Remember the Mazdaspeed3 with the 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder engine that Ford has adapted for several applications under the EcoBoost name? As it happens, the 2021 Mazda3 Turbo isn’t the successor to it.
The Hiroshima-based automaker didn’t want to create yet another hot hatch because Honda will continue to be king of the hill with the Civic Type R. Be that as it may, Doug DeMuro suggests that Mazda has created one of the best all-around hatchbacks on sale today. I can’t help but agree to that.
Also available as a four-door sedan, the Turbo relies on forced induction to develop 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet (434 Nm) of torque. Add a six-speed automatic transmission and i-Activ all-wheel drive to the mix, and you get a car that’s “clearly quick and feels fast on the road.” Doug also reports “class-leading steering and handling,” which is high praise indeed.
One thing that feels out of place with this Mazda is the torsion beam-style rear suspension that doesn’t feel as tight as a multi-link setup when the going gets twisty. On the upside, the Japanese brand didn’t cut any corners in terms of interior. “The materials are truly wonderful” for a compact car, but for some reason or another, the infotainment display is not a touchscreen.
Taking into consideration the location of the display and the infotainment controls on the center console, I can’t say that comes as a deal-breaker either. While on the subject of interior shenanigans, sitting in the rear is a bit of a problem for Doug because his knees touch the back of the front seat.
Look beyond the smallest of annoyances, and you’re presented with “a pretty nice car in general as far as compact hatchbacks go. Dare I say, it’s probably the best one of these on the market today,” concluded DeMuro.
As far as the Dougscore is concerned, the 2021 Mazda3 Turbo ties the Kia Soul at 51 points. Higher up on the list, the MINI Cooper JCW GP is ranked at 56 points, while the Focus RS and Golf R are tied at 63 points.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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