Save the Manuals! Can This 2024 Mazda3 Stick Shift REVIVE the THIRD PEDAL or just BURN Rubber?
In a world of automatic everything, this Mazda3 is here to remind us that driving can still be a gasoline-fueled symphony. But is this stick shift a true Save the Manuals hero, or just another poser with a clutch? We're hitting the road to find out, and we're bringing you along for the ride!
In this video, you'll discover:
- How the Mazda3's manual transmission feels in hand (and underfoot)
- Whether this stick shift can handle our signature heel-and-toe moves
- If the Mazda3's performance is worth the extra effort of rowing your own
- Why manual transmissions still matter in a world of fancy tech
- How YOU can join the Save the Manuals movement and keep the clutch alive
- Plus, we're answering YOUR questions about manual transmissions, sharing our most epic shift stories, and maybe even teaching you a thing or two about heel-and-toe mastery.
So, buckle up, grab a cold brew, and get ready to shift gears with us!
How the 2023 Mazda MX-5 RF Gives You the Best of Both Worlds:
• How the 2023 Mazda MX-...
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#SaveTheManuals #Mazda3 #ManualTransmission #StickShift #CarReview #HeelAndToe #GasolineFueledSymphony
It's a bloody marvel this thing is. A state of the art 6 speed manual box, but that's just the start.... No stupid touchscreens, no annoying hieroglyphics on the dashboard that could be mistaken for ancient fertility symbols... Sometimes over-zealous safety tech which can (thankfully) be turned off with the push of a button. The car is the embodiment of tradition, but with the best that modernity has to offer. Why go electric or pure (rather than mild) hybrid when you can have a car with an engine that has been poked and prodded into the frontier regions of refinement and innovation.....
Well said!
YES! Save the Manuals!
💯
Really appreciate the discussion of the rear beam suspension. Just because most manufacturers use it for its low cost and don’t care about tuning doesn’t mean all set up’s are bad. As this Mazda 3 proves.
Cheers! Thanks!
Long ago, I had a 944S2 as a sublime daily driver, but circumstances unfortunately forced me to sell it. I replaced it with a new 2005 Mazda3. I enjoyed the car, but it was a “sporty” car, not a “sports” car. Within a year I replaced it with a used RX-8 which gave me years of thrills. Now, I’ve not driven this Mazda3, but I can imagine it would likewise be the “sporty” car to my current “sports” car (an ND1 MX-5).
For a decent daily, this thing is more satisfying than everything else in the segment.
Nice first time watching a video with you. And I like it very much. I always like the Mazda3 hatch. Will definitely watch more videos of your good work.
Thanks! Welcome aboard! Please do me a solid and subscribe if you haven’t. Much appreciated.
Brian, you give an excellent review. Thank You
My pleasure!
Just bought a CX 30 with AWD and the 6 sp manual, having driven the auto and the manual back to back. Despite having driven autos for the last 15 years, I opted for the manual CX 30. It's a so much, much better drive than the auto. If you're interested in the 3 or the 30, drive the manual before you decide.
In which country is the CX30 offered with a manual? Enquiring minds want to know!
Learned manual (and am still driving it!) my 2018 hatchback and going anywhere is so much more fun with this car!
I test drove one yesterday, white/black 2024 manual just like this car. Former Miata owner. It was... fine. The shifter was a little more vague than I'd have liked, clutch had a lot of delay valve. Better than a BMW manual, but not like a Honda or a Miata. It was nice but didn't inspire me.
Easy fix is to remove the delay valve
Love the exterior looks of this car since it came out. However, I test drove one around 2019 and couldn’t shake the sense of claustrophobia and the back seat would not make it a good replacement for my larger manual sedan. I am a family man. Solution: eventually added a 2021 Miata.
Haha in the same boat! Excect I got a '04 NB
The interior is a stunner, if a bit small. Wouldn’t bother me a bit.
I don’t get the rear seat issue. It seems fine.
Hey Brian….another excellent review! Thx! Had an order in on a Turbo 3, hatch, but switched out to this spec for the manual. Currently own a ‘20 GT hatch, manual, and lease is up….luv this Mazda so much that I’m back into a ‘24. This car hits all the marks for me….I mean ALL!
Good choice!
my 22 mazda3 is the first manual car ive owned and since then ive also bought a manual e39 530i, very happy with my current 2 car solution and this mazda is my favorite car ive ever owned.
Love the video! Love seeing a fellow Ontarian. Have had 2 3rd gens (a GS and a GT), and now a 2024 3 GT...ALL manuals! Love this car.
Thanks! Great cars!
"Colour me impressed" Love it lol
Thanks!
I must say I like this M3, thanks 😀
You and me both!
@@BrianMakse 😀
Great review Brian. I've been daydreaming about one of these (the turbo awd actually) as a second car, but I need a manual and this video has sealed my fate. It's so good looking and now that I know it drives as well as it looks, this will be my 2nd car. Unless I can get my hands on a GR Corolla.
This is an excellent choice.
New manual Mazda3's and Golf's have gone in Australia Mate, in any spec. In the near future they will be considered quant, like a Grandfather Clock or a Pianola. Already most drivers under 30 can't drive one, but people used to drive them into their 70's. Such a shame.
If there's anything we can do on this channel, it's to grow the community of manual transmission drivers for all of the right reasons.
@@BrianMakse I hope it works Boss, and the 3 you have looks lovely. My family have driven Mazdas constantly for 50 years. Great brand, although I do think that the Mazdas from the 60's - early 90's were the best.
Exactly right. I own one of the last of the manual "3"'s and have taught my kids to drive on a 2012 manual "2". When they went in for the driving test, the assessors at VicRoads competed with each other to drive with the one learner that day who was driving a manual!
@@RodneyW Thanks for the comment. Kids these days dig in their heels and simply refuse to learn on a manual so I'm surprised. I'd be hanging on to that 3 of yours...
@@club1fan552 I have some hope... My daughter is (rightfully) proud of her skill in driving the manual (compared to her peers). I am also think it I safer, because it seems that many automatic drivers are frequently inattentive to the task of driving!
Own a 2017 3, and that manual gearbox is incredible. Easily to shift with just one finger. Lift off oversteer, brake into corners, it's rather perfect. Not much difference between this and my MX5. Love the looks of the new model but... I'm so happy with my old 3 that I don't even consider the new one.
This new one is slightly more refined, but most importantly retains those satisfying driving dynamics you enjoy with yours.
Really wish they would have done a Speed3. I had a 2009 5dr sport manual with the 2.3 NA MZR. Ended up with a WRX since Mazda went "luxury" and never got around to doing a Speed3 but do very much respect their chassis tuning and gearbox feel/quality.
They've got a business to run at the end of the day. It's difficult for a small company to develop a niche vehicle with a profitable business case.
I heard mazda is bringing back their sports line with mazda spirit or something like that. I hope that this car becomes the foundation for them bring back a modern Mazdaspeed 3 and other Mazdaspeed models. And i hope that if they do, us enthusiasts buy them
With the relative popularity of similar vehicles, I hope this gives them an incentive to look into it.
This as my daily and my Rf in the garage for off work days . Have a 2018 accord manual now with 150 k.
That would be a perfect garage.
Great review, Brian. We'll be shopping for my daughter this spring for her first car. I've suggested the Mazda 3 or Civic. Any preference?
Well...if the Civic Si is on the table, then that would be my choice, but this Mazda3 is more compelling overall compared to a non-Si Civic.
Ive been scrolling through some options for a second car to get some more interactivity in my driving sessions Mazda 3 might be the best option, considering the combination of build quality and fuel efficiency. Its this or a kei car at this point
Sad that Mazda dropped the manual gearbox on the Mazda 3 sedan😢. The hatchback is cool, but the rear sight lines could hide a freight train😅.
Blind spots aren’t real!
@@BrianMakse I come across drivers all the time that believe that too! Shoulder check? Never heard of it!😂😂😂
@@genzigzagI’m actually not kidding, but given that most drivers are terrible and clueless, blind spots are real…at least for them!
@@BrianMakseAh, I get what you're saying! 100%
@@genzigzag if you're interested in going down that rabbit hole, check out the seating position video on this channel. That's a whole lot of practical knowledge that 99% of drivers don't want to learn!
Thanks for a really good review. Too bad that the US 6m equivalent ("Premium" trim) is so stripped down vs your GT, leather aside. Big list of features that the product planners just scratched out for American buyers, but then they charge a way higher msrp here. I'd own one if I were a Canadian.
Funny thing is that these are a better value in Canada, too.
Thank you for the very informative video. I like the 2024 Mazda 3 but it has cylinder deactivation, which cannot be turned off. I don't like the idea of it, it might be a deal breaker.
Does it really? If it does, I didn't notice it ,and if I didn't notice it, that one incredibly well resolved system.
I keep forgetting that this car might have cylinder deactivation. I have not heard good things across any brands (i.e. honda) in regards to cylinder deactivation. It will affect engine life and reliability.
Have had a ‘20 3 hatch, manual with cylinder deactivation and had zero issues! Excellent on fuel, and it’s seamless and undetectable on the fly…..plus, can hyper mile on highway drives < 5l/100km riding on 2 cylinders!
Save the manuals 🙏🏽
💯
I'm 65 years old now, and spent the first 55 years of my life living in San Francisco or on the San Francisco Peninsula. Learned to drive in my fathers 55 Ford pickup with 3 on the tree and with all the cars I've owned over the years, the majority have been manuals. I also drove a bobtail for a few years when I was younger, with manual, in SF, which was at times a scary thing to do. Some of those hills, with a load of paper in the back of the truck, were "Depends" dependent, even though there were no Depends back in the 70's. The older I get, and with dealing with those SF hills and SF Bay Area traffic, I'm no longer gonna own a manual car. Been there, done all of that, and after knee surgery on both knees, I now own a Mazda 3 with automatic and I'm still thrilled driving it. Do I miss the manual? Not anymore and just don't feel the need to feel like I have 20 pound testicles while bragging about driving one, online. All that being said, I am a 100% proponent of keeping the manual transmission alive. For those who enjoy them, and those who think they really know how to drive better than everyone else online. (And I do remind all those 20 year old manual "Experts" out there, that my mother learned and drove a manual back in the 1930's through the 70's and could teach them all a lesson or two.) LOL! I'm done with them, but don't want to see them ever go away.
A car with a manual transmission prevents road rage you cannot floor the pedal at a red light or stop sign and you have to focus on shifting gears while driving not tailgating someone
San Francisco does not get snow either a manual gives a driver more control during the snow going down hills
Thanks for making this video. I had assumed that Mazda only made the manual transmission available in the MX5. So, having it in the Mazda 3 is great. Unfortunately, it’s only an option in the hatchback model, not the sedan, and only on the highest trim level. I just priced it out on their website and it is $31k US. I suspect that one driver for getting away from manual transmissions is the autonomous future. And for the USA, selling an automatic and a manual version of a car requires the manufacturer to get EPA approval for BOTH. So with a limited take for manual transmissions, the cost isn’t justified for them.
This is one of those very under the radar cars. So good. Not sure what you mean by autonomous, but we're a long way off from Level 4 and Level 5 vehicles. Right now we're high Level 2 and on the cusp of Level 3, but these are still not sophisticated systems. This Mazda3 with the manual has active lane keep and adaptive cruise control, which used to be unheard of with a manual. To me this is the perfect mix of driving enjoyment and modern tech.
@@BrianMakse Car manufacturers have been changing cars and adding technology that all contributes to an autonomous auto in the future. They’re just using humans as guinea pigs to test them out! Drive by wire, brake by wire, electric steering (steer by wire, not electric power assist), blind spot detection, active cruise control, lane change avoidance, etc. By themselves they serve to ‘augment’ the driving experience, but the ultimate goal is to have all of these systems designed so that an autonomous control system can manage all of them. You can count me out of those revolutionary concepts. I prefer to be in control of my own vehicle. When I rent a modern vehicle I disable as many of the nannies as I can, before I leave the rental office.
Mine is coming from Japan ,i got the Vin.
Nice!
Great review ❤ Great job Mazda. You guys nailed it with a nicely executed design and built quality. Mazda is just behind Toyota for quality and reliability. The Mazda fit and finish like Lexus quality. The manual transmission, I am sure it is as good as of the MX5. Subaru!! learn from Mazda how a manual suppose to shift. Subaru manual transmission are not fun to shift. Rest of the Japanese automakers can learn so much from Mazda. The most disastrous automaker from Japan is Honda by far in the last decade with disastrous engines and poor quality. Hondas don’t age well and shocking to see Acura still around.
Thanks!
The question would be this Mazda 3 or a Civic Si which one would you choose? It would be a good debate because of the singular biggest difference between the two cars turbo vs NA
Not exactly. The Si has better seats, a limited slip diff, and better tires, among other things. I don't think it's apples to apples, but if these were the only options, I'd choose the Si for those factors.
If you driven a VW Golf/ Rabbit manual how to you compare the shifting and pedals? I’m getting a Mazda after having had 2 VW Golf/Rabbit with manual transmissions. LOVED the manual but VW have so many (eventual) issues that even though I love the drivability of them I’m tired of the money grab with issues. I want to keep driving manuals for as long as possible and Mazda is first on the list!
I haven’t driven a VW in a while, which reminds me that I should!
@@BrianMaksewould love to see a video of that so that I can get your comparison view of the quality of each the manuals.
@@deegeorge5711 stay tuned, let me see what I can do!
I had a 2002 VW GTI that I had a love/hate relationship with. I loved the VW interior, driving feel, shifter, etc. What I hated was having something break every other month. I'll never buy a VW again.
@@johnnyd768 Exactly the same feelings I had! I had two VW's 15 years apart-a golf and then a rabbit both manual. Both had issues almost rolling off of the lot and in one instance the same issue which means that they did not bother in the 15 years between cars to fix what was a known problem -MAP sensor issue which caused the car to stall. After that it was electrical things. I loved the interior and the finish and the manual clutch and shifter but both cars were a headache beyond that.
As a drivers car , great. But rear seats are too cramped and are respectfully not practical.
ngl save the manuals and the ratcheting handbrakes!!! I do appreciate the manual hatch from mazda though.
Same here!
I'm trying to resist the temptation to get a 2024 Mazda3 Sport GT manual. At $35,000 CAN, it's still a significant amount of money. Will I be able to resist and not trade in my 2022 Toyota Corolla L manual for this Mazda3 Sport GT manual 2024? Decision, decision...😁
Don’t ask me. I’m an enabler. 😎
Fit and finish on the ‘24 Mazda alone is worth it, IMO.
I wish they still offered the manual on the lower trims of the 3. I really want a manual, but the GT trim is a bit on the expensive side for my budget. I'd prefer to bring one more manual trans into the world rather than just adding yet another auto trans. Maybe now that interest rates are so high Mazda will realize people don't have quite as much to spend as they did two years ago and they'll bring the manual back to the lower trims for MY25. I test drove a MY24 GT trim last week and it was pretty darn nice. I got out of my BMW E90 and into the Mazda and I wasn't disappointed like most cars I get into after driving my E90. The GT trim is spec'd pretty damn nice- huge amount of features for the price.
after studying all Mazdas with the 2.5 engine I have come to the conclusion to get more bang for your buck just the the Mazda 3 sedan can even afford the turbo version
This colour looks like Ceramic Metallic. Are you sure its Platinum Quartz Metallic?
Does it have hill assist ?
Possibly. I don’t need it so I never pay attention to that stuff.
@@BrianMakse It has it. I like that feature you don't have to use the ebrake anymore on steep inclines. I had a 2014 civic Si with the feature and it was great
Says has wireless phone charger, I thought only the turbo comes with it
Does the stick shift also has cilinder deactivation?
If it does, it’s the most imperceptible cylinder deactivation ever.
Yes, it does, in Canada anyway….to my knowledge. It is definitely seamless and smooth and effective.
@@peterslobodzian2116 It is def. very noticeable if you drive around under 2k RPM though
@@robmunach3870 been driving it for 4 years, and haven’t noticed it at all…..maybe the absolute astounding gas efficiency has blocked my perception….guess that’s the trade off, IMO.
@@peterslobodzian2116 Maybe yours does not have CDA? Not all of them do.
If only Mazda had included the manual in the turbocharged engine.
That would make a good basis for a Mazdaspeed 3…
400th like yes #savethemanuals
Indeed
Not sure if you liked it?
I’m not sure either 😎