Mazda 3 interior
The Mazda 3’s interior looks and feels brilliant, but it could be accused of being a little dark in there. Still, the standard infotainment system is bright and responsive.
Style
The Mazda 3’s interior quality is impressive across the range, thanks to a leatherette dash top and door tops, chrome door handles and air vent and dash trims and solid feeling switchgear.
It all looks quite dark and serious in black – the only slightly strange feature that stands out is the 3’s infotainment screen, which looks like it’s drunk and slumped over to one side when switched off. Still, it is at least different to all the rectangular ones you see.
The 3’s interior design doesn’t change much as you move up through its five trims. Moving from SE-L to SE-L Lux adds only a different auto-dimming mirror, switches for the front heated seats and climate controls rather than manual air-con.
Sport Lux cars get a frameless auto-dimming mirror and paddle shifts on the steering wheel if you have the auto ‘box, as well as chrome detailing on steering wheel, start button and glove box handle.
GT Sport and GT Tech models then add leather seats over the standard premium cloth, have a heated steering wheel button and different silver Bose speakers grilles.
It’s a little dark inside the Mazda 3, but you can’t deny that it gives more expensive so-called premium alternatives a run for their money when it comes to quality.
- Cash
- £21,354
- Monthly
- £228*
- Used
- £15,445
Infotainment
Every Mazda 3 comes with an 8-inch colour screen which is controlled via a rotary controller and menu shortcut buttons between the front seats or your voice. Also standard are built-in sat-nav, Bluetooth, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an 8-speaker sound system.
The screen may look like a touchscreen but you can’t actually operate it that way. Instead, you can operate basic stuff with voice commands or to control everything you use the click wheel controller and shortcut buttons between the front seats, which to be honest is easier to do while you are driving than pressing a screen.
It helps the system’s menus are super simple and the on-screen icons and graphics clear and bright. Putting in a postcode is simple and the system calculates routes quick quickly, plus you can add a waypoint along your route in a few button presses.
The only downside is the traffic alerts aren’t great, although this doesn’t matter as you can use Android Auto or Apple Carplay to run Google maps or Waze through the system which do a better job. You can then use apps directly like Spotify rather than stream your music via Bluetooth – generally, the standard stereo is okay but the upgraded Bose is noticeably better.
The driver’s digital central screen is less impressive: it doesn’t really show much, just a speedo, general trip and driving assistance features. The digital dials you can get in a VW Golf are much more comprehensive.
- Cash
- £21,354
- Monthly
- £228*
- Used
- £15,445
Build your own 3 on carwow
Save on average £1,340 off RRP
*Please contact the dealer for a personalised quote, including terms and conditions. Quote is subject to dealer requirements, including status and availability. Illustrations are based on personal contract hire, 9 month upfront fee, 48 month term and 8000 miles annually, VAT included.