The fourth generation of Mazda's compact car wears simplified styling outside and gets a host of new standard features inside, but it's the 2019 Mazda3's new price that will likely garner the most attention. Base sedan versions start at $21,895 and hatchbacks at $24,495 — $2,905 and $4,255, respectively, more than the outgoing version (all prices include destination).
2018 Mazda Mazda3 Specs & Reviews
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The price hike seems high, but the 2019 model comes standard with a six-speed automatic transmission versus the 2018's standard manual, as well as the larger 2.5-liter engine, only offered on more expensive models last year; the base 2.0-liter engine is gone for 2019.
A Mazda3 hybrid model was announced when the hatchback and sedan made their debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, but no word yet on hybrid model pricing and availability in the U.S. The 2019 Mazda3 goes on sale in March.
What It Has, What It Doesn't
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All new 2019 Mazda3s come with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, making 186 horsepower and 186 pounds-feet of torque and paired with the six-speed automatic transmission. A six-speed manual is available only on the hatchback in the Premium trim. New this year is an all-wheel-drive system; it's available on Select, Preferred and Premium sedans and on base, Preferred and Premium hatchbacks.
The 2019 Mazda3 will be available in base, Select, Preferred and Premium trims, and the hatchback will be offered in base, Preferred and Premium trims. The entry price is for the base model, which comes with standards like a new and larger 8.8-inch multimedia screen (not a touchscreen!), an eight-speaker sound system, a 7-inch reconfigurable gauge cluster, remote keyless entry with push-button start, two USB ports and new knee airbags.
What's missing on base sedans is the suite of safety systems Mazda made standard for 2018, namely a low-speed forward collision warning system with automatic braking. Based on the price sheet for the 2019 Mazda3, it appears to be unavailable for base sedans, but a host of active safety features is standard on all hatchback models. Mazda did not immediately respond to multiple requests for clarification.
What It Costs
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Here's how the trim prices breakdown:
- Mazda3 Select, FWD, six-speed automatic: $23,495 (sedan)
- Mazda3 Preferred, FWD, six-speed automatic: $26,095 (hatchback); $25,095 (sedan)
- Mazda3 Premium, FWD, six-speed manual: $28,395 (hatchback)
- Mazda3 Premium, FWD, six-speed automatic: $28,395 (hatchback); $27,395 (sedan)
- Mazda3 base, AWD, six-speed automatic: $25,895 (hatchback)
- Mazda3 Select, AWD, six-speed automatic: $24,895 (sedan)
- Mazda3 Preferred, AWD, six-speed automatic: $27,495 (hatchback); $26,495 (sedan)
- Mazda3 Premium, AWD, six-speed automatic: $29,795 (hatchback); $28,795 (sedan)
What You Get With Each Trim
The Select trim, only available in sedan form, adds standards like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (both unavailable for 2018), imitation leather seats and trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, automatic dual-zone climate control and 18-inch wheels. Also standard is the i-ActivSense safety system, which includes forward automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, as well as a new driver attention monitor designed to spot when the driver is fatigued and issue a warning.
Preferred sedan and hatchback trims add a premium sound system, heated front seats, an eight-way power driver's seat, power lumbar support and a two-position driver memory system. The Premium trim adds a head-up display, leather seats, a power moonroof, signature front and rear LED lighting, and adaptive headlights.
What Competitors Cost
Against its competitors, the 2019 Mazda3 still seems high until you factor in the standard six-speed automatic transmission. A base 2019 Honda Civic sedan starts at $20,345 with a manual transmission, or $21,145 with the continuously variable automatic. The base Civic sedan comes with a host of standard safety features, however.
A base Jetta also starts lower than the Mazda3 sedan, at $19,395 with a manual transmission, but jumps to a similarly priced $23,290 for an SE model with a standard eight-speed automatic transmission. Unlike the Civic, a forward collision warning system with automatic braking isn't standard on the base Jetta, but it's available as a $450 option.
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