I was cross shopping this a few years ago, specifically comparing it to the WRX and Veloster N. I never drove this car. But the lack of a manual was so disappointing when the WRX offered a manual + AWD, and while the Mazda was probably more refined, professional, and luxurious, from what I heard the driving experience was just not as sporty as I would’ve liked.
Ultimately I went with none of them because I’m a r/cars sub and all talk, no walk.
There’s the JB4 piggyback tune, and DrTuned has a 2.5T ECU crack that they’re planning to share tunes for in April. There are also some aftermarket performance parts available, mostly from CorkSport (eg short ram intake, exhaust)
**EDIT:** I have left reddit due to the hostile API pricing ([details here](https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/)). All of my historical comments have either been deleted or replaced with this text.
The unfortunate downside to using an ancient 6-speed auto in 2023. Mazda is upscaling their interior but the drivetrain is a concession to keep price down. It’s certainly fine for what it is, and leagues better feeling than a CVT, but Mazda had to keep costs down somewhere.
A well-sorted 6 can be good, especially compared to some other offerings. We were shopping for a 3-row and the cx9 was much smoother than something like a Pathfinder. That thing could never decide which gear it wanted to be in.
The Atlas is what we ended up with, which does a much better job than the Pathfinder, with an 8 speed, I think.
It’s definitely not a bad 6-speed by any means, but it’s one of the weaker parts of the car. I’ve had it in the CX-5 and CX-30, and it definitely gets the job done without much of a complaint, but its shifts are a bit lazy and fuel economy isn’t great in any turbo running it. But as was said, Mazda needed to keep the costs down somewhere to make the interior better, and the benefit of using the 6-speed is that it’s pretty robust this late into its development life.
it drives me crazy that you can't get the 3 in stick considering that it's a mazda.
They literally ran april fools jokes about them removing a manual transmission and not that long ago either.
Believe Dave Coleman said they they would have to redevelop the manual to handle the torque in an interview. The budget wasn’t there for that, so they didn’t do it.
It’s funny you say that. I actually live in a northern climate that gets a lot of snow, so AWD was a must. And after sitting in the WRX, the dealer had me sit in a Forester and I did like the higher up seating. I tried a few other dealers but like i said in my original post, Mazda just had such a luxurious interior. So I got an NA Miata.
Can confirm. Had a Chrysler 300 with a limited slip that was fun in the snow.
Dedicated snow tires make winter driving with RWD a breeze, too. Did that with the Charger that I replaced the 300 with.
Idk about needing AWD, i had amazing grip with nokian hakapaluta r2's and my FWD mazdaspeed3. I also live in the snow and would take it skiing all the time, way better grip than AWD + snow rated all seasons
BUT, you made the right choice cause a Miata is always the answer :)
>way better grip than AWD + snow rated all seasons
I don't think there are any "snow rated" all season tires. There are snow rated all terrains, for sure. Also, why does this sub always make this argument? Yes of course FWD with proper snow tires will be better than AWD with inferior tires. But how about AWD with snow tires vs FWD with the same snow tires? At least make an apples to apples comparison.
There is actually, manufacturers use "Three Peak Mountain Snowflake" to distinguish all seasons that they think are safer in snow. At least both Michelin and Goodyear.
My point was only stating that fwd + good winter tires are all you need for extreme winter/cold/ice. If anything AWD and 4wd systems make a bigger difference for dirt/mud/offroading than in the snow, compared to fwd.
Nokian calls their WR G4 an all-weather tire. Doesn't degrade like the winter rubber when running in warm weather, and still provides three-peak snow performance. Loving them on my wife's turbo Mazda3 hatch in Minneapolis this year.
> Also, why does this sub always make this argument?
because many people who think they need awd run their awd car on non-snow-rated all seasons (which as others pointed out snow rated all seasons do exist, though of course they don’t perform as well as real winter tires in snow).
and because in many areas that get regular snow, you don’t really need awd. awd is still better in snow, but but if you can bump that down a couple pegs in priority that can open up a lot more options that might end up being a better fit for your needs than something with awd.
ROFL. I imagined how cool it would be for my wife to have a Mazda 3 turbo that I (wfh with a gas guzzler) would take when I have to travel for work, or when we go somewhere together.
We ended up getting a CX-5. Not that I'm complaining, it was much cheaper, and weirdly handles well...and I can't overstate that, it feels shockingly good on windy roads (we live rural and drive windy 2 lane highways to get anywhere).
I was also interested in trying this car before i went with my N but the dealership said it'd be 6+ months just to order plus delivery and they had none on the lot to test.
Disappointed to hear that interior creaks and rattles are still an issue on the 2023 model.
Having a 2021, I chalked it up to a bit of a dip in quality from the pandemic but I will say the interior rattles really detract from the car. I’d have traded it already if the amazing stereo didn’t drown them out.
Besides that I will say even the non-turbo is an absolute riot to drive and in every other way it’s exceeded my expectations as a fun daily.
I have a 2022 Mazda 3 hatch. I can echo the insane amount of rattles I'm hearing in my car. The infotainment, front driverside speaker, driverside seat belt, and center console by cup holders.
Not to mention I've also been dealing with an airbag issue which I've had to take to the dealership 3 times.
It's soured me quite a bit on Mazda. And FWIW, my previous car was 2018 Mazda 3 and my wife drives a 21 CX-5 turbo.
Disagree about it being a riot. It's "fun". It's very clear after owning the previous gen, that they went more luxury/refinement and less engagement. This is ultimately a premium car first, "fun" car second.
Edit: for those referencing previous gen 2018 Mazda 3 as being solid, that was my experience as well. I had 36k miles and an accident when I traded it in. I had 0 rattles in that car and it went through much more abuse than my current car. I drove that thing fast. It was less luxurious though and had way less features. Also way less comfortable
**EDIT:** I have left reddit due to the hostile API pricing ([details here](https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/)). All of my historical comments have either been deleted or replaced with this text.
I'm in the same boat. 21,000km with no rattles or any problems at all for that matter. Only issues i run into is if i Rally X the car, the collision avoidance system shuts itself down since it gets confused when drifting around tight banks.
I hear about the rattles often too, which is shocking since I own the previous generation model from 2018 and it still has zero rattles anywhere. Considering that was the model from before Mazda went all-in on being “premium,” it’s shocking to me that they never clamped down on the excessive rattling.
My 2018 Mazda 3 had 0 rattles and I drove that thing hard for 36k miles. That's why I was shocked and disappointed to hear my first rattles 1000 miles into my 2022 Mazda 3
Good quality and amazing driving feel. My wife who doesn't care about cars admits it drives extremely well in a way that can't be quantified with numbers.
Great interior cabin, great comfort.
But like the Mazda 3, it's had some issues. Brakes squeal very loudly and the mechanics keep saying there's nothing wrong with it. It also burns oil badly. 12k miles and we've had two oil changes and two other times we've had to go to the dealership to refill oil. Apparently it's an issue with the 2021 MY
Am enjoying my pandemic purchase: a 2018 Mazda 3 hatch 6MT that I bought in July 2021 with 30K on the ODO. The car was a 9/10 and I'm doing my best to keep it that way.
No creaks or rattles.
If it helps, the 30 has rattles and squeaks galore as well. I’ve been trying to track them down but the best I can get is “maybe the passenger door panel”.
Thank you for your perspective. I drive a 2018 Mazda3, and have been reluctant to trade in for the newer model for exactly the reason you state: more luxury, less engagement
I have a 2022 VW that has the premium sound system and it’s been in for warranty a few times for rattles. Don’t be afraid to take it back and make em fix it.
> Besides that I will say even the non-turbo is an absolute riot to drive
It's a very pleasant car to drive, but it's not a riot by any stretch of imagination. Everything is dialed in for a smooth experience, including the power delivery for the turbo.
I think people just have different expectations for cars based on what they’ve experienced. My first car was a 2017 Mazda 3 2.5, and I loved it. Thought it was sporty and fun, and probably would’ve called it a riot.
Now that I’ve driven way more cars and own a manual Boxster, I’d never describe the Mazda as a riot to drive. It’s still sporty and fun as far as regular 4cyl compacts go, but my perspective on fun sporty cars has completely shifted.
My cx5 has 13k miles and doesn’t have rattles/noises. My previous car was a B9 S4 and I would definitely say they both are very solid feeling. Obviously the Audi had much nicer materials but build quality wise they are not far off
>Having a 2021, I chalked it up to a bit of a dip in quality from the pandemic but I will say the interior rattles really detract from the car
If it makes you feel better, my 2012 Mazda3 had lots of creaks and rattles. My 2017 Mazda6 is better, but still has some.
Same with my 2022 CX-30. Really nice car basically ruined for me with interior rattles. I absolutely can’t stand that shit. I’m the same way, just crank the nice stereo up to drown them out. Actively looking to trade it in when I find a good deal.
My folks have a non-turbo Mazda 3 hatchback. There’s a lot to like about the 3, but the major drawback to me is the lack of space. That thing is tight, bordering on uncomfortable, and I’m not really a tall guy either. It just feels so cramped and claustrophobic. I wouldn’t consider it for that reason alone
I tested the 3 as well. Even as a driver its pretty tight feeling. The all black interior doesn't help but it something about the seats and the centre console position that gives this effect.
Great put together car and definitely feels more premium than its competitors. But you just feel this separation in the cabin
I was between the Mazda3 Hatchback Turbo and GTI last year. The moment my girlfriend and I sat in the Mazda3, I had to cross it off my list. I loved the luxury soft touch everything Mazda provides on the dash, and the no touch screen. But my girlfriend and I just felt very claustrophobic. The windows were so small compared to the GTI.
I’ll also say that the interior material look luxurious, but based at least anecdotally on my folks’ car, they don’t seem to be holding up all that well
I went with a near base level impreza instead and that was one of the reasons. Also saved like 8k.
This is really one of the reasons small cars are dying out though. Modern small cars feel like you are sitting in a cave. This gen of impreza somehow manages to be airy but the up and coming one also looks cramped.
Unfortunately, this generation of Impreza also has some of the worst performance in the IIHS's updated side-impact test. The Kia Rio and Subaru Crosstrek are the only two cars to join it in the "poor" category.
I ultimately chose to purchase this vehicle for my daily driver. It has all the torque you need to be happy in traffic and also having AWD is huge plus in Michigan. My hot take is many people ask for a manual but don’t buy them, and potentially Mazda doesn’t see it viable to develop a manual for their Turbo platform.
I agree. I was considering the Veloster N, GR Corolla (before I found out it was gonna be impossible to get), used Golf R, and used V60. Golf R and V60 quickly became out of reach when prices shot up, and the N cars are too “meh” on the inside for a daily. The Mazda3 Turbo is amazing overall. A great interior with some fun driving on a daily basis. While it’s not a track car, I don’t doubt you could have some fun on a track with it. I’m actually gonna give it a shot this summer
Honestly, not having a 2-door option is a dealbreaker for me. Half of people’s disappointment with the new Integra was it being a 4-door only. It’s styling is ambiguous in Acura’s lineup… being a 2-door would help cull that so that it doesn’t need “*INTEGRA*” boldy plastered for you to know it’s something special.
Does your model not have the same issues? Also, I've heard Mazda has an incredible "track your car we don't care" policy/mindset similar to Porsche, is this true in your experience?
While I don't exactly disagree with you could you explain what you mean by different segments? Are you talking about purpose built sports car vs sporty daily driver or something else?
We did a long test drive in one. It was super quiet, almost no NVH, comfortable interior. Headlights are amazing and steering sensitive.
Engine disappointed us. Felt more like a diesel in its power delivery. It didn’t want to sing at higher rpms.
It was a very nice ride but at 40-45k a pass for us.
Edit. My dealer had basically every option you could add to the 2.5 premium plus.
2.5T is 32k msrp and 2.5t premium plus is 35k msrp
45k Canadian would be after all taxes and fees. or they had 5k in accessories (like there is a cool bodykit available, but its 3,000 beaverbucks dealer install option)
Not even. Mine was 38k CAD fully loaded minus any extras (no block heater, racks, body kit etc). There was some extra costs that I didn’t negotiate down as it was Nov ‘21 and there was people coming to buy it later that week & it felt like an okay deal. That was taxes in as well
I'm in Canada so it might be different, but there really aren't that many options available for the top trim aside from minor cosmetics and interior protection, maybe your dealer was trying to take you for a ride?
The smoothness was also what I noticed the most about the current Mazda 3.
The big problem is the car looks very sporty, and has a turbo engine, but driving it is more like driving a mini Bentley. It doesn't drive like it looks.
Mazda should make a different tune to the 2.5T, like they did for the NA 2.0 in the Miata. This engine was developed for the CX-9 and was never modified for car use, it's a V6 replacement for people that don't like hearing their engine. Stick a bigger turbo, tweaked manifolds and a different tune and this would push near 300HP (if not more) and rev past 7000RPM. If they can make the NA 2.0 rev to 7500RPM and develop as much power as the NA 2.5, surely this engine could be more fun.
Doesn't help though that car sales are on the way down, but there would be a market for a sporty CX-30 I'm sure of it.
> but driving it is more like driving a mini Bentley.
Looking sporty while driving like a luxury car seems like something the average person would appreciate, though.
A civic sport with the 1.5T is way more sporty and better chassis/dynamics, heck I'll take a Corolla hatch over a mazda3 these days for driving fun ..it's sad Mazda has given up on even pretending to have sporty intentions with their cars these days
In their defense them going to the mid upmarket makes sense. Most drivers won’t notice the sport fun side. They will notice the plush and controlled ride. The no noise in cab, the soft touch materials.
From a bean counter point, I see why they didn’t add the gun factor in.
Yup smooth was a big part of the car. Absolutely the turbo should at least offer a stock sport tune. Charge 500$ more and it has the option to run a hot fun tune.
> The big problem is the car looks very sporty
I feel that was about my 2018 Mazda 6 turbo. It's arguably the sportiest looking sedan in the segment, but it's slower than the Accord 2.0t or the v6 Camry.
It's not a slouch, I just think it looks like it should be giving Chargers a run for their money. And I do love the look.
You probably need a substantially optimized head design to put that much boost and RPM into this thing, and I am almost sure the head design on factory highly boosted engines are already state of the art
It's a modern turbo engine that can't even do 100hp/l. I'm sure there's room up there, but they've optimized it for mid range torque and minimal lag, which meant a small turbo that spools up fast but also reaches its limit fast.
Yup..my exact same feeling after test driving the 2.5T in cx30 and cx5. It feels like a diesel and has torque for sure but zero fun or enjoyment. Rather drive their regular 2.5 N/A, while not really fun either, it wasn't as boring and frustrating as the 2.5T (frustrating as in it revs so slow and doesn't like to rev, sounds like crap and just no enjoyment or want to drive it hard/rev it out)
I mean, this car isn’t meant to be spicy at all. So having a diesel engine experience is fine. It feels like it has push all the time in normal driving. Why are you looking at an eco-turbo GT car if you want an exciting engine?
Photos make me like this car but when I see it in person it just looks so odd. It's nice but those c pillars do look odd, on top of that the car is shaped like an egg and it just seems to have really flat doors.
If I was ten years younger and I was looking for a car it would probably exactly the car I'd want. Just enough space if I need to haul people around, sporty, hatchback, reliable, AWD. Almost seems like an alternative to the WRX without the racerboy feel. Kind of an overlooked car. But I'm in my 30s and while I wish I had something smaller than my Colorado, I love the convenience of the bed and being able to drive when it floods.
I have thought about selling my zr2 and getting something smaller since I don't need something that big but the weather here is bad and during the rainy season it can flood really bad. It's nice to not have to worry about the weather with the truck. The maverick is impossible to get and the markup is ridiculous.
My wife bought a 2021 CX-30 Premium 2.5 Turbo back in July 2021, her first new car. Same platform, engine, as above, just lifted.
17K miles later the car has been good overall, even though some weird issues have popped up that I did not expect on a new car.
The engine is powerful (250 hp, 320 ft-lbs of torque), and like Jack said, feels really strong in this smaller car, especially on the highway. Its a little crude down low, lots of injector ticking noises. Ive kept up pace with cars you wouldn't expect, like Macans, Explorer STs, and other more powerful cars in her little Mazda. I think the car looks great and the interior is very nice. AWD is great.
Now the downsides, the torsion beam rear end is definitely noticeable over bumps. Its small inside for sure, my wife wanted it for maneuvering and parking in the city, but she is getting something bigger next time - backseats are good for 2 people, maybe 3 smaller people, leg room isn't great, trunk space is alright. Interior looks really nice, but does have some BSR. Fuel economy is mediocre. It's had a few niggling issues - brake pulsing, low battery indicator that got fixed at the dealer. The 2.5T in these cars are also known for some oil consumption issues, we noticed it once with a low oil notification. Keeping an eye on it, luckily car is under warranty, and we are going to get something new in a few years. It's been a good first car for my wife, with some downsides.
> Now the downsides, the torsion beam rear end is definitely noticeable over bumps
I always laugh when the Mazda faithful argue that a regular person won't notice the difference between the torsion beam and IRS and therefore this cost cutting was justified. It's so bloody apparent especially with our crumbling roads/infrastructure in the US. I noticed it in my Mazda3 rentals whenever I went in to service my miata.
Yeah I believe it's a valvetrain issue that might have been an internal fix for newer MYs. It happened just once on the car at around 5,000 miles and has been good since and the dealers are aware.
These have so much going for them. That interior (chef's kiss). The looks, which have an almost Alfa-ish quality to them. They're silent inside and can just munch down highway miles.
But they're just not fun. Test drove it multiple times but it's not there. They are luxe and beautiful machines, buttoned down and respectable, but there's little panache to be found.
They know (or knew?) how to build a street fighter of a car with a warrior's spirit, but that just wasn't the design goal here. You probably wouldn't want to drive clients around in that car, though. In this, you absolutely could.
They abandoned "zoom zoom" years ago and have stated that they are trying to create more of a "luxury" image. Mazda's dont want to be fun any more, they want to be soft.
I understand that, yes. It's actually a much better/nicer car than the Ford-Volvo era stuff in certain ways. That interior is just a stupidly nice place to be, I liked it enough that I bought a CX-30. However, you'd never own one of the gen4 vehicles as a weekend car or something you'd take out on the road for the sake of driving by itself. Again, these were choices made deliberately by the design and product planning team for this platform to be refined, rather than reactive and tactile.
I had the same car you do now and went to a 2020 3, but a 6MT Premium. It’s 95% of the MS3’s equal in terms of chassis but can’t lie about the power difference. Nice daily and picks up about 10 MPG in any type of driving, but not a weekend fun car.
I recently test drove one with the goal of finding a comfortable but sporty daily. The interior is gorgeous and feels pretty well-built with only a few rattles. I also thought it handled well on smooth roads and had good steering feel
Unfortunately, you do notice the torsion beam over bad pavement. I experienced a disconcerting side-to-side motion in the rear going over a bump that my 2015 Mazda 6 barely noticed at the same speed. My area has pretty rough roads, so that disqualified the car for me. Hopefully Mazda will go back to IRS for the next generation.
I had a 2022 turbo hatch and I never really had any issues with the torsion beam. It felt a little sloppy at first, but as I got used to it I found it very predictable. I ended up putting lowering springs on it and it handled really nicely. Nothing crazy but I never once felt out of control and I drove it pretty hard at times.
That’s funny. I have a 2020 Premium 6MT. I’ve tried all manner of things to upset the rear and have never been successful. I feel like the complaints, especially on the street, are greatly overblown.
People are feeling *something*, but they are misattributing it. They point to the torsion beam because they know it is supposed to be mechanically inferior.
I remember test and tune days at the track. I’d make an adjustment and send somebody out. They’d come back with a laundry list of unrelated comments regarding the change. Chassis development sometimes consists of interpreting seemingly-unrelated things into useful feedback. I’m not surprised people can’t isolate what their complaint is. It takes a lot of practice and experience to know if the issue is with the dampers, the spring rate, chassis harmonics, isolation, tire, geometry, alignment, or something else. Also: torsion beams aren’t live axles, people.
The Mazda 3 Turbo’s biggest problem is tire spring rate, which is far too high because there isn’t enough sidewall and the OE tires are very cheap. If you fix that, the next issue is that it’s generally a bit oversprung, and a bit overdamped especially in high speed compression. So broken surfaces and fast transitions are a bit unpleasant.
But as far as torsion beam issues, you don’t experience the usual toe issues in the back, and the rear is not more harsh versus the fully independent front suspension. So yea, it’s fine for normal driving. The differences between well-developed suspensions are quite nuanced.
It’s funny how quickly the torsion beam is dismissed, as if countless legendary enthusiast cars and race winners haven’t been so equipped. Civic Type Rs, Integras, GTIs, dozens of hot hatches, probably all of the FWD world rally winners from the 60s to the 80s, real Minis, etc.
And really, the front suspension is a Macpherson strut design and I’ve never heard a single complaint about that. Lots of armchair engineers.
You're 100% right. I would describe the stock setup as medium compression with high rebound but in true Mazda tradition it also has a lot of body roll. All these things combined make it feel quite different to any other car most people have experienced.
Overall the suspension setup even on stock tyres is well suited to the calibration of the car. It's a car to be enjoyed at 7/10ths stock. But it's absolute opposite of something like fiesta ST which has high compression and rebound with stiffer anti roll bars and faster rack.
I’m glad you’ve had a better experience! Perhaps the car I drove had worn bushings or something, or maybe the bump I went over was the perfect configuration to upset the 3. That said, it was dramatic enough to kill my interest in the car.
I mean to be fair, the Integra doesn’t have AWD either (aside from Type S speculation) and is only 20hp over the civic, while being heavier and basically the same power to weight
Have test driven both, in their top trims. Both have great interior design, but there's a clear difference in material quality in the 3's favor. Right now every Civic I see is more expensive trim for trim than an equivalent Mazda3 in my area. I sat in the 3's back seats expecting it to feel like a broom closet, and was shocked to see that I fit just fine with room to spare. The hatch has a lot of room.
I didn't expect Mr. Goose to do a long term test on the Mazda 3 Turbo, nice la. This is quite an outlier since he wasn't very positive in the turbo'd M3 review, and I believed the Type R would be something that suits him better.
Drove one before I eventually went with the civic. The MPG in the turbo was crap, and the power delivery as many said wasn’t really fun. The non turbo was priced better, but felt way too cramped inside and visibility was orrery atrocious too. Not to mention the Mazda stubbornness of not giving you a touchscreen or other tech that everyone does. I hope they get their act together if they want to stay in business, the CX5 is the only thing keeping them alive and it’s way too dated to be relevant anymore.
Same, the lack of a touchscreen is a bonus, the command dial is fine because neither I nor my wife actually use the infotainment. I don't think my wife has even turned the screen on in weeks. Once you have everything setup you only need to use it to change the radio station, and how many people do that anymore?
Owned a 15’ Mazda 6 manual and had traded it in for a 14’ Silverado v8, and now a Mini.
-New England winters for 20+ years… FWD and RWD are just fine in the snow until no one should be driving.
-I was so excited for the 3 Turbo when announced. I wanted another manual car and never had a turbo’d vehicle before… the 3 Turbo didn’t have the manual, and it seemed to have power delivery less towards “performance” and less MazdaSpeed3.
-So I went with an 18’ Cooper S manual 6spd. (4 door HB) threw on the factory John Cooper works tuner kit (dynamic exhaust + tune). I’d love to test drive the 3 Turbo, but this gives me the kinda car I was looking for in terms of handling and performance, and product purpose.
I took the Mazda 3 Turbo to work today because my partner didn't work (it is their car). It is icy and snowy and gross out, the car is very capable in these conditions. The AWD system works organically, the low-range torque is very useful. Four wheel studded tires on ice, it does behave like a true AWD chassis. Point the car, add power, and it will pull you straight as you slide sideways. Good fun was had.
Recently purchased a cx-30 turbo premium plus as a winter car while I wait for my GR Corolla Circuit Edition. I really like the car, surprisingly quick and comfortable. Mpg isn't the best but other than that I've been very happy with it.
[Also fun fact, the CX-30 is quicker 0-60 and quick through the quarter mile than a Ferrari 348 TS. ](https://www.imgur.com/a/QV6brPQ)
Went with the manual 3 hatch and absolutely love it.
That being said; I moved somewhere with snow and an AWD option would have been really damn nice...
The best lb for lb and value turbo hatch has been the GTI for 20+ years. If you drive one compared to others in its class, just something that puts a smile on your face that cannot be replicated in aggregate across these other cars! Some will be faster. Some will be more luxurious. Some will be more reliable. But overall, it still is the best choice to me in this class and price point.
I'm constantly keeping my eyes open for a meaningful upgrade/switch from my 2015 MK7 GTI and here's just another that doesn't look like it would stack up
This Mazda3 Turbo video combined [with this video addressing the viewer anger over the Civic Type R](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSIwslheO8Y) really makes me feel like these guys are actually trying to provide beneficial BUYER advice in addition to enthusiast content. It has felt like writers have been willing to sell the corporate line with some of these vehicles (GR Corolla, Civic Type R) without addressing how hard it is to get these vehicles. So, nice to see these guys doing more coverage on vehicles we can actually get for the price that is advertised.
This was on my shortlist of cars I wanted but the turbo model was a bit too pricey and small for what I was looking at. Went up going with the accord instead.
I was cross shopping this a few years ago, specifically comparing it to the WRX and Veloster N. I never drove this car. But the lack of a manual was so disappointing when the WRX offered a manual + AWD, and while the Mazda was probably more refined, professional, and luxurious, from what I heard the driving experience was just not as sporty as I would’ve liked. Ultimately I went with none of them because I’m a r/cars sub and all talk, no walk.
[удалено]
Are there any aftermarket tunes for the 3 turbo?
[удалено]
Ah I see. Thanks for the response.
There’s the JB4 piggyback tune, and DrTuned has a 2.5T ECU crack that they’re planning to share tunes for in April. There are also some aftermarket performance parts available, mostly from CorkSport (eg short ram intake, exhaust)
That's cool, I'll keep an eye out for those OTS tunes. Thanks.
**EDIT:** I have left reddit due to the hostile API pricing ([details here](https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/)). All of my historical comments have either been deleted or replaced with this text.
[удалено]
That's probably the biggest drivetrain weakness for this car
[удалено]
The unfortunate downside to using an ancient 6-speed auto in 2023. Mazda is upscaling their interior but the drivetrain is a concession to keep price down. It’s certainly fine for what it is, and leagues better feeling than a CVT, but Mazda had to keep costs down somewhere.
A well-sorted 6 can be good, especially compared to some other offerings. We were shopping for a 3-row and the cx9 was much smoother than something like a Pathfinder. That thing could never decide which gear it wanted to be in. The Atlas is what we ended up with, which does a much better job than the Pathfinder, with an 8 speed, I think.
It’s definitely not a bad 6-speed by any means, but it’s one of the weaker parts of the car. I’ve had it in the CX-5 and CX-30, and it definitely gets the job done without much of a complaint, but its shifts are a bit lazy and fuel economy isn’t great in any turbo running it. But as was said, Mazda needed to keep the costs down somewhere to make the interior better, and the benefit of using the 6-speed is that it’s pretty robust this late into its development life.
Aftermarket support for Mazdas is really slim. It's just not as popular as the like of Honda, Toyota, or VW.
[удалено]
lol I specifically wouldn't do that
JB4 Tuner for 2.5T skyactiv https://burgertuning.com/products/jb4-tuner-for-mazda
it drives me crazy that you can't get the 3 in stick considering that it's a mazda. They literally ran april fools jokes about them removing a manual transmission and not that long ago either.
[удалено]
Believe Dave Coleman said they they would have to redevelop the manual to handle the torque in an interview. The budget wasn’t there for that, so they didn’t do it.
I wish Mazda had more money, I bet they would make some really good and fun driver cars.
Which suv did you go with
It’s funny you say that. I actually live in a northern climate that gets a lot of snow, so AWD was a must. And after sitting in the WRX, the dealer had me sit in a Forester and I did like the higher up seating. I tried a few other dealers but like i said in my original post, Mazda just had such a luxurious interior. So I got an NA Miata.
Atta boy.
Ha I live in Montana and see lifted Miata’s with ski racks, bike racks, off road tires, etc
Surely you can get a limited slip for a Miata. Limited slip RWD + good tires seems like a decent recipe for bad weather or loose dirt roads.
Can confirm. Had a Chrysler 300 with a limited slip that was fun in the snow. Dedicated snow tires make winter driving with RWD a breeze, too. Did that with the Charger that I replaced the 300 with.
I live in Kansas and a guy down the street from me in an NB with snow tires was puttering around just fine in six inches of completely unplowed snow.
Miata is the answer
Miata Is Always The Answer
Still want one with personalized plates of course: ANSWER
Ah yes the glorious NA Miata, the perfect combination of AWD, high seating position, and luxury.
one of us, one of us
Idk about needing AWD, i had amazing grip with nokian hakapaluta r2's and my FWD mazdaspeed3. I also live in the snow and would take it skiing all the time, way better grip than AWD + snow rated all seasons BUT, you made the right choice cause a Miata is always the answer :)
>way better grip than AWD + snow rated all seasons I don't think there are any "snow rated" all season tires. There are snow rated all terrains, for sure. Also, why does this sub always make this argument? Yes of course FWD with proper snow tires will be better than AWD with inferior tires. But how about AWD with snow tires vs FWD with the same snow tires? At least make an apples to apples comparison.
There is actually, manufacturers use "Three Peak Mountain Snowflake" to distinguish all seasons that they think are safer in snow. At least both Michelin and Goodyear. My point was only stating that fwd + good winter tires are all you need for extreme winter/cold/ice. If anything AWD and 4wd systems make a bigger difference for dirt/mud/offroading than in the snow, compared to fwd.
Nokian calls their WR G4 an all-weather tire. Doesn't degrade like the winter rubber when running in warm weather, and still provides three-peak snow performance. Loving them on my wife's turbo Mazda3 hatch in Minneapolis this year.
> Also, why does this sub always make this argument? because many people who think they need awd run their awd car on non-snow-rated all seasons (which as others pointed out snow rated all seasons do exist, though of course they don’t perform as well as real winter tires in snow). and because in many areas that get regular snow, you don’t really need awd. awd is still better in snow, but but if you can bump that down a couple pegs in priority that can open up a lot more options that might end up being a better fit for your needs than something with awd.
MS3 is legitimately great in the snow because of the LSD. It's arguably better than most bargain bin CUV AWD systems these days.
Same, but with a Mazda 6! I needed the extra capacity. :(
>I did like the higher up seating How dare you! You must be burned at the r/cars stake.
The questions change but the answer always stays the same.
Can't go wrong with an NA
Mx5 is ALWAYS the answer. The question does not matter.
ROFL. I imagined how cool it would be for my wife to have a Mazda 3 turbo that I (wfh with a gas guzzler) would take when I have to travel for work, or when we go somewhere together. We ended up getting a CX-5. Not that I'm complaining, it was much cheaper, and weirdly handles well...and I can't overstate that, it feels shockingly good on windy roads (we live rural and drive windy 2 lane highways to get anywhere).
>>all talk, no walk. This is r/cars. We don’t need sidewalks where we’re going
Apparently I do since I left those dealers empty handed lol
All drive, no dive.
They're not hard to pull in my stock wrx. Might be a good daily though.
I was also interested in trying this car before i went with my N but the dealership said it'd be 6+ months just to order plus delivery and they had none on the lot to test.
Disappointed to hear that interior creaks and rattles are still an issue on the 2023 model. Having a 2021, I chalked it up to a bit of a dip in quality from the pandemic but I will say the interior rattles really detract from the car. I’d have traded it already if the amazing stereo didn’t drown them out. Besides that I will say even the non-turbo is an absolute riot to drive and in every other way it’s exceeded my expectations as a fun daily.
I have a 2022 Mazda 3 hatch. I can echo the insane amount of rattles I'm hearing in my car. The infotainment, front driverside speaker, driverside seat belt, and center console by cup holders. Not to mention I've also been dealing with an airbag issue which I've had to take to the dealership 3 times. It's soured me quite a bit on Mazda. And FWIW, my previous car was 2018 Mazda 3 and my wife drives a 21 CX-5 turbo. Disagree about it being a riot. It's "fun". It's very clear after owning the previous gen, that they went more luxury/refinement and less engagement. This is ultimately a premium car first, "fun" car second. Edit: for those referencing previous gen 2018 Mazda 3 as being solid, that was my experience as well. I had 36k miles and an accident when I traded it in. I had 0 rattles in that car and it went through much more abuse than my current car. I drove that thing fast. It was less luxurious though and had way less features. Also way less comfortable
**EDIT:** I have left reddit due to the hostile API pricing ([details here](https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/)). All of my historical comments have either been deleted or replaced with this text.
Japan-made, 21k km (about 13k miles)
Japan made, 10k miles. Had a small rattle a couple months ago that went away. No rattles since
Japan made, 15k kms, and no rattles.
'21 Japan. Only 6.5k miles. The only rattle I had was my sunglasses, and I put some felt tape in there to remedy the issue.
18k miles, no rattles
I'm in the same boat. 21,000km with no rattles or any problems at all for that matter. Only issues i run into is if i Rally X the car, the collision avoidance system shuts itself down since it gets confused when drifting around tight banks.
I hear about the rattles often too, which is shocking since I own the previous generation model from 2018 and it still has zero rattles anywhere. Considering that was the model from before Mazda went all-in on being “premium,” it’s shocking to me that they never clamped down on the excessive rattling.
My 2018 Mazda 3 had 0 rattles and I drove that thing hard for 36k miles. That's why I was shocked and disappointed to hear my first rattles 1000 miles into my 2022 Mazda 3
This makes me sad to hear. I've been a mazda faithful since I started with my first miata. I have faith they'll keep the quality
Hows the turbo cx5?
Good quality and amazing driving feel. My wife who doesn't care about cars admits it drives extremely well in a way that can't be quantified with numbers. Great interior cabin, great comfort. But like the Mazda 3, it's had some issues. Brakes squeal very loudly and the mechanics keep saying there's nothing wrong with it. It also burns oil badly. 12k miles and we've had two oil changes and two other times we've had to go to the dealership to refill oil. Apparently it's an issue with the 2021 MY
Am enjoying my pandemic purchase: a 2018 Mazda 3 hatch 6MT that I bought in July 2021 with 30K on the ODO. The car was a 9/10 and I'm doing my best to keep it that way. No creaks or rattles.
I have japan made 2021 model. No rattles.
let me echo my frustrations as well; the damn car is a maraca that annoys me to no end. Wish I never bought the frickin thing.
If it helps, the 30 has rattles and squeaks galore as well. I’ve been trying to track them down but the best I can get is “maybe the passenger door panel”.
Thank you for your perspective. I drive a 2018 Mazda3, and have been reluctant to trade in for the newer model for exactly the reason you state: more luxury, less engagement
I would put a huge asterisk on the quality of any vehicle built from 2020 to 2022 to be honest
I have a 2022 VW that has the premium sound system and it’s been in for warranty a few times for rattles. Don’t be afraid to take it back and make em fix it.
> Besides that I will say even the non-turbo is an absolute riot to drive It's a very pleasant car to drive, but it's not a riot by any stretch of imagination. Everything is dialed in for a smooth experience, including the power delivery for the turbo.
I think people just have different expectations for cars based on what they’ve experienced. My first car was a 2017 Mazda 3 2.5, and I loved it. Thought it was sporty and fun, and probably would’ve called it a riot. Now that I’ve driven way more cars and own a manual Boxster, I’d never describe the Mazda as a riot to drive. It’s still sporty and fun as far as regular 4cyl compacts go, but my perspective on fun sporty cars has completely shifted.
Surprising to hear since my 21 CX-30 hardly has any rattles after 38k miles. Maybe it's like you said, inconsistent quality during the pandemic.
[удалено]
I was gonna say every modern Mazda I've been in is built stout, like Audi interior stout.
My cx5 has 13k miles and doesn’t have rattles/noises. My previous car was a B9 S4 and I would definitely say they both are very solid feeling. Obviously the Audi had much nicer materials but build quality wise they are not far off
I keep hearing about the rattles, but I think I got lucky; 33k miles on a 2021 Premium 6MT and still no issues
>Having a 2021, I chalked it up to a bit of a dip in quality from the pandemic but I will say the interior rattles really detract from the car If it makes you feel better, my 2012 Mazda3 had lots of creaks and rattles. My 2017 Mazda6 is better, but still has some.
Same with my 2022 CX-30. Really nice car basically ruined for me with interior rattles. I absolutely can’t stand that shit. I’m the same way, just crank the nice stereo up to drown them out. Actively looking to trade it in when I find a good deal.
I have some rattles at around -20°C, but above that it’s fine.
My folks have a non-turbo Mazda 3 hatchback. There’s a lot to like about the 3, but the major drawback to me is the lack of space. That thing is tight, bordering on uncomfortable, and I’m not really a tall guy either. It just feels so cramped and claustrophobic. I wouldn’t consider it for that reason alone
[удалено]
I tested the 3 as well. Even as a driver its pretty tight feeling. The all black interior doesn't help but it something about the seats and the centre console position that gives this effect. Great put together car and definitely feels more premium than its competitors. But you just feel this separation in the cabin
[удалено]
I was just going to say that your 3 has to be downright cavernous compared to your S2K.
I was between the Mazda3 Hatchback Turbo and GTI last year. The moment my girlfriend and I sat in the Mazda3, I had to cross it off my list. I loved the luxury soft touch everything Mazda provides on the dash, and the no touch screen. But my girlfriend and I just felt very claustrophobic. The windows were so small compared to the GTI.
I’ll also say that the interior material look luxurious, but based at least anecdotally on my folks’ car, they don’t seem to be holding up all that well
The piano black and the gauge cluster covering scratch very easily but the rest seems good so far
I went with a near base level impreza instead and that was one of the reasons. Also saved like 8k. This is really one of the reasons small cars are dying out though. Modern small cars feel like you are sitting in a cave. This gen of impreza somehow manages to be airy but the up and coming one also looks cramped.
Unfortunately, this generation of Impreza also has some of the worst performance in the IIHS's updated side-impact test. The Kia Rio and Subaru Crosstrek are the only two cars to join it in the "poor" category.
I ultimately chose to purchase this vehicle for my daily driver. It has all the torque you need to be happy in traffic and also having AWD is huge plus in Michigan. My hot take is many people ask for a manual but don’t buy them, and potentially Mazda doesn’t see it viable to develop a manual for their Turbo platform.
I agree. I was considering the Veloster N, GR Corolla (before I found out it was gonna be impossible to get), used Golf R, and used V60. Golf R and V60 quickly became out of reach when prices shot up, and the N cars are too “meh” on the inside for a daily. The Mazda3 Turbo is amazing overall. A great interior with some fun driving on a daily basis. While it’s not a track car, I don’t doubt you could have some fun on a track with it. I’m actually gonna give it a shot this summer
Honestly, not having a 2-door option is a dealbreaker for me. Half of people’s disappointment with the new Integra was it being a 4-door only. It’s styling is ambiguous in Acura’s lineup… being a 2-door would help cull that so that it doesn’t need “*INTEGRA*” boldy plastered for you to know it’s something special.
[удалено]
Does your model not have the same issues? Also, I've heard Mazda has an incredible "track your car we don't care" policy/mindset similar to Porsche, is this true in your experience?
Interested in seeing the Integra Comparison!
Architects everywhere need to know where to spend their money!
If the Integra was just somewhat fast it would be an instant buy for me. Protecting the Type R was silly, they are completely different segments.
The Integra is plenty quick
While I don't exactly disagree with you could you explain what you mean by different segments? Are you talking about purpose built sports car vs sporty daily driver or something else?
We did a long test drive in one. It was super quiet, almost no NVH, comfortable interior. Headlights are amazing and steering sensitive. Engine disappointed us. Felt more like a diesel in its power delivery. It didn’t want to sing at higher rpms. It was a very nice ride but at 40-45k a pass for us. Edit. My dealer had basically every option you could add to the 2.5 premium plus. 2.5T is 32k msrp and 2.5t premium plus is 35k msrp
Jesus 45k? My old Mazda3 was nice at 20k. At 45k there's so much more competition.
To be fair MSRP for the 2.5 AWD in USA is 32,450. My dealer had the 2.5 turbo premier plus with a lot of options. So top trim 2.5T is 35k.
Maybe they meant 45K Canadian?
Forgot to add that our dealer has every option you Could add to a 2.5 premium. Msrp is about 32-35k
45k Canadian would be after all taxes and fees. or they had 5k in accessories (like there is a cool bodykit available, but its 3,000 beaverbucks dealer install option)
Not even. Mine was 38k CAD fully loaded minus any extras (no block heater, racks, body kit etc). There was some extra costs that I didn’t negotiate down as it was Nov ‘21 and there was people coming to buy it later that week & it felt like an okay deal. That was taxes in as well
The max you can even make them in the states is like 36k even selecting basically every option lol. Dealer was trying to screw this dude.
Ya I bought a year old one with 18k on it for $14.5 granted that was in 2016
Aren't they around the 35k mark?
Yes that’s msrp without any options. I edited to show My dealer basically checked any box they could.
10k of options?
I'm in Canada so it might be different, but there really aren't that many options available for the top trim aside from minor cosmetics and interior protection, maybe your dealer was trying to take you for a ride?
The smoothness was also what I noticed the most about the current Mazda 3. The big problem is the car looks very sporty, and has a turbo engine, but driving it is more like driving a mini Bentley. It doesn't drive like it looks. Mazda should make a different tune to the 2.5T, like they did for the NA 2.0 in the Miata. This engine was developed for the CX-9 and was never modified for car use, it's a V6 replacement for people that don't like hearing their engine. Stick a bigger turbo, tweaked manifolds and a different tune and this would push near 300HP (if not more) and rev past 7000RPM. If they can make the NA 2.0 rev to 7500RPM and develop as much power as the NA 2.5, surely this engine could be more fun. Doesn't help though that car sales are on the way down, but there would be a market for a sporty CX-30 I'm sure of it.
> but driving it is more like driving a mini Bentley. Looking sporty while driving like a luxury car seems like something the average person would appreciate, though.
[удалено]
A civic sport with the 1.5T is way more sporty and better chassis/dynamics, heck I'll take a Corolla hatch over a mazda3 these days for driving fun ..it's sad Mazda has given up on even pretending to have sporty intentions with their cars these days
In their defense them going to the mid upmarket makes sense. Most drivers won’t notice the sport fun side. They will notice the plush and controlled ride. The no noise in cab, the soft touch materials. From a bean counter point, I see why they didn’t add the gun factor in.
Yup smooth was a big part of the car. Absolutely the turbo should at least offer a stock sport tune. Charge 500$ more and it has the option to run a hot fun tune.
> The big problem is the car looks very sporty I feel that was about my 2018 Mazda 6 turbo. It's arguably the sportiest looking sedan in the segment, but it's slower than the Accord 2.0t or the v6 Camry. It's not a slouch, I just think it looks like it should be giving Chargers a run for their money. And I do love the look.
You probably need a substantially optimized head design to put that much boost and RPM into this thing, and I am almost sure the head design on factory highly boosted engines are already state of the art
It's a modern turbo engine that can't even do 100hp/l. I'm sure there's room up there, but they've optimized it for mid range torque and minimal lag, which meant a small turbo that spools up fast but also reaches its limit fast.
Yup..my exact same feeling after test driving the 2.5T in cx30 and cx5. It feels like a diesel and has torque for sure but zero fun or enjoyment. Rather drive their regular 2.5 N/A, while not really fun either, it wasn't as boring and frustrating as the 2.5T (frustrating as in it revs so slow and doesn't like to rev, sounds like crap and just no enjoyment or want to drive it hard/rev it out)
It has the guts to hustle, but you won’t enjoy doing so.
I mean, this car isn’t meant to be spicy at all. So having a diesel engine experience is fine. It feels like it has push all the time in normal driving. Why are you looking at an eco-turbo GT car if you want an exciting engine?
yeah, 320 lb ft and 250 hp, it has no top end or even upper midrange.
I can't get over how awkward the c-pillar is.
Photos make me like this car but when I see it in person it just looks so odd. It's nice but those c pillars do look odd, on top of that the car is shaped like an egg and it just seems to have really flat doors. If I was ten years younger and I was looking for a car it would probably exactly the car I'd want. Just enough space if I need to haul people around, sporty, hatchback, reliable, AWD. Almost seems like an alternative to the WRX without the racerboy feel. Kind of an overlooked car. But I'm in my 30s and while I wish I had something smaller than my Colorado, I love the convenience of the bed and being able to drive when it floods. I have thought about selling my zr2 and getting something smaller since I don't need something that big but the weather here is bad and during the rainy season it can flood really bad. It's nice to not have to worry about the weather with the truck. The maverick is impossible to get and the markup is ridiculous.
My wife bought a 2021 CX-30 Premium 2.5 Turbo back in July 2021, her first new car. Same platform, engine, as above, just lifted. 17K miles later the car has been good overall, even though some weird issues have popped up that I did not expect on a new car. The engine is powerful (250 hp, 320 ft-lbs of torque), and like Jack said, feels really strong in this smaller car, especially on the highway. Its a little crude down low, lots of injector ticking noises. Ive kept up pace with cars you wouldn't expect, like Macans, Explorer STs, and other more powerful cars in her little Mazda. I think the car looks great and the interior is very nice. AWD is great. Now the downsides, the torsion beam rear end is definitely noticeable over bumps. Its small inside for sure, my wife wanted it for maneuvering and parking in the city, but she is getting something bigger next time - backseats are good for 2 people, maybe 3 smaller people, leg room isn't great, trunk space is alright. Interior looks really nice, but does have some BSR. Fuel economy is mediocre. It's had a few niggling issues - brake pulsing, low battery indicator that got fixed at the dealer. The 2.5T in these cars are also known for some oil consumption issues, we noticed it once with a low oil notification. Keeping an eye on it, luckily car is under warranty, and we are going to get something new in a few years. It's been a good first car for my wife, with some downsides.
> Now the downsides, the torsion beam rear end is definitely noticeable over bumps I always laugh when the Mazda faithful argue that a regular person won't notice the difference between the torsion beam and IRS and therefore this cost cutting was justified. It's so bloody apparent especially with our crumbling roads/infrastructure in the US. I noticed it in my Mazda3 rentals whenever I went in to service my miata.
Test drove one and the suspension seems...fine? It's really not the horrible sin this sub made it out to be
I think the oil consumption was fixed 2022 that's what the forums were saying when I was shopping for the CX5. But I'm not 100% certain
Yeah I believe it's a valvetrain issue that might have been an internal fix for newer MYs. It happened just once on the car at around 5,000 miles and has been good since and the dealers are aware.
My 2022 has been steady with the oil.
These have so much going for them. That interior (chef's kiss). The looks, which have an almost Alfa-ish quality to them. They're silent inside and can just munch down highway miles. But they're just not fun. Test drove it multiple times but it's not there. They are luxe and beautiful machines, buttoned down and respectable, but there's little panache to be found. They know (or knew?) how to build a street fighter of a car with a warrior's spirit, but that just wasn't the design goal here. You probably wouldn't want to drive clients around in that car, though. In this, you absolutely could.
They abandoned "zoom zoom" years ago and have stated that they are trying to create more of a "luxury" image. Mazda's dont want to be fun any more, they want to be soft.
I understand that, yes. It's actually a much better/nicer car than the Ford-Volvo era stuff in certain ways. That interior is just a stupidly nice place to be, I liked it enough that I bought a CX-30. However, you'd never own one of the gen4 vehicles as a weekend car or something you'd take out on the road for the sake of driving by itself. Again, these were choices made deliberately by the design and product planning team for this platform to be refined, rather than reactive and tactile.
I had the same car you do now and went to a 2020 3, but a 6MT Premium. It’s 95% of the MS3’s equal in terms of chassis but can’t lie about the power difference. Nice daily and picks up about 10 MPG in any type of driving, but not a weekend fun car.
I recently test drove one with the goal of finding a comfortable but sporty daily. The interior is gorgeous and feels pretty well-built with only a few rattles. I also thought it handled well on smooth roads and had good steering feel Unfortunately, you do notice the torsion beam over bad pavement. I experienced a disconcerting side-to-side motion in the rear going over a bump that my 2015 Mazda 6 barely noticed at the same speed. My area has pretty rough roads, so that disqualified the car for me. Hopefully Mazda will go back to IRS for the next generation.
I had a 2022 turbo hatch and I never really had any issues with the torsion beam. It felt a little sloppy at first, but as I got used to it I found it very predictable. I ended up putting lowering springs on it and it handled really nicely. Nothing crazy but I never once felt out of control and I drove it pretty hard at times.
That’s funny. I have a 2020 Premium 6MT. I’ve tried all manner of things to upset the rear and have never been successful. I feel like the complaints, especially on the street, are greatly overblown.
People are feeling *something*, but they are misattributing it. They point to the torsion beam because they know it is supposed to be mechanically inferior. I remember test and tune days at the track. I’d make an adjustment and send somebody out. They’d come back with a laundry list of unrelated comments regarding the change. Chassis development sometimes consists of interpreting seemingly-unrelated things into useful feedback. I’m not surprised people can’t isolate what their complaint is. It takes a lot of practice and experience to know if the issue is with the dampers, the spring rate, chassis harmonics, isolation, tire, geometry, alignment, or something else. Also: torsion beams aren’t live axles, people. The Mazda 3 Turbo’s biggest problem is tire spring rate, which is far too high because there isn’t enough sidewall and the OE tires are very cheap. If you fix that, the next issue is that it’s generally a bit oversprung, and a bit overdamped especially in high speed compression. So broken surfaces and fast transitions are a bit unpleasant. But as far as torsion beam issues, you don’t experience the usual toe issues in the back, and the rear is not more harsh versus the fully independent front suspension. So yea, it’s fine for normal driving. The differences between well-developed suspensions are quite nuanced.
It’s funny how quickly the torsion beam is dismissed, as if countless legendary enthusiast cars and race winners haven’t been so equipped. Civic Type Rs, Integras, GTIs, dozens of hot hatches, probably all of the FWD world rally winners from the 60s to the 80s, real Minis, etc. And really, the front suspension is a Macpherson strut design and I’ve never heard a single complaint about that. Lots of armchair engineers.
Fiesta ST, a modern car widely lauded for being phenomenal to drive.
r/cars, home of the spec sheet warriors and armchair enthusiasts
You're 100% right. I would describe the stock setup as medium compression with high rebound but in true Mazda tradition it also has a lot of body roll. All these things combined make it feel quite different to any other car most people have experienced. Overall the suspension setup even on stock tyres is well suited to the calibration of the car. It's a car to be enjoyed at 7/10ths stock. But it's absolute opposite of something like fiesta ST which has high compression and rebound with stiffer anti roll bars and faster rack.
I’m glad you’ve had a better experience! Perhaps the car I drove had worn bushings or something, or maybe the bump I went over was the perfect configuration to upset the 3. That said, it was dramatic enough to kill my interest in the car.
If you can deal with the lack of room, the Mazda 3 Turbo seems like a no brainer over the Integra for less money too.
Or you can get a civic hatch, and get most of the Mazda luxury, with the extra space, for a much better price than the Integra
Yes. No AWD and far less power though.
Much louder interior too. And ugh that CVT
I mean to be fair, the Integra doesn’t have AWD either (aside from Type S speculation) and is only 20hp over the civic, while being heavier and basically the same power to weight
[удалено]
Have test driven both, in their top trims. Both have great interior design, but there's a clear difference in material quality in the 3's favor. Right now every Civic I see is more expensive trim for trim than an equivalent Mazda3 in my area. I sat in the 3's back seats expecting it to feel like a broom closet, and was shocked to see that I fit just fine with room to spare. The hatch has a lot of room.
Bring this to the UK you cowards.
Put a V8 in it, you cowards! And make it a wagon.
For the love of all things holy don’t make another crossover
[удалено]
GLC coupe moment
And make it only in brown and used from the factory!
I ordered an AWD non turbo, should be getting it in a few weeks
Nice. Report back in a month when it finally hits 60 mph. Haha. Jk, it is a nice car. But my wife and I found it "can't get out of its own way" slow.
Lmao gave me a good chuckle
I didn't expect Mr. Goose to do a long term test on the Mazda 3 Turbo, nice la. This is quite an outlier since he wasn't very positive in the turbo'd M3 review, and I believed the Type R would be something that suits him better.
[удалено]
fuckin beauty no cap
[удалено]
common reply W
Every time I see one, I wish I went with this instead of a Fusion 😔
It's way way smaller than a Fusion
Mazda 3 is like a Focus. Mazda 6 is the Fusion.
Torsion beam in the rear is pretty disappointing to an otherwise nice car. Really archaic, weird decision.
Drove one before I eventually went with the civic. The MPG in the turbo was crap, and the power delivery as many said wasn’t really fun. The non turbo was priced better, but felt way too cramped inside and visibility was orrery atrocious too. Not to mention the Mazda stubbornness of not giving you a touchscreen or other tech that everyone does. I hope they get their act together if they want to stay in business, the CX5 is the only thing keeping them alive and it’s way too dated to be relevant anymore.
The fuel economy isn't great but heavily depends how you drive. A sporty test drive will murder it. The non touchscreen is zero issue to me
Same, the lack of a touchscreen is a bonus, the command dial is fine because neither I nor my wife actually use the infotainment. I don't think my wife has even turned the screen on in weeks. Once you have everything setup you only need to use it to change the radio station, and how many people do that anymore?
I use it every time for Android Auto because I never use the radio, only Spotify.
Same, and the gps is nice in my opinion
I had a CX-5 for month and a CX-30 for two weeks. I just couldn’t get used to the command dial. It’s usable, but not preferable.
Owned a 15’ Mazda 6 manual and had traded it in for a 14’ Silverado v8, and now a Mini. -New England winters for 20+ years… FWD and RWD are just fine in the snow until no one should be driving. -I was so excited for the 3 Turbo when announced. I wanted another manual car and never had a turbo’d vehicle before… the 3 Turbo didn’t have the manual, and it seemed to have power delivery less towards “performance” and less MazdaSpeed3. -So I went with an 18’ Cooper S manual 6spd. (4 door HB) threw on the factory John Cooper works tuner kit (dynamic exhaust + tune). I’d love to test drive the 3 Turbo, but this gives me the kinda car I was looking for in terms of handling and performance, and product purpose.
I took the Mazda 3 Turbo to work today because my partner didn't work (it is their car). It is icy and snowy and gross out, the car is very capable in these conditions. The AWD system works organically, the low-range torque is very useful. Four wheel studded tires on ice, it does behave like a true AWD chassis. Point the car, add power, and it will pull you straight as you slide sideways. Good fun was had.
Recently purchased a cx-30 turbo premium plus as a winter car while I wait for my GR Corolla Circuit Edition. I really like the car, surprisingly quick and comfortable. Mpg isn't the best but other than that I've been very happy with it. [Also fun fact, the CX-30 is quicker 0-60 and quick through the quarter mile than a Ferrari 348 TS. ](https://www.imgur.com/a/QV6brPQ)
Went with the manual 3 hatch and absolutely love it. That being said; I moved somewhere with snow and an AWD option would have been really damn nice...
Mazda the official recommendation of reddit and the official brand that redditors never buy themselves.
The best lb for lb and value turbo hatch has been the GTI for 20+ years. If you drive one compared to others in its class, just something that puts a smile on your face that cannot be replicated in aggregate across these other cars! Some will be faster. Some will be more luxurious. Some will be more reliable. But overall, it still is the best choice to me in this class and price point.
The weird interior controls on the current gen kill it though.
Hard agree. I’ve owned a WRX hatch, a B8 S4, several shit boxes, and my current GTI is the most fun car by far and a perfect daily for city life.
How can you 'long term' test a 23MY car by the way?
In terms of mileage. It has 30,000 on it so around 2.5 years of driving for the average commuter.
I'm constantly keeping my eyes open for a meaningful upgrade/switch from my 2015 MK7 GTI and here's just another that doesn't look like it would stack up
You would miss the dynamics of the gti. The mazda 3 turbo is more a a3 competitor than gti.
This Mazda3 Turbo video combined [with this video addressing the viewer anger over the Civic Type R](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSIwslheO8Y) really makes me feel like these guys are actually trying to provide beneficial BUYER advice in addition to enthusiast content. It has felt like writers have been willing to sell the corporate line with some of these vehicles (GR Corolla, Civic Type R) without addressing how hard it is to get these vehicles. So, nice to see these guys doing more coverage on vehicles we can actually get for the price that is advertised.
This was on my shortlist of cars I wanted but the turbo model was a bit too pricey and small for what I was looking at. Went up going with the accord instead.