2006 Mazda 3 i review from North America

Digital display replaced under warranty.

Door screws loose fixed myself.

AC seems weak.

The car handles very well for it's price range. It wants to be a BMW, hence the 3 designation. It is not, but for half the price it is 3/4 of the way there My girlfriend dislikes the ride too stiff for her. The AC is weak, consider getting a white, silver, or tan colored car with a light interior if in a warm climate. Shifter and clutch is the best I have driven (I have had many) Mileage for me is 26 city, 35 hwy, I was hoping for a few more, but acceptable. OEM toyo tires on the 2.0 liter are great on dry pavement, horrible in rain and snow. Tread-life was dismal, 300 tread-wear rating, I replaced them at 16,000 miles, not worn out, but performance was lousy anyway. Replaced with Yokohama AVID TRZ (700 tread-wear) sacrificed a bit on dry weather for an improvement in rain and snow and longer life. The car has rear shocks not struts easier and cheaper to replace, but it does result in a smaller trunk. The trunk is not tiny, but has a small opening, some things will fit inside the trunk, but you can't get them in. I wish 5th gear was taller (lower RPM on hwy) but that is trade-off when a car is marketed for performance. If someone is looking for something similar, but a bit cheaper, the ford focus is a sibling, a bit cheaper (and cheaper feeling) and has a bit softer suspension if the Mazda rides too harsh.