Just acquired a 2021 Mazda3. I upgraded from a 2012 Mazda 3, and that is a world of difference. In the US, there is only one trim level available with a manual, so that is what I got. Such a step up in terms of technology and interior finishes. The red leather works very nice, and hopefully will survive the kids better than my previous cloth seats.
On the driving front, the clutch is completely different, and the peddle positions are too. The accelerator is floor mounted, which is different than previous. The car is much quieter, and has a lot more power on tap. it isn't overly fast, but definitely an upgrade for me. Still haven't really had a chance to drive it hard, but the break in period suggests avoiding hard driving for the first 1000km or so.
Also want to mention that the dealership gave me more money for my old one than I expected, and the 0% financing from Mazda was nice as well. This was the first time in 3 or 4 years that the local dealership has had a manual in anything other than the Miata. They didn't know how they ended up with it, but speculated that it got diverted to here because of Hurricane Ida and so many people now in need of cars.
