The Mazda3 is what happens when a compact car decides it's too good for its price bracket, and the interior actually backs it up. The 2.5L engine is bulletproof (owners routinely see 200k+ miles), but the 2019 redesign swapped the old multilink rear suspension for a cost-cutting torsion beam that blunts the handling sharpness earlier models were loved for. If you want a refined daily driver that feels expensive and runs forever, this works; if you want the sporty Mazda everyone raves about, hunt down a 2014, 2018 instead.
Which C-Class you're eyeing matters more than the badge. The W204 and W205 generations built the reputation, diesels that shrug off 400,000 kilometers, interiors that age gracefully, the kind of solidity that justifies the star. Then came the 2022 W206 redesign, and Mercedes made a choice: massive touchscreens, competitive EV range, but cheaper cabin materials and climate controls buried in menus you can't safely adjust while driving. Worse, owners of 2023-2024 models report Mercedes abandoning software updates, locking them out of features the 2025s get. If you want a C-Class that feels like the Mercedes you remember, hunt down a clean W205. If screens matter more than switchgear and you can live with some cost-cutting, the W206 does luxury-adjacent competently enough, just know the trade you're making.