Hi all, new to the Mazda forums as I’m weighing the option of getting one, and figured this would be the best place to get knowledge on these cars. I currently have a ‘23 Hyundai Elantra N-Line, and have positive equity in the car should I trade it in. As many may know the problematic engines Hyundai has had in the past, this has made me want to off load this car prior to any issues, as I had a problematic 07 RDX in its later years. Could current owners potentially inform me of any issues with these cars? I’ve read that the 2.5 engine is a pretty reliable one, but also read these cars dealt with oil consumption. Just looking for some information prior to going thru with this decision. Would current owners buy this car again if they had the chance? Thanks in advance!

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Hi! 2022 Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus owner here.

If you are having problems with your Hyundai, do what your heart says if it has issues. Trade it in if you feel like it and don't if you are still happy with it.

I am kind of a bit surprised that you had issues with the latest Hyundai. Hyundai/Kia/Genesis have stepped up in reliability and was on par with Toyota in reliability. My grandparents had a 2014 Hyundai Elantra in India and had no issues for 5 years. They don't have it anymore unfortunately.

Anyways to the Mazda3 Turbo, here are some reasons why I personally think it would be a great buy:

1. The car has a lot of features on the Turbo Premium Plus trim that not every compact car has: Heated Steering Wheel, 360 Camera, Bodykit with rear spoiler (Hatch has a more rally-car like bodykit), Heads-Up Display, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, etc.

2. The 2.5T is very reliable, no issues. It is pretty powerful compared to my last car, a 2019 Audi A3 2.0T.

3. The car has a very nice interior that is on par with an entry-level Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, or Infiniti.

4. The safety tech is very neat, except for the LKA (Lane Keep Assist) system. (Will mention that in trade-offs) The safety ratings are very solid as well.

5. The car has a smooth driving feel, making it an affordable luxury daily driver.

6. The car has a 6-speed-automatic-transmission (although pretty old and dated), was actually exciting compared to other CVT cars I have driven and on the same caliber as my 7-speed DSG transmission on my old Audi A3.

However, some trade-offs:

1. The LKA (Lane Keep Assist) is the most annoying part of my car. It consistently tries to keep you in your lane and it violently does it a bit. But that can be deactivated.

2. The fuel consumption isn't great. 23/27/32 mpg is fine for me considering I take my car 3-4 times a week for my commute, but if you are driving 7 days a week on long journey, I would suggest a more fuel efficient compact car or even a hybrid.

3. I have never had an issue with this, but the suspension. The torsion-beam suspension isn't going to make the Mazda3 Turbo a track-ready vehicle. If the Mazda3 Turbo is your daily driver, you won't really pay attention to this.


Very minor issue (be weary of that): When I first got my car back in 2022, the bottom part started to make an oscillating noise by the factory, but the dealer fixed it.