DALLAS, February 20, 2012 — The 2012 Mazda 3 is a favorite in its class and for good reason. This year the company has introduced a 2.0 liter engine with more horsepower and there are new trim levels to choose from too.
You might take a look at the Hyundai Elantra, the Chevy Cruze or the Ford Focus for competition, but as far as power and good mileage go, the Mazda 3 still sits in the top of its class.
Buyers can also opt for the 2012 Mazda 3 in a four-door sedan or hatchback body style and from there choose either the 3i or 3s trim. For the 3i SV and the sport trims, those are only available on the sedan
Starting with the SV you get 16-inch steel wheels, power mirrors and windows, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, and if you choose the Sport on that one you get the additional air-conditioning, power locks and keyless entry.
The 3i Touring trim offers the Sport’s package standard with the additional Skyactiv-G engine, 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a trip computer and Bluetooth. You will also find an additional package option for the Touring that will give you a sunroof and a 10-speaker Bose surround-sound audio package.
Up the trim to the 3i Grand Touring and the additional Touring package is standard along with heated mirrors and front seats, an eight-way power driver seat, leather upholstery and a sliding front center armrest.
The 2012 Mazda 3 has many trims to choose from.
With the 3s Touring you get a more powerful engine, 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps, LED taillights, a deck lid spoiler on the sedan only, keyless ignition, and entry as well as sportier seats. You don’t get leather upholstery on this one only cloth, but you can add a sunroof and navigation option.
A Tech Package can be had on the 3i and the 3s Touring trims with a blind-spot warning system, as well as automatic wipers and satellite radio.
Under the hood the 2012 Mazda 3i SV and the Sport trims have a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 148 horsepower and 135 pound-feet of torque. It comes with a five-speed manual transmission, but on the Sport you can opt for the five-speed automatic.
The 3i Touring and Grand Touring have the 2.0-liter four-cylinder, Skyactiv-G engine with 155 horsepower and 148 pound feet of torque. It’s a six-speed manual transmission here, but again you can opt for a six-speed automatic if you must.
For the 3s trim levels, there is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 167 horsepower and 168 pound feet of torque. The six-speed manual transmission is standard with a five-speed automatic an option.
For safety the 2012 Mazda 3 has antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, brake assist, and front side and side curtain airbags. There is also the blind spot warning system that is optional on the Grand Touring trims.
On all the trims you will find, if not the best in class, at least good quality and nothing to complain about with regards to the look of the interior. The Grand Touring is quite luxurious and a step above the other trims if you want to take home the best trim level on the Mazda 3.
It might take just a little time to master the knobs and dials from the navigational controls to the audio and other bells and whistles, but it’s easy enough after you take the time to learn it.
For the backseat rider, it is not the best choice for a tall man or woman. However, there is enough luggage space with 17 cubic feet on the hatchback and 11.8 on the sedan for a road trip car so just put the tall passenger in the driver or passenger seat in the front.
A good tight ride even for an economy option, you can take the road with ease and feel good doing it.
Should You Need to Know: The upgraded engine trim is the standout here and not to be overlooked when choosing your next vehicle in this class.
Miles Per Gallon: Not bad on the Grand Touring which I drove getting 28 miles per gallon in the city and 40 miles per gallon on the highway.
Cost: The 2012 Mazda 3 i Grand Touring I had for the week came in at $24,970.
Rita Cook is a writer/editor with has over 1000 articles to her credit in the past 13-plus years. She is a frequent auto and travel contributor on a radio show in Los Angeles called Insider Mag Radio at KPRO 1570 am on from midnight to 12:30 a.m. Monday mornings. She also contributes travel and auto to the Anthony Duva show, which can be heard live from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST every Sunday at www.unregularradio.com. Cook is a member of the Texas Auto Writer’s Association, writes for the Dallas Morning News Green Living Section as well as artist profiles and www.greensourceDFW and spends much of her time on the road traveling or working on books. Her latest book releases are both “Haunted Dallas” and “Haunted Fort Worth” from www.historypress.net. You can also follow Cook at Twitter at @ritacook13.
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