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According to March 2014 Compact auto sales, Mazda3 owns only 5% of the compact market in the USA! This seems mindblowing to me since the Mazda3 is a great advancement in automotive technology (skyActive, etc).
http://wot.motortrend.com/1404_toyota_c ... sales.html

So where did Mazda go wrong? Not enough dealers?, Same basic old body design, nearly indistinguishable from the 2012"s?
So what do you think? Why can't Mazda sell the Mazda3?
For me, reason #1 is lack of utility! tiny hatch, tiny trunk, tiny interior. The Mazda3 is not small, But It's usable interior space is!

They're a small company (relatively). The Mazda3 is a polarizing car, and most people out there want an appliance. They don't want to live a little and take a chance on something that isn't a 'safe choice' like the Corolla.

Honestly I think their marketing works against them in this segment. They did a good job with the whole "zoom zoom" campaign to get everyone on board with Mazda being a fun car company. Unfortunately for people considering a Corolla or Civic, fun is last on the list. Prices being the same, legendary reliability wins out over fun (Toyota/Honda). Prices being lower (Chevy/Ford) also wins over fun.

I think it would significantly raise the profile of the vehicle if they released an AWD version. They could go right after Subaru.

You never know - I like the Subaru but would prefer just a 2 wheel drive.

I'm sure a lot of it also has to do with their smaller dealer network. Within a 100 mile radius of my zip code, there are 16 Mazda dealers. Compare that to 24 for Toyota, 25 for Honda, 102 for both Ford and Chevy. I think most people tend to buy locally also. They may not even consider a Mazda if the nearest dealer is an hour away. I have a Mazda, and I have to drive 50 miles to the nearest dealer for service, that might not be appealing to a lot of people. So I think most Mazda buyers are those that have a local dealer and can comparison shop without having to make a whole day of it. Either that or they really want a Mazda and don't mind driving to get one.

For me I like that fact that I have a relatively rare vehicle (Mazda5). I can go weeks w/o seeing another one on the road. It's reliable also. I'm at 52k miles and only issue so far is a seat heater that quit working.

Price may be a factor as well. I was looking at some new ones last time I was getting an oil change. Some of the higher trim levels were pushing $25k. For the same money I could get a Mazda6 touring (mid-level trim).

*Edit*

In regards to pricing, I searched on cars.com and w/in 100 miles of me, there are 1,212 for sale. Of those, 170 cost between $25,000-$30,000. 3 cost over $30,000. No way would I pay that much for a small economy car, regardless of what options it has.

The majority (851) cost between $20-$25k. Only 176 are priced below $20k, stripper models I'm sure.

Price is definitely working against them. It's a great car, but they charge a premium for the extra performance and trim compared to other small cars. It's also designed and positioned as something of a performance car, which is not what most people shopping for small sedans and hatchbacks want. Ford, Toyota, Honda, Chevy, and Nissan are "safe" decisions. They're basically default brands for most people. Mazda is a little out of most people's comfort zones, so they have to really want it.

DeClercq wrote:I'm sure a lot of it also has to do with their smaller dealer network. Within a 100 mile radius of my zip code, there are 16 Mazda dealers. Compare that to 24 for Toyota, 25 for Honda, 102 for both Ford and Chevy. I think most people tend to buy locally also. They may not even consider a Mazda if the nearest dealer is an hour away. I have a Mazda, and I have to drive 50 miles to the nearest dealer for service, that might not be appealing to a lot of people. So I think most Mazda buyers are those that have a local dealer and can comparison shop without having to make a whole day of it. Either that or they really want a Mazda and don't mind driving to get one.

For me I like that fact that I have a relatively rare vehicle (Mazda5). I can go weeks w/o seeing another one on the road. It's reliable also. I'm at 52k miles and only issue so far is a seat heater that quit working.

Price may be a factor as well. I was looking at some new ones last time I was getting an oil change. Some of the higher trim levels were pushing $25k. For the same money I could get a Mazda6 touring (mid-level trim).

For me, the Mazda5 mini-mini van is more appealing for the $$$. Or the Mazda x5. The Mazda 3 just too small.

I am definitely head-over-heels for that new Mazda3 HB. That would be my next car, if I had to get a next car.

Maybe this will help Mazda sell the 3: Mazda3 wins Motor Trend's "The Big Test, 2014 Compact Sedans"
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sed ... _big_test/
Good article, Mazda3 wins because it is the only Compact Sedan that does well in all the important categories! MPG, driving dynamics, performance and safety.
I can't argue with these results, but smallest trunk and likely smallest interior is a negative. The Kia Forte would be my pick, except for its' poor crash test results.