@@jamesf7222 There is no reason you need to adjust the hvac while moving. I have the '22 wrx, great car. I set the hvac to my liking before I pull out of my garage.
@@steve8803 nonsense. As if the climate and/or body basal temperature does not change while traveling over distance and activity (e.g. vigorous shifting of a MT or vigorous thinking). IQ much? And it’s not just about safety when driving, but also just convenience. I do not want to have to scroll around and fight with a touchscreen. With a knob I do not even need to look at it, and it is direct access by feel. Men who make excuses for this crapification of our modern vehicles really piss me off. Effeminate worthless p.o.s..
The Mazda 3 turbo could really benefit from a cheaper base sport trim with manual cloth seats, no sun roof, no HUD, no bose speakers but with bigger and better brakes and sportier tires imo
I like were your going, as a former 2nd gen speed3 owner but Mazda said Mazdaspeed is gone to make Mazda more upscale. The turbo3 is much quicker than most realize and the AWD comes into it's own when the weather gets worse. In sport mode it shifts much quicker and you kinda have a override with the paddles you just have to learn the timing of the delay when the trans downshifts for power. Whats awesome is the slight performance boost when you use premium fuel. when gas is cheaper you can have more fun when it goes up you go back to regular. But yes what you describe would have been AWESOME!
That's perfect for car enthusiasts but terrible for Mazda. Suppose Mazda slashes 5k from the outgoing one for a "barebones" turbo, it still has to compete with cars that has most/all those features as standard. The past decade taught us that gizmos sells cars, not driving enhancements - at least in the US/Canada. And since Mazda is trying hard to go upscale and give the tech-riddled Germans a bloody nose, I doubt such a proposal will even get past the discussion phase.
This was a trim option but it’s no longer available for 2024. It was just called Mazda3 Turbo vs Turbo Premium Plus as seen in the video. The new Carbon Turbo is a good deal tbh, only comes in one color but it’s like 33/34 msrp
Finally someone actually describes the WRX AWD system correctly. Most reviewers just hop in the auto and blurt out that it's front biased until there's slip. Thanks for doing the research.
I really appreciate the way you differentiate which has "won" the comparison based on the pragmatic needs and emotional preferences of a prospective buyer, and include those caviats. I have a 22 wrx 6mt lim and ive been very happy with it, but I agree with the drawbacks you've pointed out.
Id say interior quality, ride quality, and fuel economy are the main drawbacks. Everything else I've gotten used to. I think the hvac works fine, the media stuff is fine. These are nitpicks, it's a great economy sports sedan for the money or otherwise.
@@bryanrubino3681 if you would like to continue the discussion, I have some additional thoughts. For me the interior quality could be better, but I figure if I decide it’s for keeps, then I will customize it easily just take it to a company that can wrap plastic in leather. Maybe i would prefer a different look for the shape of the dash (e.g. love the 11th-gen Civic minimalist, Porsche-like, retro muscle car dash design), but its not my primary goal in terms of a 4-door, AWD capable, tunable sports/rally car that can also be a daily. Actually my utmost complaint is there is not a fastback lift gate like in the Type R, old Mustangs and 1985 Celica/Supra. I do not like aesthetically & for visibility of the bulbous SUV styling with a (near) vertical rear window such as the older/current Impreza or Mazada 3. I prefer to keep the sedan lines with a fastback such as also in the Audi A5/S5/RS5 Sportback. Also the styling of the rear of the WRX is off from some angles, but I did not mention it because I think it can be fixed with a redesign of the rear bumper and tail lights. I do not mind customizing my vehicles, so that could be a significant difference in prioritization. Most people do not want to hurt the resale value. Any ICEVs I buy for keeps now will be for the rest of my life (age 58 now). They will not be making ICEVs anymore after 2028. Will be all hybids and EVs.
@@bryanrubino3681 I do not know what is your preference or goal with the ride quality but as you probably know it is a tradeoff with performance. Again I can customize this, and I would not want a sloppy/non-sport-handling, metro-refined yuppie “soccer mom” SUV-like vehicle which is what the Mazada 3 and its bulbous yet squatted SUV tail end represent to me. Also visibility is excellent in the WRX and Type R, unlike in more vertical rear window and squatted roof line of the crossover style. My point is there are things which can not be easily customized such as the SUV-like shape of a vehicle. Yet if you are like most people who want to keep your vehicles bone stock, then the ability to customize and tune would not apply. HVAC “works fine” (i.e. essentially functionality, at least when the infotainment screen does not seize up due to the numerous bugs in Subaru software) except I much prefer the tactical feel and the immediacy of being able to spin a dial like in the prior generation (which I have in my 2014 Forester also). Wading through menus is not what I want from a vehicle. I want to operate machine, not a computer. I am a computer programmer by profession, so I am on the computer 14 by 7 and my vehicle should be an escape from digital screens.
@@bryanrubino3681 Fuel economy is a non-factor entirely IMO as long as it is not in the teens. If I can not afford the looming astronomical price per gallon then I should get a 40 mpg Versa or 50+ mpg Prius hybrid, otherwise it is just genuflecting at the meaningless margins. We should not try to own what we can not afford.
Everytime I look at these new WRX's, the more I miss the older, "racer boi" WRX STI in sedan and hatchback. Those were such cool cars. These new WRX's are not, so I'll go Mazda all day. 😔
Yeeah, particularly when the 2007 wrx sti dropped, It was so stunning 🤩. The new wrx looks great in person vs pictures and media. I grew up with Subaru wrc rally photos all over my wall, always wanted a wrx. But somehow I ended up with a 2019 Mazda 3 liftback oddly. The Mazda was more affordable for me and seemed like I could take care it of better financially with my current employment.
I just discovered your channel a couple months ago and youre one of my favorite car reviewers. Not enough people cover ride quality on choppy roads, keep it up! And i like the comparison in how you pick the winner based on different uses.
The wrx has an 80% manual transmission sales rate. Considering the mazda turbo doesn't have a manual available, they are not going to be stealing many would be wrx purchasers.
Awesome review. I've had my '21 Turbo3 hatchback since its release & I still find myself watching videos comparing it to other cars occasionally. I absolutely love this car. a few notes about the Turbo3: the engine is... weird. It loves low-end torque & I have seen 0-60's of this stock Turbo3 as high as 6.3 sec & as low as 5.5sec. I've never actually done a 0-60 myself, but I have been running 93 & 94 octane since I got the car, so the ECU has had plenty of time to tune for the 250HP/320lb-ft. This car could really benefit from larger/better brakes (stock ones aren't terrible, haven't even changed mine yet. 37k miles.), but they should've went all out with this car. It has hot hatch numbers (minus the lower HP) but it doesn't have the performance. All in all, I love this car, but the revamped VW Golf R is right around the corner & that's calling my name... 🤤
Another way to put it, the Subaru is for young kids that want to mod the car until they ruin it, whereas the Mazda is for older people that truly appreciate the premium quality, feel and ride.
The WRX is fine in lower trims with a manual gearbox, but the Mazda interior and exterior looks far more premium. The Mazda may be the better daily sporty car. I wouldn't call either of these sports cars.
Have the 2023 mazda 3 hatch turbo. Have the same red interior .. took it on long drive and the adaptive cruise did well . The lane keep assist sucks . The engine torque is nice to have when needed imo
I cross shopped these two cars and bought the Mazda in sedan form. I drive in too much heavy traffic to want to deal with a stick and i literally couldnt find an auto WRX to try. Add in the horrific Subie infortainment system and the excellent one in the Mazda may have been the final point. My last two cars were Subaru, a 14 Forester and a 17 Outback. I've loved the AWD in winter so i am somewhat concerned that the Mazda AWD won't be as robust as the Subaru but the 350 days a year where it doesnt snow, I'm very happy with my choice. Aside, for $40k, yes, Subaru needs more horsepower and a real DCT.
Two more asides... Price to performance, the 3 Turbo is a better direct comparator to the Legacy Sport. Nice amenities with very comparable performance at about the same price. Question is how big of a car do you need... Second aside, people living away from the city should note that the Mazda has a (in my opinion) small gas tank. A full tank gets me just about 260 miles, maybe a little less. Not sure what the WRX has but my Outback and Forester had substantially larger tanks.
Both of these cars bore me as they are automatic. I owned a manual Mazda3 and it was fine but a dog. The WRX is more fun and has more tunability which is what I wanted in a car.
I think they are appealing to different people. The Mazda appeals to me a lot more especially in CX-30 form (let’s face it they are basically the same car). I just like the more premium feel and dependability of the Mazda. But I can see how certain people would prefer the WRX for the performance and edgier styling (gimmicky in my mind, but taste is subjective). I don’t see paying over $35k for either.
My favorite 2 cars. But the rear visibility of the Mazda is horrendous. And a bit of a dealbreaker. The all wheel drive of the Subaru is better. And it's probably a more desirable car resale wise or even as a future collectible. Mazda has to make a hatch where you can see out the back for goodness sake. It's just not acceptable such a cramped cabin and view.
Having drove both the mazda 3 turbo feels really slow and throttle response is severely underwhelming. The wrx feels like the more capable car and handles 10x better. The mazda 3 turbo is more refined and smoother ride. The interior on the mazda is league's ahead of the wrx.
The WRX for me with any tranny (and their “performance” CVT is not too shabby). All Mazdas feel claustrophobic in an effort to streamline the look. It’s a deal breaker. Too many crazy drivers out there to have limited window visibility. And who needs all that torque in a relatively average handling car. Manuals are disappearing as are user friendly buttons. It’s the digital age, right?
The Mazda is nice, but performance is what the WRX focuses on. It may have less options but it drives and performs better than any vehicle I’ve had so far.
Damn I was looking for a video like this for the longest time. Of course it comes out right after I bought a 23 cvt premium wrx! But, it was $36,299 OTD vs $40k for the mazda 3, so Im pretty happy with the purchase 🫡
I recently bought a brand new WRX in manual. If I was going for an automatic, that Mazda was at the top of my list. The AT WRX is just too expensive for what it is. And I'm not buying a mid-priced AT car to have a ton of fun, more for comfort.
I don't get the hate on the lower trim of the WRX....if anything it actually supports the idea of a real rally car able to go down gravel roads and not destroy your paint and body. This isn't a Corvette it's a dual purpose sports car aka functional and practical.
I hate my WRXs side mirrors (Subaru mirrors in general)... put the Subaru driveline in the Mazda = winner. Talking about the 3-pedal driveline, not the cvt crap...imagine the Mazda w/the aftermarket support of the Subaru....wowzza 🤔
What is unfortunate and a plus with the WRX, is its basically the only one its category, for a manual, awd and a turbo at its price. The competition died (Mitsubishi), and so what you have is having to compare this type of car, to the take over of Crossover/Small SUV buyers. Design trends were bound to reach the wrx (from the Wagon/SUV models - "Cladding").
@@Realistick Thank you! You have one of the better and more grounded takes on everyday cars like Alex on Autos. TSP has been spoiled with too many supercars and I feel like they're out of touch now, even SavageGeese to an extent :(
@@perfectperfecto Thanks! I’m still a big savage geese fan, it’s just surprisingly difficult to find an abundance of normal press cars, I’m hoping I can keep a nice balance on the channel.
Yet another glaring error: the 2023 WRX DOES indeed have Apple Carplay and Android Auto. It just doesn't show it on the menu until you try to connect. It's even on the Subaru website. Second, the UI was updated to be more user friendly recently. (EDIT: I made a an error, he said 'wireless' meaning it doesn't have the wireless option. Casually listening it sounded like he said it didn't have AA or CP).
It does have it and I never said otherwise. I’m sitting in a 24 Impreza right now (upcoming video), the UI is not the problem, it’s the response time, brightness and the partial embedding of hvac controls into the screen.
Mazda is trying to move away from the enthusiast niche and focuses more on everyday cars for everyday people. There are simply more cars to sell there.
If i had to pick between them. I would ONLY pick the WRX because it has a manual option trim. I would never pay brand new car prices for something that only has an automatic. Waste of money.
VW GTI all the way. Base S trim has even more features at 32k than WRX at 45k... I mean parking sensors for example! Honestly the WRX should be around 38k max for the Gt auto.. when you are at 45k hello you can get a BMW 330i New!!! That is why they are discounting them as they are overpriced.... the plastic cladding makes them look like an economy car not a 40k plus car.. If you go to base wrx missing everything like Cross path and blind for example.... I would be interested for 7500 less in price for Gt but the GTI better in so many ways..
If I wanted to go with the cheapest trim available, I'd go for the Subie. If I wanted to spend upwards of $40k for one of the top trims I'd go with the Mazda.
The GT version of the WRX is a joke … extraordinary poor marketing research from the folks at Subaru. The Premium is the best value or Limited if you want a few more goodies.
Awd wise ,which do you think can deal with snow , especially for Canadian winters, i know Mazda is more fwd biased , but is subaru any better or same as mazda?also does mazda in 2024 get lane follow assist like kia's and Hyundai's, kind of thinking in between Hyundai Elantra N or mazda 3 GT with that turbo, what's the best 4 door car per you?
The WRX is by far a much better car in the winter than the Mazda 3 AWD. I initially looked into the Mazda 3 AWD because I came from a regular FWD Mazda 3, but as you said, the AWD type is still FWD-biased. It performs okay in the snow, but there literally is no better AWD car in the winter than the WRX. Even chain control people in bad weather conditions will give you a nod and let you pass through since they know what’s up.
Tbh I own a AWD Mazda 3 turbo and live in one of the snowiest cities in the US (buffalo,NY) we avg about 95”/yr and I’ve never had a problem. I’ve driven in storm systems with up to 2 feet of snow and i walk through it.
I kind believe this guy!! Lmao you are obviously not a car enthusiast is you want an Electronic E-Brake!!!! Get the heck out! The regular e-brake is what people that like to race, autocross and rally their cars want… not electronic e brake lol 😂
Don't buy a car at Royal or any other dealership that loans out cars to RU-vidrs to review. This guy is doing 0-60 acceleration runs in cars that aren't properly broken in yet and then the dealership is turning around and selling them to unsuspecting folks. I'm not sure about the Mazda, but the WRX owners manual explicitly says to not rev the engine over 4000 rpm for the first thousand miles. I'd be pissed buying a new car only to find someone beating on it in a video online before I bought it. If you want to test and review cars, do it the proper way and get a loaner from the manufacturer directly like other "real" automotive journalists.
A valid concern, though I hardly ever push cars above 4k rpm if they’re new. For this one, I thought people may want to know the numbers so I did one acceleration test where they spent a few seconds above it. The main reason why you want to avoid high rpms is to keep the engines from getting too hot. Savage Geese did a great video on break-ins with a corvette engineer who verbatim said that a 0-60 run is not going to hurt the engine but track driving and excessive heat can cause problems for the bearings when it’s not broken in. Using cruise control at constant rpms can also be bad for it too. Still, I hear you and don’t want to spook anyone so I seldom do these anymore unless it’s used or a broken-in service loaner and I’m desperately trying to get more press cars so I can do more thorough testing to begin with.
@@Realistick Man, I had the same sentiment as the OP, but gosh dang it if you didn't actually address the question in an honest and mature way. I wish more people could do this instead of shutting someone down or dancing around the question never actually answering anything. Kudos to you!
I priced out a WRX today for my wife and for the equipment that she wants put the price to almost $50K. We can buy another vehicle in that price range with an actual 6spd manual transmission.
Tell your wife to not max out the options without knowing what she's buying. Base is low 30k. Limited is higher 30ks. It's on her if she's adding every option.
I don't understand why anyone would choose an auto in a performance vehicle. Pretty sure just about anyone with a 4th gen 2.5t would choose a manual if it were an option.
When the wrx debuted in 1992, 240 hp compact sedan was fast and stood out against 75hp corollas and even 102hp Imprezas. Sadly Subaru hasn’t really improved the wrx engine much since then.
Because a few bolt-ons (even just an intake) and a tune will already bump you up to 320-350whp/wtq on pump gas. With E85, even bigger gains. The engine is rated to around 500 whp/wtq before things start to break. Can anyone post some numbers for a modded Mazda 3?
It's a loaded, awd, comfortable and quick hatchback. I'd say it's pricey but easily justifies the cost! An Acura integra with similar features is quite a bit slower without AWD and the WRX shown was $45k (that one was hard for me to stomach)
Neither are sports cars. They are sporty economy cars with decent levels of performance. The Subaru due to the CVT seems even more of an economy choice, not that Mazda is better with a traditional automatic.
