The 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo May Not Be Quite A HOT Hatch

Описание: #Mazda #Turbo #HotHatch

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The Mazda 3 is getting the fizzy turbocharged 2.5L we’ve seen in the Mazda6

It’ll make the same 250 hp and 320 lbft of torque

But in a smaller, lighter, more tossable package

So let’s see how it feels

With the addition of all this power it’s tempting to put this Mazda3 turbo in the category of hot hatch occupied by the GTI, Veloster N, etc. However I directly address this is a comparison against the GTI coming out next week, what we’re going to do here is review the Mazda 3 for what it is

So here’s what it is. The 2.5 4 cylinder is a great little powerplant. It’s fairly efficient, but more than anything it’s reliable.

But now with the addition of a turbo there’s a whole new personality.

Put your foot down, wait for the car to kick down a gear. While that’s happening the turbo is spooling and then you ride the wave of torque to some pretty shocking speeds!

Cut shot*

So it takes a second for power to get to the ground, but when it does it goes through a 6 speed auto and to all 4 wheels through Mazda’s Skyactive G vectoring system

That’s good for 0-60 in about 5.5 seconds

Now 0-60 is a great marketing tool, but now and then you’ll encounter a corner and then what do you do?

Well again, there’s a benefit and tradeoff to the AWD. It’s good at applying torque to the proper wheel, but it’s a FWD based Haldex system which means it will undeersteer at the limit under power

Another tradeoff? Weight

Weight is the enemy of any sporty vehicle and at 3400 lbs this isn’t the lightest car out there

Ultimaetly, behind the wheel the Mazda is a punchy, tossable, fun little hatchback, but it’s so much more than that…

When people think Mazda they think 2 things lately: some of the best styled and designed cars on the road and that SEXY ASS SOUL RED PAINT

I don’t have the paint here, but let’s be honest this thing looks fantastic.

Very aggressive very sporty look

Big grille, long hood, black accents, wheels pushed to the extreme ends of the car, sloped low roof, squat and wide looking rear, dual exhaust.

So there’s no problem behind the wheel and there’s no problem looking at this rolling sculpture...but this is where things start to break down

The hatch is smaller than most
The rear seats aren’t really fit for full size humans

Therefore, the front seats are really the places you want to spend your time.

The seats are comfy, the materials are pretty dang good, and the design i mean, just look at it….

The technology is finally up to speed with the rest of the field, though having ACP and AA hardly ticks that box.

Active Lane keep is moderately annoying, blind spot, radar cruise...all good things

So i guess my only complaint is the hatch is small and the rear seat is small...and there’s been a rattling in the headliner all week and this only has 5000 miles on it.

But let’s jump outside and do some housekeeping before we dive into final thoughts

Ok so what we have here is a punchy, fun to drive little hatchback that looks excellent, is comfortable, and you cant really complain about the tech.

It is a little small anywhere behind the driver’s seat, but if you’re single or dont have many friends it’s all good

The power and more specifically the torque is immense and the 2.5 N/A is bulletproof, but we’ll see about the turbo

This week I’ve been beating the absolute mess out of it, but it’s returned low 20s still in mostly hard city driving

And here’s the final thing. It’s over 35 grand as tested and that’s a lot of money

However, there’s a lot to love about this car and only a couple downsides. So I’d absolutely recommend this little hatch to anyone that enjoys driving and doesnt need that much space...even if you cant get a manual…