Car Review: 2023 Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo

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When it launched nearly two decades ago, now, the Mazda3 offered more than consumers normally got in competitors like the Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic. Mazda’s replacement for the sensible-but-sporty Protegé could be optioned with premium features and a 2.3L four-cylinder engine that was more powerful than most of the rest of the compact car segment. Likewise, the 2023 Mazda3 Sport is a stylish and powerful compact hatchback that’s a cut above.

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On the whole, Mazda as a brand has been pushing a premium feel throughout its range in an effort to differentiate its offerings from mainstream Honda and Toyota, or quirky off-road Subaru. The just-released Mazda CX-90 crossover absolutely nails this brief, polished both inside and out, and with great driving dynamics.

Pulling the same trick in a compact car is much harder to get right. Shoppers in this segment have a closer eye on budget, and while more powerful engines are great, fuel consumption is usually weighted more heavily. Still, the Mazda3 Sport is compelling for its premium feel, and its fun-to-drive quotient is hard to beat.

Mazda3 Sport Interior Practicality and Ergonomics

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The Mazda3 is available in both sedan and hatchback variants, with the latter, here, dubbed the Sport model. Neither is quite as roomy as competitors like the Civic, but the Sport does compare favourably in terms of space against the Corolla hatchback. Space behind the rear seats is 334L.

As with its stylish exterior, the Mazda3’s interior is design first, practicality second. Though not when it comes to a focus on the driver. Everything in here feels built around the driver, and while the cabin is not as airy as others, Mazda was clearly going for a cockpit feel here, and it suits the car’s personality.

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Instead of a giant touchscreen, as you might get in the new Subaru Impreza, the Mazda3’s 10.3-inch display isn’t distracting, and the rotary controller is easy to use. It’s a better setup than a touchscreen for keeping your eyes on the road.

However, Mazda’s generous use of piano-black trim in the Mazda3’s interior looks great in the brochures, but is less well-suited for everyday living. The panels around the gear shifter were starting to get scratched up on this week’s tester, and by the end of the week they showed every fleck of dust.

Mazda3 Sport Performance

Back to the good news. The Mazda3 Sport comes with three engine options, beginning with a 155-hp 2.0L four-cylinder engine for base front-wheel-drive models. Move up to the 2.5L naturally aspirated four-cylinder, and a healthy 191 hp is on tap.

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This example is the Turbo model, the most powerful in the range. It gets a turbocharged 2.5L four-cylinder engine with up to 250 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque when running premium fuel. But, because this trim of the Mazda3 isn’t supposed to replace the feisty Mazdaspeed3 of the past, you can run 87 octane fuel for a still respectable 227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque.

While it’s still possible to get a six-speed manual transmission on the front-wheel-drive versions of the Mazda3 Sport, all turbocharged models get a six-speed automatic instead. This is a well-sorted gearbox, and with so much torque on offer, it gives the little Mazda3 great reaction speed.

The Mazda3 Sport is compelling for its premium feel, and its fun-to-drive quotient is hard to beat

The competition has specialist hot hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Honda Civic Type R, or Hyundai’s slightly-berserk Kona N. The Mazda3 doesn’t compete directly with any of these, offering most of the performance, but dishing it up in a more relaxed and polished way. This isn’t some pocket-rocket tuner special, just a punchy engine in a small and well-sorted out car.

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The chassis is the real delight, here, and it’s as good as you expect from the people that brought you the MX-5. Winding back roads really show how good the body control and handling are, and while driving feel was obviously a clear priority for the engineers, the ride isn’t harsh at all.

See how the Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo compares to rivals

Mazda’s clever all-wheel-drive system is an obvious boon in inclement weather, but it also improves grip in the dry. It’s standard on Turbo models, handy given the level of torque on tap.

You do sense that Mazda could build something a little more hard-edged with a platform this good, but it would be a niche product. Instead, this highest-performing version of the Mazda3 has broad appeal.

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Mazda3 Sport Fuel Consumption and Reliability

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While the bulk of Mazda3 sales will be with the 2.5L naturally-aspirated engine, and likely front-wheel-drive, the Turbo model really doesn’t penalize you at the pump. Official fuel ratings are 10.1 L/100 km in the city; and 7.5 L/100 km on the highway — this last is just 0.1 L/100 km worse than the naturally-aspirated AWD Sport. Observed real-world results in largely urban driving managed to squeak under the official city rating, and not with a light foot on the throttle.

Having been on the market for some years now, the Mazda3 has proved itself one of the more reliable offerings out there. The Turbo model is the most complex, with its turbocharging and all-wheel-drive, but in terms of onboard electronics and so forth, Mazda seems to have worked out any teething troubles long ago.

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Mazda3 Sport Safety

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For a company that puts “fun to drive” at the top of its to-do list, Mazda also does a good job at making its cars safe to drive. This top-trim Turbo scores full points for crash testing and for its adaptive headlights. Note, however, that the Sport model has three-quarter blind spots that the sedan models don’t.

The usual driver’s assist features are present, like forward collision mitigation, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, and lane-departure warning. Mazda’s versions seem to be a little less prone to false alarms than those of some rivals.

Mazda3 Sport Value and Competitors

Starting out at $22,900 for the entry-level 2.0L GX model, the price tag for this GT Turbo AWD model balloons to $37,850 before freight and taxes. That’s mainstream crossover money for a compact car, even though the Mazda3 is loaded out with features. Along with that premium feel comes a premium price tag.

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Further, the Mazda3 Sport Turbo doesn’t quite have the easy-to-explain cachet of something like a VW GTI. Resale value should be respectable, but not at the same level as more specialized performance trims from competitors.

And lastly, Mazda itself has historically often been fairly aggressive with financing rates. This is a boon if you’re buying, but could also affect resale value down the road.

Conclusion

As the smallest car in the lineup from a brand that’s trying to push upscale a little, the Mazda3 Sport Turbo can seem a little pricey. Still, when the original Mazda3 landed in 2003 as a 2004 model, it wasn’t the least-expensive option on the market, but the best-equipped. Mazda can’t manage the same amount of badge appeal as the smallest cars from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but when you measure the Mazda3 up against the luxury brands on features, it’s all there.

And furthermore, the Mazda3 Sport is a great-driving car with a highly-polished feel that would make it ideal for someone who doesn’t want anything bigger. It’s not meant to only be an alternative to a Corolla or Civic, but something a little more special. I’d still like to see what Mazda could do with a full Mazdaspeed3 version, but as it is, the Mazda3 Sport is still as satisfying to drive as they come.

Check out details about the latest Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo via our online shopping tool.