2011 Sport GX- Review (8.5k and ongoing)

[stew5]

Hi Everyone,

Back in April we purchased our car (thread (http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?52901-New-(kinda)-Member-New-Car-Jeff-Rocks&highlight=)).

Now after 4 months, I figured I would do a review. I'll probably make this an ongoing thread, detailing my on going thoughts of the MZ3.

Overall our Mazda has been excellent, there really isn't anything overwhelmingly bad about it. It was our first vehicle that we have owned, and it really has impressed. The handling is great, it gets pretty decent gas mileage (despite other's complaints) and is just a joy to ride in. The freedom it has given us is just awesome.

Pros:

Looks- We have received much admiration for our car, loving the colour (GunMetal Blue) and the styling. Even my brother, who hated the 2010 look, loved our car once test driving it.

Space- We had debated to get the sedan version but I am glad we got the hatchback. The ample space means we don't have to worry about running out of room. It also means the car is super versatile and is relatively cheap on gas.

Handling/Pickup- Even though we only have the 2.0, it provides plenty of pick up. The car is fun to zoom around town in, but also great on the highway.

Cons-

The only con I can see so far is that we have already got a stone chip, but we assume it was from travelling the 401, and any flying rock will cause damage to paint.

Conclusion- The MZ3 after 8,500KM and it's first check up is a great car. We decided that waiting for the SkyActiv was too long. We also figured it wasn't wise to buy a new engine in it's first production year.

I recommend the car and our salesman (Jeff) to anyone we talk to, and even the base model is great.

Stay tuned for updates while we continue to drive this great machine.

[Timotee]

Nice review stew5 and thanks for sharing your thoughts. I love my 3 as well and my only complaint is.......yep, the paint that easily chips.

[Pillbox2010]

Good choice in colour :thumbsup

[PR3Y11]

+1 on crappy mazda paint.
also a note about gas mileage, i think it's only the speed guys who really complain about it :P

[old-guy]

I too am a new owner of the 2011 Mazda 3 GS Sport in, wait for it ... gunmetal blue. Awesome colour and it truly is an awesome car. Agree with everything you said but I haven't reached my first check-up yet. :-)

[sarujo]

I will be curious to hear your comments after we are back into the fall and colder weather to see if Mazda finally fixed the cowl and interior rattles. Keep up posted. Enjoy the new wheels!

[insomniak]

I will be curious to hear your comments after we are back into the fall and colder weather to see if Mazda finally fixed the cowl and interior rattles. Keep up posted. Enjoy the new wheels!

+1 Please keep us updated on the ongoing review when the colder weather hits...

[stew5]

Now at 16.5k Kms and everything I posted in the first review still applies. The car is still great to drive, and still feels brand new.

To answer the questions, we haven't heard any rattles yet anywhere. The weather has been cool a few mornings (-2 or so last week) but we didn't hear anything. Fingers crossed that this issue was fixed!

Last week we put our winters on, we ended up getting 16'' Gislaved NordFrost 5s (http://www.1010tires.com/Tires/Reviews/Gislaved/NordFrost+5). They seem pretty good so far, and we'll see once the snow and really cold temperatures hit.

The parts manager at Bay Mazda is really great, I bugged her into getting quotes for various different tires, and she was always nice and friendly. The service dept. isn't quite as friendly but nowhere near the parts dept.

Conclusion: We still love the Mazda 3 Sport GX, there haven't been any issues yet *crosses fingers*

[stew5]

Here are some photos too:

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/blue_metal/IMG_1008.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/blue_metal/IMG_1011.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/blue_metal/IMG_1012.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/blue_metal/IMG_1013.jpg

[stew5]

So it appears that we may have our first problem with the car. Over the last few days it seems as though our "aux" button has stopped working. With or without an mp3 player plugged in, the button won't switch the radio to "aux" mode, it just does nothing.
Example: FM is playing, press the aux button, and it stays on FM.

Very odd.

[Akiba48]

^
Just use the warranty and get it fixed, shouldn't be a problem.

[sarujo]

Good choice in snow tire! I'm running same rubber and handles great. Be sure to keep them inflated well.

[gomac]

So it appears that we may have our first problem with the car. Over the last few days it seems as though our "aux" button has stopped working. With or without an mp3 player plugged in, the button won't switch the radio to "aux" mode, it just does nothing.
Example: FM is playing, press the aux button, and it stays on FM.

Very odd.

The aux button isn't supposed to do anything until you have somehting plugged int he aux jack in the armrest

[Jeff-TheBiz]

The aux button isn't supposed to do anything until you have somehting plugged int he aux jack in the armrest

And the something has to be turned on.

[stew5]

The review continues at 24,000 a few months shy of our 1 year anniversary. The car is still driving great and there is really nothing to complain about.

Even in the few really cold days we have had I notice very little interior or exterior noise when starting from cold. This car laughs at -20 weather (it’s that front grin!)

The only minor quibble I have with the car is the passengers/drivers handle on the arm rest. I only notice it when I am not driving, but the materials are just so much worse in this handle compared to the rest of the car. Minor quibble, but I see they actually fixed this in the new 2012 SkyActiv I saw at the international auto show.

As for the Aux issue, that was due to not having music playing so not even an issue.

Driving my family around this weekend and the people around 5’ seem to have visibility issues. They weren’t nerely as impressed with the car as I am. Also, the back seat people complained about the heating. Not sure about that one as I never sit in the back.

Took it in for the 24k service and definitely noticed that the brakes were not squealing and were more responsive.

Everything is great and I always recommend Jeff and Mazda to anyone I come across; especially now that the Skyactiv 3 has some great MPG numbers.

[zoomahh]

The review continues at 24,000 a few months shy of our 1 year anniversary. The car is still driving great and there is really nothing to complain about.

Even in the few really cold days we have had I notice very little interior or exterior noise when starting from cold. This car laughs at -20 weather (it’s that front grin!)

The only minor quibble I have with the car is the passengers/drivers handle on the arm rest. I only notice it when I am not driving, but the materials are just so much worse in this handle compared to the rest of the car. Minor quibble, but I see they actually fixed this in the new 2012 SkyActiv I saw at the international auto show.

As for the Aux issue, that was due to not having music playing so not even an issue.

Driving my family around this weekend and the people around 5’ seem to have visibility issues. They weren’t nerely as impressed with the car as I am. Also, the back seat people complained about the heating. Not sure about that one as I never sit in the back.

Took it in for the 24k service and definitely noticed that the brakes were not squealing and were more responsive.

Everything is great and I always recommend Jeff and Mazda to anyone I come across; especially now that the Skyactiv 3 has some great MPG numbers.

+++++11111 /\ /\ /\

Decided it was time to run my new 2012 3 GS Skyactiv down to almost empty (one hash mark left, no nerve left to go any lower), then filled up....ready for this?.....814 kms ! ! ! For a freakin mid size car that has a bit o guts? I'd say that's pretty fuggin good I'll say...just went over 2000kms tonite. For the rec, I do combo city/highway driving with average/spirited driving. Fair combo to give a fair estimate. My iphone app "roadtrip" calculated my fuel economy to be 15km/L yyyyup....ahhhmm LUVIN IT :D

[zoomahh]

I would edit my previous post but no edit privs yet...but in ref to my 2000kms remark....that's my current total odometer reading....not fuel economy..jus making sure noone thought otherwise :chuckle

[stew5]

+++++11111 /\ /\ /\

Decided it was time to run my new 2012 3 GS Skyactiv down to almost empty (one hash mark left, no nerve left to go any lower), then filled up....ready for this?.....814 kms ! ! ! For a freakin mid size car that has a bit o guts? I'd say that's pretty fuggin good I'll say...just went over 2000kms tonite. For the rec, I do combo city/highway driving with average/spirited driving. Fair combo to give a fair estimate. My iphone app "roadtrip" calculated my fuel economy to be 15km/L yyyyup....ahhhmm LUVIN IT :D


That is pretty impressive! With our snow tires on, and mainly city driving, we usually get around 8-9L/100Kms with it dropping lower on the highway. Still not too bad compared to larger cars and trucks.

[Karmaspeed]

Dam wish I had the time wait for the skyactiv when I had to buy a car. I got the 2012 GX Hatch as that's what they had in the lot as I needed a car right away, and I'm only getting @500km when I get to the last bar on the gas level. Oh well maybe in a couple of years I'll have to upgrade to something better.

[zzz3]

Dam wish I had the time wait for the skyactiv when I had to buy a car. I got the 2012 GX Hatch as that's what they had in the lot as I needed a car right away, and I'm only getting @500km when I get to the last bar on the gas level. Oh well maybe in a couple of years I'll have to upgrade to something better.

it will get a lot better once your engine breaks-in. should be able to get 700km to a tank with winter gas depending on your driving habits.

[js593]

+++++11111 /\ /\ /\

Decided it was time to run my new 2012 3 GS Skyactiv down to almost empty (one hash mark left, no nerve left to go any lower), then filled up....ready for this?.....814 kms ! ! ! For a freakin mid size car that has a bit o guts? I'd say that's pretty fuggin good I'll say...just went over 2000kms tonite. For the rec, I do combo city/highway driving with average/spirited driving. Fair combo to give a fair estimate. My iphone app "roadtrip" calculated my fuel economy to be 15km/L yyyyup....ahhhmm LUVIN IT :D

Must be nice. I get about 400 to a tank. :P

[Kessly Snipes]

+++++11111 /\ /\ /\

Decided it was time to run my new 2012 3 GS Skyactiv down to almost empty (one hash mark left, no nerve left to go any lower), then filled up....ready for this?.....814 kms ! ! ! For a freakin mid size car that has a bit o guts? I'd say that's pretty fuggin good I'll say...just went over 2000kms tonite. For the rec, I do combo city/highway driving with average/spirited driving. Fair combo to give a fair estimate. My iphone app "roadtrip" calculated my fuel economy to be 15km/L yyyyup....ahhhmm LUVIN IT :D

I have gone below the last line, then about 80km. I put 58L in after that.

Since my first oil change (at 2000km) my biggest tank was 726 km. I do about 50% city driving and get on it now and again. It does get great gas mileage. My best l/100km was 6.6, worst was 10.7. I current;y have about 3600km (since feb 2nd :( )

If you want to keep track of it, check out fuelly.com. This is a breakdown of my cars fuel consumption, http://www.fuelly.com/driver/kesslysnipes/3-gs-skyactiv

[stew5]

Pure city driving in my 2011 I get about 305kms to the last dot on the gas tank. Much less than highway which is about 400-500km with winter gas and snow tires. Although you rack up the KMs much slower in the city so the tank lasts longer!

[Akiba48]

Pure city driving in my 2011 I get about 305kms to the last dot on the gas tank. Much less than highway which is about 400-500km with winter gas and snow tires. Although you rack up the KMs much slower in the city so the tank lasts longer!

what? 305 is a bit TOO low...
I get at least 220+km for half a tank on pure city driving...
and that is with Esso 87 octane and winter tires

[Astig02]

Pure city driving in my 2011 I get about 305kms to the last dot on the gas tank. Much less than highway which is about 400-500km with winter gas and snow tires. Although you rack up the KMs much slower in the city so the tank lasts longer!

Same here!

[mazda72]

Same here!

What are you guys driving 2l GX or 2.5l GT ?

There's a big difference in fuel consumption between these two. I usually get around 8l/100 mix of city/hwy, the car is still new at 11k km. I get around 550km when the light comes on to fill up. I usually shift before 4k rpms.

[stew5]

What are you guys driving 2l GX or 2.5l GT ?

There's a big difference in fuel consumption between these two. I usually get around 8l/100 mix of city/hwy, the car is still new at 11k km. I get around 550km when the light comes on to fill up. I usually shift before 4k rpms.

2011 GX Sport Automatic. I don't do specific l/100km just from the tank. Hwy I get about 40-50kms per "dot" while city is 20-30kms per "dot". The auto usually shifts betwen 2.5-3.5k RPMs in the city. Driving in the summer, if I remember correctly, the city was 40-50kms per dot and hwy was 70-80 kms per dot.

Very satisfied with the mileage as with city it is about a full week before fueling up the tank again.

[mazda72]

2011 GX Sport Automatic. I don't do specific l/100km just from the tank. Hwy I get about 40-50kms per "dot" while city is 20-30kms per "dot". The auto usually shifts betwen 2.5-3.5k RPMs in the city. Driving in the summer, if I remember correctly, the city was 40-50kms per dot and hwy was 70-80 kms per dot.

Very satisfied with the mileage as with city it is about a full week before fueling up the tank again.


Im really enjoying the car. The only problem is the tight back seat cos i have a baby seat in there the but other than that its a great car in every way.
It puts a smile on my face every time I drive it...:chuckle

[stew5]

First warranty claim!

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/blue_metal/IMG_1827.jpg

The outer gasket around the push button for the trunk cracked. Not sure how it happened but I had it replaced free of charge. I hope it wasn't due to water getting behind it and then freezing as if that is the case then it could be a problem into the future and after warranty.

[stew5]

Long time coming on this one, but the car is now just at 198,000 and it has been fantastic!

It is again featuring that cracked button around the trunk again, I'm really not sure what is causing that.

Otherwise, we haven't had any mechanical issues at all with the car. It really has been rock solid! We've had wear and tear items like brakes, rotors done on the front and will have to do spark plugs soon, but no major issues at all *knock on wood*

My only gripe still would be fuel economy on the car, as we are doing about 1,000km a week which equates to 2-3 trips to the gas station.

But, otherwise this car has been amazing and I hope it makes another 200,000km!