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2008 Mazda MAZDA3 User Reviews

2008 Mazda MAZDA3 Review Ratings

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Average Ratings from 86 reviews

  • Performance:4.2 out of 5 stars4.2 out of 5 stars4.2 out of 5 stars4.2 out of 5 stars4.2 out of 5 stars 4.2 / 5
  • Appearance:4.6 out of 5 stars4.6 out of 5 stars4.6 out of 5 stars4.6 out of 5 stars4.6 out of 5 stars 4.6 / 5
  • Build Quality:4.4 out of 5 stars4.4 out of 5 stars4.4 out of 5 stars4.4 out of 5 stars4.4 out of 5 stars 4.4 / 5
  • Overall:4.6 out of 5 stars4.6 out of 5 stars4.6 out of 5 stars4.6 out of 5 stars4.6 out of 5 stars 4.6 / 5

Review Highlights Click to filter reviews below

PROS
"ride" 44 reviews
"power" 31 reviews
"fuel economy" 30 reviews
"handling" 30 reviews
"interior" 11 reviews
CONS
"power" 12 reviews
"fuel economy" 10 reviews
"tires" 4 reviews
"doors" 3 reviews
"interior" 2 reviews

User Reviews

Displaying 1 - 10 of 86 reviews 123456789 Next
Pete writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 s Grand Touring Hatchback Review
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Pros

Great Bose sound system and who can say no to 30 to 36 mpg on the highway?

Cons

Road noise is a little loud above 60 mph but not to the point where it is a big deal.  Poor stock tires.

75

Great Bang For Your Buck. — I bought my Mazda3 in July of 2008 after I had rented one when my previous car was in the shop. I immediately loved it. When one drives this car you get the sense of driving a race car while maintaining the funtionality and comfort of a 4- door sedan. I opted for the hatchback because this seems to increase this sport feel and look even more for me. The car is very well built in all areas. since this car is a 4-cylinder great gas mileage is assumed and maintenance is low but cost of ownership really depends on how you drive the car. My only complaint is about the stock tires. These are Goodyear Eagle RS-A's and are great tires is you area a fast aggressive driver, but poor for the rest of the world. I'm coming up to 13,000 miles and am already down to 7/32" and will have to replace them before I get to 15,000 miles. Other than that I am still completely blown away from this car. The inside lights up beautifully at night and on the outside you have HID headlights and LED taillights. this car is by far the best choice in its class. Oh and if you decide to buy it check out the Costco Auto program.

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David writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 s Sport Hatchback Review
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Pros

Fun to drive

Cons

Needs more horsepower

45

Mazda 3 Five Door — I put off buying this car for two years but it was the best decision I have ever made concerning cars. It's a blast to drive, carries all of my friends when we go out, and looks sexy rolling down the road. I would recommend one of these cars to everyone I know.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Daynaob writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 s Sport Hatchback Review
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Family Car:
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Pros

Best car I ever had.  I wish I didn't have to sell it.  It's my Baby.  :(

Cons

The only con I would say is that it isn't as great on gas as some of the other smaller cars but it definately goes Zoom Zoom!

Daynaob
35

Love It, Love It, Love It! — I don't think there is anything I didn't like about this car! Great look, great reliability, great pickup, great everything. I test drove the Honda Civic which is about in the same category. It was better on gas but this Mazda was wayyy much more fun to drive!

Primary Use: Family transportation

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nickdeo writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 s Sport Hatchback Review
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Pros

Looks great and the 60/40 fold down seats are a snap to convert

Cons

Stereo feedback when using aux cable and charger simultaneously.

nickdeo
35

Great Versatile Car! — Great versatile car with good gas mileage. I am observing an average of 27 mpg with a low of 25 and high of 29. I need to take it in to check alignment and brakes as I am getting a jittering when I decelerate too quickly. It should be noted that I received a recall notice regarding power steering. I have yet to take it in and get it looked at. For those who want to use your mp3/iPod in the car, there is an auxiliary-in in the arm rest. However I have noticed that if you charge a device (I've tried two so far) using the cigarette lighter port and then plug in the aux cable I get an annoying feedback. I'm not sure if this is happening to anyone else.

Primary Use: Commuting to work

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Dylan writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 i Touring Review
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Pros

Sweet inside AND out ...

Cons

Can be spendy

35

Me Likey ... But Without The Alloys And The Lower Height It Looks A Bit Goofy ... — Gas mileage is alrgiht (330 - 360 mi. on 13 gallions depending on how much pedal mashing I do). Insurance is ridiculous but that's on my speeding not the car. I love the Mazda 3 body style ... This is definitely the first car I've owned where I am DEFINITELY going to mod it ... stupid companies still make cars with no power locks ... THAT'S first ... but after that gotta change the color ... then I'll be able to get her some nice kicks ... but first things first ...

Primary Use: Commuting to work

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Austin writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 s Touring Review
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Pros

Great overall vehicle

Cons

More power needed

45

2008 Mazda 3 — This is my current car and I love this one too. The performance of the car is pretty decent, it has a decent acceleration, has amazing breaking, rated first in its class, and the handling is very good as well. The build quality is very good. Its quiet, loud when i want it to be, and overall pretty cool. Only repair needed was the power steering pump system which was a standard repair for 2008. The appearance of the car is awesome. Its real sporty looking, and the interior of the car is also remarkable. The gas mileage is better than my Tacoma, but not remarkable better. All maintenance is covered by warranty. Overall the car is a great pick, and is awesome to drive. Its a great drive and I fully recommend it.

Primary Use: Commuting to work

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Peter writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 i Sport Review
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Pros

1/8" Aux jack and power in console, powerful acceleration, solid feel.

Cons

Mileage is bad for a car in this class, charging while playing iPod on Aux causes nasty buzz.

35

Mazda3 Base Model — Champagne/tan with black and tan interior. Bra on the front, standard Mazda accessory. 2.0L 4-cyl automatic trans, stock, no frills. Base model. For now. Zippy enough, even for a daily driver, but I really am hoping to get the 2.3L from the Mazda6 put in. This car puts me in-line with the Mini, without the childish "we're a fast car" British ego. Triptonic manual is fun but useless with a 4-speed car. Thank god for the aux jack and power adapter in the console!

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Lee writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 i Touring Review
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Pros

Fuel efficient, zippy performance, nice styling

Cons

Can only afford ONE

45

Mazda 3 — Fuel efficient, reliable, nice styling, somewhat sporty, fun to drive factor of 10 in this price category! Small enough for ALL parking spaces but big enough for 4 average adults.....AND it has a trunk for groceries! Had a 2006 that got totaled, and the 2008 is an improvement in almost every way. Mazda 6, you're our next target!

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Jeff writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 s Grand Touring Hatchback Review
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Pros

fast, fun, reliable, good quality, handling

Cons

has a few cold rattles and isn't as fast as I would like

35

Mazdas Are Awesome!!!!!! — I bought my car with 82 miles on it and it has been great to me. Aside from a few cold only rattles or creaks (like 3) it is awesome. The only other car in its class that I would consider buying is the Mazdaspeed3, which I almost did! But it is a great car and tons of fun with more room than it looks like it has. It gets very good mileage and has a bangin' sound system! GET ONE!!

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Jonathan writes:
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 Review
Appearance:
Performance:
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Pros

Good power, very good handling, reasonably comfortable, fun to drive

Cons

Light construction leading to more expensive body repairs, interior colours lacking

575

A Fun Compact For Everyday Driving — The Mazda 3 is one of my favourite cars to drive at work. Mazda is trying hard to make its regular lineup feel sporty, they have succeeded with the Protege, the 3 is even better. This car handles beautifully and is not lost on power either. With its great handling and reasonable power, its fun to drive this car anywhere. Seats are reasonably comfortable and interior materials are modest. Interior colour choices are lacking though, most of the colours you can select only have a black interior. Fuel economy is average, so its not as good as a Civic or Corolla but I rather spend a bit more on fuel to have a better driving experience. The Mazda 3 has a somewhat weak body, it doesn't take fender benders or hail damage very well. Outside of that its a fantastic car.

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Similar Cars Compared to a 2008 Mazda MAZDA3

2008 Mazda MAZDA3 2008 Mazda MAZDA6 2008 Honda Civic
2008 Mazda MAZDA3 s Grand Touring Hatchback picture, exterior
2008 Mazda MAZDA6 picture, exterior
2008 Honda Civic picture
Cost $11,329 Average Instant Market Value $10,819 Average Instant Market Value $12,903 Average Instant Market Value
Gas Mileage (highway) 32 29 34
Horsepower 148 156 140
Crash Test Rating 4 5 5
Front Leg Room (inches) 41.1 42.3 42.2

Reviews From Other Years

2012 Mazda MAZDA3 Reviews

Awsome Cost Efficient Car For Daily Commuting By lamar89

I've received lots of compliments from friends and random people at the gas pump about how nice this car looks. It is fun to drive, gets an average 33mpg around town and around highway mpg. It is a li... Read More

Overall Impression Is Great. By marine4life06

This is the perfect car for long trips as well as inter-city driving. It provides great mileage over the road and in the city while maintaining a comfortable ride. the truck is fairly large for a sma... Read More

Read all 3 2012 Mazda MAZDA3 reviews

2011 Mazda MAZDA3 Reviews

Black 2008 Mazda3 Hatch By pcrtr83

Great car! Bought it new and have never had an issue with it! Would highly recommend Mazda! Have added an aftermarket head unit with Nav and Bluetooth and tinted the windows. Has the 2.3L in it an... Read More

Awesome Looks, Great Interior, Good Power, Mediocre Gas Mileage By mLink

This car looks great, handles well, has way more storage capacity than it looks like it would, excellent visibility, but only so-so on the gas mileage. It's something that I'm alright with, I would t... Read More

Read all 9 2011 Mazda MAZDA3 reviews

2010 Mazda MAZDA3 Reviews

A Great First Car. By Josh 'Gunner'

The handling before I installed my lowering springs has to be best in class of the segment. After the lowering springs of course the handling was even better. A great car to start autocross in. It... Read More

Amazing Little Car By bwkk

The mazda 3 is an amazing little car. It is very good for city driving and can handle the highways really good. The fuel economy is not the best in its class. The interiors however are the best in its... Read More

Read all 23 2010 Mazda MAZDA3 reviews

2009 Mazda MAZDA3 Reviews

This Is A Sporty, Affordable, Fun To Drive Car. By MazdaSpeeder

If you get this vehicle in the 17 inch wheel category the tires are expensive. Other than that minor detail, I absolutely love this car! The gas mileage is awesome, it zips around with plenty of power... Read More

She's Got Zoomzoom By DaveT14

The Mazda3 is a good reliable car. It offers tremendous versatility. It combines sporty performance, economic value, and practicality. The hatchback is spacious, and the seats are comfortable. All... Read More

Read all 27 2009 Mazda MAZDA3 reviews

2007 Mazda MAZDA3 Reviews

Clean By MarsR

Really no dislikes. I did a lot of research before buying it most of the review i saw were complimentary , not only the Mazda 3 sport hatchback but this individual automobile. Great handling, accelera... Read More

Great Little Hauler By netvoyager

Nothing I don't like. Reliabllity is awesome! This car has performed every function we have asked of it. It has lugged us to Florida three times and was packed solid. Mazda's are strong, well built c... Read More

Read all 65 2007 Mazda MAZDA3 reviews
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