What's the Mazda3 hatchback like?

I'm thinking of buying a 2010 1.6 d Mazda3 Sport five-door hatch. Is it any good and anything to look out for when testing?

David Lacey (Tipperary)

Sep 2012 Filed under: reliability

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Expert answer

Hi David,

In general that's a good car to drive, well-equipped and highly reliable and economical. We found the 1.6-diesel engine a little loud and the car itself to emit a lot of road noise on the motorway, but they're not bad enough to be deal-breakers.

It's still too new for there to be meaningful reliability data, but in general Mazdas have a good reliability record. Ensure that it has been serviced according to the schedule and take it for as long a drive as you can.

Best of luck

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser
@Shane_O_D