Under the Hood

The Mazda3 i comes standard with a 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that can team with a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. Mazda3 s models use a 167-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that works with a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic. The automatic includes a clutchless-manual mode that lets the driver control gear changes by nudging the console gear selector up or down.


A Mazda3 i with a manual transmission achieves the best EPA-estimated gas mileage, with its 25/33 mpg city/highway rating. Selecting the automatic lowers the city rating by 1 mpg. The Mazda3 s, meanwhile, is rated at 21/29 mpg with the manual and 22/29 mpg with the automatic.

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    Fuel Requirements
    Vehicles with catalytic converters or oxygen sensors must use ONLY UNLEADED FUEL, which will reduce exhaust emissions and keep spark plug fouling to a minimum. Your Mazda will perform best with fu ...

    Wiper Blades
    CAUTION: Hot waxes applied by automatic car washers have been known to affect the wiper's ability to clean windows. To prevent damage to the wiper blades, don't use gasoline, kerosene, paint ...

    Substantially reduced road and wind noise
    Many improvements were made to structural rigidity and powertrain NVH performance to provide a quieter, more pleasant ride, including the reduction of high frequency booming noise sometimes heard ...