Mazda 3 Hatchback (04-08) - Review

Review by David Ross on
Last Updated: 12 August 2008
The 3 is Mazda's Ford Focus-size hatchback, with a dash of style from the RX-8 coupe. It follows in the vein of other recent Mazdas, which means it's good to drive, very reliable, well equipped and spacious. Unfortunately the once exciting design now looks bland and the 3 hasn't aged particularly well - inside or out. The cabin has some cheap plastics and the design is drab. There's a decent choice of engines though, including some economical diesels while a facelift in 2006 including a new front end and changes under the skin that made it better to drive. Further revisions followed in 2008 which made the trim levels simpler and improved equipment levels while a Takara model was launched that comes with sporty looks, a rear spoiler and unique alloys. While it's a worthy hatchback, newer rivals have more panache and refinement.
3.5 out of 5

Other Mazda reviews

4 out of 5

Running costs

The majority of the engines are reasonably economical, insurance is cheap for the class and servicing at Mazda dealers is usually reasonable. Improvements made mid-2006 see slight benefits in fuel economy, enough for 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol versions to be placed in a lower road tax bracket than before.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,461 - £2,116 *

Diesel

£1,068 - £1,364 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

12,500 miles.

Warranty

Three years/60,000 miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£100.00 - £460.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

3.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
    125
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
    231
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The 3 performs well on the eco front and with an average of 159g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are relatively low for a small family hatchback. The greenest model in the line-up is the 1.6-litre diesel which emits 128g/km of CO2 (in both 90bhp and 109bhp guise) and averages 60mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2