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.

I loved the sporty performance and handling along with great gas mileage. It's a perfect size for a family of four and plenty of room for their luggage. We are no longer a family of four and I must say goodbye to a great car.

Nice car for the cost... Good suspension & stability on the hatchback version. Interior is way superior to its competitors. Very fun to drive. Some issues with stock front shocks and oil leaks from the transmission box. 2.3l engine drives pretty good.

The Mazda3 5-door is what I have and it has great performance for the size. There's a 2.3L 156hp I-4 with a 5sp tranny. I have the Sportshift automatic, which is an automatic with a manual mode. It's really fun to play around in manual mode, especially when driving on a road that has several curves and straights. There are 17in alloy wheels, auto xenon headlights and auto wipers. There are square foglights, LED taillights, and side repeater lights. The hatch opens high and wide for easy loading of cargo and has an integrated cargo management system with a cover as well. There is a trip computer which gives you MPG info. There are steering wheel controls for the audio and cruise control. There is an auxiliary input for MP3 players and 6 speakers. There is a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, heated perforated leather seats, and door bottle holders, as well as a CAVERNOUS glovebox. Overall, it's a great car and I love it!