2013 Mazda3 - The Perfect Commuter Car
Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 1:30PM
Wouldn't it be nice to drive a car that gets 35 mpg?
Wouldn't it also be nice to have a stylish, sporty and comfortable ride while also being economical?
The 2013 Mazda3 4-Door Grand Touring is all of the above: fun, sleek, and VERY intelligent.
*My husband and I were given this vehicle for one week for review. No other compensation was received. The opinions expressed in this review are true and honest.
The Perfect Commuter Car
My husband commutes each day to downtown Atlanta. On a good day it will take him 40 minutes to get to his office. That is a lot of time spent in the car.
He happily drove the 2013 Mazda3 to work when I was given this car for the week to review.
Impressions from a seasoned commuter:
The Mazda3 is comfortable in hectic downtown traffic - navigating a congested freeway is made easy.
- The car "does all the thinking for you".
- There are side mirror alerts when another car is in your blind spot (Blind Spot Monitoring System).
- A rain sensor on your windshield means your wipers come on AUTOMATICALLY!
- The GPS system lets you know about accidents, congestion, and helps you map alternate routes.
- The average 35 mpg saves money.
- Headlights that function like eyeballs (they move as your car turns) are helpful when leaving early in the morning and driving on windy roads.
The Mazda3 Does All The Work For You
Driving the Mazda3 was EASY and FUN. From music, phone connectivity, navigation, and all of the fun extras, this car was a PLEASURE to drive.
All of the controls are easily within reach from the driver's seat.
The TomTom navigation system is excellent. One of the features we loved was that it gave us the speed limit of the road we were traveling on, and also let us know if we were going over that limit.
The car was fully enabled with BlueTooth phone and audio connectivity. Pairing my phone was so easy.... the first day of driving the car my phone rang and I simply pressed a button on the steering wheel to answer and safely take the call.
Of course, a very nice feature was heated seats for the passenger and driver.
The musician in me loved the Sirius radio and awesome Bose stereo. We studied music on the go each time we got in the car! My husband could easily play his favorite tech podcasts through his iPhone Bluetooth.
My children loved the change the car symbol on the GPS system - totally not a necessity, but fun nonetheless.
Space and Fuel Economy, and Safety
The Mazda3 was very spacious. There was more than enough room for a family of four.
Other features we enjoyed:
- Plenty of cup holders for everyone to have a drink (and then some)
- The trunk was quite roomy, and as you can see above, the back seats fold down to allow room for hauling longer items.
- SkyActive-Drive 6 speed automatic transmission - fuel efficiency and vehicle safety are paramount in this car.
- This feels and drives like a very safe car. It was given a 2013 top safety pick award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
This vehicle is perfect for a commuter who has a family - because it easily seats 4 people. The fuel efficiency makes it easy on the wallet, and it's still sporty and fun to drive.
*A word of caution - drivers over 6'2" may find there isn't enough headroom in this vehicle. This would have been our only complaint.
Watch this video about the all new design of the 2013 Mazda3
Of course, a second opinion is always good.
Perhaps the opinion of a 13 year old who is OBSESSED with cars (and really knows his stuff) might be more valuable. My friend, Ryan, happily went over the car for me and offered his thoughts.
The Bluetooth is very easy to use, It's just as simple as pressing a button on the leather covered steering wheel: just connect your phone to the car and you can make phone calls, play your music and Siri is connected to the Bluetooth system.
The trunk is medium sized - very easy to operate on your key fob. There is a button - press it and it pops just a little bit then press a tiny little button and lift up.
I personally love the interior. It is stylish, but seems to still look sporty.
This car is listed for $27,800, but is well worth the money for all the features and technology you get. I LOVE IT!!!! And you'll love it, too!
If you are in the market for a commuter car, or just a fun car to zip around town in, the 2013 Mazda3 might just be for you. It is fuel efficient, technologically advanced, and quite intelligent!
We thoroughly enjoyed our week with this vehicle!
Reader Comments (12)
WOW! What a fun review. Looks like there are a lot of great features on this car. I didn't know that rain sensor technology even exists. That is a pretty cool feature!
I want one! I love the gas mileage. And to be able to bluetooth my iphone into the speaker system would be a dream.
Where do I enter the giveaway. ha ha.
I drive a very old van. You actually have to close the doors and roll down the windows. Imagine that! If I drove this little Mazda, I know i'd have to sit in the carport for about an hour to fiddle with all the knobs. Otherwise I'd be distracted and have a wreck! :-)
What a cute little car! I have an 18 year old who would *love* something like that...especially over the hand-me-down mini-van she's currently driving. The safety features would make ME feel better about her driving, too. :)
This is a great review! I think I'll be recommending this to my daughter and her soon to be!
Long, long ago I had a little red sports car!! So cute and fun to drive, of course it didn't have all of these fancy features. I would love the blind side mirrors, the headlights, and of course the heated seats! While this wouldn't fit our family, it would be a great car for my hubby and all the driving he does.
Great car for two teen boys! ..Great info Mary! I LOVE the color and great gas mileage for my boys that drive everywhere..Hubby has about a 1 hour commute as well to work and he is in a truck now..so love the idea of something smaller... Love the details here about the car..
What a fun car! And that is a great price for all the "bells and whistles"! I have always wanted a Mazda since I got married 10+ years ago. I might have to test drive one when we move back to the States and I'm looking for my car.
What a nice looking car! I can't remember the last time I drove a car as I have quite the group to cart around ). Love the blue-tooth option and the gas mileage it gets.
Really cute... If I didn't have 4 kiddos, I'd look at this snazzy red car for myself. ::sigh:: miss those days of real music. Veggie Tales, anyone? ;-) Thanks for sharing, Mary. Looks awesome.
Hmmm...what a fun way to get from point A to point B. It kind of looks like a rocket ship with all those bells and whistles. Lucky girl!
Too bad I can't fit 4 car seats in it or I'd take one. It has all the extras I like in a car. My commuting-to-downtown hubby needs to see this. Thanks for the review!
One of these days, whenever I get the money, I may have to get something like this. The only issue I have with many newer cars though is that some of the electronic components in the vehicle tend to mess up the mechanical functions of the car.