Mazda3 - 2007 Review

The 2007 Mazda 3 (hatchback) is a pretty good little car - emphasis on little! However, it's very solid, handles great, and really does have zoom-zoom! It's fun to drive! 

It gets very good gas mileage, which is why I leased it - 25 in the city in the summer, and I'm averaging about 23 in the city now that it's cold here in late November in Michigan. I don't do a lot of freeway driving but when I took it to the UP this summer, it got about 30 mpg!

It is a little on the small side, especially since I came from a 2004 Jeep Liberty. The back seat has very little knee room, of course, but the back cargo area is pretty good, and okay for my big dog, although she could use a little more head room too, which is limited by the sloping back window (another reason I loved the Jeep - vertical windows, more room inside!). The sloping windows also seem to make it much hotter inside in the summer, so when we went up North, I put my dog in the back seat, so she wouldn't roast in the sunny cargo area! The cargo area was jam-packed with stuff for two and a dog, but we made it back without exploding!

The worst thing is the headroom - or lack thereof! I'm 5'10", not extremely tall, but could definitely use some more headroom! And, no, I don't have big hair! Didn't in the eighties either! :)

I do love the features on my Mazda 3 - it's pretty loaded - cruise, tilt, 6 CD changer, moonroof, and it has buttons on the steering wheel for the radio - always wanted 'em, finally have 'em, and love 'em! I also like the rearview mirror compass, and the auto dimming feature works well. However, my battery has died twice, both times from sitting for two days, and the dealer service guy said it's the compass, because it doesn't turn off when the key is removed! Who would think something would remain on when the key is removed! Everything else in every car turns off by itself! So, that little thing stays on and kills the battery - COMPLETELY dead! And, they said there's no way to fix the way it is, except to turn it off myself when I park, and I don't always remember - it's a pain and very silly that it works that way! And, it comes back on when the car is started, so I always have to remember to turn it off!

Another thing I really love is the color - it's deep purple! It comes in a lot of great colors, but the purple is the best! And, the overall look is pretty cool, I've gotten lots of compliments (as if I designed it!)!

Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to buy this Mazda, had to lease it; I'm glad I did because of the gas mileage, but I do miss my Jeep. It was tons of fun to drive, and was a good size for me, had lots of room, and headroom, but wasn't a land yacht either. However, I don't think I'll ever be able to get another Jeep because of the terrible gas mileage (I rented a Jeep Commander in FL - HUGE, we called it the Hummer - and it got the same gas mileage as my little Liberty! Come on, Chrysler, you've got to be able to do better than that on the Liberty!!!). Also, the new Liberty is not as nice - all their SUV's look SOOOO similar, and are VERY angular, like so many other vehicles out there, and I just don't like that chopped-off look, I MUCH prefer the lines of my Liberty (2004). So, when the lease is up on the Mazda, I'll probably have to buy used, and give up the peace of mind that comes with a full warranty! That stinks, but I do live in Michigan - the worst economy in the country - so maybe in several years I'll be able to buy new again, but not sure, the way things are going! I've been laid off twice (the last time was right after I leased the Mazda - how's that for timing!), and am a temp now, with hopes for permanent (well, as permanent as one can expect in Michigan!) employment, but won't know until next year.

I will definitely look at another Mazda 3, even though I'd MUCH prefer to buy American, but at least Mazda is part of Ford. But, I couldn't find an American made vehicle that I could afford that gets this kind of mileage - and isn't that just sad!?! I looked at the Ford Focus, but it's nowhere as nice, solid, fun to drive, or affordable! Looked at the Honda Fit, in a fit of desperation, but same thing, and they just WILL NOT deal - they're snobs about their prices - "Oh no, we don't discount or dicker at all!" What's up with that - why, it's un-American, that's what it is! I won't buy Toyota either, and won't even look at them.

So, unless one of the Big Three comes up with something new in the next 18 months, I'll be probably be looking at a used Mazda 3, but that's okay, as it's a good solid vehicle. Oh, one other thing - have to see how it handles in the snow this winter! That may be a deciding factor!