Mazda appears to have embraced a two-pronged strategy to generate interest in its redesigned-for-2019 3 hatchback and sedan. For the coming model year, the automaker plans to add two engines to the lineup — one a potent, uplevel offering designed to give enthusiasts the oomph they so desire; the other, a returning cast member that never went away north of the border.
After this latest move, Mazda may well be out of options for luring eyes and wallets.
Yes, as previously reported, the Skyactiv-G 2.5T engine will join the Mazda 3 lineup for 2021. The turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder, already optional in the CX-5 crossover and 6 sedan, appears in the Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo. Offered in sedan or hatchback guise, the new models pair with the brand’s i-Active all-wheel drive system and six-speed automatic transmission, setting a new ceiling for the 3’s range.
Power amounts to 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque on regular gas, or 250 hp and 320 lb-ft on 93 octane go juice.
Riding atop blacked-out 18-inch wheels, the two Turbo models carry an array of standard safety and convenience content, among them: power moonroof, leather-wrapped everything, interior chrome trim, a head-up display, LED lighting, and an i-Activsense suite of driver-assist features (radar cruise control with stop-and-go, adapting front lighting, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping, lane departure warning).
From the outside, Turbo models can be spotted by their trim-specific badging, larger tailpipes, and blacked-out grille. The Premium Plus Package can be added to festoon the 3 with even more goodies (and added price), but the cost of all this remains unknown for now. Clearly positioned as the pinnacle of the trim ladder, the Turbo twins arrive before the end of the year.
In Canada, starting price for the Mazda 3 Turbo is $32,900 before destination — a $2,400 increase from the top-flight GT AWD sedan. Hatch variants bump the price by another grand.
But the new turbo engine is only half of the story here. For 2021, Mazda saw fit to throw buyers of lesser means a bone, returning the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine to the fold as the base unit in front-drive models. Rated, as before, at 155 hp and 150 lb-ft, the 2.0L provides a cheaper stepping stone into the model, perhaps allowing Mazda to reclaim the U.S. buyers it lost when it went 2.5L-only for 2019.
As mentioned before, Canadian customers never lost this option. While the engine lineup has changed drastically in the U.S. for ’21, the availability of a three-pedal setup hasn’t — a manual transmission remains available only to buyers of the front-drive Premium Package hatchback. In the now mid-range Mazda 3 2.5S lineup, the hatch now offers the Select Package previously offered only on the sedan, boosting content and upgrading the car’s wheels to 18-inchers.
Non-turbo models should start rolling into dealers next month, with pricing announced closer to that date.
[Images: Mazda]
Does Canada have common emission regs with the US, or do vehicles have to be certified to a different set of standards?
We use California standards in Canada. There’s supposed to be 13 other US states in on the same deal.
I predicted that the new 3 turbo would be C$37K here on TTAC yesterday, so $33K for the sedan is great. Goodness knows what the Preemy Plus package is though. For our 73 cent dollar we get a deal. A GTI runs the same sort of pricing here for the old Mk 7 model but it’s FWD, and the packaging is awful in the 4 door for me due to the A-pillar placement and awful egress. They’re giving $3K off on the old GTIs at present — whoopy do. If I’d wanted one or a Jetta GLI I’d have got one a year ago instead of the 6 turbo.
S I have the 6 turbo – lovely engine and transmission, so-so IRS. If I like the new 3 turbo sedan, I may ditch the 6 because I’m old and can afford to and I’m not going to live a whole lot longer. AWD is what’s missing from the 6 and it’s obvious, although it can be fun too. Lovely car overall though. The regular 3 AWD is a pussycat to drive and boring.
$33k CDN also gets you to the second (“Sport”) tier of the WRX. The Mazda is “nicer” but the Rex is a known quantity. Also: is Mazda Canada still charging extra for the popular colours?
Also: the last of the Mk7’s will be an easy sell, the all-touch-interface of the MK8 is not well received.
We use California standards in Canada. There’s supposed to be 13 other US states in on the same deal.
I predicted that the new 3 turbo would be C$37K here on TTAC yesterday, so $33K for the sedan is great. Goodness knows what the Preemy Plus package is though. For our 73 cent dollar we get a deal. A GTI runs the same sort of pricing here for the old Mk 7 model but it’s FWD, and the packaging is awful in the 4 door for me due to the A-pillar placement and awful egress. They’re giving $3K off on the old GTIs at present — whoopy do. If I’d wanted one or a Jetta GLI I’d have got one a year ago instead of the 6 turbo.
So I have the 6 turbo – lovely engine and transmission, so-so IRS. If I like the new 3 turbo sedan, I may ditch the 6 because I’m old and can afford to and I’m not going to live a whole lot longer. AWD is what’s missing from the 6 and it’s obvious, although it can be fun too. Lovely car overall though. The regular 3 AWD is a pussycat to drive and boring.
It’s Mazda Week again here at TTAM. Three days in a row: July 6, 7, and now 8. I hope someone is being compensated adequately by Mazda for this.
You know, as an unpaid member of the commentariat you are fully within your rights not to read, and even to fully scroll past the stories you don’t care about.
We are also free to supply snarky comments which you in turn can scroll on by. But Mazda week beats Kia month so I won’t complain.
I know, the internet is one big ouroboros of snark and counter-snark
Mazda is still operating on the philosophy of build crap and charge a lot for it and then spend some of the savings on marketing lies.
What works are you in? They do not build crap on any objective measure.
28 cars
this would be Honda
after getting my first Honda car ever( Civic), I have to agree. Its built like shit, My lancer was better put together and had better gaps!
First it is TTAC, second you could choose any three days and find all the other manufacturers discussed. I don’t know your beef with Mazda is. I don’t see why you seem to hate a co.pany that builds well made, well designed and quality cars at an affordable price. They are not a big company so I am sure they will not be in the news each day. Although I hope they are to annoy you – are you paid by the Pricks of America?
Hey, I love to talk about Mazda
Where is TTAM? I hope you are not lonely over there.
No IRS for the turbo?
What if they put the 2.5T in the Miata?
you mean, they will tear ball joints and rip the powertrain? But I might take it over mustang then. Or not
It’s rather unclear in the text above: will the return of the 2 liter also bring a manual? Will there be a new three sedan with 2 liter and manual?
I just read over on another website that the manual will still be a premium hatchback 2.5 litre affair.
That’s disappointing. Not because “manual everything!,” but because it sort of makes sense in the two-prong strategy. Oh well.
I think, it is rather clear in this post that Manual will only be avail in the premium fwd hatch
A bit late and probably won’t make much difference, but the 2.0 will probably sell more sedans if it is priced and optioned right. Potentially more cost- and MPG- competitive with sedan competitors in that class. I had a 06′ hatch with the 2.3, but always thought the earlier generations of the Mazda3 with a 2.0 and well-equipped was kind of the sweet spot in terms of features, performance, economy. My 2.3 hatch was great, but would have selected it with a 2.0 if that were available. The performance difference wasn’t that big in my daily life and I would have prefered extra MPG. The 2.0 in my 2 Proteges and my truck were all bulletproof, never used any oil, never any issues.
I always wanted that 2010 – style hatch… with 2L. But when they finally made them with 2L, it was only with that half-skyactive 2L. I wanted regular 2L. Time proved – I was right. That non-skyactive 2L is the best small engine mazda made. No problems at all.
That base 2.0 will feel like a punishment. The base 2.5 was already low on power for the weight of the car, and the smaller displacement means what, 25ish less horses?
The 2.5t should be offered in front-drive guise, because that’s the one you really want.
At the event for the new 2.5 3 last year I said it needed more power, and their response was that it had enough, and someone seeking more power would buy a 6.
Rubbish, how can a 186hp compact car even be considered to be low on power? This had more power than any other compact car outside of the So, type R, GTi, N etc. I don’t see you complaint about the top selling Corollas or Civics, which demonstrate that large power is not the bee all and end all.
I dunno, the 146 HP 2.0L Sky-G in my CX-3 AWD (3000 lbs) doesn’t feel so bad.
For a basic commuter car, 155 hp should be plenty for 3000-3300 lb Mazda3.
> That base 2.0 will feel like a punishment. The base 2.5 was already low on power
As a Canadian, I feel like I’m missing something. It feels to me that in every forum that I drop in, the Americans seem to be driving at higher speeds than us, or at least it seems like that because they have such high expectations of how much horsepower a car should have.
Selling a car as premium compact and not econobox commuter (their words) raises the price and my expectations.
Corey, there was a nuanced debate when the Skyactiv engines of 2 and 2.5 came out a few years back. Most people preferred the bigger one, but there was a decent number of reviews that saw the value of the 2.0 – but only with a stickshift. Besides, these cars are rather light. Your statement equating the 2.0 liter with “punishment” is a gross exaggeration, in my humble opinion.
Can’t agree. I’d take the 2.5L N.A. engine from Mazda over the 1.5T from the civic or the 2.0L in the Corrolla any day, all day. It was perfectly adequate in our 2016 CX-5 which is even heavier than the mazda 3. The VW turbo detuned options might be slightly better.
Mazda 3: 186 hp / 3100lbs
Civic: 174 Hp / 2900 lbs
corolla xse: 169hp / 3100 lbs
I’m not see anything out of line here, at all. The 2.5T rips the front wheels off my Mazda 6. It would be worse on the Mazda 3. AWD is needed for all that torque.
Power and weight are relevant, but so is torque and how the transmission handles it all.
Plenty of hot hatches have 250hp and front-drive. If the chassis can’t handle it then it isn’t well-engineered.
But apparently everyone’s about less power and base models today, so what do I know? Premium Mazda cuts base power, 10/10 per commenters.
“10/10 per commenters.”
Seems like it is just the people that bought Mazdas.
LOL
there are ragrets
I don’t know if it is “regrets”, but both the Mazda corporation and Mazda owners seem to get defensive at the idea that higher powered offerings may be necessary to be considered a “premium” brand.
Corey,
Do they have 320lbft of torque?
I just don’t see it mattering that much. No one was complaining about the WRX wagon back in the day being Awd.
Nobody complained 25 years ago when a rally-sourced hot wagon appeared with AWD?
Have you got any more relevant or current examples?
“and their response was that it had enough”
Mazda gonna Mazda.
2014 was was the last year the WRX in hatch was made. Somewhat still relevant since I see many running around.
I mean the whole The whole point of being AWD is that there aren’t many options and Mazda fills that hap. Heck, there aren’t many options in FWD. If we look at similar HP, we got the GTI, Civic type R and Veloster n line.
Not sure if it applies anymore, but last time I drove them, I preferred the 2.0 over the 2.5. At least back then, it revved quicker, and seemed to have less excessive flywheel. Less weight in front, in a vehicle layout which have too much of it as it is, is also always a good thing.
This will create some sale issues for the 3 with regard to the 2.0 for a year or two.
Why buy a new 2.0 when a used 2.5 has more power, is otherwise exactly the same, and is cheaper?
This is a guess game. When everything is sorted out, new will probably be cheaper than used. Used is auction price + $4000K on top. New is, invoice (-)customer rebate, (-)dealer discount and (if you’re really good) (-)holdback
> Used is auction price + $4000K on top.
Wow, auction price plus $4,000,000? I’m in the wrong business.
hahaha, what business you’re in?
“2.0L provides a cheaper stepping stone into the model, perhaps allowing Mazda to reclaim the U.S. buyers”
Yes. Agree. This is the main reason of the downfall. But it will not return people like me. Because I also want MT and J-VIN
Hatch has MT+J-VIN… but at what $$$?? I am too cheap to pay that for Mazda3
When I get back in the car market, I would like a 2014-2018 Mazda 3 hatch, but unfortunately, I would have to go with a used version. The current 3 seems OK, but doesn’t grab me. I like the exterior and interior styling less than before, and the price has grown.
I am interested in the Scion iA, even though it’s a little small … but that is getting discontinued. Oh well.
Nobody seems to buy the things I like, and then they get discontinued. The odd thing is, this seems to happen in other areas besides car shopping. Is it just me?
“Scion iA” … I meant the Toyota Yaris, oops. I meant the Mazda 2- based one. All else still applies.