Things I Love About the 2006 Mazda 3 Wagon with Hatchback

We bought our 2006 Mazda 3 about 6 months ago and have loved it. What I love the most about it is that the driver seat can move forward enough that I can reach the pedals comfortably. I am only 4'10" tall so this has always been a challenge for me. In addition, the steering wheel tilts down which gives me full view of the road. In other cars, not only could I not reach the pedals easily, but I could not always see the road in front of me.

I love how spacious it is in the back. We have 2 car seats back there and there is plenty of room in the center for another person or car seat. We usually stash the kids things between their car seats. I really like the pocket on the back of the driver side seat and I wish there was also one on the back of the passenger side.

I love how deep the glove box goes. It also has compartment areas, making it easier to stash car info in one place and essentials in another. Another cool compartment is in the console. It has a deeper level that can hold a regular sized box of tissues as well as some other things and a smaller compartment on top of that that we put keys and pens in. I am really enjoying the design of the cup holders in the center console as well.

Our car came XM ready, although we don't have that. But it's a god thing if we ever choose to subscribe.

We spend about $42 a week in gas, which I hear is really good. We were paying $30 a week in our 2001 Hyundai Accent, but that car was not likable AT ALL.

I love the wagon part of this vehicle because it makes moving larger loads a lot easier. We put a trunk organizer back there to hold things in place and still have plenty of room for groceries and other things.

One thing I don't like about the wagon is that you have to choose between having a flat floor panel or a cover, for privacy, over your things in the back. The floor board in the wagon area doubles as the cover. I wish it came capable of doing both.

We have gotten many comments on how cute the car is, which I love to hear. Our kids even named the car "Blacky" because "she is black." So cute! I would highly recommend this car to any family of 4 who does moderate amounts of driving. It's fun and sporty but reliable and safe at the same time. We love it!