Used Mazda 3 cars for sale

Mazda 3 buying guide

What Mazda 3 trim levels are there?

The entry-level trim level is the Mazda 3 SE-L, which includes 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, radar cruise control, a host of active safety kit and an 8.8-inch media screen with sat nav, Bluetooth, DAB radio and Apple/Android phone mirroring. Next is SE-L Lux, which adds a reversing camera, heated front seats, two-zone air conditioning and keyless entry.

Sport Lux sits on 18-inch wheels, and also comes with upgraded headlights and daytime running lights, privacy glass and an automatically dimming rear-view mirror. Pick the most powerful engine and you also get a panoramic sunroof.

GT Sport is pretty much the top trim level, adding a heated steering wheel, a powered driver’s seat with leather upholstery and a Bose sound system. The very top-spec GT Sport Tech brings additional driver aids such as a 360-degree camera and rear auto emergency braking.

Mazda 3 interior and technology

You’ll notice that the Mazda 3 doesn’t come with a huge bank of screens like the Mercedes A-Class and Audi A3. There are analogue dials and a screen that almost looks like it’s sinking into the dashboard. It’s not even a touchscreen – you control it using the dial this side of the gear lever. There are lots of physical buttons and dials that feel great to use.

All this is because Mazda thinks touchscreens are distracting – and that is definitely true in cars with poorly thought-out infotainment systems. The Mazda 3’s interior is designed to keep your eyes on the road. From the same school of thought, there aren’t hundreds of drive modes to cycle through. Instead, the car is set up for you to just get in and drive it. It manages to feel both simple and premium.

Mazda’s infotainment system looks crisp and is easy to use, although the standard-fit Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are designed to be touch-operated so they might take some getting used to. The CD player put in earlier examples is something of a retro touch these days.

Mazda 3 engine range explained

(Most popular) Mazda 3 2.0 Skyactiv-G petrol

All recent Mazda 3s come with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, but there are two power outputs to choose from. The Skyactiv-G engine offers 122hp and a respectable if not rapid 0-62mph time of 10.4 seconds. Drive carefully and you can get up to 51mpg, thanks to the car’s relatively light weight and the engine’s cylinder deactivation tech.

Mazda 3 2.0 Skyactiv-X petrol

Mazda’s Skyactiv-X engine uses tech borrowed from diesel engines to make it very economical. So despite being a supercharged 2.0-litre petrol engine with 186hp, it’s capable of 54mpg. It knocks nearly 2.5 seconds off the lower-powered engine’s 0-62mph time, helping the 3 feel much more eager.

Both engines come with a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes. The auto is a little slower and a little less economical, but it’ll probably be the preferred option if you spend a lot of time in stop-start traffic.