2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo Road Test and Review

Scoops and spoilers accompanied forced induction the last time Mazda turbocharged its Mazda3 compact car. That long gone but not forgotten 2013 Mazdaspeed 3 displayed all of the traditional hallmarks of a raw-around-the-edges hot hatch, making it a favorite of the “Fast and Furious” crowd despite its silly smiling grille.

Now, Mazda targets a more mature customer: someone seeking greater sophistication in a refined, upscale performance package. As such, the new 2021 Mazda Mazda3 2.5 Turbo does away with scoops and comes only with subtle spoilers (though an optional body kit does add visual sizzle). And while the new Mazda3 Turbo offers Mazdaspeed levels of performance and handling, the automaker has no plans to revive its former performance sub-brand. Having spent quality seat time in the new 2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo, that’s fine by us. But are the target customers ready to pay a premium for an entry-luxury compact car that doesn’t wear the prestigious emblem of a luxury brand? 

Mazda has dramatically expanded its Mazda3 lineup for 2021, adding new lower-priced 2.0 models at the bottom and new higher-priced 2.5 Turbo models at the top of the trim-level ladder.

This review is focused on the 2.5 Turbos, which come in four-door sedan and five-door hatchback body styles and with or without a Premium Plus option package. Prices range between $29,900 for the base 2.5 Turbo sedan and rise to $33,750 for the Premium Plus hatchback. Add extra-cost paint, lightweight BBS forged aluminum wheels, an Aero Kit (hatch only), and the $945 destination charge, and you could spend up to $37,285 on this vehicle. Our test vehicle, a sedan, came with the Premium Plus upgrade, extra-cost Machine Gray paint, and a navigation system. It cost $34,340 including the $945 destination charge.

You can identify the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo by the gloss black paint applied to the grille, the heated side mirrors, and the 18-inch aluminum wheels. Around the back, larger exhaust outlets signal the added oomph. Yes, Mazda has come a long way from scoops and spoilers.

If you feel like the resulting design is too subtle, the sedan’s Premium Plus Package won’t help. All it adds is a lip spoiler for the trunk lid. You’re going to want the hatchback, and then you’ll want to add the Premium Plus Package, which bolts on a front air dam and a rear roof spoiler. Next, pay extra for the Aero Kit, which gives the car a rear diffuser panel and side sill extensions. Open a door, and Mazda’s driver-centric interior design, minimalistic control layout, and quality materials are evident. The Premium Plus Package equips the car with Nappa leather upholstery in black, white, or red. Instrumentation is a model of clarity, tasteful chrome accents add class, and the car even smells luxurious inside.

The Mazda3 is a snug fit, even among compact cars. Nevertheless, the intimate sensation is entirely appropriate for a vehicle focused on the joy of driving. Up front, heated seats and a heated tilt/telescopic steering wheel are standard equipment, and the Mazda3 Turbo includes a dual-zone automatic climate control system. Drivers receive eight-way power adjustment, while passengers are left to change their seat position manually.

Taller adults will be unhappy in the Mazda3’s back seat. Mazda does thoroughly pad the front seatbacks to make them kinder to knees and shins, but that doesn’t resolve the lack of legroom. Also, there are no air conditioning vents or USB charging ports, features that belong in a car priced this high. Trunk space measures 13.2 cubic feet, which is on par with the compact sedan class. For greater utility, the hatchback is the Mazda3 Turbo you want. It supplies 20.1 cubic feet behind the back seat and 47.1 cubes when you fold it down.

Between the Mazda Connect infotainment system, driver information center within the gauge cluster, and Active Driving Display head-up display, the 2021 Mazda3 Turbo is loaded with technology. Before test-driving the car, it took about 20 minutes to go through all of the features and functions, setting up the Mazda3 to personal preferences.

Mazda Connect uses an 8.8-inch display with clean, modern graphics. It’s not a touch-sensing screen, so you must use the center console controls, steering wheel controls, or voice controls. The voice recognition system does not recognize naturally spoken commands, but Mazda says owners will use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto voice assistants instead. A 12-speaker Bose premium audio system with Audio Pilot technology is standard, and it sounds remarkably good. Mazda Connected Services are free for three years, except for the Wi-Fi hotspot, which offers a six-month, 2-gig trial period. A MyMazda smartphone app supplies remote engine starting. The Active Driving Display remains visible when the driver wears polarized sunglasses, and it offers useful data during a drive, including blind-spot warnings.

Mazda equips every Mazda3 2.5 Turbo with its i-Activesense collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Ten different features are grouped under this umbrella, most related to driver assistance and collision avoidance. Rain-sensing wipers are also standard. Choose the Premium Plus Package, and three exclusive i-Activesense features join the menu. They include new reverse automatic braking functions and Traffic Jam Assist, which helps alleviate stress during your daily commute.

In use, the ADAS proves both accurate and refined in terms of operation. Because of its sophistication, you are more likely to keep the technology engaged rather than seek a way to shut it off. The Mazda3 earns top crash-test ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

Mazda uses its familiar turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine in the Mazda3 Turbo, calibrated specifically for this car. It makes 227 or 250 horsepower and 310 or 320 pound-feet of torque, depending on whether you pump regular-grade or premium fuel.

A six-speed automatic with sport and manual modes powers all four wheels through a next-generation i-Activ all-wheel-drive system. It puts up to three times the power to the rear wheels as the AWD in other Mazda3 models. The EPA rates fuel economy at 27 mpg in combined driving for the sedan and 26 mpg for the hatchback. We got nowhere near that. But our average of 20.4 mpg reflects just how much fun we had driving this car. Relentless torque is the story here, and it’s addictive. Between getting pushed deeper into the Mazda3 Turbo’s driver’s seat, the enhanced engine note that sounds a little bit like a flat-four is chugging away under the hood, and the effortless speed, we were helpless not to keep flattening the accelerator pedal.

As thrilling as the turbocharged engine is, it’s the Mazda3’s ride and handling that push you over the cliff and into deep love with this car. For 2021, all Mazda3 models get steering improvements. Additionally, the Mazda3 Turbo has stiffer front springs and dampers to account for 120 pounds of added weight and modifications to the G-Vectoring Control+ technology when the transmission is in sport mode. The result is magic.

Well, it’s magic unless you’re driving over the speed humps in front of my kid’s elementary school. The Mazda3 Turbo did not handle these well. But otherwise, the car is nothing short of brilliant. Drive out to where your favorite empty twisty roads are, and the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo is calm, cool, and collected while dispatching with the corners, curves, and whoop-de-doos in the pavement. Unflappable is the best word to describe the driving dynamics, and because the car consistently behaves as you expect it to, you come to trust it, getting comfortable pushing it to its limits. Better yet, the car isn’t loud, it isn’t stiff, and it isn’t calling unnecessary attention to your shenanigans. In short, it is an incredibly competent sports sedan (or hatchback).

It’s getting harder to find genuine sport compact cars, but not impossible. And since Mazda is positioning itself in premium territory, its competitive set is even more extensive. From mainstream brands, the Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai Elantra N, and the Subaru WRX are most closely aligned with the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo. Currently on hiatus, the next-generation Volkswagen Golf R will also play in this space.

If you pit the Mazda against luxury brands, the Audi A3, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, Cadillac CT4, and Mercedes-Benz A-Class and CLA-Class are the main alternatives. And then you have the MINI Cooper S Hardtop, which is priced right in the same neighborhood as the Mazda. Within this collection of vehicles, the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo offers a compelling blend of style, sophistication, technology, and performance. The price might seem high at first glance, but when measured against the direct competition, the value equation is a favorable one.

Aside from our disappointing fuel economy result and continued frustration with how Mazda Connect works, the 2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo is a near-flawless automobile. It looks and drives like something far more expensive, and it is legitimately competitive with entry-level vehicles from traditional luxury brands.

Of course, if your definition of luxury is all about image, this turbocharged Mazda simply won’t satisfy you. But if you measure luxury in terms of style, substance, and satisfaction, then a 2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo demands your consideration.