In our new in-depth Mazda 3 review, we take a close look at the £25k family car with a BETTER interior than a BMW 1 Series or Mercedes A-Class! But how does the 2026 Mazda 3 stack up against its direct rivals, and should you forget the VW Golf in favour of what might just be the best value hatchback on sale today?
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With a starting price of just £25,300, the Mazda 3 undercuts the competition significantly – but is it the smart choice for your driveway? In this review, we praise Mazda's choice to skip frustrating touchscreen climate controls and stick with real, physical buttons that are less distracting to use while driving.
We also check out the practicality of the boot and address the Mazda 3's biggest weakness: rear seat space. Finally, we jump behind the wheel to test the unusual, naturally aspirated 2.5L e-Skyactiv G 140 and 2.0L e-Skyactiv X 186 engines. Does up to 50mpg efficiency make up for the lack of low-rev pull?
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#Mazda3Review #Mazda3 #Hatchback #FamilyCar #VWGolf #BMW1Series #WhatCar #mazda
Video chapters:
0:00 – Intro: Is the Mazda 3 ready to replace the Ford Focus?
0:58 – Exterior design: Simple Kodo styling
3:18 – Pricing & trims: Prime-line vs our pick, Centre-line!
4:38 – Engine choices: 2.5L e-Skyactiv G vs 2.0L e-Skyactiv X
6:20 – Practicality: Boot space vs Skoda Octavia & Honda Civic
7:36 – The dealbreaker? Rear seat space test
8:46 – Front space & driving position
10:24 – Physical buttons & dials
12:34 – Interior quality: Better than a BMW 1 Series?
13:38 – Visibility & safety Equipment
14:39 – Engines: The reality of non-turbo engines
17:18 – Driving: Refinement, ride comfort & handling
21:23 – Verdict: A better buy than a Golf or Scala?