Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
25 -30 City / 37 -41 HWY
Horsepower
155 -184
Seats
5
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Diana L
Mazda3 is definitely a good investment!
I have had my Mazda 3 for 3 years. I love this car! There are very cool safety features such as a blind spot detector which has saved me a few times. It still (after 3 years!) Gets about 38 miles per gallon and besides basic maintenance I have had to only replace a fuel sensor. My only complaint about it is it uses synthetic oil and therefore it is way more expensive to get the oil changed. Overall I would definitely buy this car again.
accountCircle Travis K
The car is well built and has great standard features. Gas mileage is great. Mazda service has also been exceptional.
I've had the car for almost three years and have driven 64,000 miles. The car has had no issues or problems. It still gets great gas mileage. I drive it every day and I'm still very happy with my purchase.
accountCircle Anna C
Comfortable and reliable car.
I have never had an issue with my amazing Mazda 3. It is the most reliable, comfortable car I have been in. It drives incredibly smoothly on all types of terrain and I feel safe driving even in inclement weather. My favorite part about my car is how it connects to Bluetooth, so I can use google maps and listen to Spotify at the same time.
accountCircle Jared S
Blind spot monitoring has greatly help driving.
Have had no problems in the 24,000 miles I have had it. Could use a bump in horse power from 150hp to about 195hp. Comfort is great just a small back seat. The best feature I enjoy is blind spot monitor. The display is also great I wish it had a digital speedometer though.
accountCircle Amanda R
A quick overview of vehicle for someone interested in buying this make/model.
The only thing I do not like about this car is it hydroplanes easily and cannot take sharp turns. I love the heated seats, they heat fast. Drives smooth. Never had any problems with it except occasional issues with the touch screen. Multiple windshield washer speeds & blind spot light/beeper on side mirrors are awesome.
accountCircle Melanie K
Great for my first new car.
The car accelerates smoothly and drives smoothly. Aside from some higher-than-expected road noise on freeways, it is very comfortable and easy to drive. The interior and exterior of the car are gorgeous to look at. The infotainment system and the setup of the driver controls make the car safe and fun to drive.
accountCircle Grayson C
Mazda 3: just right other than the radio occasionally.
I love my Mazda! It is like driving a little race car, so zoomy and quick breaks. Although I do have some tech difficulties with my radio such as not connecting to Bluetooth and sometimes clicking buttons on its own. Other than that it is a perfect car!
accountCircle Laura R
Sporty, fuel economic, reliable!
Fuel economy is top-notch in city & on the interstate! The look of the Mazda 3 is very sporty and stylish, only complaint is the touch screen looks a little out of place on top of the dash. Overall a very reliable vehicle and I look forward to continuing business with Mazda!

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle LilShells
Throwout baring destroys you Tranny!!!!
I used to love my car until two weeks ago. I have a manual transmission and hit 99,200 miles when I suspected my clutch was going. Normal at almost 100,000 miles. Well, what’s not “normal” is the throw out baring going out and destroying my transmission. I’ve had quite a few clutches for in all my years of driving but never once have I had a transmission be absolutely destroyed by a throwout baring. This is not normal. I immediately stopped driving the car and towed it to my mechanic when the throwout baring went. So it wasn’t driven and yet a simple normal $1,100 clutch job turns into an almost $4,000 repair. I think Mazda hasn’t fixed the “clutch” issues at all. In fact BEWARE it’s worse than prior years. Pray your throwout baring doesn’t do to your car what it did to mine. If it does then I’m thinking it’s a manufacturing defect as a tranny replacement at 100,000 miles is ridiculous!
accountCircle Sharon L
Very basic car and overpriced.
Loud road noise, lack of power, uncomfortable seats, very basic car that is overpriced. Dealer states lack of power is because these engines are not very strong. It is easy to drive since nothing special in features or upgrades. The navigation chip is an extra that must be purchased from the dealer and expensive however supposed to be available for this car.
accountCircle Julie P
It is an overall dependable good car.
I like the fuel efficiency. Dependability. I do not like the interactive center console.It is not user friendly and does not work half the time.
accountCircle William F
I was surprised of the above average stereo in the car.
I would say the vehicle is a pretty decent starter car. That is the reason I bought it. Plenty of bells and whistles and since I bought it new I have had zero issues with the car. The torque is pretty suitable to the car and it's a pretty low purring vehicle. I wouldn't buy the car, but it was a decent lease for me.
accountCircle Peggy A
The Mazda 3 I purchased was not a good fit
The mazda3 is an okay vehicle. There is lots of space and is very quick. The mazda3 I use comes with many nice features such as navigation and a back up camera. However, the mazda3 does it up and it's barely been driven. I purchased the car used with roughly 23k miles. I'm only at 27k miles after 4-5 months and the car drives rough. When test driving the Mazda 3 I was quite happy with it but now I'm not. This is my second Mazda and the first one was great but this one will be the reason why I never purchase a Mazda again.
accountCircle Sarah S
The price for the features is pretty good.
I like the Bluetooth feature. The speakers are not great though. Also, it does not have much power. The seats are not the most comfortable either.
accountCircle Patricia T
It is a great car, but too small for me. I will probably stay with Mazda in my next lease next April 2019, but something bigger.
I love the mileage. I do not like the size - it is too small for me and too close to the ground. I do not like that there is no light in the trunk. I do not like that I cannot open the hatch from my driver's seat. The seats are way too low.
accountCircle Brittany H
Great storage, not so great ride.
Great gas mileage and customer support but, it is very uncomfortable for any drive over about an hour. However, the trunk space is phenomenal. Great storage for a small car and the ride is fairly smooth. For the first couple of years the road noise is minimal but, eventually it gets pretty bad.

Mazda Mazda3 Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
i Sport
155 HP 33 MPG 5 Seats
car
i Touring
155 HP 34 MPG 5 Seats
car
i Grand Touring
155 HP 33 MPG 5 Seats
car
s Grand Touring
184 HP 29 MPG 5 Seats
car
s Touring
184 HP 31 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2016 Mazda Mazda3 Owner Reviews

4.52
447 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 60%
4 stars 33%
3 stars 6%
2 stars 1%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Melissa M on June 17, 2021
She's little but mighty! A good car to transition car for growing family.
It's a good car, small but roomy. We moved from the Midwest to Florida and was able to pack it to full capacity, granted we took no furniture. But when we had bought our 55' TV it fit right in like a glove. I really like my car and if we decide to have a kid it'll fit right in with our lifestyle.
accountCircle Christopher B on June 15, 2021
The all-around vehicle for your needs.
More than others cars I have driven, I really like the handling of Mazda vehicles. It is very smooth and easy to maneuver. They are comfortable on the inside. They have lasted for greater than 120,000 miles, which gave me at least 6 years or more of driving time. They have very few problems until at least 100,000 miles. The features on the inside are easy to use and functional. The capabilities are there and include USB ports, hands free calling, Bluetooth, and music and GPS apps. The gas mileage has been good, not the best I have ever seen, but not bad for a hybrid. Overall, I have been pleased with my Mazda.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Lawrence M.

Has great gas mileage and great performance. It is reliable and maintenance intervals are good. It is fun to drive and looks good. It was affordable and is economical. It has good cargo capacity.

likeFilled Mj L.

It gets great gas mileage. The entertainment center in the car in recent years does not support new devices, if a phone is plug in via USB the car does not recognize the device. But overall the car is great.

likeFilled Christine B.

Really good handling and comfortable on the inside as well as the fact that it has rear view cameras so that really makes it easy to park. It also has a very cheap gas mileage. It is about 30-35 dollars to get a full tank.

likeFilled Brandi M.

It is fast and easy to upkeep. It has a nice black interior and the outside is nice and sleek. It has good trunk space. The color is very unique and not seen often. I think the large screen is great and very useful. I like the screen navigation button and volume button locations.

likeFilled Patty E.

Mazdas are great on gas mileage. This is a very practical and reliable vehicle and cost of repairs is mostly reasonable. This Mazda accelerates very quickly and the wheelbase is small enough to make tight u-turns.

likeFilled Jen G.

The pros of this vehicle is that it is compact and sporty. It comes in different colors. It is comfortable and handles well. It seats 4 comfortably and possibly 3 in the back if they are small. The red paint is cool.

likeFilled Linda S.

My Mazda3 gets great gas mileage. This car is comfortable to ride in and drive. It is also sporty looking with it is streamline body style. My Mazda3 handles good in all types of weather and road conditions.

likeFilled Christina D.

The Mazda Mazda3 is COMFORTABLE and fun to drive. I find that this vehicle has a GOOD turn radius, spacious trunk and a multitude of safety features including blind spot monitoring, traction control, auto sensor for rain.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Lawrence M.

The are too many standard features which I turn off and do not use. The one feature I wanted (a built-in CD player) was not available on this model and I did not want to spend more for a model which had this feature.

dislikeFilled Mj L.

It is getting a little outdated. The only cons are upgrades that didn't get purchased that would have been handy. Things like dual air conditioner would be nice. Or having electric seats. The hatchback is definitely the better version.

dislikeFilled Christine B.

It is small so if you are a big and tall person then I do not think that this car would be the best option for you. It also goes relatively fast without you really noticing it so you would have be careful for that too.

dislikeFilled Brandi M.

It is a very loud car. Almost sounds more like a truck. It stutters when kicking into gear very often. Even after it is only sat still for a minute or two and stop signs and lights. It could use more space in the backseat. Stains are really hard to get out of the material.

dislikeFilled Patty E.

This Mazda is probably not a very safe vehicle as it has many plastic components. The acoustics are bad and lets sound in from surrounding environment due to lack of soundproofing. Also the speakers for radio are not high quality.

dislikeFilled Jen G.

I wish it got better gas mileage as it claims to get over 30+ on the highway and it doesn't.. I also wish it had safety features like a backup camera and especially side lane warnings sine there are bad blind spots when driving to change lanes.

dislikeFilled Linda S.

One of the cons about my Mazda 3 is that I did not get the leather seats. The fabric seats stain easy and as hard as I try, I cannot get the stains out of the beige fabric. The dealership said they had provided a coating on the seats to prevent staining, but not true.

dislikeFilled Christina D.

This vehicle has a bit of road noise, it is not the best vehicle to handle in the snow if one is living in a place with snowfall. I find that this vehicle, apple carplay is not available, there is no option for AWD,

Ranks #12 Small Cars by Owners

The 2016 Mazda Mazda3 has an average owner rating of 4.52 out of 5 which ranks it #12 of 38 other Small Cars.

1
car
4.9
2
car
4.71
12
Tie
car
4.52

Ranks #5 Small Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2016 Mazda Mazda3 has a combined MPG of 42 which ranks it #5 of 38 other Small Cars.

1
car
121 MPG
2
car
48 MPG
5
Tie
car
41 MPG

Is The 2016 Mazda Mazda3 A Good Car?

Yes. It is very dependable. I get good gas mileage. It is comfortable for travel. Has spacious trunk/cargo area. Easy to get in and out of.
Linda S.
Yes. I like it a lot. It is very easy to drive. It has really good gas mileage. It also is easy to use.
Tziporah M.
Yes, it looks cool, the gas mileage is great, it is spacious with a nice size trunk, its reliable, and inexpensive.
Wayne l.
Yes it is a good vehicle it provides maximum comfort ability with a good gas mileage and other perks. I especially enjoy having a sunroof and leather seats that are very nice.
Ruben G.
The 2016 Mazda 3 I sport is a good vehicle, it is a smooth and fun ride. The cabin is also very comfy, with a luxurious feel to it. The carbon fiber panels on the interior are a must.
Logan P.
It's a very great vehicle. Drives very smooth easy to control. The features it has are amazing. Also comes automatic or manual transmissions.
Julianna H.
I think this is a great car. The hatchback has lots of space and the driving style of a Mazda is outstanding.
Devin J.
I love my Mazda. I hope to give it to my daughter in a few years. I has great gas mileage and it is cute.
Sahira R.

How Reliable Is The 2016 Mazda Mazda3?

My mazda3 is very reliable. I have not had any problems with the engine. It handles great in all types of weather.
Linda S.
Yes. It has some issues with the windshield wipers and sometimes the buttons tend to stay on but there are no big problems.
Tziporah M.
I have had no problems thus far so yes I say it is reliable. Also, according to it has 3 out of 5 star rating for reliable by jd power.
Wayne l.
Yes it is very reliable. I have put a lot of miles on it traveling back and forth to work and a few vacations here and there and it is stood the test very well. Problems include constantly turned on... Read More
Ruben G.
The Mazda mazda3 I sport is a very reliable vehicle. The whole time I have owned it I have had zero problems with it and I bought it used. My car has just over 40k miles and it still runs like it is... Read More
Logan P.
I have never had a problem with the car before. It has never stopped on me never had a weird noise coming from anywhere. Although it did have many recalls on breaks and windshield wipers. It was... Read More
Julianna H.
Very reliable, only a few issues. Most of them being issues related to normal wear and tare. Overall, good.
Devin J.
I haven't had any major problems other than the heat stopped working but I went on youtube and learned how to fix it.
Sahira R.

Is The 2016 Mazda Mazda3 A Good Value?

I paid about $25,000 for the Mazda 3 that I purchased. I feel that it was a good value for everything I got.
Linda S.
Yes I bought a used Mazda and that was around a couple grand. I am not sure how much a new Mazda costs.
Tziporah M.
I bought mine used with 42,000 miles on it for $13k, in 2017. I believe it was a great deal. According to the us news and world reports articles, it gets a 9.1 rating for total cost ownership.
Wayne l.
It cost about 32,000 brand new. I think for the money there are better values out there for sure, however it is a good well rounded vehicle.
Ruben G.
The 2016 Mazda mazda3 I sport did not cost to much. It was just under 15 thousand, very good value for what it is.
Logan P.
Honestly it goes between 19k to 24k. No more. Obviously depends on the features, type of transmission, or the color of it. My car costed me 21k after taxes and all. Featured Bose speaker, rear view... Read More
Julianna H.
30,000 I think it is a good value for it is price. I do think they've gotten more expensive in newer models.
Devin J.
I paid around 16,000 for it and I think it was worth it. It is still in great shape if you keep up the maintenance.
Sahira R.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2016 Mazda 3 lug nut socket size?

Answer: The 2016 Mazda3 lug nut socket size is 19 mm hex. Making sure Your tires are in the greatest of condition is key to not crashing. You will come into issues with this part at some time or another. Premature tire...

What's the mazda 3 2016 wiper blade size?

Answer: These 2016 Mazda3 uses a 24-inch wiper blades on the driver-seat side, witH114-inch blades on the passenger-seat side. The car comes in 5 unique models. The i Sport, i Touring, i Grand Touring, s Touring, and s...

What's the 2016 mazda 3 key fob battery size?

Answer: The 2016 Mazda3 key fob battery size is CR2025. You will come into issues with the battery during the life cycle of the vehicle. A cracked case could come about and will need to be replaced completely. There...

2016 Mazda Mazda3: What is the oil type and capacity?

Answer: Mazda recommends the use of sae 0w-20 oils for the Mazda3 . The 2.0L 4Cylinder engine has a maximum capacity of 4.4 quarts, while the more powerful 2.5L 4Cylinder engine can hold up to 4.8 quarts. When changing...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety