Last month I leased a 2016 Mazda 3 i Grand Touring in Titanium Flash Mica with the Appearance Package, Rear Parking Sensors, and Bumper Guard. I only wanted the color with the Appearance Package, but leased it anyway, since they didn't have any 2017's with the Appearance Package already installed. Plus, they gave me a good deal with it being the last 2016 Mazda 3 Sedan on the lot.

I'm not too thrilled with the Rear Parking Sensor beeping every time I put the car in Reverse and expressed my displeasure to my sales guy. He wants me to be happy, so he offered to lease me a 2017 at the employee pricing (E Plan) and will have a the car installed with the Appearance Package. The price of labor + the negative equity (approx 2K) would be added to the new contract. My lease payment will be the exact same as it is now.

Question to you all is would you take the 2017 or stay with the 2016? I really like the car and am seriously thinking of purchasing it when the lease is up. So, do I deal with the annoying beep? Upgrade to a 2017, but have the extra $2K added to the residual?

As far as I recall, the differences would be:

17 has 2.5l engine vs 2.0l on the 16
17 has leather seats vs leatherette on the 16
17 has 18" tires vs 16" on the 16

One little monkey wrench. The 17 doesn't come with Navigation, but the sales guy said he would take the chip out of a car his cousin is returning (2014) and give it to me. He said, he is " almost 100% sure it should work."

 

We have a 2016 Mazda3 s GT and trust me, the NAV is so beyond worthless I still use my old Garmin portable stuck to the windshield.