2008 Mazda Mazda3 consumer reviews

My daughter is 16 years old and she absolutely loved this car. It was the "cutest car on the road." It was quiet and road great. Most importantly, it saved her life. She slid on ice in it and hit a wall at 50 miles an hour, the wall was unforgiving, the car totaled, but she walked away. I was more than happy to hand her the keys to another mazda 3 the next week, knowing that my daughter was safe behind the wheel of a safe car.

I've had My 2008 Mazda 3 S hatchback since May of 2008. Bought new and I've loved it ever since. I was needing a small car with good mileage for a commuter - I was driving over 60 miles EACH WAY - and My wants & requirements were long and the list of available players was short - the Mazda 3, the Caliber, the Matrix/Vibe, and the Subaru Impreza. The Dodge dropped off because to get the mileage I wanted (around 30 MPG highway), I had to go over My price point (low 20K range). Same for the Impreza, as only the WRX was available at that time. The Matrix/Vibe slipped off because of the unusual interior layout. My biggest issue with the M3 at the time was the "all black, all the time" interior choices for the S model. Luckily, halfway through the model year, the M3 was available with a new "Sand" interior. As of now, I've put nearly 40K miles on the car - mostly trouble free. I'd experienced electrical issues (seemingly related to the all electric power steering) that didn't go away with the recall in 2010. Hopefully now, with a new electrical wiring harness, all will be remedied. The M3 is a BLAST to drive. Powerful, sporty and super fun. My drive used to include windy mountain passes and the M3 just tore through the hills with never an issue. Rain or sun, the M3 never missed a curve. The only issue came when it was windy, as strong winds can knock the light-weight M3 around. The 5 speed automatic trans has a "manual" mode, allowing you to control (to a point) the transmission shifting. For sporty driving and quick getaways, it's great and keeps you moving. The outside is sporty and solid looking - I've even had people ask if it's a much more expensive car (like a Lexus) and they're shocked at the 20K price point! It looks and feels so much more expensive than it is... The interior is sporty and refined, with supportive AND comfortable bucket seats. The steering wheel tilts & telescopes, making it easy to get comfy behind the wheel. The stereo is top notch and the ambient lighting on the dash is cool and fun. The AC blows cold - although sometimes not cold enough. I live in the deserts of Southern California and when the mercury goes over 110, the AC has a hard time keeping up at first. Safety features are top notch - with front, side and roof airbags, 4 wheel disc anti-lock brakes and tire monitoring systems. Would I buy a M3 again? You betcha! A great car and a great value - new or used...! Probably one of the best cars I've ever owned or driven!

Fun to drive, handles great and my mpg is much better then anticipated...between 35-37 with an automatic.mostly country and hwy driving...love it!!

i've driven both the 2.5 and 2.0 packages, and found both to be peppy, fun to drive (for an economy car), and easy to handle. of course the 2.5 has more zip, but less milage and costs more. if you're looking for an entry level car, or basic commuter that doesn't lull you to sleep every day, even the 2.0 is good. i would suggest the manual if you go that route, as the accelleration is somewhat lacking in the auto, but as manuals go, it's the easiest stick i've ever driven. very smooth, and great for people learning to drive a manual. i considered the ford focus also, but in the end, went with this for a budget commuter as it would likely have better resale value (alas, imports in california generally do) and it was a little more fun to drive and got the edge in styling. i've had no problems in 4 years, though there is a power steering recall ongoing which i need to have taken care of, but otherwise, gas, oil and go. zoom zoom.

I just took a little road trip to visit a friend. On the way down I got 41 mpg!!! On the way back it was about 38-39 mpg (did a little more city driving on the way back)! My avg speed was around 70 mph...was so amazed and happy had to share. Lately I do mostly highway driving to work w/ traffic and I'm getting 32-34 mpg.

Ok bought this used with 28500 miles on it, had it 4 months and got rid of it. It had the 2.3 L 4 cyl in it and never did get over 25 mpg on the highway! But it do about the same in city driving!? Well I thought I would be frugal and get something like this, boy was I wrong. It has very little traction in the snow and the radio is a complete bust. It goes from strong bass to no bass back and forth. It was very comfortable to sit in for short or long trips. Rode very rough and hard, felt every crack and bump in the rode. Maybe for some but not for me.

I never thought I'd find a car I was truly happy with, almost ecstatic about. I owned a 2006 Mazda3 (base model) before this car, and traded it in for a brand new, 2010 Honda Civic, which I actually ended up hating, so I traded it within 3 months, for a 2008 Mazda3. It's a 2.3 liter, has heated leather seats, 17" rims, a sunroof, a Bose stereo system that came factory-installed, climate control, fog lights... you can actually adjust the angle of the regular headlights in this car! It has radio controls mounted on the steering wheel, just enough compartment space, with a good-sized glove box. This car is honestly fun to drive. It's attractive, fast, and comfortable. I don't care for the looks of the newly designed Mazda3's, but I would expect the quality to be just as great. This car is actually affordable, and a great value for the price.

This is my first Mazda. I really love my 3 Hatchback. Owned it for 2 years. Very attractive Hatchback styling, sporty & a blast to drive. Feels like a more costly vehicle and makes you smile with it's decent handling and not so shabby performance....ZOOM ZOOM is a True Mazda mantra . Hope I still feel this way in years to come.

Love this car, the external is sharp looking, great speed, it does zoom on acceleration. The only thing so far is when the gas cap is not on tight, the check engine light comes on, which is lame. Other than that, love it!

We purchased the Mazda3 back in Nov 08 (I traded in a Ford Mustang) The only thing I missed sometimes is the acceleration but everything else is much better in the Mazda from handling to versatility and the list doesn't end. It has over 50000 miles now. The tires for the 17 inch rims are only rated ast 32000 - 36000 miles so they have to be replace more often. It is a very fun to drive car, easy to move around other vehicles in the road and I love the sport automatic transmission on manual mode. I do have an 80 miles commute (one way) and it does great on gas (30-32 MPG). Way to go Mazda