MotorwayAmerica.com

By Jim Meachen
Editor, MotorwayAmerica.com

(March 17, 2024) The 2024 Mazda3 compact vehicle, which is part of the fourth generation introduced in 2019, comes in sedan and hatchback body styles with a choice of two 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines—one a spunky turbo. Hatchbacks with the base four-cylinder and front-wheel drive can be had with a six-speed manual gearbox, and all-wheel drive is available across the lineup—but only with a six-speed automatic.

While retaining virtually the same appearance for six years, it has been enhanced over the years by incremental improvements and updates.

For 2024, Mazda is offering a special Carbon trim exclusively for the Turbo hatchback. Carbon Turbos come in Zircon Sand Metallic paint and are adorned in dark trim, including gloss-black wheels, side mirrors, and grille. The interior mixes terracotta leather with black suede. Other improvements for 2024 include a new 10.3-inch infotainment display, but that's exclusive to models powered by the optional turbocharged engine.


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For this review I drove the hatchback version with its biggest attribute increased cargo space over the sedan carrying 20.1 cubic feet of storage space behind the rear seats and — of course — the second-row seatbacks fold down for extra space. The sedan's trunk comes with 13.2 cubic feet of space. The hatchback's main drawback — some blindspots because of its bulbous backside.

The heart of the Mazda3 is its 2.5-liter turbocharge 4-cylinder direct-injection engine making 256 horsepower (with 93 octane premium gas) @ 5,000 rpm and 320 pound-feet of torque @ 2,500 rpm. In this configuration the 2.5 Turbo has been clocked from 0-to-60 in 5.6 seconds and 14.1 seconds @ 99 mph in the quarter mile. Mazda says the engine will run just fine on regular gas, but horsepower will be cut to 227 and torque will drop slightly to 310 foot-pounds. 



We were pleased with the handling and road-carving ability of the Mazda, bringing on a smile as we negotiated my usual winding rural road "test track." One unsuspecting passenger exclaimed, "wow, this has some punch for a 3" as we nailed it to pass a slower-moving car on a two-lane road.

While the suspension aided my aggressive driving, it also offered a compliant, comfortable ride that should please virtually all passengers. That and a relatively quiet cabin gives the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo a premium car feel.

We think Mazda shines best with its interiors.

The color combinations are striking and the material is first class befitting an entry-level luxury car such as an Audi A4 or a BMW 3 Series. The cabin detailing is important and Mazda has grasped that fact better than any other mainstream brand.



The dashboard is conservatively handsome and the switchgear is intuitive. Gauges are easy to read and understand. The infotainment screen is attractively imbedded at the top of the dash and the icons are clear and easy to access by a control wheel behind the shifter. Climate controls in the center stack are also clear and easy to use. And we like the placement of the radio volume knob on the center console.



The Mazda3 2.5 Turbo comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Mazda Connected Services with three-year trial and in-car Wi-Fi hot spot with six-months and 2GB trial, Bose 12-speaker premium audio, 8.8-inch large center display with Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio, two front USB inputs and Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry.



Complementing the feel of refined performance are a heated leather wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters, frameless auto-dim rearview mirror, and chrome finishes around the push button start and glove box. Other interior features include Mazda's Active Driving Display head-up unit, power moonroof, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, leatherette upholstery, leather wrapped shift knob and aluminum speaker grilles. 




The Mazda3's base non-turbo engine is no slouch in performance with 191 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. For comparison it has been measured from 0-to-60 in around 7.6 seconds, which stacks up quite well against the competition.



The hatchback sweet spot for the best price and equipment is the non-turbo 2.5 in Preferred trim with a starting price of  $28,555. The hatchback starts at $26,855. The 2.5 Turbo hatchback comes in two trims — 2.5 Turbo at $34,115 and Premium Plus at $37,815. My Premium Plus test vehicle carried a bottom line of $38,410. Sedan pricing ranges from $25,335 to $36,615.

2024 Mazda3 Hatchback

Essentials
Base price: $26,855; as driven, $38,410
Engine: 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
Horsepower: 256 @ 5,000  rpm (premium), 227 @ 5,000 rpm (regular)
Torque: 310 pound-feet at 2,000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Drive: all-wheel
Wheelbase: 107.3 inches
Length: 183.5 inches
Curb weight: 3,397 pounds
Turning circle: 34.8 feet
Luggage capacity: 20.1 cubic feet
Fuel capacity: 12.7 gallons (regular)
EPA rating: 23 city, 31 highway, 26 combined
0-60: 5.6 seconds (Car and Driver)

The Good
• Excellent performance
• Fun to drive
• Premium interior

The Bad
• No manual transmission offered with turbo

The Ugly
• Big blind spots