Used 2015 Mazda 3 for sale 

The 2015 Mazda 3 is available in 4 trims for the 3i and two trims for the 3s. The 2.0L inline-4 motor is offered in the SV, Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring trim. While the 2.5L inline-4 is offered only with the Touring and the Grand Touring trims. On every configuration option, a choice between a manual transmission or an automatic transmission is available.

Since the sedan is offered in a variety of trims with features scattered across, it comes in handy for the consumers to get the car according to their needs and wishes. The base SV trim comes fairly basic in nature, but the creature comforts and technology add up as you go up the trim ladder.

We recommend the manual gearbox with the 2.5L engine available with the Touring trim.

The Touring trim includes premium interiors and most of the features the car can offer without hiking the prices considerably. Also, the larger engine gets you the punchy performance that Mazda is known for while the fuel efficiency does not take much hit even with the added grunt under the hood. 

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The 2015 Mazda 3 offers some brilliant performance and throttle response no matter which engine you choose. There are two engines offered: the 2.0L inline-4 motor making 155 horsepower and 150 foot-pounds of torque, and the 2.5L inline-4 making 184 horsepower and 185 foot-pounds of torque. 

Either of the Skyactiv engines is engineered by Mazda to rev up very high and offer outstanding performance. There is an option of either a 6-speed manual or an in-house engineered 6-speed automatic. The manual has short throws and slots in pretty well while the automatic offers an effortless experience as well. 

The automatic almost resembles a DCT gearbox and serves up performance readily. Overall in any configuration, the Mazda 3 is a driver’s car. It can do a 0-60 MPH sprint in 8.5 seconds with the manual while the automatic adds over a second to that. The quarter mile is done in under 17 seconds while the top speed is limited to 130 MPH. 

Comparing the performance, the Mazda 3i seems better outfitted than most of its competitors. While the Civic feels a bit more accustomed to enthusiastic driving, it is only as quick as the Kia Forte. The Corolla on the other hand is about a second and half slower than Mazda. 

Both engines of the 20154 Mazda 3 have very high compression ratios as well as direct injection, these give them unparalleled fuel economy, even after serving up brilliant responses. The Mazda 3i returns 29 MPG in cities, 41 MPG on highways, 33 MPG combined. The automatic gearbox is a tiny bit better with 30 MPG in cities and 41 MPG on highways, for a combined efficiency of 34 MPG. 

The Mazda 3s gets the larger engine which with the manual transmission gets 25 MPG in cities and 37 MPG on highways for a combined 29 MPG. The six-speed automatic gearbox fares better here too with 28/39/32 MPG in city/highway/combined as per the EPA. The mpg figures of base configuration perform strongly with the competition.

The 13.2-gallon fuel tank on the Mazda gets the car to almost 450 miles on a full tank of gas. Most of its other competitors are overcome by the responsive and supreme efficient engine. All offer around 31 MPG combined and since all have an identical gas tank capacity, and hence offer a shorter range than Mazda. 

The 2015 Mazda 3 has one of the best interiors in the class. All controls have great attention to detail and are easy to use. Everything in the cabin is angled towards the driver and within easy reach. Overall the interiors even in the base fabric trim have an expensive feel, which makes the car double worth the money.

The front seats are comfortable and have great bolstering and support. The rear seats also have perfect contouring to give a bit of support. Though considering the competition, the Mazda does seem to fall back a bit in terms of interior room. The car offers a boot space of 12.4 cubic feet, which is less than most of its competitors.

The legroom on the Mazda 3 sedan is pretty average. Competitors like the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla offer more space. Further, Kia Forte has the most impressive trunk space here while the other 3 offer similar cargo space. 

Most of the trims except the base one come with a color display on the dashboard. 

It can also be controlled using the rotary knob on the center console. The display is even a step further and a touchscreen. The system has features like Bluetooth, Mazda Connect, and Text-to-voice technology. The system software will also receive updates as Mazda develops better interfaces. Some standout features in the interior of the car are:

• Heated front bucket seats w/leatherette upholstery
• Leather Steering Wheel & Shift Knob
• HD Radio & SiriusXM Satellite Radio
• 8-speaker sound system
• Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio
• 2 USB ports
• 7-inch MAZDA CONNECT infotainment system w/voice command

The 2015 Mazda 3 remains one of the best-designed cars in the class. The classic and sleek styling and the proportions which make it look like an RWD car are all pleasing to look at. There is a new 5-point grille in the front with the top corners leading into the headlamps. The cabin is moved to the rear with the bonnet heavily protruding ahead.

The corners at the front flow into sleek lines over the side haunches towards the rear. The design is highly aerodynamic and further improves the fuel economy of the car. The lower trims get steel wheels as standard while only Touring and Grand Touring comes with alloy wheels. Mazda offers 8 paint color options though so as to add to personalization for the buyers. 

Comparing dimensions, the Mazda is pretty much in the center of the pack in almost every aspect. The car is a slight bit longer than the rest of its competitors, while the 6.1-inch ground clearance it offers is the most in the segment. The Mazda 3 is also a tiny bit wider than the rest of the cars and will turn most heads on the streets. Some standout exterior features include:

• Black Side Windows Trim and Black Front Windshield Trim
• Body-Colored Door Handles
• Body-Colored Power Side Mirrors w/Manual Folding
• Side Mirror Turn Lamps
• Variable Intermittent Wipers
• Fully Galvanized Steel Panels
• LED Brakelights
• Perimeter/Approach Lights

The 2015 Mazda 3 has standard features like ABS, EBD, and traction control. There are active front head restraints and front side airbags as well as curtain airbags. There is also available a Technology package for the Grand Touring 3s, which adds lane departure warning and forward collision warning. It also includes the Mazda Smart City Brake Support, which has a collision mitigation system. 

The federal safety testing agency NHTSA has given the car 5 on 5 stars for its overall crashworthiness. Some standout safety features and tech offered with the car are:

• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
• MazdaConnect Emergency SOS
• Lane Departure Warning And Lane Keep Assist
• Forward Collision Warning with Advanced Emergency Braking
• Blind Spot Monitoring System
• Back-Up Camera with Cross-Traffic Alert

2015 Mazda 3 vs 2015 Kia Forte

The Kia Forte offers impressive value to buyers with its low asking price and plenty of standard features. The Mazda 3 on the other hand is quicker off the mark, is more frugal, and offers a more premium cabin. While both offer a similar cabin space, the Forte offers a larger trunk and lower running costs, making it the preferred choice. 

2015 Mazda 3 vs 2015 Honda Civic

Both the Civic and Mazda 3 sedan offers agile handling but Mazda is quicker off the mark. It is also more affordable to buy and own with better MPG ratings. Both offer a similarly sized cabin but Mazda offers a more premium feel inside its cabin, which makes it the winner between the two. 

2015 Mazda 3 vs 2015 Toyota Corolla

Though both are priced closely, the Corolla is far slower off the mark and does not impress much in terms of efficiency in its standard guise. That said, Toyota offers a cabin that is abundant in legroom but Mazda utilizes better materials. Since both also offer similar trunk capacity, it's worth compromising a bit in the rear seat legroom department and opting for the Mazda. 

The 2015 Mazda 3 is by far the best looking sedan in the compact sedan class. It has two response engines, either of which are built for enthusiasts and budget buyers alike. It offers a manual or an automatic configuration, either of which are again without fault. The interiors are well styled and spacious, with great attention to detail and loaded with features. Overall there is very little the compact sedan can be faulted on and is most definitely a must buy in the segment.