2023 Mazda 3 Sedan Interior and Cargo

The type of materials may vary, but the quality doesn't - it's all exceptional, no matter which trim you look at. The base 2.5 S comes standard with black cloth sports seats. Black leatherette is standard on Select and Preferred trim, but the latter also has access to a gray-beige color called Greige. Premium and 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus models get high-quality genuine leather in either black or white. In Premium models, the dash is also covered in leather, with a central strip matching the seats, while the upper and lower sections remain black. The Carbon Edition is the only trim to get standard red leather upholstery. The trim is simple, with a decorative aluminum accent strip running the width of the dash.

Mazda's 3 Sedan is merely average in this department. While the trunk is quite broad and low to the ground, it only offers 13.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity. The Honda Civic Sedan has 15.1 cubes, while the Mazda's hatch sibling provides a full 20.1 cubes. If cargo capacity is a significant concern, you'd be better off in the hatch. The rear seats do fold flat in a 60/40 split, but getaways with the whole family will require careful planning.

Interior storage is equally unremarkable. In keeping things minimal, Mazda forgot to add a few helpful storage spaces. It comes with dual cupholders up front and a small storage space underneath the center armrest. The door pockets are ample but unremarkable, and in the back, the rear center seatback folds forward for an armrest with extra cupholders.

The base 2.5 S gets manual air-conditioning, remote keyless entry with push-button start, manually adjustable seats, cloth upholstery, and steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise control switches. Dual-zone climate control and Mazda's advanced keyless entry system are only standard from the Select trim, while heated front seats with power adjustment only come into play from the Preferred. Only the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus gets a frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror and heated steering wheel, while if you're looking for a head-up display, it's only found on the Premium and Turbo Premium Plus.

Safety specification remains generous, however. All models come as standard with smart brake support, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop & go, driver-attention alert, tire-pressure monitoring, and automatic high beams. Select models upward also get blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert, while Premium and Turbo Premium Plus add traffic-sign recognition and adaptive LED headlights for the full i-Activsense experience.

All models are equipped with an 8.8-inch center display without touch functionality. The base model comes with two USB ports, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, HD Radio, voice command, and Pandora integration. An eight-speaker sound system is standard. It's not until the Premium that you start to see the full breadth of ability on offer with SiriusXM satellite radio, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, navigation, and flashy aluminum speaker grilles.

Since the screen isn't touch-compatible, the infotainment has to be controlled via a rotary control located between the seats. It's easy enough to learn but annoying since Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were both designed with touch functionality in mind. Thankfully, Mazda includes a few shortcut buttons for volume and skipping songs next to the primary controller.