Used Mazda Mazda3 for sale near Franklin Park, IL under $30,000

I can only say that I thought it was a simply delicious experience.

This car feels very neutral and smooth in corners at any speed. Sometimes, it feels like it's too easy to go too fast in this because the grip is so confidence-inspiring. I have the non-turbocharged model, which has plenty of giddy up to it. I'm not sure if I regret choosing it over a turbocharged variant but there's plenty of power for my needs. The gearing is pretty tall and you need to plant your foot to let it rev out and find the right gear, but doing so is rewarded with a very responsive and surprisingly smooth engine for being a 4 cylinder. I was feathery on the gas at first, so it was underwhelming but I adjusted to the inputs. The car feels plenty sporty and the grip makes cornering feel amazing. The rear suspension is torsion beam and you will notice it on very poor roads, but everyday driving on decent roads feels super refined, quiet and grip is not affected by this suspension arrangement. I'm very happy with my purchase. I'm 6'3" and fit pretty comfortably in the car even with the sunroof right above me. I've been in cars with more front legroom and have been less comfortable than I am in this car. Seat bolstering could be an issue for those with wider shoulders. I'm someone who loves a low driving position, so this car is a godsend in a world of soulless, blobby SUVs. I think this is the best all-around compact car you can get.

I was looking for a specific car that was at this CarMax. Problem was that I live in Minnesota, not Chicago and would have to traveling a great distance for a car I had not seen other than in pics, potentially risking wasting a great deal of time and money. I had to trust Jonathan, my salesman, to tell me the condition of the car where the pics could not. He was completely honest and the car was exactly what he said it was. Between Jonathan and Adam, the sales manager i was able to close the deal and drive back to home within an hour. I am completely pleased with the car and 100% satisfied with the dealership. I guess you can trust a car dealership. I did and they did not let me down. Thanks guys.

I haven't owned a 4 cylinder in a long time. I had a turbo 5 Volvo, a 6 cylinder accord, and a Mercedes c300 6 as my last three cars, then before that I owned a last model year RSX (2006, I wouldn't count the new ones) for a long time so that's the closest comparison to this. I think the RSX felt a bit more sporty (I didn't have the Type S), but as for power they're a pretty close match, and I bet the Mazda 3 would smoke it off the line with it's torque heavy engine. I think the RSX looked more sporty too, it had probably a more mature styling to it that I appreciate now even more than I did when I owned one, but I will say every time I look at my Mazda 3 I like it more and more. I've seen a thousand of these on the road and never had a strong opinion on them, but my girl in red keeps growing on me, and when I take the dog out for walks I circle the car and look it over and understand it more and more. I have a 2018 fully loaded GT, and the interior is mostly it's strongest positive. The facelifted w204 is easily the nicest looking interior I've ever been in, and the accord maybe the most comfortable, but this is incredibly close to the accord in terms of comfort and only lacking in slightly worse seats and less room. The seats are great though, but the 2012 accords were some of the best I've say in. The fake leather has a great balance of firm and give to it, and what's even better is the whole interior is wrapped in a similar nice synthetic material that's a joy to be wrapped in. I've never owned a car where my arms are supported on both sides in such a comfortable manner. I'm 6'1 so I keep my seat low but I feel like I have a good deal of room, in fact, I test drove a 2023 (gen 4) Mazda 3 that was an incredible price, about $800 off from my 2018 and even less miles but the new interior design is nowhere close to as good as what we get in the gen 3. You have almost no room to spread your legs out in the newer models and that's a deal breaker for me. The one major weakness of the 2018's interior is the tablet on top of the dash looks hideous. I think I mentioned earlier my model is fully loaded, and I mean it. But what's that mean, a premium sound system, some exterior trim pieces tacked on? Nope, here we have some genuinely cool features. Adaptive headlights that turn with the wheel, a heads up display that's projected on a piece of clear plastic that raises up when you start the engine and can show speed, road signs, blind spot info, next GPS heading, etc. We have automatic windshield wipers, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, a great Bose sound system, paddle shifters. My car has more bells and whistles than my wife's high trim 2023 Tuscon. I really love my little Mazda, and I'm hoping to take it down some back roads to see if I can enjoy the driving part as much as some others do, as I've mostly spent time on the highway or in stop and go so far. This was a purchase I was unsure of 3 days ago when I made it, but every couple waking hours something pulls me to that car, whether to drive it or just to sit in it. I know now I've made a great choice.

The sound system is amazing. I upgraded my old Mazda 3, 2015 to a 2023. The inside is much quieter. I love my heated seats. We've owned many Mazdas and have loved them all. The reliable little cars with great gas mileage.

Great service Steve took care of my suv .Great job would always go back again

Service was amazing! I would say we were in and out within an hour and a half our advisor explained everything to us. We have no complaints.

I shopped here for a used Mazda3. The person I scheduled the appointment with was not available when I arrived. I was given a new sales associate. We test drove the car together. We discussed pricing. I was fully expecting them to tack on a bunch of useless add-ons that were non-negotiable. Instead, he added a few optional add-ons and a small fee for reconditioning the car. I thought the fee was reasonable. It was simple to remove the optional add-ons. I was shocked by the experience. It went really well. The manager was really nice. Unfortunately we were still a bit apart on the price so I left to sleep on it. I was pleasantly surprised by their behavior. Maybe there is hope that dealerships can be straightforward and professional. I recommend these guys even though I didn't buy from them in the end.

Great experience, friendly and courteous staff, no surprises. Andrew was a pleasure to work with.

I purchased my 2013 Mazda 3i Grand Touring Hatchback (manual transmission) in 2014 and the previous owner had put 30K miles on it. I've now got 140K and still love the car. Outside of recommended maintenance, the only repair expense I've had was I decided to replace the clutch. It hadn't failed but it was starting to show some slippage. I haven't even had to replace the brake pads yet! As for likes and dislikes that someone checking out this car might not notice just from looking, here are some negatives: 1) The 1-2 shift is always a bit notchy but others are smooth. 2) The 2.0L doesn't have a lot of power in the lower revs but 3000-4000 rpms it's pretty spirited (assuming you don't have four large adults in the car) 3) I ended up replacing the OEM headunit (the BOSE with Navigation) with an Eonon. I had issues getting the Eonon working early on but after a couple updates, it's been a huge improvement. 4) The biggest negative is that at some point, I'll have to let it go. On the positive side: 1) It handles great, 2) It carries a decent amount for its size 3) It gets good gas mileage (I used to average 35mpg but in recent years my driving in this car has been more around town and it's fallen back to 31-32.) 4) It's been extremely reliable. 5) The front seats are very comfortable (I'm 5'7" and the car fits me great. I imagine taller people would not be as comfortable.)

Great people and great cars! Pleasure to drive my new M3H purchased from Eric Fragassi & Anthony (manager). Highly recommend. Thanks guys

I’m a very proud owner of my Mazda 3 with the Preferred Package. I’ve only owned it not even a month yet, and I wish I bought this car prior to the vehicle I traded for it. It’s still getting broken in, but it has every feature I could ask for and need. The gas mileage is great, it’s comfortable, quiet inside, has the get up and go when needed and so much more. Granted, I can’t really give a good review, but so far my Mazda 3 has really impressed me and always puts a smile on my face when I’m driving around.

Steve was easy to work with. Never felt under pressure. Thanks for keeping things smooth and easy. Moe was also good to work with.

I absolutely love my 2023 Mazda3 from inside & out. Beautifully designed, comfortable, handles like a dream & this Soul Red turns a lot of heads. Hands down any Mazda is worth buying no matter the model....🙌🏽

Great customer service. I bought a Toyota Sequoia and it was a great find. Haven’t had any issues with the car and drives smooth. This was a bargain gem!

We bought a 2008 Mazda 3 Touring hatchback new. We have driven it for over 15 years / 150,000 miles and have never had anything major break on this car. We change the oil about every 5,000 miles and had to do some work on the C/V joints at about 100K miles. We didn't even need a new clutch until 140K miles. This car handles great, has plenty of acceleration with the 5 speed manual and gets great gas mileage.

Great experience, quick to set up, check in and out and everything was quoted with pricing. Time was appropriate for the amount of work done

Mazda sits firmly as a premium brand. The quality and execution of the Mazda3 in the Premium Plus Turbo demonstrates this. The drive is fun with both power and handling.

My daughter went to buy a car here with Chase and I’m glad to say that I had not to worry about her coming back with a bad deal! He ensured that she finds the car she wants. Thankful for Chase guidance and patience in the process to ensure that I was also satisfied and gave the go on everything. Good job my guy!

I purchased a 2022 Mazda 3 Select from Cochran Mazda in Wexford, PA. The sales lead Ben Schuster was awesome to deal with and really knew the product. The car is amazing, a step up in quality over the German made 2015 car I was driving: more power, better mpg, better fits, the best modern tech, and all the comforts.

Needed help with cost of rear wheel alignment. But salesman would not consider any help with a price drop to help me cover the alignment as was noted by mechanics.

Thank you Sean P for all your help Sean P was very professional and helpful.

I bought a Mazda Carbon Edition S 2.5 sedan and I love it! It handles so very well and takes the turns well. The color is the bluish gray. The stylist design of the car body is awesome. I enjoy driving a sedan once again instead of a SUV. The car is most comfortable to sit in. The dealership where I purchased it was wonderful to deal with as were the salesmen and the manager, Sam, who I met. My Carbon Edition is just awesome to drive. The interior is a burgundy color and the appointments in it are very stylish. I am still learning how to use all instruments on the dash, but I haven’t spent as much time doing so as I should have. My salesman,Luke , has offered to help with this if I want him to. I thoroughly recommend a Mazda to everyone, maybe a sedan is not what you want, you might want another model. I have had two SUVs and I wanted a change when I purchased a new car. Buy a Mazda.

I just purchased a car from Castle Hyundai of Oak Lawn, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the experience. From start to finish, the team showed true professionalism, care, and integrity—qualities that can be hard to come by in the car-buying world. Now I truly understand what they mean when they say “Drive Happy!” Jim (Sales Manager), Nick (Sales Consultant), Brennan (Internet Representative), and John (Finance Manager) were an absolute pleasure to work with. They went above and beyond to make sure I felt informed, respected, and supported throughout the process. They were transparent, never pushy, and always willing to answer my (many!) questions with patience and honesty. It was clear that they genuinely cared—about the car, the deal, and most importantly, about me as a customer. They didn’t just meet expectations - they exceeded them. The entire process was smooth, respectful, and even enjoyable. These are good people who take pride in doing right by others. Thank you to everyone at Castle Hyundai of Oak Lawn—you didn’t just help me get a great car, you made the whole experience one to remember. You went the extra mile (pun absolutely intended) and because of you, I now Drive Happy!

Purchased a 2021 sedan premium plus turbo AWD in 2022 with 11,000 miles. THE BAD: At 17,000 miles I discovered the front end would wobble when I applied the brakes. I was told by the dealer that I needed front and rear rotors and that the cost would be $1,000. When I asked why I needed brakes at only 17K miles I was told it was because the rotors must have gotten wet when I drove through a puddle when they were hot. Really? He obviously thought I was an idiot. It ended up costing me $600 to have a local shop do the work including an upgrade on the quality of the original factory rotors and pads. At 29,000 miles the car left me stranded in a parking lot when the battery died. A replacement battery cost me $280. At 30,000 miles the original manufacturer tires were badly worn and needed to be replaced (and yes I rotate them in fact EVERY oil change as opposed to every other). I purchased 4 Michelin tires which cost me $1,200. Also at 30K miles a rock came up from the road and cracked my windshield causing me to spend my deductible to have it fixed ($500). Nobody's fault I understand, just one more expense with so few miles.I have also noticed that I often get a "safety and driver support systems temporarily disabled" notice. It seems to be random but is annoying nonetheless. Shouldn't be happening at 32K miles. At 29K miles I apparently hit a pothole and the front rim was badly bent. The cost to straighten the rim was $140. The lane departure safety feature is annoying. Every time I even begin to leave my lane it violently pulls me back. Even when I need to go around an object in the road it pulls me back. Also, the tone associated with lane departure only works when it fells like it which is probably a good thing. Another issue is that it takes forever for the interior to get warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The car needs to warm up for at least 15 minutes before the temperature gets where I need it to be. The problem with that is that when using the remote start through the Mazda App, it only allows the car to run for 10 minutes. Also, you can't make any adjustments to the temperature from the app. ... THE GOOD: This vehicle is a blast to drive! It sounds great and it has plenty of power and I am still in love with the exterior appearence. The interior is done so well and as YouTube car reviewers say, "it's a great place to be". It has every option I would every want except for wireless Apple car play. It handles great and the AWD seems to work really well in slippery conditions. Currently I am at a crossroads. Do I sell my Mazda3 while the value is still high and get something else or do I keep it and hope nothing else goes wrong? I really like the car but I want to love it. One issue is the fact that when I purchased it I got 2.9% financing. I would be lucky to get 6.9% with todays rates. Also, if I sold it what the xxxx would I buy that has all of these features, a turbo engine and AWD that wouldn't cost me $35-$45K?!

Chris Reis was very helpful and knowledgeable about the differences between the CX-5 and CX-50 Hybrid and made my trade-in an efficient experience.

Excellent service and execution from Jeff Williams and the whole autobarn Mazda team in Evanston

From the outside of this car I was already sold! The sharp edges and the curves make this car turn heads alone. But when you add in the Mazda details like the cat eyes headlights/taillights with the black and chrome accents it then makes you stop and do a double look. Once your inside the 3 you instantly feel yourself surrounded in luxury and made to feel like this car was made specifically for you. Nothing is out of reach the details are never-ending and the drive is as silent as it gets. Watch your pop-up display its very easy to hit 85 mph and not even realize it, the power behind each wheel is incredibly generous and the shifting of the gears is flawless you'll not only get to where your going in style but also on time. The drivers seat hugging your body and the clear, crisp sound of the Harman Kardon puts you in another mindset and will have you wanting to be on the road in any condition at all hours of the day/night. This car was made for you and me.

Fantastic experience with service team member Harley. She helped me with a windshield replacement that I didn't even know was covered by the warranty. Other Dealerships would not have done research to cover it. Appreciate your help Harley!!

Absolutely amazing experience from start to finish! Andrew in Sales was friendly and helpful, and Tom—hands down the BEST—went above and beyond to make everything perfect. If you’re looking to get a car, this is the place. Go here and get one today! 🚗💯