2010 Mazda 3 s 5-Door Grand Touring - Long-Term Road Test Update

Update Three: Our long-term Mazda 3 hatch continues to charm.

Date: November 2010
Months in Fleet: 13 months
Current Mileage: 31,013 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 26 mpg
Range: 413 miles
Service: $237
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $0
Although our long-term Mazda 3 s Grand Touring hatchback hasn’t made as many colorful, long-distance journeys as our long-term Hyundai Genesis has, it continues to rack up praise as it enters the final stretch of its 40,000-mile stay.
Hitting the Open Road
Having vehicles on hand that are more spacious means that the Mazda hasn’t been the first pick for road trips, but the car has had a few chances to explore the world beyond the Michigan state line. The author netted 1300 miles on a trek to Virginia International Raceway and back, where the 3 served as an excellent support vehicle for our annual Lightning Lap speedfest. Another journey, this time to and from Nebraska, racked up nearly 1700 miles, with several shorter adventures also keeping the Mazda’s odometer twirling.
The car still impresses, with its drivability and solid packaging. A playful and responsive feel at the helm remains the car’s strongest characteristic, and we’ve grown to accept its quirky front-end styling—or grown tired of complaining about it. The longer treks have also helped push the Mazda’s average fuel economy up to 26 mpg, which is still disappointing for a four-cylinder economy car.
Wear and Tear
The miles have exposed a couple of other complaints that, until now, were small annoyances. While the six-speed manual’s light, precise shifter is “slicker than snot on a doorknob” in the words of one editor, the clutch action has aggravated more than a few nerves. What feel it once had has faded with use, making it difficult to zero in on the pickup point and resulting in jerky, over-revved launches. A new Mazda 3 on hand recently for our annual 10Best gala supported this observation. That low-mileage car’s tight and tactile clutch reminded us of what our long termer was like when it entered the fleet.
The 3’s front seats also have drawn criticism. While the seats are comfortable and supportive in short-range use, some drivers have noted the bottom cushions don’t coddle the backside as well as they could on longer treks. We previously had the driver-seat track replaced under warranty because it would no longer adjust up or down, but the seat now sticks occasionally when adjusting it fore and aft. At the 3’s next service visit, we’ll have it checked for a pinched wire or faulty switch.
Service and Fixes
As for regular maintenance, our 3 has had two oil-and-filter changes since our last update, running $42.35 and $64.93—the additional expense of the second due to a new air filter. Our service tally now sits at $237. Mazda also replaced the entire center-console lid, because the plastic latch had broken off and the part can only be ordered as part of the entire assembly. It would have cost $99, but was covered by the warranty.
While the 3 has been a little finicky since we last reported on it, our enthusiasm has dampened little for an otherwise solid, fun-driving, and practical car.

Although our long-term Mazda 3 s Grand Touring hatchback isn’t as brightly colored or feisty as our other long-term Mazda hatch—the eye-searingly blue and balls-to-the-wall 40,000-mile Mazdaspeed 3—it continues to be a staff darling. Indeed, the gray five-door continues to prove that efficient, practical transportation doesn’t have to be a snooze.
Soldiering On
With the car taking nine months to hit the 20,000-mile mark, however, our Mazda is behind schedule; we typically like to wrap up a full, 40,000-mile test in about a year. But that’s not because this 3 disappoints on the highway—quite the opposite, in fact. The ride quality over expansion joints is supple, downshifting via the slick six-speed shifter makes routine passing maneuvers feel heroic, the seats are supportive, and the ergonomics easy to live with. Combine all that with a consistently playful demeanor on surface streets, and you have a recipe for serious logbook fawning.
The 3’s mileage deficit can be blamed on the rest of the long-term fleet, which includes some vehicles with prodigious towing capabilities, some that are simply more powerful, and some that are larger and capable of hauling more people and luggage. So the little 3 is often passed over for long-distance outings, but it’s always ready and willing to shuttle us home at the end of each day, and no one grumbles when it’s his or her turn behind the wheel. Of course, it helps that the chassis feels as crisp and tight as ever, particularly since we removed the car’s winter rubber in favor of the stock 17-inch Yokohama all-seasons.

Low-Impact Fun
Fun behind the wheel often comes at the price of hefty fuel bills and servicing costs. But here, too, our Mazda 3 has impressed, with overall fuel economy actually improving a tick to 25 mpg. Our out-of-pocket expenses rose by just $43 since our last update, although we did have a pricey issue taken care of under warranty: The driver’s-seat track assembly jammed and prevented raising or lowering the seat, and the fix would have cost $795 without warranty coverage. Yowch.
Mazda’s recommended oil-change intervals can be every 5000 or 7500 miles, and we’ve switched to the latter schedule, given the car’s relatively easy workload. Our last service—it accounts for the 43 bucks and change—was performed around the 15,000-mile mark and included fresh oil, a new oil filter, a tire rotation, and a multipoint inspection. We also had the dealer perform an alignment to quell a vibration, work that was covered under the factory warranty.

Reliability is always a good thing, but we’re particularly pleased to see it in the dependably good 3. It delivers fun even during regular, everyday slogs, which is more than we can say about most of the stuff in its class, not to mention several pricier vehicles. Three: It’s the magic number