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So i came from a 2013 GS SKY to a 2019 GT Sport Premium (canada) FWD. There is something i'm seriously disliking about this car and im having trouble pinpointing it. I find the vehicle a little difficult to throw around if that makes sense. It feels like im pushing a loaded shopping cart through corners. It feels stiff and sluggish. Especially in low speeds for the sluggish issue. Im not sure if the steering ratio is to blame. But this car just doesnt have the road feel, the low end pep/responsiveness of previous generations. So i gotta admit, while the car is amazing on every other front, the actual driving experience feels pretty underwhelming and infact, kinda terrible compared to previous gens. anyone else experiencing this?
 

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2021 Mazda3 GT Sport 2.5T w/ PP
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Can't say I do. I came from a 2010, so the same generation as your old car, and this car feels better to me (AWD version, but same difference...).

It sounds like you should have spent more time on test drives before buying the car (not that that helps you now...).
 

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Sport mode makes a huge difference, and traction off if you are really trying to toss it. Might be the rear suspension change if you feel it is worse than gen 3? What tires on it? How was your previous car set up?
 

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It's the slower steering rack and throttle response. The Gen 3 also had a slower throttle response compared to the Gen 2 but steering was quick and responsive in both. The Gen 4 has a much different steering feel. Putting it in sport mode will help with the throttle response a bit but won't do anything for steering feel.
 

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Steering feel was setup that way to keep people from overturning on the turn in and correcting it midline on the corner. Hence the reason you get the sluggish side. For those of us who've been driving mazda for years it's sluggish, for people who came from a buick, it's sporty without being twitchy. More like a larger volvo so to speak. At least that's how it seems.
 

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I do understand your complaint towards the Gen 4 Mazda 3. It's definitely not as playful as the previous generations but I have no issues with handling or sluggishness. This generation has gotten much more serious and its something you should have spotted during your test drive. The Civic hatch is more playful, feels closer to my old 08 3 GT.
 

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So i came from a 2013 GS SKY to a 2019 GT Sport Premium (canada) FWD. There is something i'm seriously disliking about this car and im having trouble pinpointing it. I find the vehicle a little difficult to throw around if that makes sense. It feels like im pushing a loaded shopping cart through corners. It feels stiff and sluggish. Especially in low speeds for the sluggish issue. Im not sure if the steering ratio is to blame. But this car just doesnt have the road feel, the low end pep/responsiveness of previous generations. So i gotta admit, while the car is amazing on every other front, the actual driving experience feels pretty underwhelming and infact, kinda terrible compared to previous gens. anyone else experiencing this?
So you liked getting a whiplash whenever you hit a bump in the road in your '13?
 

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It's the slower steering rack and throttle response. The Gen 3 also had a slower throttle response compared to the Gen 2 but steering was quick and responsive in both. The Gen 4 has a much different steering feel. Putting it in sport mode will help with the throttle response a bit but won't do anything for steering feel.
also G-vectoring Control, that makes the car transition smoothly, it is the direction Mazda chose to go with the current generation.
 

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Did you turn on the TRAFFIC JAM ASSIST (TJA)?

So i came from a 2013 GS SKY to a 2019 GT Sport Premium (canada) FWD. There is something i'm seriously disliking about this car and im having trouble pinpointing it. I find the vehicle a little difficult to throw around if that makes sense. It feels like im pushing a loaded shopping cart through corners. It feels stiff and sluggish. Especially in low speeds for the sluggish issue. Im not sure if the steering ratio is to blame. But this car just doesnt have the road feel, the low end pep/responsiveness of previous generations. So i gotta admit, while the car is amazing on every other front, the actual driving experience feels pretty underwhelming and infact, kinda terrible compared to previous gens. anyone else experiencing this?
 

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So i came from a 2013 GS SKY to a 2019 GT Sport Premium (canada) FWD. There is something i'm seriously disliking about this car and im having trouble pinpointing it. I find the vehicle a little difficult to throw around if that makes sense. It feels like im pushing a loaded shopping cart through corners. It feels stiff and sluggish. Especially in low speeds for the sluggish issue. Im not sure if the steering ratio is to blame. But this car just doesnt have the road feel, the low end pep/responsiveness of previous generations. So i gotta admit, while the car is amazing on every other front, the actual driving experience feels pretty underwhelming and infact, kinda terrible compared to previous gens. anyone else experiencing this?
Not me.

Canada: '03 Protege 5 > '07 3 Sport GT (premium) > '11 3 Sport GT (premium) > '15 3 Sport GT (premium) > '19 3 Sport GT (premium).

Each one has been slightly different, of course, but each one has been a marked improvement overall relative to its predecessor.

If I had to say anything about the '19 this early, I'd say that it is a markedly more 'refined' car than its predecessor, at the expense of very little if anything in the way of handling (city/highway/rough country backroads). The new one is much, much less fatiguing on multi-day highway trips @ 100--130kmh; the same applies to daily driving in town and on very poor country backroads here at our summer location.

I'm not happy about the early quality issues/recalls, but will live with them.

YMMV.
 

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2019 Mazda 3 Preferred in Machine Grey Metallic
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So i came from a 2013 GS SKY to a 2019 GT Sport Premium (canada) FWD. There is something i'm seriously disliking about this car and im having trouble pinpointing it.
My experience couldn't be more different. I absolutely LOVE this car. In fact, my experience with the car, the company, and the dealership have sold me on abandoning the Honda brand for my next SUV.
 

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2022 Mazda3 pearl white, 2.5L N/A Auto.
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My experience couldn't be more different. I absolutely LOVE this car. In fact, my experience with the car, the company, and the dealership have sold me on abandoning the Honda brand for my next SUV.
I think I have my mom eyeballin the cx-5/cx-50 or the cx-9/90 as a next suv should she buy again. She really liked the cx-5 T loaner I had for the oil change.
 
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