Are you in the market for a new car? Check out my experience driving the 2017 Mazda3 Grand Touring on a roadtrip to Santa Barbara. 

Normally when I test drive a car, I try to write about it shortly afterwards so that you can get my fresh thoughts. I just realized that I never shared my roadtrip in the 2017 Mazda3 Grand Touring!

Back in February, I drove it from my house to Santa Barbara for an event, and then back home. It was my first solo roadtrip in a while, so I was excited for the quiet drive.

I loaded my belongings up in the trunk and had plenty of space to spare. There'd be enough space for my family to pack for a short roadtrip.

The Mazda3 Grand Touring looks a lot like a station wagon, but without the option of extra seats in the back. It's more sleek and stylish than a station wagon, though. I wouldn't mind driving it regularly.

I had a really great time driving the 2017 Mazda3 Grand Touring down and then back up the mountain. It handled really well on the turns and the brakes were responsive. It was a fun drive!

The front seat was plenty comfortable for my drive on the freeway too. I fit well in the driver's seat and the steering wheel was comfortable.

On the drive home, it was raining torrentially to the point where I thought I might need to pull over. Everyone on the freeway was driving about 25 miles per hour with no traffic it was so bad! The Mazda3 handled really well, and I felt safe so I continued through it.

Unfortunately I wasn't a fan of how the GPS/entertainment system was set up. I'm used to driving cars with touch screens, so using a knob and buttons seemed a bit outdated and cumbersome. The screen was also much smaller than I've become accustomed to.

As far as gas mileage goes, the 2017 Mazda3 Grand Touring is rated at 30 mpg (26 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway). Not too shabby, but not the best either.

I think the 2017 Mazda3 Grand Touring would be great for a young, single adult or a small family that doesn't need to haul a lot of gear. Other than the GPS/entertainment system, I thought it was a nice car that was really fun to drive.

Have you driven a 2017 Mazda3 Grand Touring yet? What did you think?

The post Santa Barbara Roadtrip in the 2017 Mazda3 Grand Touring appeared first on Happy Mothering.