I just recently purchased a 2017 3 S Grand Touring Sedan with Premium Equipment Package and i-Active Safety Package. Traded in my 2014 3 S Touring. If anyone is interested here are a few things I notice that are different in 3 years time.
-- Driver seat considerably more comfortable than 2014 driver seat. The real leather seat cushions just feel better overall and the bolstering is better
-- Love the new center console
-- The brown accent color is more subtle than what I have seen in pictures.
-- The full color HUD is considerable improvement over the green HUD - more information available when used with NAV
-- The gas pedal feels much lighter than the 2014. Don't know if anyone else felt like the earlier gas pedals had excessive resistance but the 2017 feels easier to push.
-- Steering feels a little lighter also - less effort at low speeds
-- Really like the LED headlights. Much brighter than the HID in the 2014.
-- Overall driving feel is about the same. I don't feel the G-Vectoring feature but then again I have pushed the car too hard yet.
-- Infotainment appears to respond faster, maybe a hardware improvement? Don't know how to verify. Version 59.00.033 installed
-- MOST Important - to me - Mazda finally included door storage. I missed that the whole time I drove my 2014.
-- Bluetooth pairing of my phone seemed faster also.
-- BOSE stereo - decent for what it is but no audible difference over 2014
-- I still use iPOD classic for music so the placement of USB hookups at front center console and exposed is a disappointment. In time I will find a way to hide the iPOD.
-- Wish there was mechanical cooling of the seats but am hoping the perforated leather will help better during the summer vs the leatherette in the 2014
Got any questions, feel free to ask. I'll try to answer em for you.
I'm thinking of buying a UK 2.0 petrol Sport Nav model with the 18" wheels. How do you find the road & engine noise at 70mph compared to the pre-facelift model? Mazda claim to have reduced noise levels so I wonder how successful they have been.