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.
Standard all-wheel drive in a compact hatchback makes this the default choice for snow-belt buyers who don't want an SUV, but Subaru killed the $22k base trim, so now you're starting at $27k and wondering why you're not in a sharper Civic or Mazda3. The real problem is internal: the Crosstrek is the same car with a lift kit, and it outsells the Impreza by a landslide because ground clearance photographs better than handling does. The powertrain feels a half-step behind rivals, the infotainment lags, and if you live somewhere it doesn't snow, you're funding capability you'll never use. Buy this if winter traction matters more than driving enjoyment and you genuinely prefer the lower center of gravity, otherwise, the Civic is quicker, more efficient, and costs less to insure.