tech and is on an ageing platform but it is more of an all-rounder. The seat comfort and bolstering is really good, its Australian tuned suspension rides really well and soaks up bumps better than the Mazda, outward visibility is amazing (due to the large windows and side mirrors that capture a lot), the boot space is very usable and the cruise control system is well calibrated. The only downside might be the questionable reliability in the long term (there is an ongoing class action lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia for defective engines and the N-line uses a dry dual clutch transmission which aren’t typically known to be as reliable as a wet clutch counterpart - a friend of mine also had a fuel pump die 18,000KMs into ownership of their N-line).

Over time, I became happy with my choice as the Mazda 3 is very easy to live with once you get used to some of its quirks (there is no perfect car at the end of the day).

I hope this helps anyone with their car hunting!

Rapidly Becoming A Major Disappointment – Purchased new in September 2019 from Maitland Mazda. Recall Issues (2) January 2020. Have now got problem with Info System turning itself off / freezing etc. Waiting on dealer to investigate with Mazda Australia (?). Have like others also had trouble with Cruise Control function and have now simply turned off. Do like some of improvements to past… Read more

Mazdas ( have had 6 previously ) particularly road noise reduction but for a "new" car there are obviously quality control issues. When driving cannot help wonder "what next" which is a bit off putting.

The Perfect Upgrade – With my old car nearly 10 years old it was time to upgrade. Test drove 3 different manufacture's cars but nothing compares to the comfort or style of this car. Show details