A side view of the Mazda 3 under Austin’s iconic Pennybacker bridge. 📸Scotty Reiss
We took the 2019 Mazda 3 for a test drive and were wowed at the details in this luxury sedan.
Here are the facts and figures you’ll need to know before taking a test drive.
Our full review can be found here.
Who This Car is For
- Singles, couples or small families (there are two outboard LATCHes for child car seats)
- Buyers who want a luxury sedan experience
- Buyers looking for a good value in a car
- Drivers who appreciate sport mode
- Drivers who may need all wheel drive
The interior of the Mazda 3 is elegant and well appointed. 📸Scotty Reiss
What This Car Costs
- Starting price with remote keyless entry, cloth seats, 8.8” infotainment system, $21,000
- Select edition adds Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, sport mode, sport gloss exterior details, active driver assist package with blind spot monitors, lane departure assist, adaptive cruise control, $22600
- Add All wheel drive option, (Select edition and above) for $1400
- Preferred Edition adds Bose sound system, leatherette seats, heated front seats, aluminum exterior accents, $24,200
- Premium edition adds head up display, adaptive front headlights, leather seating, moon roof, paddle shifters, $26,500
- Price of the Premium model we drove, with door sill plates ($425), frameless rear view mirror ($275) navigation SD card ($450) and wireless charge pad ($275) and delivery charge ($920), in Soul Red paint ($595), $30,930
The commander control dial controls the infotainment system. 📸Scotty Reiss
What We Loved
- All that leather!!!
- The Soul Red paint. Worth it.
- Heated front seats
- Head up display
- Brake hold button
- Automatic electric parking brake
- All wheel drive is an option ($1400)
- Sport mode (and paddle shifters!)
- Adjustable sliding arm rest with wireless phone charge pad
- A USB port that is easily reachable in the front seat
- A full suite of driver assist safety features including blind spot monitors, rear cross traffic alert, brake hold, adaptive cruise control with full stop, lane departure warning, lane keep assist
- Rain sensing wipers
- The new look of Mazda. It’s just gorgeous.
Old vs New Mazda 3 design. 📸Scotty Reiss
What You Need to Know
- Two USB ports
- Apple CarPlay/Android Auto is available in Select and above trims
- Seats 5 but more comfortable for 4
- Parking brake is engaged automatically and is released when you put on your seatbelt
- Regular gas is recommended
- 25MPG city/33 highway for the AWD model
- 36 month/36,000 mile basic warranty
- 60 month/60,000 mile powertrain warranty
Scotty Reiss
Journalist, entrepreneur and mom, Scotty likes to say the automotive business found her, she didn't pursue it. But recognizing the opportunity to give voice to powerful female consumers and create a voice to match their spending power, her mission became to empower women as car buyers and owners. A career-long journalist, she has written for the New York Times, Town & Country, Adweek and co-authored the book Stew Leonard, My Story, a biography of the founder of the iconic grocery company Stew Leonard’s. Her love of cars started when her father insisted she learn to change the oil in her MG Midget, but now it mostly plays out in the many road trips taken with her family.
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