Best Shock absorbers for Mazda 3

I'd consider the KONI STRT if available for the 2012.

I put Bilstein shocks on my 2016. they were a good upgrade in ride quality

Yes, you can use OEM springs with the Bilstein B6. I have them on my MS3 and the ride feels much more planted compared to the stock shocks / struts.

After almost two months and driving 4000 kilometers on varying quality mountain roads, I think I made a good decision when opting for the Koni Special Actives for my 2006 Mazda3. I expected them to be a bit softer, as they are stiffer than the Koni FSD. They are not uncomfortably stiff, shielding people inside the car from harsh roads and speed bumps. The car feels really stable. Summarizing my impressions so far: reduced high frequency noises and jolts, reduced body roll and pitch, increased stability, the car feels more composed even in extreme situations, and feels more premium. The faster I go on bad roads, the smoother it feels.

Our 2013 Mazda 3 has been BULLETPROOF reliable for 185k miles. Never been in the shop once for any reason. Other than normal disposables, I've replaced the shocks at 180k, both front wheel bearings at 150k, and a MAF sensor around 160k. All easy DIY jobs. Also did a serpentine belt/tensioner at 160k. Other than that, just fluids and tires/brakes.

KYB. Used on my gen 1 and worked great. Tried Monroe on another vehicle and they were soft and bouncy, replaced those with KYB also.

2 year later update: finally decided to get new shocks, kyb this time. What a world of difference. No bounce and am using the same bump stops as before.

Maganda ang ride ng Mazda. Pero they placed themselves as as luxury car brand. A friend has an 8-year old 3. Kelangan na palitan ng suspension. She was quoted just under 40K sa casa. Just for shocks replacement.

At 100,000km I did Koni STR.T shocks, Eibach springs and a Progress rear sway bar. It's a riot to drive with decent tires now however I'm not overly impressed with the Konis, they don't have the best small-bump feel but the car feels ridiculously planted 100% of the time and stays flat through corners.

i replaced mine for KYB 2 months ago and it was awful.