First Drive Review: 2014 Mazda3 (With Video)

The mainstream compact car segment is the perfect example of the infamous “driving appliance.” The Corolla and Civic sell in enormous volume because they are the middle-of-the-road “white bread” option, not in-spite of the vanilla. Unlike many in the automotive press, I don’t find anything wrong with that. In fact, I love me some Wonder Bread. But sometimes you feel like a pumpernickel, and that’s where the 2014 Mazda3 comes in. Mazda was so excited about their new loaf that they invited me to spend the day with them in San Diego. Want to know if you should spend 5+ years with one? Click through the jump.

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  • Theflyersfan I think color is FINALLY starting to return to car lots. After what seems like over a lost decade of nothing but shades of gray, whites, and black, I'm seeing a lot more reds and blues creeping into luxury car lots. Except Audi and Volvo. They still have at least 6-8 shades of gray/silver. But they at least have a nice green. Honda and Acura seem to have a bunch of new colors. And all carmakers need to take a serious look at the shades of red seen at the Alfa Romeo lot and tell themselves they want that because that looks amazing.
  • Bd2 Well, it's no Sonata, no does it have the panache of the Optima.
  • Teddyc73 "eye-searingly"?
  • Teddyc73 I applaud anyone who purchases a vibrant, distinct or less popular color. We need these people. Our road ways have turned into a dreary gloomy sea of white, black, silver and greys, most with the equally lifeless black wheels. Mr Healey is guilty of contributing to this gloom apparently. It looks like a black and white movie across the nation when grouped with our grey houses with grey interiors. Totally dull and lifeless. And what is with this awful hideous trend of dull grey with black wheels showing up everywhere? It's on everything. Just awful. Come on people! I'll keep my Ram 1500 with it's deep rich sparkling Western Brown paint as long as I can.
  • Shipwright As my Avatar shows I had an '08 GT 500, Grabber Orange convertible. I now own a '12 GT 500 Kona Blue coupe.