New 2016 Mazda3 GX - 6 spd manual trans.

[jcs0001]

We just traded our 2006 mazda3 sedan for the above sedan. The older one had treated us well and we had no reason to change car makes.

First impressions:

- the new one definitely gets better gas mileage although I suspect driving it hard will have an impact.
- the new one has everything we wanted (cruise, outside temp reading, etc. etc.) except for mags and a split fold down seat. Before delivery I obtained an almost new set of mags from a 2012 mazda3 and had them switched over within a few days. We can do without the split seat as we rarely needed it in the old model.
- it seems a bit noisier inside than a comparable civic however it is better than the old car.
- lots of power with the 2.0 litre motor - don't need more. I did find that the older car with the 2.0 litre had plenty of power also - just need to drive it intelligently.
- 6 speed manual tran. is very slick and great to use.
- I like the shift indicator although I'm not using it that much. Also like the gas mileage readout - the old car had it and I'd miss it. The full screen readout with the bar graph is a mystery to me right now - need to figure it out before disregarding it.
- the backup camera is handy but I don't depend upon it that much.
- seating in the front is very comfortable and holds one in place very well.

The car is just that much more solid and substantial feeling - we are very happy with it so far.

I will be checking the odometer to see how accurate it is along with checking the mileage readout for accuracy - likely in the next week.

One question if someone knows offhand - what make, type and weight of motor oil is used in the car.

Thanks,

John.

[Jackal]

Interesting that the 2016 GX models have cruise and a back up camera. Nice! What other features does it have over your 2006?

[jcs0001]

Jackal:

The 2006 had:
alloy rims
gas mileage readout, ave. Speed etc.
Outside temperature readout
Split folding rear seats
key fob entry
cd player and controls on steering wheel (but no cruise)
auto lights and wipers

I installed factory cruise after I bought it – bought a steering wheel with the controls on it on ebay.

It did not have power windows.


The 2016 has:
steel wheels
key fob entry with start button
navigation system with 7 in. Screen – also on this is the audio controls, car software adjustments, backup camera and a gas mileage screen (haven't figured this one out yet). It is controlled from a “joy stick” behind the shifter.
Cruise, outside temp, digital (small) tach.
Power windows and locks
car alarm
single fold down rear seat
no auto lights/wipers – we won't miss them

I may have missed a few things but that's the gist of it. We test drove a 2014 and 2015 mazda3 (gx models) and found that they were missing one or more of cruise, outside temp., and tach.

I do find that mazda has rather strange basic option packages but we are quite happy with those in the new car and the old car served us well.

We need to have winter tires in our province so I will put them on the steel rims that came with the car.

John.

[Aitch]

Interesting that the 2016 GX models have cruise and a back up camera. Nice! What other features does it have over your 2006?
I think backup cameras are mandatory in the US, so lots of base models here are coming with them.

[ryan2.3]

I think backup cameras are mandatory in the US, so lots of base models here are coming with them.

that takes effect with the 2017 Model Year i believe. May be 2018

[gabbygenier]

I think backup cameras are mandatory in the US, so lots of base models here are coming with them.


that takes effect with the 2017 Model Year i believe. May be 2018


I've been told they will be mandatory in Canada soon also, along with brake assist/collision avoidance systems


jcs0001 congrats on the new car. seems like the 2015 GS (what we got) is now pretty much a 2016 GX

[natspriceless]

Congrats jcs0001 😊 When I read "mags" I immediately presumed you are a Quebecois....am I correct? Lol

I find the single fold down rear seat to be perplexing...I had no idea that they came that way. Is this a sedan feature?

[ryan2.3]

I've been told they will be mandatory in Canada soon also, along with brake assist/collision avoidance systems


jcs0001 congrats on the new car. seems like the 2015 GS (what we got) is now pretty much a 2016 GX

i got confirmation. 2018 is when backup camera's will be mandatory. Makes sense, we have some 17's here at work right now that don't have cameras

[Aitch]

that takes effect with the 2017 Model Year i believe. May be 2018
You are correct. For some reason I thought it was in place already.

[jcs0001]

natspriceless:

re: "Mags"

No I'm from BC but likely it's a factor of age - mags are now "alloy wheels" - not when I was young:)

I don't know what features the hatchback has or if the lower models have split seats but the 2016 gx definitely has the solid seat back. I could recall only one time when we had three in the car and had to fold the seat back - told my buddy and we agreed that if it happened with the new car he would walk.:)

Interesting that backup cameras will be required soon in the US - I imagine it won't be long before we require them also. It is quite handy in close quarters.

A couple of other things the new car has are traction control and abs brakes - the old car didn't have them.

gabbygenier - you are correct. It looks like Mazda takes features from the gs and puts some of them in the next year's gx model - as I said I find their option packages a bit perplexing.

John.

[natspriceless]

natspriceless:

re: "Mags"

No I'm from BC but likely it's a factor of age - mags are now "alloy wheels" - not when I was young:)

I don't know what features the hatchback has or if the lower models have split seats but the 2016 gx definitely has the solid seat back. I could recall only one time when we had three in the car and had to fold the seat back - told my buddy and we agreed that if it happened with the new car he would walk.:)

Interesting that backup cameras will be required soon in the US - I imagine it won't be long before we require them also. It is quite handy in close quarters.

A couple of other things the new car has are traction control and abs brakes - the old car didn't have them.

gabbygenier - you are correct. It looks like Mazda takes features from the gs and puts some of them in the next year's gx model - as I said I find their option packages a bit perplexing.

John.
Lol! I hear you buddy...I call things by names that make some of my younger friends roll their eyes [emoji23] I still see/hear the use of the term "mags" from my Quebec friends & family

The more new purchase threads I read, the more I must admit that I really didn't look at models other than the GT (just basically said to myself: replace old GT with new GT and be done with the deal) so I'm facinated by learning about your seats and the differences between sedans and hatches altogether.

[CarLadyLisa]

jcs0001 0W20 synthetic oil. we get it in bulk from Petro Canada

[mazdaman007]

jcs0001 0W20 synthetic oil. we get it in bulk from Petro Canada

Do you know if it's actually made in Canada or just bottled by Petro Canada ? Is there a difference between the bulk oil and the quarts ?

[jcs0001]

CarLadyLisa - thanks for the info on the oil.

I will be calibrating the odometer/speedo and mpg readout but have yet to figure out how the navigation system in the car will allow me to tally km driven between points. If I put an address into the navigation it will give me a total however if I go off route I'm not sure it will update the distance. Anyway I found a couple of apps on my android tablet (it has gps) that will do what I want so next time I go on a jaunt that's more than a few km I'll take it with me and check things out. The speedo seems to be quite close - if I use the posted speed on the navigation system the road sign turns yellow at the proper point on the speedo (ie just as the car exceeds the posted speed).

John.

[mazdaman007]

i got confirmation. 2018 is when backup camera's will be mandatory. Makes sense, we have some 17's here at work right now that don't have cameras

You have 2017's already ? Which model ?

[ryan2.3]

Everything


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mazdaman007]

Are we talking Mazda's, specifically Mazda 3 ?

[ryan2.3]

I work at GM with future cars

[mazdaman007]

Ah I see, thanks :)

[SLED]

I think backup cameras are mandatory in the US, so lots of base models here are coming with them.

There is a higher % of fatter and unfit Americans (vs Canadians) who can't turn their necks and heads far enough any more to back up properly, so the US mandatory cameras will be required there sooner.

[Captain Mazda]

Also because their oversized SUVs are filled to the brim with fat kids and chicken buckets, making the rear windows useless.

[jcs0001]

An update on the 2016 Mazda 3 gx 6 spd standard:

We now have about 2500 km on the car - most of it in city traffic. I drive conservatively but not really slowly. The car has plenty of power and we find it quite comfortable and enjoyable to use.

I've put about 5, 1/2 tanks through the car filling it each time and have found that it is using between 5.066 and 6.769 l/100 km. (imp 55.7 to 41.7 mpg). That is actual calculated mileage vs. the instrumentation. I find the instrumentation is usually a bit optimistic however it has read less than the actual mileage on occasion. The high reading was for a tank that was mainly on the highway at around 90 to 100 km per hour. It appears that the current tank is a bit lower (7.0 l per 100 km per the instrumentation) and that makes sense as it is all in town in mostly heavy traffic and some a/c.

John.

[SLED]

. . . .
One question if someone knows offhand - what make, type and weight of motor oil is used in the car.

Thanks,

John.


Thanks for the write-up, good points to know. Oil specs - in your manual I'd assume.

[Ante]

An update on the 2016 Mazda 3 gx 6 spd standard:

We now have about 2500 km on the car - most of it in city traffic. I drive conservatively but not really slowly. The car has plenty of power and we find it quite comfortable and enjoyable to use.

I've put about 5, 1/2 tanks through the car filling it each time and have found that it is using between 5.066 and 6.769 l/100 km. (imp 55.7 to 41.7 mpg). That is actual calculated mileage vs. the instrumentation. I find the instrumentation is usually a bit optimistic however it has read less than the actual mileage on occasion. The high reading was for a tank that was mainly on the highway at around 90 to 100 km per hour. It appears that the current tank is a bit lower (7.0 l per 100 km per the instrumentation) and that makes sense as it is all in town in mostly heavy traffic and some a/c.

John.

Would you say that the older 2.0L engine is just as peppy as this one? Or is the new one substantially quicker?

[jcs0001]

Ante

I think the new one is somewhat more peppy than the old. Hard to tell but that's my impression. It seems to have a bit more lower end torque than the other.

We have now gone through the first service with the car. No problems at all except one.

When we bought it I found a set of alloy wheels and put the new tires (that came with the car) on those and bought new winters for the steel wheels that came with the car. I had that done at a tire shop so last week I decided to change the all seasons to the winter tires. I usually do this myself in the driveway, using the jack that comes with the car.

When I tried to get the jack out of it's mounting in the car I found that both the bolt that holds it in place and the jack itself, were so tight that they wouldn't budge. I'm not weak and I couldn't move them. With the help of some tools I was able to get it loose but stripped several threads on the bolt. Fortunately it did not harm the threads on the female (car) bracket. I chased them with a tap but they were ok. The dealer replaced the bolt when I asked so no big deal.

Just a heads up to check to make sure that the jack is able to be removed by hand, without tools.

I haven't calculated the fuel mileage lately but according to the readout it seems to be consistent with the first few tanks. I have the details just haven't got around to making the calculations.

John.

[theMazda777]

Totally love the new version of this Mazda! I love the simplicity in the interior and the exterior shape! Love the way it drives. I must admit, it's still new and so far haven't got any issues with it, except of teh broken license plate bracket.

[jcs0001]

theMazda777 - glad to hear you are happy with it.

We have had another problem with the car - not a big deal but worth mentioning. Before Christmas and again now we had a spell of colder weather - below -10C over the day and down to perhaps -15C at night. I have a block heater on the car and it's plugged in about 2 hours before use so the engine is not totally cold. The computer that governs the sound system and navigation (ie the screen on the dash) has been shutting down and rebooting once to three times when we leave home. Usually we drive about 10 to 12 km. to the gym and it shuts down near the start of the trip. On the way back it's ok.

I took it in to the dealer before Christmas and they figured it was due for a software update - which they did no the spot - full credit to them. That did no cure the problem although it warmed up to just below zero C around Christmas and it didn't seem to happen as much. I spoke to the service dept. and they asked me to remove my usb stick (mp3's) and see if the problem persisted. I did that and had the local radio on and noticed the same thing happening once or twice when we first left the house. When the usb stick is being used the sound shuts off totally, however when the radio is in use sound continues. Due to the holiday I haven't got back to the dealer so will be in touch with them later this week.

I suspect it has to do with the colder weather but that is only a wag.

Otherwise happy with the car and with new winter tires it handles very well.

John.

[jcs0001]

I should add one more thing. Late in the fall I purchased front floor mats - 3d maxpider. These mats are great - light and fit like a glove. I have no association with the company but am really happy with their product. I didn't bother with rear mats a we seldom have passengers.

John.

[jcs0001]

An update. We have about 7000 km on the car now so are quite familiar with it. I bought a set of hercules new winter tires last summer and had them installed on the steel rims that came with the car. I put them on in late October and have found that they are quite quiet - more so than the stock all seasons that came with the car. They seem to handle well on snow and ice but I haven't really given them a workout so take that opinion with a few grains of salt.:)

As mentioned earlier we had a problem with the computer crashing and taking down the sound, navigation etc. It would reboot and everything worked however it would do this about 3 times in a 10 km trip - generally when the outside temp. was below about -2C. I had a feeling that it was temperature related and that it might be some component of the computer that was located in the passenger compartment. I kept track of it for a month or so and we took it in for 3 recall notices and a service early this week. I gave the dealer the option of keeping over two days so that it would be cold in the mornings.

The dealer discussed the problem with Mazda in Ontario and tried removing my usb stick (mp3's). That did not help (as I had earlier discovered). They replaced the navigation SD card and it appears that it is now fixed. We have driven it two mornings with the temperature at about -10C and have had no problems.

So it appears that the car is up to date and running well - we are quite happy with it.

John.