The 2026 Mazda 3 is getting a little more standard equipment for not much more money.
Over the past several months, that “t” word you’ve been constantly hearing has been a dark cloud hovering over the auto industry (and everywhere else, for that matter). Despite fears of massive price spikes, automakers like Mazda are holding off on rocking that boat, at least for now. To that end, the base 2026 Mazda 3 only costs about $400 more than last year, while you get a little more standard equipment in the process.
Fundamentally, the 2026 Mazda 3 isn’t changing much from the previous model year. You still get the option of a sedan or hatchback, whether you want all-wheel drive, whether you want a turbocharged engine, and whether you want a manual transmission…if you pick the one configuration where it is still available. Across most lower trims, you’ll now get a standard 8-speaker stereo system, instead of the weaker six-speaker setup you used to get. The 12-speaker Bose stereo is still available on the 2.5 S Premium and 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus trims.
Mazda’s compact offering has always been on the pricier side against its rivals, with 2026 models starting at $25,785 ($26,785 for the hatchback). On the flip side, though, you get a fair bit of standard equipment, even on the base 2.5 S. An 8.8-inch infotainment screen, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting all around, radar cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, driver attention alert, automatic high-beam control, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and a vehicle exit warning all come standard as part of the automaker’s i-Activsense driver assistance suite. You also get push-button start, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support, two USB-C sports and the upgraded stereo system.
The 2.5 S Select Sport (formerly just the “Select”) is up next, and adds in larger 18-inch wheels for a start. You also get leatherette seats, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, a more advanced keyless entry system, heated mirrors and a rear center armrest. From this trim on up, you also get Alexa Built-in support.
Continuing up the trim stack, the 2.5 S Preferred adds in niceties like a moonroof, heated seats with power adjustment and memory and optional Greige leatherette seats on the sedan (they’re still black on the hatch). The 2.5 S Carbon Edition adds on the Preferred with Qi wireless charging, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto support and HD radio. You also get a Polymetal Gray and genuine leather interior with this trim. The Carbon also gets standard all-wheel drive — and is the only nonturbo trim with that drivetrain configuration.
The 2.5 S Premium hatchback is the only configuration where you can get the 6-speed manual transmission. Everywhere else, you’ll get a 6-speed automatic instead. The Premium also brings in even more features, including the Bose stereo system, head-up display, adaptive front-lighting system and Mazda Online Navigation (and it finally has over-the-air update compatibility, instead of having to rely on SD cards and janky software…ask me how I know).
Mazda is only offering one turbocharged option this time around.
While Mazda giveth with a bump to the standard equipment list, it taketh away with the Carbon Turbo trim on the sedan. That means if you’re in the market for a 2026 Mazda 3, the only recourse you have for the turbocharged option — offering up 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque, up from the standard 2.5’s 186 hp/186 lb-ft — is the Premium Plus trim.
That will set you back $37,975 if you go for the four-door, or $39,225 if you go for the hatchback. You do get even more technology including Cruising and Traffic Support (steering and brake/throttle assist at slow speeds), a larger 10.25-inch display with touchscreen support within Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, paddle shifters, a heated steering wheel, a frameless rearview mirror, parking sensors and a 360-degree camera.
Across the range, Mazda’s added-cost colors all cost an extra $595: Soul Red Crystal Metallic, Machine Gray Metallic, Polymetal Gray Metallic, Snowflake White Pearl Mica and Ceramic Metallic.
The 2026 Mazda 3 will hit dealerships in the fall. I recently checked out the latest available model in this review, and there are no significant changes moving into the new model year. Rumor has it we may be nearing the end of the road for the current-generation 3, possibly with no direct successor on the horizon. For now, though, Mazda seems content to keep the fourth-generation model going.
About the Author
