2019 Mazda 3 Sedan

The 2019 Mazda3 comes in four trims: the base model, Select, Preferred, and the range-topping Premium. Additionally, it's available in two body styles: sedan and hatchback. With either body style, the Mazda3 has a sleek, aggressive front end with a protruding hood, shield-shaped mesh grille, and angular headlights. Along the sides, the sedan features softly contoured sheet metal, smooth-arcing roofline, and a creased beltline that runs from the hood-line to the trunk-lid, resulting in an athletic, elegant side profile. The hatchback looks sportier with undulating sheet metal and a thicker rear pillar.

All 2019 Mazda3 models are equipped with a 2.5-liter inline-four engine that generates 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. Most of them use a six-speed automatic transmission, but some hatchback models get a six-speed manual transmission. While its power output may not seem like a lot, the engine enables the Mazda3 to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 7 seconds, which is quite respectable.

For 2019, the Mazda3 features a torsion-beam rear suspension, which replaces its predecessor's multi-link setup. With added stiffness, this new suspension gives the car better body control around corners, resulting in better handling composure. Despite its impressive athleticism, the Mazda3 delivers a pampering ride, absorbing bumps and road imperfections with ease. In addition, the Mazda3 offers better fuel economy than many of its rivals. With automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, it delivers an EPA rating of 27/36 mpg (city/highway).

The 2019 Mazda3 can seat five people. Its front seats are well-contoured and bolstered to keep you in place while driving along winding roads and around corners. The cabin looks and feels upscale with sturdy build quality, excellent fit and finish, and plenty of soft-touch materials. While the sedan version only offers about 13 cubic feet of trunk space, the hatchback allows you to pack much more stuff with its 20-cubic-foot trunk. The new Mazda3 gets an improved standard infotainment system with an 8.8-inch display, which features a revised menu to enable you to find functions more easily. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard in every trim level except the base model. Available tech features include proximity keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, satellite radio, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system.

The sedan version of the 2019 Mazda3 has only one notable standard safety feature, which is a rearview camera. However, if you opt for the hatchback, you'll get standard forward-collision alert, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, lane-departure alert, rear cross-traffic warning, and driver-attention monitoring. All these features are available as options in the sedan. Other optional safety features include a heads-up display and adaptive headlights.