Design Car Mazda3

Mazda3 Design

Family Car Guide rates the 2011 Mazda3 a 6 out of 10, because while it's attractive, enjoyable to drive, and well-equipped, there are so many other small cars with a better ride, a more comfortable interior, or a quieter cabin. The Mazda3 makes the grade in many ways, but in a purely pragmatic family-car sense you could do better.

Mazda has given the its Mazda3 compact-car family, as with most of its vehicles, racier styling and a 'zoomier' driving feel. Both are qualities that might make the Mazda3 hatchback or sedan a more exciting pick as a second car, but not necessarily one that's the most practical or comfortable.

Mazda3 Interior

Whether you go with the more affordable Mazda3 'i' models or the sportier 's' ones, you'll find reasonably good acceleration, as well as excellent handling. Those 's' models, with a larger 167-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, have stronger pickup, especially for passing or hauling a full family, but it does sacrifice a few miles per gallon.

The 3 has a firm yet smooth enough ride (it improved with its last design refresh a year or two ago), but interior noise remains a sort point. On coarse pavement surfaces, the cabin hums in a fatiguing way.