Some automakers, like Tesla and Lincoln, offer some pretty satisfying vehicles. Those that are labeled as not so satisfying would include Infiniti and Ford’s EcoSport, which few people seem to like. But Mazda offers cars in both categories. 

Consumer Reports released a report of vehicles that satisfy its owners and those that don’t. Mazda’s MX-5 Miata fell in the satisfying column, while the CX-3 landed in the unsatisfying. How did they determine this, and what made each of these vehicles satisfying or unsatisfying? 

How was this owner satisfaction survey determined?

Consumer Reports sends out surveys every year to owners of various vehicles with various model years. Some of the questions asked, on the survey, refer to a few different categories relating to their experience with their vehicles. 

Each category gets a score from 100 possible points. The scores will show you how satisfied or not satisfied they are with their purchases. Things the survey asks relate to its driving experience, comfort level, styling, and value. They’ll also offer whether they liked the vehicle enough to buy it again.

Consumer Reports will use data from one to three-year-old vehicles to calculate the predicted owner satisfaction score. They do this to help any potential buyers consider which vehicles are consistently performing well and which ones are leaving owners in the dust. Then they can decide whether that car, truck, or SUV is worth spending their money on.

Which Mazda vehicle was the most satisfying?

The 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata, which Consumer Reports gave an overall score of 87 out of 100 points, impressed owners quite a bit. According to the annual survey data, the Miata’s driving experience received the most praise with a 95 out of 100 score.

Owners weren’t too happy with the comfort level, though, and it ultimately got a 43 out of 100 possible points. Consumer Reports said that the car could get a bit jittery when driving for too long, which made it a little unpleasant to ride in. They also thought the car was noisy, no matter if the top was up or down.

When it comes to value, owner ratings fell within the 70 out of 100 range, which is pretty average. Consumer Reports stated that if you chose the Club version, it would give you the most value for your money in this lineup.

When asked if they buy again, 88% of owners said they would. This is a clear sign of how many people are satisfied with the Miata.

Which Mazda was the least satisfying?

The Mazda CX-3, which Consumer Reports gave an overall score of 73 out of 100 points, failed to impress its owners. According to Consumer Reports, it only got a 2 out of 5. The worst category was its comfort. It only received a 43 out of 100 score. 

Consumer Reports felt the ride wasn’t great, but it was tolerable. There was too much road noise in the cabin, especially if you travel long distances. There also wasn’t much elbow room for the driver and passenger, and the seats weren’t very comfortable either. 

The best area was its styling, which it got a 74 rating. The Mazda CX-3 is handsome, according to Consumer Reports. Driving was average with a score of 70, but the value fell flat. It only received a rating of 56. 

Consumer Reportrs loved the way the car drove. Handling and agility impressed them more than its exterior styling. They felt it was fun to drive, but interior space being a bit cramped took away from the experience. When owners were asked if they would buy it again, only 52% said they would. 

This doesn’t automatically make the CX-3 a bad car, but it definitely note-worthy that almost half of all the people surveyed wouldn’t buy the car again. This could mean taking the time to compare the CX-3 to other options in the class, to make sure you’re absolutely sold.

Mazda wowed not only Consumer Reports but also owners as well with its MX-5 Miata and a few other models. But not all of its models are up to snuff, though. The CX-3 will have to do better to stay out of the least satisfying vehicle category.