That's all you need to see, really
^^^ Sweet. Still one of my favorite cars.
Too bad you can't get the manual with AWD.
I wonder why they chose to bring back the manual? Maybe because you can't get a manual in most of your competitors they see some buyers who they can capture.
Quote from: Johnnymac on Sep 02, 2026, 07:45 AMI wonder why they chose to bring back the manual? Maybe because you can't get a manual in most of your competitors they see some buyers who they can capture.
It never went away - it just retreated to a single trim/version a few years ago: the 5-door fwd GT. This is the last remaining "ordinary" small car with a stick. The Civic Si is close, but clearly a sporty offering with a ducktail spoiler, turbo power and red trimmed interior. Your in-laws won't question the chic Mazda.
Ok, light is bad on the phone pic but better stuff is on the way. Same exact paint as my CX-90 - makes for a nice driveway.
My typical press car week starts off with the trip computer showing great fuel economy, because off-hours driving and free-flow 70-90 km/h urban highways. Then stabilizes just a bit down with commuting to work, before plunging beyond NRCan numbers after a bunch of short distance suburban errands.
And then there's traffic mayhem. In the GMA, it's back to school with way too many lane closures and such, so lots of bumper following. Automatics - even hybrids - hate traffic and it takes a LOT of driving to bring the fuel numbers back down.
This cycle is rinse and repeat for my reviews, and repeatibility is key for experiments like my fuel economy numbers. And, yes, I use the trip computer as I don't have the time to go through even a single tank on most loans. It takes months to get a "manual" reading you can trust, especially since pumps and the prior guy always vary.
Y'all now know that modern automatics trounce manuals - when offered - in fuel economy numbers. The Mazda3 is no exception - 8.9 / 6.8 / 7.9 automatic, 9.5 / 6.9 / 8.3 manual (city / hwy / comb).
But here's the thing. With a manual, it takes LESS time for the "correction" to happen. And this 3 is no exception. It shot from 8.2 to 9.2 after two hour long stints on a bridge, but made up half the gap once out of the bridge.
Let's raise our glass to left foot / right hand algorythms !
(NB - and manuals behave like this despite actually driving them like they should be driven)
... and do note that after sitting for an hour behind the same bumper, I was still below the NRCan 9.5 rating.
Review is out: https://www.autohebdo.net/editorial/essai-routier/mazda/3/mazda-mazda3-sport-gt-manuelle-2026-essai-routier/ (https://www.autohebdo.net/editorial/essai-routier/mazda/3/mazda-mazda3-sport-gt-manuelle-2026-essai-routier/)
(https://cms-assets.autoscout24.com/uaddx06iwzdz/3faNEqKjoXytdBlvSgGPLM/4a31e68bbd5e6f1440181c304a411127/2026_Mazda3_-_TD_-_DB_-_260928_-_3.jpg?fm=webp&w=1100)
(https://cms-assets.autoscout24.com/uaddx06iwzdz/3HkUpGI7mpPnXbvKDYboCd/f3d22e890b5a4d2b9aaea782420cac30/2026_Mazda3_-_TD_-_DB_-_260928_-_25.jpg?fm=webp&w=1100)
(https://cms-assets.autoscout24.com/uaddx06iwzdz/42UoYV0fmxzGlJnelDZ4jU/da032a51b895959e77c3bc0eff5948a0/2026_Mazda3_-_TD_-_DB_-_260928_-_8.jpg?fm=webp&w=1100)
I still contemplate having a manual fun car and this is a top 3 for sure. But I have other life priorities at the moment.
The blue looked familiar.
Nephew has a 22 GS manual in the same blue. Picked it up in the spring replacing a 2010 GX sedan manual.
He thinks its a step up. ;D .....and no cylinder deactivation.
Oh yea I don't know if I want cylinder deactivation. Maybe get an earlier 2.5, or 2.0 GS sedan.
What a great looking little car, and manual, I like it
Quote from: dkazzed on Oct 14, 2026, 03:02 PMOh yea I don't know if I want cylinder deactivation. Maybe get an earlier 2.5, or 2.0 GS sedan.
I believe it's been completely discontinued on all models for the 2026 model year.
Quote from: GreatBigAbyss on Oct 15, 2026, 02:40 PMQuote from: dkazzed on Oct 14, 2026, 03:02 PMOh yea I don't know if I want cylinder deactivation. Maybe get an earlier 2.5, or 2.0 GS sedan.
I believe it's been completely discontinued on all models for the 2026 model year.
Stole the words right out of my keyboard ;D Yup, gone, and it took away 5 horses with it. Rating is now 186 instead of 191.
Quote from: Blueprint on Oct 16, 2026, 07:54 AMQuote from: GreatBigAbyss on Oct 15, 2026, 02:40 PMQuote from: dkazzed on Oct 14, 2026, 03:02 PMOh yea I don't know if I want cylinder deactivation. Maybe get an earlier 2.5, or 2.0 GS sedan.
I believe it's been completely discontinued on all models for the 2026 model year.
Stole the words right out of my keyboard ;D Yup, gone, and it took away 5 horses with it. Rating is now 186 instead of 191.
Huh. I wonder why it lost HP?
Am too lazy to investigate..LOL 😆