2026 Mazda3 Sedan 2.5 S
MSRP $25,885 including destination and delivery, and the least expensive way into a Mazda3 Sedan. Eight-speaker Mazda Harmonic Acoustics audio and the 186-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5 are standard here. This trim is front-wheel drive — i-ACTIV AWD® does not arrive until the 2.5 S Carbon Edition, and the turbocharged engine not until the trim above that.
What the 2.5 S Carries as Standard
This is the bottom rung, so the useful question is what you already have. Two of the five trims above it change the drivetrain and one of those changes the engine as well — but the audio system, the safety suite and the body are the same here as at the top of the ladder.
Eight Speakers, Standard
Mazda Harmonic Acoustics eight-speaker audio is standard on every Mazda3 Sedan trim this model year, starting here. It is not something the ladder above sells back to you — only the Bose upgrade on the flagship sits above it.
186 Horsepower on Regular Fuel
The naturally aspirated SKYACTIV®-G 2.5, 186 hp and 186 lb-ft, running on regular unleaded. Three of the five trims use this engine; only the flagship carries the turbocharged one, and it asks for premium fuel.
30 MPG Combined
27 mpg city and 36 mpg highway on the front-wheel-drive 2.5 S — the highest combined figure in the Mazda3 Sedan range, and it belongs to the cheapest trim rather than to anything above it.
Front-Wheel Drive
Worth being plain about, because the CX-family Mazdas are not built this way: the 2.5 S is front-wheel drive. i-ACTIV AWD® is standard on the 2.5 S Carbon Edition and the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus and is not offered on this trim at any price.
Where This Trim Sits
Five trims, two engines and two drivetrains. This is the bottom rung, so the trims compared here are the two directly above it, which are the ones a 2.5 S shopper is usually still weighing — the full ladder, the colour palette and the rest of the specifications are on the Mazda3 Sedan model page.
2.5 S
2.5 S Select Sport
2.5 S Preferred
Choose the 2.5 S If…
Front-wheel drive suits how and where you drive, and the eight-speaker audio, the safety suite and 30 mpg combined are the parts of a Mazda3 Sedan you actually wanted. Nothing above this trim makes the car roomier or thriftier.
Choose a Trim Above It If…
You want i-ACTIV AWD® or the turbocharged engine. Neither is available on this trim at any price: all-wheel drive starts at the 2.5 S Carbon Edition, and the 250-hp turbo only comes on the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus.
Other Mazda3 Sedan Trims in Detail
MSRP includes destination and delivery. Excludes tax, title, license, a $895 dealer documentary service fee and a $16.50 tag fee.
What Every Trim Already Carries
Worth stating plainly, because it is half of the decision: the items below are the same on this trim and on the four above it. The drivetrain and the engine are the two things that genuinely do change up this ladder — everything here does not.
Eight Speakers, Standard
- Mazda Harmonic Acoustics eight-speaker audio from the 2.5 S up
- Standard lineup-wide this model year, not a trim upgrade
- A Bose upgrade available on the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus
Five Seats, 13.2 Cu Ft
- Five passengers, four doors
- 13.2 cu ft of trunk space
- The hatchback body carries a materially larger 20.1 cu ft behind its rear seat
AWD on Two of Five Trims
- i-ACTIV AWD® standard on the 2.5 S Carbon Edition and the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus
- Every other trim is front-wheel drive
- Unlike the CX-family Mazdas, all-wheel drive here is a trim choice rather than standard equipment
- 3-yr/36,000-mile basic and 5-yr/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
The 2.5 S at Dean McCrary Mazda
The 2.5 S is the bottom of the five-trim Mazda3 Sedan ladder at MSRP $25,885, including destination and delivery. The next trim up, the 2.5 S Select Sport, is MSRP $26,775. This trim is front-wheel drive with the 186-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5, and it carries the eight-speaker Mazda Harmonic Acoustics audio that is standard across the range. Dean McCrary Mazda stocks the Mazda3 Sedan lineup on the I-65 Service Road in Mobile.
Is the Entry Trim Enough?
For a front-wheel-drive shopper, mostly yes. The 2.5 S has the same eight-speaker audio, the same body, the same 13.2 cu ft trunk and the same warranty as every trim above it, and its 30 mpg combined is the highest figure in the range. What it does not have is comfort equipment — heated seats and a power driver’s seat arrive on the 2.5 S Preferred — and, more importantly, it does not have all-wheel drive. i-ACTIV AWD® is standard on the 2.5 S Carbon Edition and the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus and is not an option anywhere else in the lineup, so if you want it, the trim is the only way to get it.
Trim mix on the ground changes week to week. Ask our team which 2.5 S cars are in stock and which are in transit, or start with the 2.5 S inventory and the rest of the Mazda3 Sedan lineup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Mazda3 Sedan 2.5 S?⌄
MSRP $25,885, including destination and delivery, and it is where the Mazda3 Sedan ladder starts. The next trim up, the 2.5 S Select Sport, is MSRP $26,775. MSRP excludes tax, title, license, the dealer documentary service fee and the tag fee.
What comes standard on the 2.5 S?⌄
The 186-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5 on regular fuel, front-wheel drive, eight-speaker Mazda Harmonic Acoustics audio and Mazda’s standard safety suite. The trunk is 13.2 cu ft and the EPA rating is 30 mpg combined, 27 city and 36 highway.
Is the 2.5 S quicker than the trims above it?⌄
No. The 250-hp SKYACTIV®-G 2.5 Turbo on the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus makes 64 more horsepower and 134 lb-ft more torque than this trim’s naturally aspirated engine. It is the one genuine performance step on this ladder, and it is at the top of it.
Is all-wheel drive available on the 2.5 S?⌄
No. The 2.5 S is front-wheel drive and i-ACTIV AWD® is not offered on it. All-wheel drive is standard on two trims only — the 2.5 S Carbon Edition and the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus — which is the opposite of how the CX-family Mazdas are configured.
Does the 2.5 S carry less than the trims above it?⌄
No. The trunk is 13.2 cu ft and there are five seats on every Mazda3 Sedan trim, this one included. Cargo space is a body-style difference here, not a trim one — the hatchback body carries 20.1 cu ft behind its rear seat.
Where does the 2.5 S sit in the Mazda3 Sedan lineup?⌄
At the bottom of five trims. The ladder runs MSRP $25,885 here, MSRP $26,775 on the 2.5 S Select Sport, MSRP $28,525 on the 2.5 S Preferred, MSRP $30,850 on the 2.5 S Carbon Edition and MSRP $38,175 on the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus. All-wheel drive does not arrive until the 2.5 S Carbon Edition, and the turbocharged engine not until the trim above that.
Where can I see a 2.5 S near Mobile, AL?⌄
Dean McCrary Mazda is at 1739 E I-65 Service Rd S in Mobile, on the I-65 Service Road. Ask our team which 2.5 S cars are on the ground and which are in transit — trim mix moves week to week, and the equipment above is set by trim rather than by an option package.
