2014 Mazda 3 2.0L with 131000mi. The vehicle is in great condition, no issues. The engine and transmission works great. Clean and fresh interior, damage free exterior. Tires are really good, fresh oil change.
The CarGurus View
Wrapped in Mazda’s latest design language, the redesigned 2014 Mazda 3 is sold in 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback formats, with an “i” or an “s” designation depending on the engine choice, accompanied by SV, Sport, Touring or Grand Touring trims and equipped with a manual or automatic transmission. The result is a veritable blizzard of choice, with prices ranging from a low of $17,750 for a Mazda 3i Sport sedan with a manual gearbox to more than $31,000 with every option added to a Mazda 3s Grand Touring 5-Door.
In the Mazda 3i lineup, the Touring trim adds aluminum wheels, heated side mirrors, keyless passive entry with push-button start, a Rear Cross Traffic Alert system, a Blind Spot Monitoring system and nicer trim inside and out. Choosing a Touring model is also a prerequisite to access many of the Mazda 3’s optional upgrades, including dual-zone automatic climate control, a power sunroof, a reversing camera, a navigation system and a Bose premium Surround Sound audio system with HD Radio and Mazda Connect smartphone integration. Mazda Connect includes text-messaging capability, E911 Automatic Emergency Notification service and the ability to access Aha, Pandora and Stitcher Internet radio through the 7-inch touchscreen display. The top-of-the-line Mazda 3i Grand Touring models include all of these features plus leatherette upholstery, a power driver’s seat and heated front seats.
More powerful and less fuel-efficient than the Mazda 3i models, Mazda 3s models have more robust brakes, bigger wheel/tire combinations, and a standard automatic transmission. Additionally, all Mazda 3s models include bi-Xenon headlights, LED running lights and taillights, fog lights, unique instrumentation with an Active Driving Display, dual-zone automatic climate control, a Bose premium audio system and the Mazda Connect system described above.
Add Grand Touring trim to the Mazda 3s, and the car is equipped with genuine perforated leather seats, a power sunroof, automatic headlights, an Adaptive Front Lighting System, rain-sensing wipers and more. Exclusive options for this model include active grille shutters, a fuel-saving i-ELOOP regenerative braking system, automatic high-beam headlights, a Lane Departure Warning System and Smart City Brake Support.
Once you’ve selected a body style and a trim level, additional options are available, including extra-cost paint, rear parking assist sensors, remote engine start, cargo protection and organization features, gunmetal-finish wheels and more. Aside from its Snowflake White Pearl paint job, my Mazda 3i Touring Sedan test car didn’t have any of these extras. It did have an automatic transmission and a Technology Package (dual-zone climate control, Bose audio, navigation and Mazda Connect smartphone integration), bringing the window sticker to $23,240. Had my sample been a 5-Door model, it would have cost an extra $500.
If you’re a fan of recent Mazda designs, then you probably like the way the new 2014 Mazda 3 looks. I know my neighbors did. They see lots of test cars parked in my driveway, but when the Mazda 3 was sitting there, I overheard them remarking on how appealing the design is as they passed by on their twice-daily dog-walking excursions.
Personally, I think the Mazda 3 is quite appealing, especially with the 18-inch wheels that come standard on the Mazda 3s. Still, as has been the case with every Mazda 3 ever built, this new one looks a little funny from certain angles. It displays cab-rearward proportions, an effect magnified by oversized front styling elements, converging body lines at the rear doors, tiny rear door glass, a super-short rear deck, and plenty of visual mass sitting over the rear axle. The undersized 16-inch wheels included for all Mazda 3i models certainly don’t help, and they’re a complete PITA to clean. It’s really too bad Mazda reserves the nicer 18-inch wheels for the Mazda 3s.
Nevertheless, the new Mazda 3 possesses undeniable style, something frequently lacking from modern small car design. And it is style that my neighbors noticed as they walked their dogs by the house.
If the car’s exterior looks a little wonky from certain angles, there’s no mistaking the interior for anything but a near-perfect example of quality and design. From materials to gloss and grain, the Mazda 3i Touring’s cabin impresses from a look-and-feel standpoint.
For example, the driver’s door panel is soft from the glass to the armrest, which means that no matter where you come into contact with it, there’s a soft spot for your elbow to rest. The single-piece dashboard is almost plush to the touch, and is black even in cars with a Sand-color interior, which gives the Mazda 3 an upscale two-tone appearance while simultaneously reducing glare and reflections. Tasteful metallic accents and gloss black trim panels definitely help to make the Mazda 3 seem more expensive than it is, and while the car’s headliner could be a little nicer, that observation amounts to little more than nitpicking.
Clearly, Mazda knows how important a great driving environment is to long-term owner satisfaction.