Originally Posted by
J.Higgins
A Mazda 3 may be a worthy car for the $22k price tag, but it is and always will be the bottom of Mazda's lineup. Its an entry level car or a student car. Simply put, its an economy compact car, so probably not a good argument in this case
The Mazda 3 isn't the bottom of the lineup. It's their smallest car currently sold in America (Mazda 2 was smaller but now sold since 2014) but smallest doesn't equal bottom. It's not an entry level car or student car. It's a compact car so it's cheaper, but that's it.
The equipment levels aren't that different from other Mazdas. The only difference is size of the car. Want a Mazda 3 with leather, sunroof, climate control, fancy touchscreen, nice interior, upgraded stereo? You can get one really easily.
The Honda CR-V you go on about? Same class as the Mazda 3. It's a compact built on the Civic platform. It's basically a Civic crossover.
The Mazda 3 is a compact sedan or hatchback.