2022 Mazda3 sedan is generous with standard features and fun
Published 1:30 am Monday, February 21, 2022
The 2022 Mazda3 compact car joins select other Mazdas in offering the Carbon Edition trim level introduced last year. It comes exclusively with Polymetal Gray paint, red leather seats, and black exterior accents including its door mirror housings and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Special features of the Mazda3 Preferred package are also part of the Carbon Edition model, such as a power moonroof, heated front seats, and eight-way power driver’s seat with adjustable lumbar support and seat memory. A splendid 12-speaker Bose premium audio system is added for good measure.
The Carbon Edition’s sole powertrain setup is Mazda’s 186-horsepower 2.5-liter engine joined to a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.
Base pricing for the Carbon Edition trim is $27,415 including a $1,015 destination charge.
Mazda3 is available in sedan and hatchback versions. I drove-and-judged the hatchback last year, and now it’s the sedan’s turn. The Carbon Edition pricing shown above is for the sedan, by the way. Tack on an extra grand for a Carbon Edition hatchback.
Among compact sedans, the Mazda3 stakes a claim with bolder-than-thou exterior styling, a high quality interior, and spirited driving dynamics. A conventional gear shifter lends a classic touch.
The base 2.0 model goes for $21,815 and comes with cloth upholstery, 16-inch wheels, LED headlights, push-button start, and an 8.8-inch infotainment screen with eight-speaker audio. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are not included on this model. The 2.0-liter engine makes 155 horsepower and is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. As with all Mazda3 models, it comes standard with a slew of safety and driver-assist features. Fuel economy is rated 28 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined, the best of the Mazda3 bunch.
Beyond the base model are two other engines: a 2.5-liter with 155 horsepower, and a 2.5-liter turbo producing 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. Caveat emptor: Achieving those turbo numbers requires the use of premium 93-octane fuel. When served regular 87-octane, output is a still-unshabby 227 hp and 310 lb-ft.
All told, there are eight different trim levels. Six have the 2.5-liter engine, two are available with all-wheel drive for an extra $1,400, and the two turbo models have standard AWD. The number of upscale standard features on each trim is generous.
My tester was the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus, at $34,115 the highest you can go on the pricing scale. As expected, it provided a week’s worth of driving with entertainment as well as transportational value. There’s a nearly superfluous Sport driving mode but it triggers the engine into getting louder with a sound that falls short of a rich, throaty growl.
Fuel economy ratings for the test car are 23/31/26 mpg.
The infotainment system is controlled by a large rotary knob in the center console and the 8.8-inch screen is not a touchscreen. That setup can be awkward but doable with an intuitive system. I’d call the Mazda3 system nonintuitive at first blush and give just one example as evidence: There are no radio preset buttons. Can you even? After resorting to the owner’s manual (more evidence of nonintuitiveness!) instructions for saving favorite stations in a separate “folder” were revealed. Really a much better system, once you get the hang of it, than the usual inadequate number of presets available on many other infotainment systems.
2022 MAZDA MAZDA3 SEDAN 2.5 TURBO PREMIUM PLUS
Base price, including destination charge: $34,115
Price as driven: $34,710
Mary Lowry is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a member and past president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. She lives in Snohomish County. Vehicles are provided by automotive manufacturers as a one-week loan for evaluation purposes only. Manufacturers do not control content of the reviews.
