2014 Mazda 3

It is better to pick the i Touring trim as it has transmission options, safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. It is also equipped with alloy wheels as well. Therefore, you can buy this mid-range trim instead of spending extra cash on the higher trim or wasting money on lower trims. 

There are two trim groups on the 2014 Mazda 3 which are further divided into various sub-trims. The i trim group has trim levels such as SV, Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring whereas the s trim group only has two trim levels i.e. Touring and Grand Touring. The main difference between s and i trims is the engine. The i group has a 2.0-liter engine while the s group has a 2.5-liter engine.

The starting price of the 2014 Mazda 3 i SV is $17,740. The standard features which are offered on the base Mazda 3 include 16-inch steel wheels, manual air conditioning, auto on/off headlights, cloth seats, manual tilt, and telescopic steering column, Daytime running lights, dual power side mirrors, rear heater ducts, keyless entry, push-button ignition, 4-speaker sound system, and 3-spoke urethane steering wheel.

The Mazda 3 i trim group has a new SkyActiv 2.0-liter inline-4 gas engine which is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission and can be replaced with the 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine churns out 155 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque and takes the Mazda 3 from 0 to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. The FWD is a standard drivetrain as there is no AWD available.

The s group of the Mazda 3 has a new SkyActiv 2.5-liter inline-4 gas engine which is engaged with a 6-speed automatic transmission and churns out 184 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. With these figures, Mazda 3 does the 0-60 mph in 0.4 seconds faster than the base engine. With a brand new structure and improved suspensions, the ride has become much smoother and stable. The steering wheel is precise while the brakes are responsive.

The Chevrolet Cruze has the lowest power figures in the competition and finishes the 0-60 mph goal in 9.5 seconds which makes it stand in the last position. The Honda Civic has decent horsepower but the same can’t be said about the torque. It does the 0-60 mph 0.4 seconds faster than the rivals from Chevrolet. Lastly, the Subaru Impreza’s engine output closest to the Mazda 3 sprints from 0-60 mph in 8.2 seconds.

If a 2.0-liter mill and automatic transmission pairing are equipped, Mazda 3 offers a fuel economy of 30/40/34 mpg in the city/highway/combined respectively. However, if 2.0-liter mill and manual transmission pairing is equipped, the fuel economy figures will rise by 1 mpg on the highway but will decrease by 1 mpg in the city and 1 mpg as combined. On the other hand, if a 2.5-liter mill is selected then fuel economy will drop by 2/1/2 mpg in the city/highway/combined respectively. That said, Mazda 3 and Honda Civic have the smallest fuel tank in the competition.

It is clear that Mazda is the most fuel-efficient car against the rivals but the opponent from Honda is not a loser and just has one mpg less in the city and on the highway as compared to Mazda 3. At the same time, the Subaru Impreza returns a fuel economy of 27/36/30 mpg in the city/highway/combined respectively. Lastly, the Chevrolet Cruze which has the highest fuel consumption equips the biggest fuel tank.

Many things have changed in the Mazda 3’s cabin. Quality of materials has improved, meter cluster is redesigned, and the cabin is more spacious. Overall the interior design is minimalist and the front row is driver-oriented which allows more comfort to the driver. The dashboard has piano black trim as standard which can be replaced with the satin silver trim. Cloth trim is given on the door panels. Standard cloth-trimmed sport seats can be upgraded to leather or perforated leather on the higher trims. 

The driver seat has a 6-way manual adjustment and can be replaced with a 6-way power adjustment. The passenger seat has 4-way seats. Rear seats can split into 40/60 fashion. Remote keyless entry, push-button start, two 12V power points, Rear window defogger, manual air conditioning, manual tilt, and telescopic steering column, power door locks, driver side one-touch power window, and fade-to-off interior Lighting are some standard cabin features. 

Among all the rivals, the Subaru Impreza has the most spacious first and second row and the Mazda 3 is following the lead of the Subaru Impreza. Next in line are the Honda Civic and Chevrolet Cruze which might have slightly different interior dimensions but they share the same passenger volume. That said, even though rival Chevrolet lacks some passenger volume as compared to the Mazda 3, it offers the biggest trunk to compensate for that. Meanwhile, the opponent from Subaru has the smallest trunk in the segment. Highlights of the interior features include:

• Cloth upholstery
• Manual air conditioning
• 3-spoke urethane steering wheel
• Cloth headliner
• 6-way power driver seat
• Heated front seats
• Keyless entry and push-button start
• Day/night rearview mirror
• Manual tilt and telescopic steering column

How intuitive is the 2014 Mazda 3’s infotainment unit?

A 7-inch touchscreen standard on the higher trims such as i Grand Touring and s trims while it is given as an optional feature under the technology package on the i Touring trim. 4-speakers, aux jack, USB port, and radio data system are some standard features on the base Mazda 3. As you go up Bluetooth and a CD player are also given. More premium features such as navigation system, 9-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system, voice command, SiriusXM, Stitcher internet radio integration, and Aha internet radio integration are given under the technology package on the i Touring trim. All these features are standard on other top trims. Highlights of the infotainment features include:

• 6-speaker sound system
• 7-inch touchscreen (optional)
• Bluetooth
• CD player
• SiriusXM satellite (optional)
• 10-speaker Bose surround-sound system

The exterior design of the new Mazda 3 is full of twists and turns. On hand five-point wing grille makes a bold statement at the front along with the swift body line on the hood, the chiseled design on the side profile and backside, makes Mazda 3 even more snazzy. The clear-lens halogen is standard which can be upgraded to bi-xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights. Dual power side mirrors get a heating function on higher trims. 

The 2014 Mazda 3 is available in 4-door and 5-door variants. Rear deck lip is given on Touring and higher trims while the rear spoiler is only offered on s trims. Power sliding-glass Moonroof is reserved for Grand Touring trims. 2014 Mazda runs on the 16-inch steel wheels which can be upgraded to 16-inch and 18-inch alloy wheels.

After evaluating the above table, we can conclude that Chevrolet Cruze is the biggest sedan externally. On the other hand, the Civic is the smallest sedan in the segment. On the weight scale, the Mazda 3 is the lightest while the Cruze is the heaviest in the bunch. The shortest wheelbase is offered on the Impreza while the biggest wheelbase belongs to the Mazda 3. Highlights of the exterior features are:

• 16-inch steel wheels
• One-touch power sliding-glass moonroof (optional)
• Automatic on/off headlights 
• Shark fin roof antenna (optional)
• Daytime running lights
• Bi-Xenon HID headlights
• Rain-sensing windscreen wipers

The chassis of the Mazda 3 is 30 percent more rigid than last year’s model and the weight has also been reduced by more than 80 lbs. Coming to the safety ratings, NHTSA has given an overall 5-star rating to the 2014 Mazda 3 while the IIHS has assigned ‘Good’ ratings in all crashworthiness tests. To add the cherry on top of the cake, the 2014 Mazda 3 managed to earn the ‘top safety pick+’ award from the IIHS. Besides, awe-inspiring safety ratings, Mazda 3 is packed with all basic features such as engine-immobilizer anti-theft system, brake assist, hill start assist, tire pressure monitoring, and such.

However, advanced driving assistance features such as blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert are only given on the top two trims. There are various other safety features such as forward collision warning, regenerative engine braking system, lane departure warning, and smart city brake support, and Mazda cruise control which are given under the technology package on the topmost trim. Rearview camera is given under the technology package on the i Touring trim while it is standard on other top-tier trims. Major safety features are:

• Brake assist
• Mazda Radar cruise control (optional)
• Smart City Brake Support (optional)
• Lane Departure Warning System (optional)
• Keyfob panic button

Range of customization, fuel economy, nice driving experience, a comfortable cabin, and the best safety ratings in the competition. You name it and the 2014 Mazda 3 takes the first spot in that. However, there are rivals that offer more advanced safety features, airer cabin than Mazda 3, and a bigger trunk. However, Mazda 3 is still a great catch you can go with.