Following an almost general trend in the industry, the Japanese manufacturer Mazda has decided to increase the starting price of its compact Mazda3 by a few thousand dollars for the 2024 model year.

To justify the $2,600 markup, the entry-level GX sedan body, which retails for $24,200, comes standard with the optional 2.5L four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission. . It also gains some horsepower to bring the count to 191 hp. Exit the 2L four-cylinder. To get your hands on a hatchback body version, you will have to pay $750, slightly less than the $1,000 required for the 2023 model year.

The all-wheel-drive versions remain, as does the offer of the 250 hp four-cylinder turbo engine equipped by default with all-wheel drive. The latter is more accessible than before with a price range starting at $31,750.

The manual transmission will be much less accessible. Only one version, the front-wheel-drive GT hatchback, will be available.

Despite a still significant increase in May of 105% compared to last year, annualized sales of the Mazda3 show a slide of 10.7%. In comparison, the CX-30, its taller counterpart, saw its sales grow by 65.7% and confirms consumer preference for this type of vehicle.