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2018 Mazda3 offers automatic braking for everyone

It's nice to see a key technology not stuck behind a more expensive trim level.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
2 min read
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Incremental, year-over-year adjustments to cars don't usually change things up in a big way, but buyers will definitely appreciate the changes Mazda brought to the Mazda3 for the 2018 model year.

The base 2018 Mazda3, the Sport trim, starts at $18,095 for the sedan and $19,345 for the five-door hatchback. Standard equipment includes a 2.0-liter I4 with 155 horsepower, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Most importantly, autonomous emergency braking is now standard on the base trim, which is great news for frugal buyers who still want to be as safe as possible.

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We're big fans of both the hatch and sedan. The Mazda3 drives great, looks good and comes with a decent complement of tech.

Mazda

Move up to the mid-range Mazda3 Touring, and you get heated leatherette seats, blind spot monitoring, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, keyless entry and dual-zone automatic climate control. Instead of offering two engines on Touring models, Mazda simplified the lineup by only offering the larger, 2.5-liter I4 with 184 horsepower. The Mazda3 Touring starts at $20,090 for the sedan and $20,840 for the hatch.

What's perhaps most impressive about the 2018 Mazda3 is the massive price drop for Touring models. The 2.5-liter I4 was only available on the 2017 Touring sedan with an automatic, and the 2.5-equipped Touring hatchback models are now cheaper by more than $1,000. It's amazing what ditching an engine option will do to the price.

At the top of the lineup is the Mazda3 Grand Touring. This trim adds heated leather seats, a head-up display and LED fog lights. Previously optional equipment, including LED headlights and running lights, are now standard, too. This one will set you back $23,145 for the sedan, and $23,895 for the hatchback.

All the prices above are for Mazda3s equipped with a six-speed manual. If you want a six-speed automatic, instead, just add $1,050 to the price. The Mazda3 Sport has a $1,000 package that adds blind spot monitoring, larger alloy wheels and a satin chrome interior trim. A $1,500 package for the Touring adds a Bose sound system, a moonroof and satellite radio. The Grand Touring has a $1,600 package that offers adaptive front lighting, a heated steering wheel, navigation, automatic high beams and adaptive cruise control.

The 2018 Mazda3 is on sale now in select markets, but it will be available at every Mazda dealership by the end of August.

2018 Mazda3 Sedan Pricing

Model 2018 MSRP2017 MSRPNet Change
Sport 6MT $18,095 $17,845 $250
Sport 6AT $19,145 $18,895 $250
Touring 6MT $20,090 $20,445 -$355
Touring 6AT $21,140 $21,495 -$395
Grand Touring 6MT $23,145 $23,145 $0
Grand Touring 6AT $24,195 $24,195 $0

2018 Mazda3 Hatch Pricing

Model 2018 MSRP2017 MSRPNet Change
Sport 6MT $19,345 $19,095 $250
Sport 6AT $20,395 $20,145 $250
Touring 6MT $20,840 $22,395 -$1,555
Touring 6AT $21,890 $23,445 -$1,555
Grand Touring 6MT $23,895 $23,895 $0
Grand Touring 6AT $24,945 $24,945 $0

2017 Mazda Mazda3 remains a benchmark hatchback

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