2004 Mazda 3 S review from North America
"Dangerous"
General comments?
2.3 liters and no traction control! Even in the dry, it's easy to get the wheel-spin in 1st gear; in the wet/snow it's hard not to. At the time we bought it, we couldn't get ABS at any price. Of course ESP is not available at all.
It drives well - when going slooowly and in the dry. Stepping on it mid-turn (should be fun in a FWD car) makes me feel like I'd end up tail first in the oncoming lane, and this is what's almost happened in fact. As a result I end up driving slowly, but the fuel economy from the silly 2.3 is still awful.
Looks great inside and out, but still a major disappointment. Wish we'd gotten a Mazda6 instead.
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| 2004 - 3 S 5-door 2.3 liter 4 cylinder The best overall sport compact on the US market, no doubt! |
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| Perfect beyond description for it's class! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 2004 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.3 Manual |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | |
| Comfort marks | |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Previous car | Seat Leon |
| Date of Entry | 23rd March, 2006 |