Sounds like Mazda listened. They fixed all the shortcomings for 2013. Bigger center mounted navi screen, 8 way adjustable driver's seat (GT trim) and USB input. Plus, a 6 speed manual is now available in the top Skyactiv trims.

My 2013 Skyactiv auto, got 37 in the city when the temps were around 40's and 50's.

Test drove one today, and the handling really amazed me. It's probably the best handling sub-compact.

love your reviews!, why? consistency - you use the same format & camera angles on your reviews. that consistency allows viewers to actually compare vehicles. an invaluable resource. keep up the excellent work

Many thanks! If all goes well, we will be ramping things up in the very near future ...

We highway test at 68 MPH with cruise and 60-72 without cruise. I'd like to test a bit higher, but our state speed limit is 65. The big trick on the highway is to drive smoothly, minimize lane changes, and use inertia when you can ... don't fight the hills ... use 'em. :)

@RuffianScruff We always list the specifics in the written review - check the link in the description - the state speed limit here is 65 MPH. Our numbers reflect two highway loops: Target speed of 68 MPH with cruise control and between 60 - 72 without cruise. All it takes is a bit of clean driving ...

Many thanks and congrats on your new Skyactiv 3 ... it's one of our faves. :)

I haven't driven the revised 2013 Civic yet. As far as the 2012s go, the Mazda3 Skyactiv has the edge on handling and fuel economy.

@Jeredin13 Thanks! The competition in this segment is fierce. We have a bunch of solid choices these days.

Excellent review of a very impressive car. It took a while for the Nagare design to sink in, but I actually don't mind it as much as I used to.

@josh1303 I'll see if I can get one on the schedule for April. Stay tuned …

@flashwaver They both at the top of their classes for handling. There's no real difference in weight between the sedans. The manual Skyactiv3 sedan weighs in at 2,872 lbs and the manual Sonic sedan tips the scales at 2,862. The big difference is in aerodynamics. The Skyactiv slips in at an amazing 0.27. I'm still looking for the Sonic sedan numbers. I saw one estimate of 0.33. I will load the Skyactiv into the 0-60 MPH comparison tool this week ...

Today's Mazda3 compared to the competition is like what the 90's Civics were like compared to their competition back in the day.

LOVE. THE. INTERIOR. My goodness it's perfect.

if you haven't driven one please do and get the 6speed manual, it's way quicker than this and the gears are very close and awesome! they must also have a light flywheel because it is very light compared to my mx6 v6. they are also very good for cornering and they are fun to shoot out from a ramp especially for the power to weight ratio.

@elusivellama true... but most of all I think people who buy mazdas buy them because the way they drive, which is miles ahead of any toyota or Honda, Mazdas are for people who actually enjoy driving and their nice equipment is a big plus!!

@NattDogg01 There are three engines, but it depends on which model is selected. Gotta go with the i Touring or i Grand Touring to get the Skyactiv-G.

I dont know if you tested one by now, but im 5'5" and had no problem when I drove one. The one I had allowed me to raise the height of the seat, so that helped a lot. Even without raising it though, visibility is still fairly good.

I agree. I'm 6' and the sunroof really kills the headroom, so I bought one without the sunroof and can't be happier with the gratuitous amount of headroom.

@flashwaver Aye, yep ... they're both loaded. I wasn't sure which of the Mazda3 0-60 runs were there when I posted this morning. I just saw that Motor Trend had the Sonic Turbo at 8.1 ... a good launch is all important and some cars are easier to launch than others. Our standard operating procedure is to take three stabs at it - from a standing start - for a number of reasons. Motor Trend can afford to beat the daylights out of their cars. :)

I do this with a different car, week-after-week, Heineken. It's all in the way they're driven. Cruising speed is a huge factor with all vehicles. The faster you go, the lower your MPGs.

What an absolutely impressive car.

Can I make a suggestion? How bout creating a mashup review of the 3 different engines offered on the mazda 3? The standard 2.0, the 2,5, and the skyactiv 2.0? Even though they're all mazda 3s, they're all so different from each other. I have a 2012 skyactiv 3 and I absolutely love it!

I'm about 5'6 and I don't have a problem with visibility, it's a great little car and I feel like I'm in a much more expensive car while driving.

@flashwaver It's unlikely that I'll get to test a 2012 Sonic Turbo hatch manual again, but I'm hoping to see the sedan at some point. Looking forward to the RS, but that won't be until the fall.

hey! love the video! i just bought a new sky activ! im going to pick it up on saturday!

Possibly ... it depends on how much you can put down. Have you run the numbers through a loan calculator?

true....but it would be so cool to compare and contrast all three major mazda 3 models. keep all the features all the same on the inside, the only difference would be everything under hood

Thanks for the cool idea! I'd need to pull a bunch of resources together to do it right ...

@SonicTours28 I was a bit over 5' 10" the last time I was measured, but that was quite a while ago. I might have shrunk since then ... =)

Thanks for the review, great as always. This is one of those cars I've curiously watching as it made its debut stateside. It's almost too good to be true. A fun to drive car that gets over 40 MPG Hwy? Your test proves the mpg figures and you seem to enjoy the driving experience. However, one has to wonder how this model is going to hold up over time. Mazda engineers and to pull a lot of tricks (high compression, high pressure DI, etc) in order to deliver the car they wanted. Time will tell

Gotta try it on for size, I'd reckon. :) Best way to do that without going to a dealer is to go to a car show ...

got the hatch and it is a little stiff but i do really like the car. if it was for the possibility i would really wish i had the leather in it though. The seats are a bit stiff as well, overall great car and i get about 3x the mpg i was with my f150.. so it is an improvement and the car is practically paying for itself with my payments vs the gas i am saving.

and you are welcome by the way! your reviews are awesome!

love MPGOMATIC, but can't always view the videos in Germany. Nice review.

As soon as I can get one in here, I will ... there are only a certain number of them in the media fleet ...

@urbex2007 I hear ya! I've always preferred manuals, but it can get tiresome in prolonged city driving situations. If I had my druthers, I'd have a twin-clutch turbo-diesel in the driveway (and my little manual ragtop in the garage). One of these days ...

@mpgomatic I think both the sonic turbo and the Mazda3Sky are in your wonderful comparison tool. It shows the sonic does it at 9.5 sec. It seems to be slower that other sources(ranging from low 8s to 7.9sec). I hear significant wheel spin(and thus slower time?) in the vid, is it possible for you guys to have re-run of the sonic?

@vothry You're mistaken, the Mazda 3 has one of the best interiors in its class. You want hard plastic? Look at the Corolla and Civic.

How is power response and handling compared to the sonic turbo? I have a feeling that the sonic might do better in power response thanks to lower RPM torque and lighter weight(?). Their fuel econ spec is exactly the same.

amazing mpg without hypermiling!

Your Impreza's AWD means that it inherently uses more gas than 2WD, so your fuel economy will not be quite as good. The Mazda's engine is also far more sophisticated, direct-injected, and running a 13:1 or 14:1 CR on 87 octane gas, giving it even more of an MPG advantage. Your Subaru, however, will be able to drive much better in the snow, and your car will have much less understeer. The biggest practical difference between the two is that the Subaru's interior is more stripped down.

Great review! Mazda knows it needs to put up good numbers and it seems they have. I only wish it looked more attractive, but that's esthetic. In the end I still like the Cruze more overall, but this car is very practical! ^_^

Hey can anyone tell me how the leg room is in the front as well as back seats? For a 5'10-5'11'' person at least

I just looked this car up on the Mazda website. Is the Skyactive the only engine option now or is is an optional package. I was unable to find anything on the website that answered my question. This car has some really nice features that are hard to find in this segment and you can have all of them for less than $25,000, which is nice. Looks like a great option.

I was a bit over 5'10" or at least I was before I started shrinking. No problem here.

Its a great fun car but needs a styling refresh. When will the cx5 get reviewed???

Thanks I checked out the website. When are you going to review a Jetta or Passat TDI manual and Auto?????

Quick question. The highway mileage ya'll got; was it at speed? Like 65 mph? If so, I'd imagine 70-75 would hopefully yield 38-40 considering that's what I (have) to drive on my way into the city fighting traffic. I really am contemplating getting this car, just wondering if the mileage really holds up, AND if it will be reliable.

i pay 265 a month for a mid grade hatch with some options, i mean it isnt full leather and bose or anything but its not bad.. just the thing is i wish i would've bought a sedan with leather instead because i think the seats are slightly stiff.

going for the mazda3 tomorrow probably. i really am thinking about the hatch but it rides a bit stiff. does the sedan have very stiff suspension like the hatch does?

I don't know if this helps but my mum bought a 2011 mazda 3 neo sedan during april 2012, and i bought mine a 2012 mazda 3 neo hatch, apparently the difference between the two was mine had a USB slot and bluetooth as standard where my mums didn't. I love both mazdas but I feel the sedan in its handling feels abit heavier lol

I'm 5' 5" and I want to know if this car has good visibility for short people?

This or the 2013 Subaru Impreza? I got the Subaru today and I love it man, firs car also! I'm happy with the feel of the steering and the control, I think that it's a solid car! Don't know too much about the Mazda 3, I was gonna look at it, but I don't love the look of the front and the front wheel drive.

@SonicTours28 I hear there's a Cruze RS in the works and some rumors even say they may make a Cruze SS. We'll see I guess. In the meantime, check out WTCC race series--the Cruze dominated last year and there's a good chance it will this year too! ^_^

These "happy Mazdas" have become a chick car at my college, much prefer the older styling to this new direction. Big reason I got a 2012 Focus over one of these. That said it's a great little car- good job Mazda!

Absolutely

great review!!!

Nice review!

@mpgomatic Oh okay thanks! Can't wait for the diesel option!

45 mpg? that is impressive

as per Mazda, their fuel economy rating for city which is 28 mpg is based upon a situation where there is no stop and no traffic light but just slowly diriving between 20mph and 35 mph and then you will come up with 28mpg for city. in real world, it is about 23 to 24 mpg for city. so dont count on this fuel economy claims. i dirve one of these and ever got close to even 25 mpg for city with no heavy traffic at all.

Best to check truedelta dotcom ...

I'd love to test a Tesla Model S. We'll get to it eventually.

would the hatchback get more or less mpg?

What is the 0-60 time for this car?

nice ;) hopefully you will enjoy it. I heard they are nice but just my cup of tea. congrats as well :P

@josh1303 Take a look at the 0-60 MPH Compare-o-Matic on MPGomatic (dot) com ... =)

sorry buit your wrong they have computer that replicate real world driving but you should not get more than 2 mpg difference its also how you drive it. A long with how it was being maintain and the king of fuel they put in it doesn't take to many miles for an engine build deposits that lower mpg and power.

@DrClawman4 Y'know, I resisted the urge to say that even once in this review ... d'oh!

over 40mpg real world from a 2.0 in a heavy car like the mazda 3 is amazing stuff! Hyundai have a claimed 40mpg but even Mpgomatic didnt match that and fell under 40mpg. Japanese Ftw!

Thanks again!

Love it!

Better than the corolla

hahahaha made me laugh :D

You know nothing about cars. Obviously they won't average 40 mpg.. But it does get 40 mpg on the HIGHWAY .

HELLOOOOOO hard plastic interior... >: (