2007 Mazda Mazda3 Pros and Cons at TrueDelta: Owner Pros and Cons by steelerz32

Handling

The car has fantastic grip with seemingly endless limits, all with an excellent ride, IMO. The steering has a near perfect weight to it, though not as much feedback as the Protege I had before this.

Exterior styling

There is a certain boldness, with a touch of aggressiveness to its stance. All the lighting elements are a work of art at front and back on this car. The sedan is even better, it looks just so right. I needed the utility so sedan was a no-go for me.

Cargo capacity

So far I have hauled a 42" plasma TV, a patio table and a snowblower in this car. It has also served me well on various excursions to Ikea.

Powertrain performance

I find the engine extremely smooth and quiet, almost to a fault. I have forgotten to shift on the odd occasion due to lack of audible noise. The power seems perfectly linear from about 2000 rpm on up. The shifter is very precise.

Fuel economy

I have a very heavy foot and 90% of my driving is around town. I am getting about 24 mpg on average which is underwhelming. Having said that I only averaged 27 mpg on a 92 Civic with a 1.5L motor. I have a gift for getting poor mileage with any car.