Soooo many people are saying this thing is overpriced which is mind boggling to me because it is such a bargain. It starts at $29,900 and you get AWD, 250HP 320TQ, Leather heated seats, heated steering wheel, digital garage cluster, windshield projected heads up display, 8.8” screen with NAV and CarPlay, rain sensing wipers, spectacular Bose sound system, LED lighting all around with auto high beams, and safety tech like adaptive cruise and emergency braking. Its interior is extremely nice, its quiet, refined, very reliable, and cheap to maintain. What more could People want for under 30k? This car competes with the A3, 228i, and A220. You have to spend 40k+ in those cars to get these features. Other cars that people have been comparing it to like the GTI cost $36,495 with these features that come standard on the 3 Turbo. The Kia K5 GT costs $34,490 with these features. The WRX costs $32,000 with these features. Anyone who says this car is overpriced is delusional.
Idk my Wrx was 27k, I checked out the turbo Mazda but went with the Wrx because it felt better to me and I like shifting my own gears. The Mazda was nice but it felt like a grocery getter the Wrx felt like a race car. The price isn’t bad tho, turbo awd? 30k sounds about right.
@@lucian7182 Yes the base model WRX is 27K but the Mazda comes with a LOT more standard features so you would have to spend 32k on a WRX. But yes if fun is your top priority the WRX is a better option. The 3 Turbo is not a hot car like a GTI, WRX, Focus ST, or even the Speed3. This is meant to compete with entry level luxury like the A3 or 228i.
I’ve had mine for a week today and love it. I got the Turbo Premium Plus Hatch in Soul Crystal Red. It’s a fun, fast and comfortable car, that gives you better than entry luxury and performance. In the States we don’t have many hatches to chose from, and even fewer that blend tech, performance, refinement and interior as well as this. If you’re even near the fence, let alone on it, it’s worth a test drive.
@@BrianMakse Yup, I was thinking the Machine Grey Metallic with red interior, but my mom bought a Miata RF stick a couple months ago and got the red and that changed my plans. I’m getting the rest of the appearance package in a couple weeks, can’t wait to “complete the look”.
Any complaints about the paint and the roominess? Personally, I love the cockpit feeling but nothing too small. From friends I hear the paint is very thin as well
@@markaguirre1087 I still love my car. Size wise my husband complains getting out of the car as it sits so much lower than our CX-9. I’ve only just pasted 2k miles on it, and the paint has been good so far (newly all just in town commuting).
One thing to note, if you have traction control off and in sport mode, the ecu with actively direct power to the rear wheels upon hard cornering to get the car to turn in. So while in normal driving, if you corner it does feel nose heavy, but having trac off and sport mode on, you can literally make understeer and the front weight disappear with the throttle, which is amazing for enthusiasts.
Exactly, for me the red interior was more important than the exterior color, so I ordered mine with the machine grey and red interior combo. Can't wait to take possession in may 2022!
Great comparison to the Bentley experience! I think that’s what Mazda is definitely going for - a smooth, effortless, luxurious experience. I think Rolls uses the term ‘waftability’.
I feel like this car could benefit greatly from a nice performance tire.. and possibly some performance brake pads and rotors if you are going to drive it spirited..
Awesome review! I just picked one of these up (my 4th Mazda) and love the sleeper quality of the car. It can be both a lazy around town whip as well as a lets romp around on twisty two-lane bits. The interior puts it over the top for me - and I've owned 6 BMWs and think this is near Audi level of interior design and execution.
ok, nice, brian. now i will say that one of my fav mazdas to drive, still all these years later, is my 2005 S hatch in Orange Sunset (never seen again). it FEELS fun to drive. noisy, yes, but we feel good together. my 09 6S is also a solid, powerful v6 but that year had still arising build issues. i door love to drive whenever my kid leaves it here. i have a request. please explain more the changes described in the motoman review by the Mazda guy about the change to the intercooler/radiator design. i believe he said it was now part of the internal engine make-up. motoman was a bit over the top on his criticism. his demands on the car's improvement were rather nieve. my response: it NOT being a speed, which was available only as FWD and standard, is NOT a negative. not for those who do not want one, which seems to be most people. everything you ask for above what it is is gonna put it way outa the reach of everybody. this car was already the best in class interior and quality-wise. so...you are, well, wrong. thanks brian for yet another inspiring review...but I am gonna hope/wait for this engine in the CX30 coming soon.
Thanks for the feedback, Paul. Motoman has a bit of an advantage because Mazda (and Coleman) are down the road. While I attended a virtual briefing for Canadian media, it didn't get as technical as I'd like, hence my approach to the technicals here. I haven't seen Motoman's take, but I'll see him next week. Perhaps we'll have to settle it with fisticuffs! I am looking forward to CX30 with this motor and actually have a CX5 in for testing at the moment with the 2.5T. Mazda's done a fine job with these things.
The BBS wheel set is $3676, which is ridiculous, 10% of car’s sticker. If they were carbon fiber, shaved 50% off oem wheel weight and 1 second off 0-60, we’d be talking.
Been waiting for this one! Great explanation of it being premium and a hot hatch. Hopefully sales will pick up. The front fascia looks horrible with the need for our front license plate. Oh and no third pedal...
Manual won't happen here, but it works better with the auto anyway. I think Mazda is doing fine and if buyers in this space figure out how good this thing is, the more the merrier. I sure hope they do. Superb machine.
For folks like me (in CA) who can't get 93 octane, find racing fuel near you (108-110 octane, bring a proper fuel can, they will not let you dispense it into a vehicle), add 1.4 gallons of the racing fuel then top it off with 91 octane. That makes about 93-94 octane mixed. You will feel it.
That is a very nice interior. Great entry for pocket rocket and all wheel drive, except it’s not so cheap and well I like tougher suspensions so don’t mind kidney busting rides. Not for me, not even close, no manual mehhhhhh. It’s going after Audi crowd. I take a Civic Type R, yeah I give up that gorgeous interior and smooth exterior, but get much more livable space in rear seats, get the magnificent manual, and crazy performance. I am glad this exists, but a type R all the way.
This buyer is very different than a Type R buyer and it is indeed targeted at someone looking for a more premium driving experience. Lovely thing, this.
Good and I believe accurate review of this vehicle. Just leased here in the states a 2021 3 Turbo 2.5 (Not Premium trim) model. Having driven a 2020 6 Turbo for a little over a year, I was shocked at the level of both refinement and performance in this vehicle compared to the 6. As everybody has stated it is NOT a Hot hatch which is fine by me. I appreciate the extra refinement that this vehicle possesses. That being said, it would be awesome if Mazda could come up with another more performance oriented trim level, while retaining the current level of refinement, that has wider and grippier tires, slightly more roll stiffness, faster steering and maybe a bit more power and dual clutch trans....just a thought.
Here I am again this morning enjoying parking cameras here in downtown Toronto. Why? I don’t want to damage this presser. I also keep my personal cars pristine doing the same thing.
I'm a bit late to this review but, I find myself comparing this Mazda 3 Turbo Hatch with the WRX Sport-Tech with the CVT. Still waiting on stock to show up for the Subaru but had a chance to get out in the Mazda 3 Turbo (Sedan...They didn't have a hatch big sad.) I enjoyed it. I'm thinking in comparison that the Subaru will be louder inside at highway speed. as well as not feel as comfortable to drive daily. Wanted to say thank you for the excellent review of the many reviews I've seen for this car and the WRX yours was the most informative in my opinion. I thought that we Canadians got some of that appearance package kit too but I guess that's USA Only. That appearance package is a hard pill to swallow at 2,800 CAD. Edit: Subscribed too!
Hey Trevor, thanks for the sub! Glad you found the channel. I can’t comment on WRX CVT, never driven one. This Mazda, though, is brilliant. IIRC you’re correct about the appearance package.
@@Yoomaro I’ve put a lot of thought into this and I still say the sedan is better looking than the hatch. Even the VW Golf GTI looks 10x better and than the bulbous Mazda3 hatch.
WTF !!! priced at $38,737.53 CAD tax included & $39,867.53 for the hatch . imagine what u can buy in the used market 1-2 years for that price , plus 0 to 60 only 5.7 secs : ( , this a car you buy used for $10-15K to commute to work lol.. still no mazda speed
@@mezzb no I didn't mean buying a 1-2 year old car for $10-15K , i meant when this cars drops to $10-15K price range maybe in 5-7 years old i bought my 1997 Honda Prelude when it was 7 years old for $11K ( think new it was like $27K) still driving it now , so glad I didn't buy a newer Civic at the time
You know what also has a torsion beam. The Fiesta ST. One of the best driving hot hatches you can get. They are an absolute riot. All the enthusiasts complaining about the torsion beam haven’t driven a well set up torsion car. Do yourself I favor and go drive one and you will realize you wont be able to tell the difference in 98% of situations.
I test drove the 3 turbo and its way more put together over bumps than any other car in this segment. Maybe you just can't afford anything more than a corolla!
