Mazda3 Review - a Heavenly Journey 

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion) 07/23/2017 at 18:40 • Filed to: Mazda3, Miata, PNW, Review, Leavenworth

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In the interests of full disclosure, I feel the need to warn you that I’ve just gone through a pound of rootbeer fudge and as such my mind is on a different plane of existence from yours. I’m not sure if communication is possible under these circumstances, but I have to try. My message must be heard!

View from the candy shop, where I purchased no less than three pounds of fudge

I’m trying something different this time. While I’ll be writing about the car I took on this week’s adventure, the pictures will be telling a different story focused on the adventuring aspect of the trip. This might be fun, it might be a little bit strange! Let me know. Feedback is always appreciated!

Let’s talk wheels. The Miata is generally my go-to day trip car, but this time I was taking a girl. That wouldn’t normally be a problem— that is—if said girl wasn’t accompanied by a golden lab with the energy levels of a caffeined up 5 year old. A printer-paper-white complexion that burned at the merest suggestion of sun didn’t exactly have her itching to spend hours in the drop top either.

We became best buds in no time at all

So, ceding to her entirely foreign desires of things like “comfort”, “space”, and “sun protection”, I grudgingly agreed to drive her sedan the bulk of the two hundred mile round trip.

This lovely chariot is what I would normally take on day trips

Let’s see if you can guess the car.

2013 model year

2 liter I4 gas engine

148hp, 135 ft/lbs

5 speed manual

25/33 mpg city/highway (optimistic)

From a Japanese company well known for their engaging vehicles dynamics, and willingness to hook you up with a manual.

Between the rapids, calm water, rock climbing, rope swing, and liquer/pot shop a few miles away, there’s something for everyone at the secluded watering hole locally known as Eagle Rock

Okay, times up, what do you got? If you said Honda Civic... You’re right!

...just kidding. Hondas don’t have torque figures in the triple digits, silly. The real answer is Mazda3. Lauded as the choice for “enthusiasts”. Well let me tell me you something.

It was fucking awful. With a manual transmission, on some of the best driving roads in a state full of fantastic drives, it was one of the single most dull, lifeless vehicles I’ve ever had the misfortune of piloting.

Hey, mind if I take a picture of you climbing down?

I’ve driven terrible crapboxes with pieces falling off, high-strung modded monsters with 40+ pounds of boost that break down every block, giant killers with chips on their respective shoulders, and countless other vehicles in between. From beigest of beige to this-thing-is-trying-to-kill-me-and-I-like-it levels of batshit crazy, most of these vehicles have been more or less what I was anticipating.

Not this time. The 2013 base engine Mazda3 with a stick, was the single worst offender in terms of expectations vs. reality. And I don’t think I came in with unfair expectations. I knew it wasn’t a “sports car.” I didn’t expect this to be a life changing experience, like flooring a Hellcat I rented off of Turo was. It was just supposed to be a regular, affordable sedan with a slight bump in the fun department.

The reality? Soul-crushingly depressing. The transmission was bad. The engine was atrocious. Lots of slop when shifting, a clutch with a longer throw than my 2000 Ranger. Positives, you ask? The stereo sounded great, but hooking up via Bluetooth was a monumental pain in the ass.

Taking the path less traveled

Let’s go a bit more in-depth. Driving in 5th gear at 65mph on a flat stretch on Steven’s Pass, I wanted to pass a slow truck ahead. After 30 miles with the Mazda, I already knew there was no chance of that happening in 5th, so I down shifted into 4th and gunned it. Hold on... Did my foot miss the gas pedal..? No, it’s down to the floor. That’s strange. I don’t seem to be going noticeably faster. The revs are climbing though? Okay..... I’ll try 3rd. Oh, there we go. 66... 67...... 68........ 68.5............. 68.75.................... 69.......................... Suffice to say by the time I managed to wring out enough speed to pass the semi I realized he’d turned off on a side road a few miles back.

View from the top of the bridge

The shifter was bad. Not the worst, but Mazda knows how to make a good shifter and this was not it. 1st-5th were all very vague and I was never quite sure if I was actually in gear. There was a ton of play in the gearbox, and each shift felt incredibly spongey. A clutch with a throw that could have been cut in half and still be considered long rounded out the lackluster row-your-own experience. Shifting was just.... Such a massive letdown with this engine. My 08 Outback with the 4 cylinder engine and CVT transmission provides more control over acceleration using the “manual shifting mode” than the actual manual does in the Mazda3. That’s downright embarrassing.

Arrived in Leavenworth, only to see a parking spot open up behind this beauty

There was zero joy here, you get the car in the necessary gear and drive. Steering was super light and uninformative, handling was... handled in a matter befitting of a car with four wheels. This car was an appliance, and the 5 speed did nothing to make it any more enjoyable. If this is “the drivers choice” of compact sedans, I need to stay the hell away from the rest of the segment lest I lose my automotive enthusiasm in one fell swoop.

Pros:

Has roof, and air-conditioning, which I’m told are important to staying cool and burn-free in 90° sunny days

Seats are perfectly adequate

Can outrun most glaciers

Doesn’t look awful in red

Has a handbrake

Averaged 22mpg highway, which—despite being well under the manufacturer’s claimed mpg—I’m considering a pro because it’s better than my Miata and I feel bad for the 3 at this point

Cons:

The 5 speed manual transmission cannot make up for the gutless engine/heavy weight. Might as well get an auto, because it really doesn’t matter what gear you’re in or how close you get to the redline.

Loses to speedier glaciers

Handbrake is on the passenger side

No auto down or auto up windows. If my base model 2008 Subaru has them I’d expect them in a 2013 Mazda with leather seats

The grass soda was both awful, and true to its name

More of a 0w-40 guy myself

Orange bomb was quite tasty. Imagine a standard orange soda with the tanginess turned up to 11.

I couldn’t bring myself to try this. Not after the grass soda...

Overall 3/10

Gets you from point A to point B. The only reason to pick this over a Camry is so you don’t have to admit you drive a Camry. It’s an appliance, and if that’s what you want, it seems to be pretty reliable at least. This car had 130,000 miles, was a single owner vehicle bought new that’s never been abused and is serviced at a Mazda dealership.

I would imagine the newer Skyactiv engine paired with the 6 speed manual available for the 2013 Mazda3 would make this a much better car. If anyone has one, I’d love to hop inside and take it for a spin, or hear your thoughts!

First time trying Carl’s Jr. On the drive back. Not bad! But I’ll still take the Leavenworth’s soft, greasy pretzels over fast food any day of the week

Aaron M - MasoFiST > AestheticsInMotion 07/23/2017 at 19:18

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I test drove a manual 3 SkyActiv when last car shopping...it drove pretty much as you described this one. Lacking any enthusiasm whatsoever, the best thing I could say about it was “competent”. I test drove the Fit immediately after, and...well, look at the screen name. It was no contest.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > AestheticsInMotion 07/23/2017 at 19:24

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Yeah, the non-Skyactiv 2.0s were seriously disappointing. I’d probably only go with the 2.5 or Speed version of the 2nd gen Mazda 3. The 3rd gens are such a big step up in terms of base-to-base.

AestheticsInMotion > Aaron M - MasoFiST 07/23/2017 at 19:43

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Oh man. Now imagine that with the weaker base engine. I’d take a fit in a heartbeat

AestheticsInMotion > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 07/23/2017 at 19:49

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The speed3 is absolutely brilliant, but probably too much to handle for most people just looking for a normal car with a bit of extra performance... I wonder if the 2.5 would be the sweet spot?

Huh. I’ll have to test drive a current gen base model. If nothing else soul red metallic sure is gorgeous

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > AestheticsInMotion 07/23/2017 at 19:57

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The new base one is good, but the 2017 2.5 6MT is my top pick of the “regular” compact cars.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AestheticsInMotion 07/23/2017 at 20:04

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I have a 2006 Mazda 3 with the 2.0 and 5 speed and it sounds like you are describing a different car. My car likes to rev to 6500 and get flicked through corners. The transmission is one of the best I’ve ever used. I am very disappointed to here that the car has been turned into a carolla.

AestheticsInMotion > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 07/23/2017 at 20:22

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My friend had a 1st gen Mazda3 as well and loved it before he traded it for a wrx. I don’t know what happened with the 2nd gen spec’d out with the 2.0 and 5 speed....

The transmission was the biggest issue, simply because I’ve sampled tons of Miatas and a few speed3's/6's and they all had fantastic shifting characteristics! Come on Mazda!

Aaron M - MasoFiST > AestheticsInMotion 07/23/2017 at 22:40

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Yeah...the difference between 148hp and 155hp isn’t noticeable, especially since the torque is going to be similar. The 6th gear is the place we were hoping for salvation, but it doesn’t seem to help much.

The Fit’s secret sauce is simple: it weighs around 2500 pounds.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 07/23/2017 at 23:39

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FWIW, I loved my ‘05 3s hatch.

wafflesnfalafel > AestheticsInMotion 07/24/2017 at 00:37

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I think I figured out what this issue is - you must have had a Monza hatchback and everybody else is talking about Mazda hatchbacks. (And I agree - that run over hwy 2 to Leavenworth is super nice. I was up hiking just west of the pass this morning.)

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > AestheticsInMotion 02/24/2018 at 23:38

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The glacier part killed me, it caught me off guard. Take your star.