2020 Chevrolet Malibu vs 2019 Mazda MAZDA3

The compact-car market has come a long way from the days of the dreaded “economy car.” And yet many new compact cars, such as the Honda Civic or Toyota's new 2020 Corolla, still fit a reasonable budget. You no longer have to choose between value and quality. Among a crowd of good, budget-conscious vehicles, the all-new 2019 Mazda3 excels.

The Mazda3 arrived in 2003, and driving dynamics have always been key to its DNA. But it was the third-generation Mazda3, produced from 2014 through 2018, that really started to showcase the aspirational nature of the Mazda brand. If the third-generation Mazda3 set the canvas for the company's upscale agenda, the fourth-gen 2019 Mazda3 is its masterstroke.