If you’re looking for a compact car that’s all about the driver, the 2025 Mazda3 has your name on it. Celebrated for its engaging performance and agility, it injects fun into the most mundane commutes. The current fourth-generation model continues this legacy. However, the sophistication of its predecessors seems…subdued. We’ve had this 2025 example for six months now, and driving through Southern California’s twisty roads and highways revealed some not-so-welcome habits.
Balance, agility, and responsiveness. Three key hallmarks of the Mazda3 across its four iterations. This combination makes it the definitive driver’s compact car. The sedan or hatchback that backs up its style with the right moves on the road, all while maintaining exceptional efficiency and smooth power. Unfortunately, good things must come to an end. The fourth-generation car, like our 2025 Mazda3, gained some improvements. However, it also came with some aspects that make it feel less sophisticated than its predecessors.
2025 Mazda3: Refinement..at a Cost
Among compact cars, the Mazda3 ranks among the most refined. Its quiet interior rivals or beats entry-level luxury cars, while its powertrain delivers power smoothly. Good things, right? Well, it’s both good and bad, especially in our car with the manual transmission. Since it keeps the engine noise at such a low murmur, the driver can’t rely on that to get cues on when to shift. That forces you to look at the tachometer in the seven-inch digital gauge cluster instead of keeping your eyes on the road.
That’s just one part. The engine can also feel un-Mazda-like. Despite its natural power delivery, this tried-and-true naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder seems…dull. At lower rpms, it can downright feel lazy due to the lack of torque. It wakes up around 3,000 to 4,500 rpm, provided you’re in third gear. Otherwise, it can seem unwilling to move from a standstill. The tall gearing on the six-speed manual exacerbates that in some driving situations, especially when you need to get going quickly.
The Suspension Elephant in the Room
When the fourth-generation Mazda3 debuted, the switch to a torsion beam rear suspension caused commotion. Rightfully so, because all of its predecessors used an independent multilink setup. While not necessarily a bad thing, that switch meant that the latest Mazda3 can’t quite match the chassis sophistication of the last three generations. Yes, the basic goodness remains, but it lacks the control, precision, and finesse that made its forebearers so easy to recommend to everyone.
This isn’t regarding its agility, either. It’s about the ride quality and ability to deal with poorly maintained surfaces. On patchy roads, the 2025 Mazda3 feels unsettled, constantly bouncing around due to that torsion beam rear. Impacts from one side upset the other, resulting in ride quality that falls behind competitors, including the Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, and Subaru Impreza. Larger impacts feel crashy, especially with the stiff suspension. To make things worse, the Mazda3 gets bouncy over successive impacts, erasing any hint of sophistication in its chassis. Plus, it has a penchant for snap oversteer when driven hard on the twisties, and the rear end tends to wander when going over rough surfaces at highway speeds.
Simply put, the torsion beam just can’t cash in the promises of dynamism and premium refinement. Together with slower, number steering, the Mazda3 lacks that je ne sais quoi that the last three generations had. Yes, it’s more refined…to a point. No, it’s not as special as it used to be.
More Time on the Road
Despite these quibbles, the Mazda3 is far from a bad car. It’s still great to drive and has an impeccable interior. However, most of the fourth generation’s mechanical changes didn’t exactly help it. Yes, it feels more premium, but the driving experience can’t quite match what the rest of the car promises. We’ve got more time on the road with our 2025 Mazda3, and we’re looking forward to finding out more things we like and don’t like.
