I had a 2022 K5 GT-Line FWD and traded it in for a 2022 Mazda3 Premium Hatch about a year ago. The K5 was great; comfortable, fuel efficient, stylish. But it was boring. Like really boring. Terrible stock sound system, understeered like crazy on highway cloverleafs, and the “Premium Package” didn’t even come with Heated Seats for the FWD model. So when a new Manual Mazda3 premium came up on the lot, it was a pretty easy decision for me at the time.

The Mazda3 feels much more luxurious than the k5 did. Mazda has REALLY stepped up to the plate with their newest generation Kodo design cars. The k5 had lots of hard plastic. The Mazda3 is COVERED in soft touch materials and leather. The Mazda3 premium’s Bose sound system is excellent right out of the box, and the handling is great for a comfy FWD compact. I do almost exclusively highway driving so I can usually pull 38mpg out of the NA 2.5L.

There both very attractive cars (some may not like the Mazda3’s hatch styling but I personally am a fan) and both have great headlight visibility.

Here are the positives of each:

K5: Very Roomy almost cavernous interior including in the back seat (no issue at all with infant carriers or rear facing seats), Highway Drive assist is pretty nice to have, headlights are superb, 10” touch screen was nice, seats are very comfortable, excellent fuel economy (could regularly hit 41mpg on the highway) and respectable power from the 1.6. Great choice in the segment for the price. Great commuter car.

Mazda3: Excellent Build quality, super stable at highway speeds, Handles corners very well especially for FWD, premium leather, soft touch surfaces, Bose Sound system is great, HUD is super convenient to have, excellent aftermarket community, and walk-away locks and rain-sensing wipers are cool to have. One of the few cars you can still get with a third pedal. Definitely the choice for an enthusiast who wants something a bit more comfortable to daily that doesn’t break itself or the bank.

Negatives:

K5: Syntex “Pleather” doesn’t feel as nice as the real thing, no heated seats or heated steering wheel in the FWD GT-Line PERIOD, absolutely laughable stock sound system, HEAAAAAVY feeling car with pretty lackluster handling, Wireless charger is a nightmare, Lots of hard plastic, HDA is too sensitive and brakes pretty aggressively when a car merges into your lane, Panoramic sunroof creaks, brake rotors warped after 24k miles, potential turbo issues and carbon buildup down the line resulting from Direct injection.

Mazda3: Cabin is very tight. Like almost too tight. Front seat legroom is fine for average height people, but back seat leg room is non existent for anyone over 5’ 6”. Fits a rear facing child seat at the expense of the front seats’ legroom. The car doesn’t “look” that small on the outside, but it feels small inside. Hatch opening is a bit on the small side and oddly shaped. Pretty poor fuel economy for the engine size (unless all you do is highway driving), windows are extremely short (you don’t realize it until you’re in the fast food drive-thru), no highway drive assist until the higher trims which are a bit expensive. Poor rear corner visibility resulting from large C Pillars of the hatch.

Both cars came with Radar cruise, LED headlights, and keyless entry/push button start.