Used Mazda 3 2014-2019 review

In a sea of strait-laced, one-style-fits-all cars, the swoopy lines of the used Mazda 3 do mark it out among its rivals. There’s even a four-door executive car version called the Fastback if the five-door doesn't appeal, but all models get a big, bold grille at the front to give it some genuine rear-view mirror presence.

What also differentiates the 3 from its rivals are the large-capacity engine sizes available and absence of turbocharging on the petrol engines. While the smaller-capacity engines fitted to rival cars have better (but often unrealistic) official fuel consumption, the 3 is capable of getting closer to its official figures and therefore returning similar economy to its competitors in real-world use.

Petrol fans have a choice between a 99bhp 1.5-litre and two 2.0-litre engines, with 118bhp or 163bhp. If you fancy diesel, a 103bhp 1.5-litre engine kicks off the batting, followed by a 148bhp 2.2.

Unfortunately, the Mazda 3 isn’t the most refined of family cars, with a noticeable amount of tyre noise coming into the cabin when on the move, accompanied by wind noise while cruising at motorway speeds. The diesels are also a bit louder than you'll find in the likes of the Peugeot 308.

The Mazda 3 doesn’t drive as well as rivals such as the Seat Leon, which is more composed in corners. Plus, the Leon’s steering has greater consistency to its weighting, meaning you'll be more confident driving it than the 3.

The interior has a pleasingly uncluttered layout and the controls you come into contact with regularly, such as the air conditioning dials and indicator stalks, all have a nice weight to them, suggesting this car has engineering integrity behind it.

It also has a very user-friendly infotainment system, complete with a 7.0in touchscreen on top of the dashboard and a rotary dial with shortcut buttons on the centre console between the front seats. You learn how to operate it very easily.

Any trim level with ‘Nav’ at the end means the car has sat-nav. As you'd expect, it's just as easy to use as the infotainment system, although it isn’t quite as good as the system you'll find in the Audi A3.

SE specification comes with air conditioning, alloy wheels, Bluetooth, iPod/USB media inputs and the standard 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system. SE Nav comes with everything SE cars have but adds sat-nav. SE-L comes with automatic lights and wipers and rear parking sensors, while top-tier Sport Nav has parking sensors on the front as well, along with larger, 18in wheels and a head-up display.

Interior space is good in the 3, with a decent amount of space up front and a rear bench that can take three, although they wouldn’t want to spend all day back there. The boot opening is narrower than it is in some rivals, so if you need to load a pushchair into the back, it might be a good idea to take it along with you to find out if it fits. The Fastback version has an even smaller boot entrance that hinders practicality, plus the sloping rear roofline impacts head room for taller rear passengers.

High-mileage diesel Mazda 3s can be found for £5500. Petrol models start at between £500 and £1000 more, but these examples often have fewer miles on the clock, perhaps explaining some of that additional cost.

A petrol or diesel example with an average number of miles on it is around £7500. A refreshed 3 arrived in early 2017, and you'll be able to pick up one of those for just under £10,000. If you want one of the last cars from 2019, you'll need to increase your budget to £17,000.

Check the value of a used Mazda 3 with What Car? Valuations

The most frugal engine is the 1.5-litre diesel unit, which has an official economy figure of 74.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 99g/km and sneaks into the free road tax band. The larger 2.2-litre diesel officially returns 68.9mpg and puts out 107g/km.

Of the petrol range, the 1.5 and 118bhp 2.0-litre models achieve 55.4mpg and emissions of 119g/km. The more powerful 163bhp 2.0-litre version costs a little bit more to run, with figures of 48.7mpg and 135g/km.

It’s worth noting that any Mazda 3 registered after 1 April 2017 will be taxed under the current flat-rate system, while ones registered before will be charged depending on the emissions it put out. To find out more about road tax costs, click here.

Insurance is higher than for most of its rivals, so it will be worth getting a few quotes from companies before you commit. Servicing costs are also not quite as cheap as those of most mainstream rivals, but they’re not the worst.

While it may be a bit short of mid-range pull, the 118bhp 2.0-litre petrol is more than capable of motivating the Mazda 3, even if it seems a little bit low-tech compared with its rivals, which sport downsized engines with a turbocharger. But it does well in terms of fuel economy in the real world, where many of its competitors don’t. It’s even good enough as an alternative to the diesel, which is best in 2.2-litre form because of its better flexibility over the 1.5 diesel and doesn’t cost much more to run.

We'd recommend going for the SE Nav model, because although SE has all the equipment you'd need, the Nav model adds (unsurprisingly) sat-nav, which might come in handy when travelling somewhere you don't know.

Our favourite Mazda 3 2.0-litre SE Nav petrol

The Audi A3 is a bit of a What Car? favourite, and for good reason. It's a premium car, and you'll have to pay a premium for it over a Mazda 3, but it does have excellent driving manners, a classy interior and a class-leading infotainment system.

The Peugeot 308 is an interesting alternative, because it has a very refined engine, a capacious boot and lots of equipment. It has its flaws, though, such as cramped rear seats and an unsettled ride.

The Seat Leon manages to be an excellent all-rounder. It's good to drive and has a roomy interior and a strong range of engines. It might not have the best infotainment screen around (it's quite small), but it does offer incredibly strong competition at a remarkably affordable price.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? Newsletter here