All the non-car people associate "Mazda" with "rust". If they improved the warranty and rust protection, they should advertise it now!!
Interestingly I am hearing less about the rust issues these days and more and more about the harsh ride and noise in the cabin. A couple of people at my work both bought new cars lately, both had the 3 on their list and both hated it. One didn't like it at all for the aforementioned reasons plus what she described as lousy visibility (said the same about a Sonata and Elantra she drove; ended up buying a Jetta) while the other really thought it seemed tinny and hard riding, and ended up in a Cruze. Mass-market compact suspensions need not be tuned like a sportscar.
Good points, Greg, but the Mazda 3 is sold on its fun to drive handling characteristics. There are lots of cars in the class that offer a smooth ride for less money than the 3, but that is not Mazda's market. I drove a 2014 GX Sport automatic with the 2.0 and automatic and it was a real blast to drive. Lots of power, excellent transmission and accurate steering. Very nice to drive but a smooth rider it was not. I didn't mind but the roads here are pretty smooth. I can also see why people would take the Cruze as it is a nice car at a low price, but that is not the Mazda's market.