The Mazda 3 is now available in borderline hot hatch guise with a turbocharged petrol engine developing 250bhp – but only in North America.
This more potent version of the Mazda 3, badged Mazda 3 Turbo, is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder Skyactiv-G petrol engine developing 250bhp and 434Nm of torque. The powertrain is already used in the North American and Australian-delivered versions of the Mazda 6 saloon and CX-5 SUV – both of which share their platform with the Mazda 3 hatchback.
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As is available on the 2.0-litre 177bhp Skyactiv-X-engined hatchback, this new engine is mated to a four- wheel-drive system as standard – although Mazda has swapped out the six-speed manual gearbox for a new six-speed automatic, which is also found in the US Mazda 6 and CX-5.
There’s no official word yet on the engine’s performance specs or fuel economy figures but, given that this new powertrain has around 70bhp more than the Mazda 3’s existing 177bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine, the hatchback’s 0–62mph should dip to under seven seconds.
North American buyers will also get a little more equipment for their money, with this new, faster Mazda 3 receiving a set of 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels, larger twin exhaust tips and a subtly more aggressive styling package, with a deeper front splitter, broader side skirts, a new rear diffuser and a black tailgate spoiler.
Inside is a pair of heated leather sports seats, 12-speaker Bose premium audio system and an 8.8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s a couple of swish convenience features, too, like a frameless auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a roaming WiFi hotspot and adaptive cruise control.
It’s on sale in the United States now, priced from $30,900 (roughly £23,600) for the hatchback, making it around $7,000 (or £5,300) more expensive than the entry-level Skyactiv-G model in the US market.
Check out our long term report of our Mazda 3 here...
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