Mazda3: FAQs

The Mazda3 has been the Japanese company’s hatch and sedan small car through four generations starting in 2004 in Australia. Previously, Mazda’s small car was known as the 323.

The Mazda3 has been a stellar success in Australia, toppling the Holden Commodore from the top of the best-seller list in 2011.

The widely-praised latest-generation Mazda3 was launched in 2019. Originally based on a platform shared with the Ford Focus, the Mazda3 is now a stand-alone product based on what Mazda calls SKYACTIV technology that covers the architecture and the drivetrains.

The most common problem associated with the Mazda3 is the wear and tear that comes with ageing. As it is built in Japan and far from the most complex car on the road, it has a strong reputation for quality and reliability. So much so the 2014 Mazda3 Maxx was recently judged carsales best used small car for 2020.

The one obvious reliability sticking point is with the SKYACTIV 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine, which has caused persistent problems. Mazda issued a safety recall for 2014-16 Mazda3s diesels as recently as March 2020.

That depends on which Mazda3 is compared against which Honda Civic. Back in 2013, the Honda Civic finished ahead of the Mazda3 in a carsales small car mega-test, but both were well down the field.

The most recent test conducted by carsales pitted a third-generation Mazda3 against the then brand-new 10th-generation Civic in 2016. The Civic pipped the Mazda3, but since then there’s been an all-new Mazda3 launched to a strong reception.

The Mazda3 line-up of naturally-aspirated petrol engines has evolved through the generations, but have retained a reputation for reliability.

The same cannot be said for the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine fitted to a small minority of Mazda3s sold in Australia.

Mazda recalled 2014-16 diesel Mazda3s because of safety issues with that engine as recently as 2020.

Mazda introduced bespoke SKYACTIV technology in 2012, including a high compression ratio for the petrol four-cylinder engines (2.0-litre and 2.5-litre) used in the Mazda3.

Much more recently, Mazda has rolled out the SKYACTIV-X petrol engine in Australia, which features compression-ignition technology. There are too few examples on the road to make any judgement about long-term reliability.

Of course, Mazda3 engine reliability will be enhanced if you stick to service intervals, change the oil and filters as recommended and don’t drive it like you’ve stolen it all day, every day.

Do that and you’re a good chance to experience many hundreds of thousands of trouble-free kilometres.

Don’t forget there were two generations of the turbo-petrol Mazda3 MPS hot hatch offered in Australia in 2006 and 2009. They are highly-tuned little beasts in need of proper maintenance to stay at their best.

The fourth-generation Mazda3 introduced in 2019 rose in price between $3500 and $4500 because Mazda repositioned it as a more premium model.

This push upmarket was driven by a number of factors: the switch in buyer interest from small cars to SUVs, the addition of more comfort equipment, the need to add expensive standard safety equipment to achieve maximum ANCAP five-star safety ratings, and the deletion of the base model Neo from the range.

Mazda Australia explained the rationale for the price rise here.

Mazda isn’t alone in pursuing this policy, with the Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf all headed upwards in price, too.

Of course, on the flipside, if you’re selling a Mazda3 then you’ll discover retained values are among the best in the market. So, if you can afford the initial outlay you will reap the rewards down the track.