Mazda’s stylish compact faces multiple challenges
Mazda North America has just released its October sales results, and it’s bad news for the company’s compact 3 Sedan and 3 Hatchback. Renowned for its premium interior, stylish design, and enjoyable driving dynamics, the Mazda 3 is still an excellent choice in its class, but it now faces a triad of threats. Not only are sales of this Mazda down, but the car’s age and the impact of tariffs now all count against it. Rivals like the Honda Civic are also fresher, all of which means the current 3 may not stick around for much longer.
Related: U.S. Tariffs Create a Dramatic Shift in Mazda’s Strategy
Mazda 3’s October Sales Fall
Mazda
Sales for the Mazda 3 totaled 1,440 units in October 2025, which includes both sedans and hatchbacks. Compared to October 2024, this figure represents a decline of 58.7%. October sales of the sedan (920) and hatchback (520) were down by 62.6% and 49.7%, respectively.
While the Mazda 3 has never been the top-selling car in its segment, these numbers are still concerning; Honda sold 17,907 Civics last month, for example.
Now in its fourth generation, the current Mazda 3 went into production in 2019, so it’s one of the older vehicles in its class. Since then, it hasn’t received a major refresh, although a lot of that likely has to do with the car’s clean, timeless design, which has aged gracefully. Still, there are now much newer rivals in this class like the Honda Civic, Kia K4, and Nissan Sentra.
The 3 lacks an efficient hybrid option, an increasingly glaring omission from the lineup.
Related: 2026 Mazda3 Prices Jump — Should You Grab A 2025 Model Instead?
The Impact of Tariffs
Besides declining sales, the Mazda 3 is vulnerable to tariffs. Along with the CX-30 crossover, the Mazda 3 is built in Mexico and imported to the United States. As per an Automotive News report in August, an effective tax rate of 23% applies to the Mazda 3. To counter the impact of these tariffs, Mazda said it would be lowering the output of low-profit models from Japan and Mexico, choosing instead to prioritize higher-margin crossovers like the CX-70 and CX-90.
These decisions directly impact the smaller 3, and the effect can be seen in the rapidly declining sales of the model.
Final Thoughts
It’s disappointing to see an accomplished vehicle like the fourth-gen Mazda 3 record such poor sales, but in its current form, the odds are stacked against it. There’s no sign yet of an all-new model, but at the very least, the 3 needs a significant refresh to maintain interest.
Beyond that, Mazda may be considering other options for where to build the 3, given the impact of tariffs, but will it be prepared to invest so much in the car considering the greater popularity of crossovers?
Ford has already discontinued the Focus and Volkswagen has scrapped the non-GTI/R Golf in this market. We fear the Mazda 3 may be headed down the same path, which would be a loss for anyone who enjoys a stylish, attainable, and quality compact car.