2021 Mazda3 Turbo

Next year, Mazda is putting the 250hp/320lb-ft 2.5T motor into the Mazda3 hatchbacks and sedans with standard AWD and a bunch of blacked-out trim pieces and black 18" wheels. No word on price or what else will be changed. It is important to note that this is not a Mazdaspeed3. Its not some hairy-chested psychotic hot hatch, but a sporty commuter car with some pep in its step. It is strongly rumored to be automatic only, although if it uses the same automatic transmission tuning as the CX-3 (the only new Mazda product I've driven recently), then that is not much of a downgrade, as that was a pretty slick piece. 

https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/2021-mazda3-turbo?soccmp=soc00000182&fbclid=IwAR3mziGSprTDuKNl3erLi7GFV02o5mHe6ZWMIdltAbjZ0CaOAVT41x0EEuc

Head of Mazda Mexico revealed last week its AT only. 

for us old mazdaspeed3 owners, sad. 

At least the automatic Mazda uses doesn't feel like a penalty, and with the turbo off idle torque should build quickly enough. I'd prefer a nice manual but I don't think I'd be annoyed by the automatic.

MrFancypants said:

At least the automatic Mazda uses doesn't feel like a penalty, and with the turbo off idle torque should build quickly enough. I'd prefer a nice manual but I don't think I'd be annoyed by the automatic.

Yeah, I drove a 2019 CX-3 a few months back and the transmission was pretty snappy and quick on the upshifts. Now add 100hp and keep that transmission tuning the same and it should be pretty jaunty.

Auto only reduces the want to a non-existant trickle.  And as a person who has purchased ~5 new Stick shift vehicles over the last 10 years I tend to put my money where my mouth is.  I've tried to save the stick but I've failed.   

I read an Autoblog piece on the car that says it is literally just the turbo engine on an otherwise unchanged 3 hatch.  The press release then goes on to say things like "our focus currently is to further connect heightened performance with our premium technologies and amenities to deliver an elevated ownership experience."  I know car makers have to make money and all that and that enthusiasts are like .1% of the market but I dont' care how connected vehicle performance is to Android Auto..

I'm honestly a pretty big subscriber to Knurled's turbo + (good) auto = awesome train of thought, so I'd like to try this. Still, I find it encouraging that Mazda even took the step of building such a car, plus is going to build a RWD/AWD Mazda6 with an inline-6. Sure this car is an auto and isn't the MS3 of yore, but it could be worse, they could just be killing off the Mazda3 altogether.

mr2s2000elise said:

Head of Mazda Mexico revealed last week its AT only. 

for us old mazdaspeed3 owners, sad. 

Correct.

I got super excited when I started seeing the headlines last week. Quickly muted, as the stories I saw said 227 hp, which if use 87, that's what it is. 250 hp with 93. I doubt most are buying a Mazda, auto hatch with the intention of putting 93 in it. In Oklahoma, last time I filled up a couple weeks ago E10 87 was $1.89, the E0 93 that is only available at a few stations was $3.59.

Was really hoping to see some aggressive styling, big brakes, wider wheels, sticky tires, all the goods. 

An AWD boost buggy seems like a good way to get guys in that want an ND, but need a place to child seat and still having something fun/sporty to drive. 

NickD said:

I'm honestly a pretty big subscriber to Knurled's turbo + (good) auto = awesome train of thought, so I'd like to try this. Still, I find it encouraging that Mazda even took the step of building such a car, plus is going to build a RWD/AWD Mazda6 with an inline-6. Sure this car is an auto and isn't the MS3 of yore, but it could be worse, they could just be killing off the Mazda3 altogether.

I just thought "Why would they do that?"

Then I went and looked up the Mazda 3 sales numbers........................they are abysmal. 

z31maniac said:

NickD said:

I'm honestly a pretty big subscriber to Knurled's turbo + (good) auto = awesome train of thought, so I'd like to try this. Still, I find it encouraging that Mazda even took the step of building such a car, plus is going to build a RWD/AWD Mazda6 with an inline-6. Sure this car is an auto and isn't the MS3 of yore, but it could be worse, they could just be killing off the Mazda3 altogether.

I just thought "Why would they do that?"

Then I went and looked up the Mazda 3 sales numbers........................they are abysmal. 

Are they? I haven't checked. But it just seems the trend right now. But lets not turn this into the same "SUVs suck but are all people are buying and you're to blame" discussion that invariably happens.

My wife was getting close to choosing a replacement for her DSG GTI when Covid hit.  Since there was nothing by one of the Japanese manufacturers that matched the practicality and performance of the GTI, she was seriously considering a subcompact Lexus SUV.  This will likely become her top choice now when she starts shopping again.

While I am happy they did this, it's still disappointing that they still haven't cooked up a successor to to the MS3. I've been waiting for one for years. It will be a fine daily driver I'm sure, but I was hoping for a true MS3 replacement I could finally trade my aging Mazda 3 in on. This isn't it. I'm guessing that it will cost north of $35k, since it only comes in a fully loaded 3 with AWD. I can think of a lot of other cars I'd rather spend my hypothetical $35k+ on than one of these.

As far as what it is, their 6 speed auto trans that they put in everything these days is fine. Our CX-5 has it, and I like it. Sport Mode is somewhat entertaining and really holds the gears to redline. That paired with the turbo should be fairly quick. 

NickD said:

z31maniac said:

NickD said:

I'm honestly a pretty big subscriber to Knurled's turbo + (good) auto = awesome train of thought, so I'd like to try this. Still, I find it encouraging that Mazda even took the step of building such a car, plus is going to build a RWD/AWD Mazda6 with an inline-6. Sure this car is an auto and isn't the MS3 of yore, but it could be worse, they could just be killing off the Mazda3 altogether.

I just thought "Why would they do that?"

Then I went and looked up the Mazda 3 sales numbers........................they are abysmal. 

Are they? I haven't checked. But it just seems the trend right now. But lets not turn this into the same "SUVs suck but are all people are buying and you're to blame" discussion that invariably happens.

IIRC the number was something like 20% or more down from January to January.......so even before COVID hit.

z31maniac said:

NickD said:

z31maniac said:

NickD said:

I'm honestly a pretty big subscriber to Knurled's turbo + (good) auto = awesome train of thought, so I'd like to try this. Still, I find it encouraging that Mazda even took the step of building such a car, plus is going to build a RWD/AWD Mazda6 with an inline-6. Sure this car is an auto and isn't the MS3 of yore, but it could be worse, they could just be killing off the Mazda3 altogether.

I just thought "Why would they do that?"

Then I went and looked up the Mazda 3 sales numbers........................they are abysmal. 

Are they? I haven't checked. But it just seems the trend right now. But lets not turn this into the same "SUVs suck but are all people are buying and you're to blame" discussion that invariably happens.

IIRC the number was something like 20% or more down from January to January.......so even before COVID hit.

Well, the whole automotive market had that huge stumble in September-October that hit everyone, I remember. It ended a 96 month growth streak over at Subaru and that was when Nissan posted that 17% sales drop as well.

I'm more excited about this than the Bronco. 

We were this > < close to buying a new 2.5l, loaded, 3 hatch in '17 to replace our Dieselgate buy-back Sportwagen.  If the timing was different we'd probably be driving that 3 now, but VW got the green light to sell the TDIs that had been languishing on their lots for the past 2 years, while we were shopping, an we snagged a "new" leftover, '15 TDI Golf, for a whole lot less money than the 3.

I really liked the 3, it was an auto, with only 184 HP, no turbo, no AWD, and still pretty spunky.

I wonder why Mazda isn't going to make the 2.5T available in the CX-30 as it's built on the same architecture as the 3 coupe and hatch; should drop right in.

FWIW, my daily is a 2019 CX-3.  I bought it with the intention of giving it to my eldest daughter when she turns 16 this October but it's such a fun little scamp to tool around in (and gets 32+ mpg on 87 octane) that I'm leaning towards keeping it and getting her a CX-30.

I'm in California so requiring high octane makes crushingly high fuel prices all the worse...a normally aspirated 2.5 would be brilliant in my CX-3 but I know I'm on the 2 architecture so it wouldn't fit.

Whatever, I'm glad Mazda is doing this but I'll stick with my swill drinking 2.0 n/a CX-3 and maybe pick up a 2.5 n/a CX-30 in the semi near future.

In reply to RX Reven' :

I enjoyed the CX-3 that I drove. The engine was a little loud and obnoxious, but the chassis tuning was pretty good for a CUV, the transmission was crisp and fast with the shifting and it was pretty comfortable.

This reminds me of the pre-2008...whatever it was gas crisis.Everyone dumped small passenger vehicles and went to SUVs. Gas spiked to nearly 4$ a gallon and suddenly all the cute roaders weren't so cute, and everyone dumped small cars into the market again. We're just about there. All we need is the spike. 

In reply to NickD :

Loud, obnoxious, and just fast enough to not be slow

Although it's going to feel like a rocket ship when I get it back from my wife this Friday as I've been driving my 1983 RX-7 with a 3 speed automatic for the last week.

What's that, why is my wife driving my daily.  Well, since you asked, it's because she normally drives a POS 2016 Ford Exploder with that POS 3.5L V6 that has a POS water pump buried in the middle of the engine.  75K miles, never abused, and we're staring down an 11.5 standard hour / $2,100 repair bill.

Respected local indy mechanic wouldn't touch it "too much of a hassle" so it's at a Ford repair shop with something like a $150 per hour shop rate.

I was really hoping for more of a spiritual successor to the GD chassis 626 Turbo I had a hundred years ago.  5 forward speeds in a manual box, FWD, nice enough interior with very good seats and that's about it.  Oh, and good sight lines out of the car, which the current 3 hatch doesn't seem to come with (don't know about the sedan, don't care).  It seems like I'm really looking for one of the pre-smiley face Mazdaspeed 3's and not this car.  I think I'm more bothered by the AWD... It also honestly doesn't need that much power to make me happy but the AWD power losses probably make it nicer to have that much torque.

Mndsm said:

This reminds me of the pre-2008...whatever it was gas crisis.Everyone dumped small passenger vehicles and went to SUVs. Gas spiked to nearly 4$ a gallon and suddenly all the cute roaders weren't so cute, and everyone dumped small cars into the market again. We're just about there. All we need is the spike. 

Yup I just dumped 3 of my gas guzzlers during Covid. No covid "economic problem" it seems for all these buyers. Mint FJ Cruiser, Mint 100 Series, and a 200 series. 200 was purchased by a dentist in Kansas. The FJ and 100 was bought by man bun hipsters for top dollar as I expected. Cash, sold within hours of putting the ad. 

Now my "worst" car in the fleet is 19MPG, instead of 12 MPG :)

Petrol here is $3.91 this morning. 

RX Reven' said:

 

Loud, obnoxious, and just fast enough to not be slow 

Although it's going to feel like a rocket ship when I get it back from my wife this Friday as I've been driving my 1983 RX-7 with a 3 speed automatic for the last week.

What's that, why is my wife driving my daily.  Well, since you asked, it's because she normally drives a POS 2016 Ford Exploder with that POS 3.5L V6 that has a POS water pump buried in the middle of the engine.  75K miles, never abused, and we're staring down an 11.5 standard hour / $2,100 repair bill.

Respected local indy mechanic wouldn't touch it "too much of a hassle" so it's at a Ford repair shop with something like a $150 per hour shop rate.

I thought you were trading that sucker in for something better?

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

I know.

COVID put the brakes on our progress plus we aren't passionate about the current crop of offerings.

We have a '19 3 and it is a great little car.  I'd love an extra boost in power.

I really hope they tune the suspension a bit and offer wider wheels/tires. But I doubt they do.

This is Mazda now. It seems the cars they build are not quite sporty enough for many of us anymore. They’re still nice though, and as NickD mentioned, at least they offer something. They sell about a dozen of these 3s a year (I see more Porsche 911s then the new 3), so the fact they haven’t axed the model entirely is a miracle.

Those numbers are pretty impressive. I too wish they would drop this high society attitude and let some crazy out. We know they want to, two generations of Miatas now have gotten nice engine updates because of revs. Mhmm. And the extra power was just a coincidence...