Mazda 3 Saloon (04-08) - Review

Review by David Ross on
Last Updated: 23 March 2009
Small saloons don't usually sell well in Britain. The Mazda3 saloon is unlikely to buck the trend. Why? Like most models, the hatchback is the more popular choice as a practical family car. But the Mazda3 saloon looks good, is competitively priced and well specified. Developed from the same platform as the Ford Focus and Volvo S40, driving pleasure was a high priority for engineers, so it's good to drive. The range was given a mild reworking mid-2006, which improved fuel economy, lowered emissions and made it more civilized on the move. However, there's a limited range compared to the five-door and it's not as easy to sell on.
3 out of 5

Other Mazda reviews

3 out of 5

Running costs

All the engines are reasonably economical, insurance is cheap for the class and servicing at Mazda dealers is usually well priced. Service intervals could be better spaced, however, plus small saloons rarely hold their value. It's likely to be worth just under half of its original value after three years - not performing as well as the hatchback.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,534 - £1,805 *

Diesel

£1,105 - £1,145 *

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 - £250.00

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
    128
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
    196
  • K
  • L
  • 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 135g/km of CO2 and averages 56mpg. In 2004 this engine was revised and emissions fell to 128g/km of CO2 while economy rose to 58mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2