Used Mazda 3 review: 2014-2019

Thanks to the runaway success of the models that went before it, Mazda’s take on the 3 hatch and sedan for the 2014 model year was another fine effort. Even though it was facing strong sales headwinds thanks to the then-emerging cult of the SUV, the 3 was still able to keep Mazda in the headlines for all the right reasons.

Here, we’re looking at the 3s sold new from late 2013 until 2019, namely the BM and BN series cars in Mazda-speak. Like many models, the 3 had started to grow up and out by this stage. There was a new, fresh corporate look, as well as a more sophisticated range of powertrains and expanded trim options.

Read More About Mazda 3

• Mazda3 2014 review
• Mazda 3 SP25 Astina 2016 review
• Mazda 3 2017 review

The facelift, the BN was pretty much more of the same, arriving in 2016. Mazda fiddled with the specifications a little, turning the Neo and Maxx into the Neo Sport and Maxx Sport, respectively, adding autonomous emergency braking, improving cabin acoustics and dumping the slow-selling diesel engine option.

Is Mazda 3 a good car?

The short answer is yes. Quality was better than ever before with the move to the BM and BN models, and things like interior noise had been somewhat addressed (although the Mazda was still no class-leader in this area). Even better, the fuel consumption concerns of the previous models were also handled with the BM and BN. And the SkyActiv technology marked a big improvement in performance and efficiency for Mazda’s smaller cars generally.

Interiors and things like paint quality were also lauded at the time, and the Mazda is one of the models that helped elevate the image of Japanese cars generally at a time when South Korean and Chinese cars were redefining buyer expectations.

Safety was good, too, with a comprehensive suite of driver aids that helped make the 3 an obvious choice for new drivers.

Our only quibble would be the cab-forward styling language Mazda adopted about this time. It makes for a sportier look, but it compromises the luggage space in the hatchback.

Mazda 3 reliability

The quality image the Mazda 3 has earned has a lot do to with its mechanical reliability. Very few recurring problems seem to crop up, and while a few cars needed replacement automatic transmissions in the early days, the problem wasn’t a huge one overall. And many would-be buyers appreciate the fact that Mazda fitted a conventional torque-converter automatic rather than a dual-clutch or Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Some owners of manual cars reported hard shifting into some gears and a tendency for the car to jump out of third gear. In those cases the transmission design was at fault and by late 2014 Mazda had redesigned the gearbox to avoid these dramas.

The diesel variant of the 3 was probably the most likely to give trouble, mainly with the turbocharger. These could die young and replacing them was the only fix.

Mazda 3 problems

The major problems you’re likely to encounter with second-hand Mazda 3 now will be down to the abuse and neglect of the previous owner. These were great first cars for younger drivers with good safety and reliability built in. But that meant they were often neglected in terms of routine maintenance and repairs, as well as often driven by the inexperienced.

So watch out for kerbed wheel rims and mangled bumpers. If you can see where repairs have been carried out they’ve not been done properly. Some colours seemed a bit more susceptible to fading and peeling, too, so check black and metallic coloured cars closely for signs of paint degradation.

Mazda 3 recall

The Mazda 3’s track record is pretty good here, with very few recalls to worry about.

Both the BM and BN models were recalled to fix a potential fault with the windscreen wipers that would see them stop working, as well as a wiring problem that could have led to dramas with the rear view camera.

Beyond that, the BM was recalled to check for carbon deposits inside the turbocharger that could cause engine damage and the BN for a fuel pump problem that would see the engine shut down.

You can check out the full details of these recalls by visiting: https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/

Mazda 3 years to avoid

It’s not really a year-specific thing, but the Mazda 3 we’d give a miss would be the turbo-diesel version. While it makes good power and torque and could finally be had in automatic form, some owners have reported a problem that has since gone on to plague many a modern diesel with a diesel particulate filter (DPF).

What happens is the car decides it needs to regenerate this filter by getting it hot and burning off the soot inside. But many owners never drove fast or far enough to get the exhaust system hot enough, so the car would than take matters into its own hands, injecting extra diesel into the engine to make everything hotter and instigate the filter regen. The problem was that some of this extra diesel found its way into the engine (past the piston rings) where it diluted the engine oil, with the potential for major engine damage.

Then there’s the issue of the turbocharger requiring replacement and the cost involved in that now the car is well and truly out of warranty.

Aside from anything else, right now diesel is a lot more expensive than petrol, making the diesel 3 even less attractive.

Mazda 3 how many kilometres

How a car fares over the longer term is entirely down to how it’s been (or hasn’t been) maintained and how it’s been driven. But based on a car with a good, solid service record, it’s not unreasonable to expect to see 200,000km on the odometer before repairs start to be required. And if you check the classifieds you’ll see 3s from this era for sale with more than 250,000km showing and still looking pretty good.

The SkyActiv petrol engines are reasonably highly strung with high compression ratios, but they’re not turbocharged, so they aren’t as highly stressed as some of the competition with trendier turbo-motors and extra performance.

Mazda 3 best model

If the budget will stretch, the SP25 is the best variant to have now. The larger engine makes for more performance (a surprisingly amount, in fact) and that makes the automatic transmission work better. If you enjoy a manual gearbox, then the SP25 is the best way to do that, too.

And as is the way of all second-hand cars, the price-gap between the most basic and the flashest version now, won’t be anything like it was when the car was brand-new. The only catch there is that the SP25 wasn’t the best seller at the time. Since the 3 was seen as a fairly basic, small car, many buyers opted for the cheaper variants, so there are more Neos and Maxxes out there now as a result.

Regardless of the trim level, for practicality’s sake, we’d take a five-door hatchback version of the 3 over the four-door sedan, even though the styling reduces the luggage space in the hatchback.

Mazda 3 resale value

You’ll find the odd bargain among private buyers now and then, but the car’s good overall reputation means values have held up pretty well even though the Mazda 3 is a conventional hatch or sedan rather than a trendy SUV.

Cars with lots of kilometres showing start below $10,000, and things go up from there. A clean, well maintained BM SP25 is closer to $25,000, and for that, you should be getting a minty-fresh car with low kilometres and a used-car warranty.

Mazda 3 parts

Mazda has something like 150 dealerships dotted around Australia, so service and parts should not be hard to find. There are plenty of independent workshops who can deal with a conventional car like the Mazda, too, and spare parts are available at traditional parts stores and online.

The good news is that thanks to the car’s durability, you may not need much in the way of spares.

Mazda 3 sales

Exact sales figures across the BM/BN model are hard to pin down, but most reckon Mazda easily sold more than 100,000 of them in this country. That means there are lots to choose from and, on carguide.com.au right now, there are more than 250 cars for sale from this range.