Mazda Mazda3 2005Change

Have had this car for 4 years, has terrible problems with rush and issues with rear end (struts etc). Seatbelt broke just before the 100,000km mark but dealership wouldnt fix because it was over 100,000km by the time we got it there, Love the car but just wish the problems didnt exits.

Did not have any problem with the car for 7 years. The only issue was the rust, it started too soon.

Superb handling
responsive acceleration
extremely comfortable seats
very easy to back up since there are no blind spots
roomy enough to fit a Mountain bike in the hatchback with seats folded down without taking off the any bike tires.
great handling on snow with winter tires
fun car to drive
highly recommend it
if you live in a colder climate I would recommend rust proofing it.

Owned since new and overall no major problems except one engine light that required a check at the dealer. Interior is one of the best for a car in this segment with lots of gadgets for the price. Wear and tear has been good with nothing requring replacement that was out of the ordinary. Comfortable on the road but could have a bit more power and better handling (smaller engine - 2L I think).

Purchased this car brand new off the lot and I still own it 157K later. I’ve had to replace the brakes, spark plugs, fuel pump and starter – but those have not been significant costs in owning this car for 7 years. The leg room in the back can be a little tight for a sedan, but I only use it with a car seat for my little one. The interior is comfortable and stylish and easy to navigate the middle dash pane. It feels like a sturdy car and it is also great on gas! The only thing I would say I don’t like is the rust in the wheel wells – but this was covered by a recall that Mazda did. I found once they replaced and re-did the wheel wells I no longer had rusting issues. The sedan has great value for price vs. performance – and in todays economy with rising gas prices – the gas consumption to mileage on this car is very good!

Very reliable car. Fun and easy to drive. The AC is a little slow - that's the only negative. The exterior styling is cool - not boring like other similar cars in its class.

I had leased a brand new mazda 3 in the 2005 model year. With the side skirts, 17 inch wheels, and fog lights that came on the 2.3 GT, my carbon grey mica car looked very upscale for an entry level sub-compact.

The interior was stylish, the upgraded cloth seats of the GT looked great, as well as the red and blue illumination scheme. The torquier 2.3L engine coupled with a very good 5-speed manual made it fun to row through the gears. The handling was superb, striking an excellent balance between grip and comfort. When I bought the car, I actually gave up buying a much faster Cobalt SS, just because the overall package of the mazda 3 was so much better.

The only downsides were the engine needed to be revved high to really get going, and the 2.3 L engine was neither particularly fuel efficient nor smooth. I had driven my parents car which was the exact same, only with the 4-speed automatic, and I felt that the auto transformed the car into a much worse vehicle. The gear changes were lazy and slow, the manual shift mode was absolutely useless, and the automatic transmission had serious reliability issues. I would also avoid the 17" wheels if you live somewhere with bad roads, as they are constructed of relatively soft metal which bends easisly. I also had issues with rust on the quarter panels 2 years into owning the car, which is definitely something to look out for if you are planning to buy this car used.

Very reliable and needs very little in maintenance. Great road handling and fuel economy. The manual transmission is a fun drive with lots of power!

I bought it new way back in 2005 and it was one of the hottest car at that time. The car brought great value and design to the compact car market. It had above-average performance compared to other cars in the same class from the same generation.

I'm not sure about its durability as not long after I had the car it was written off in an accident. Since I escaped from the accident without much harm I guess we can say the car has decent to above safety features.