Enthusiasts want every box checked. Affordable, reliable, fun, well-appointed…you name it. Unfortunately, not all vehicles check everything off. At least one thing is missing. However, some cars do come close to perfection, and we think our 2025 Mazda3 may just be one of those. There is a caveat, though. You’d better know how to work a manual transmission since this Mazda only comes with that.
2025 Mazda3: The Well-Rounded Compact Hatch
Long an enthusiast favorite, the Mazda3 rewards you every moment you get behind the wheel. It’s the car that grows on you the more you drive it. Best of all, it’s not a one-trick pony and has a lot of nuances, especially our manual transmission-equipped hatchback. Although not the quickest, it’s still fun to drive, and you can have a good time without risking your license. We did exactly that last month on Angeles Crest, and boy was it a good time!
The Mazda3 excels at making boring commutes so much more invigorating. Whether cruising leisurely or tearing up canyons, it brings a smile to your face. Every week during rush hour, we love the alone time in the Mazda3, enjoying music and podcasts through its excellent 12-speaker Bose premium audio system. Its quiet interior turns into a sanctuary where you feel chill in those comfortable front seats, isolated from all the traffic. Its infotainment system uses an 8.8-inch display complemented by a 7-inch digital gauge cluster and a head-up display. Large enough, but not distracting, especially with the use of muted colors.
For its price and size, this 2.5 S Premium trim exudes major luxury car vibes in a compact package, especially with its interior. Additionally, its superb suspension tuning balances comfort and agility so well. It’s firm yet comfortable, handily absorbing road imperfections of all types. Only the most sensitive (and nerdiest) will figure out that it uses a torsion beam rear suspension because it takes a specific road surface to expose that. Yes, it’s tuned that well.
It’s Getting What MPG?!
Mazda’s Skyactiv-G engine family may not be the newest, but it’s proven its viability since arriving in 2012. The naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder in our 2025 Mazda3 benefits from years of improvements, making it a robust and dependable choice. Although power remains similar, it’s smoother and more refined than the version in the 2014 Mazda3 I owned for nearly a decade. It’s quieter, too, meaning you’ll need to watch the tach to make sure you’re not bouncing off the rev limiter.
Best of all, its balance of power and efficiency continues to shine. The EPA rates the manual-equipped Mazda3 at 26/36/30 mpg city/highway/combined. However, we’ve found that underrated. Over the last four months, we’ve averaged 34 mpg in mixed driving. In highway driving, we constantly get 40 mpg or higher, while city driving averages 2 to 3 mpg above the EPA ratings. That means one tank consistently got us over 300 miles, and we only fill up 10 to 11 gallons with the low fuel light on. An anomaly? Nope. Our 2024 MX-5 Miata RF Club also consistently beats its EPA ratings. The same applies to my old 2014 Mazda3 with the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder as our 2025.
To put it simply, Mazdas achieve better fuel economy in real-world driving. It’s a testament to how far ahead the automaker was with its Skyactiv-G engines back in 2012. Competitors are now barely matching Mazda’s power and efficiency balance among purely internal combustion engines. From the use of high compression ratios and unique turbocharging solutions on larger vehicles to great mid-range power, these gas powertrains remain among the best.
Still Going Strong
Although the current generation Mazda3 is now entering its sixth model year, it remains a solid choice. In particular, the 2.5 S Premium stands out as the highlight of the lineup thanks to its balance of daily drivability, upscale appointments, and engaging drive. This variant checks nearly every box that enthusiasts have. Even though it’s not the most powerful, it has plenty for a good time. As I said in the beginning, the only catch is knowing how to drive a manual transmission. For those of you who do, this little hatchback borders on perfection. It’s the textbook definition of a premium compact car, complete with a picture in the dictionary.
