3 Pros and 3 Cons With Driving the 2024 Mazda3 Turbo
You can get a near-luxury sports car or hatchback on a budget. The tiny but mighty Mazda3 Turbo is engaging and inviting with a lavish interior. But upon reviewing the 2024 Mazda3 Turbo I found a few hiccups to consider.
2024 Mazda3 Turbo pros and cons
I spent a week going all over with the 2024 Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus model. I put at least 600 miles on the odometer as I traveled from the flat lands of South Carolina to the mountains of Asheville, NC, and back.
The Mazda3 was tested for its performance, comfort, agility, tech, and more on back country roads and the city so I could learn everything about it.
2024 Mazda3 Pros:
1. The Mazda3 is fun to drive
While the base engine is good for the class with a 0 to 60 time of 8.2 seconds, the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 250 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque takes things to a whole new level. It improves the 0 to 60 time to 6.1 seconds.
The acceleration has smooth gear changes with an alluring ee engine growl and the brakes are confident. Sport mode increases the acceleration time and throttle response for a more athletic experience.
Plus, the Mazda3 corners well with direct steering and responsive handling to make commutes and errands more lively. Mazda dropped the Zoom-Zoom logo for ‘Feel Alive’ and it does take the grind out of boring commutes.
2. This Mazda is comfortable
This SUV is a comfortable place to spend hours behind the wheel. The front bucket seats are well-padded and supportive to keep you focused and alert without any complaints.
Plus, it provides a pretty smooth ride over most surfaces. Larger impacts can be felt, but bumps are quickly settled.
The automatic climate control system is very intelligent and adaptive well to changing climates to keep you warm or cool.
3. The Mazda3 is very safe
The 2024 Mazda3 Turbo is an Insurance Institute Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ winner. The Toyota Prius is the only car that earned this title from the Toyota Lineup. The Subaru Ascent and Ford Explorer are also sole winners.
It has 49 Good ratings for its crash tests, which is the highest score possible. It only has four Acceptable scores and no Marginal or Poor ratings.
Standard safety features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, lane departure warning, and drowsy driver warning.
4. This Mazda is convenient
Being a smaller SUV is pretty darn beneficial in the city. The Mazda3 is only 183.5 inches long and 70.7 inches wide. It can fit anywhere in the city. Tight parking spots are fine and I even squeezed between two delivery trucks without worry on a narrow street.
It has a tight 17.4-foot turning radius, making it extremely easy to maneuver. You can turn around anywhere, even in tight parking lots.
2024 Mazda3 Turbo cons
1. The Mazda3 isn’t backseat passenger-friendly
Forget about having rear passengers in the backseat of the Mazda3. I’m 5’1” and didn’t have enough room in the back without my knees hitting the back of the front seats. You could probably stuff smaller child seats back there, though.
Also, there aren’t any rear air vents to keep passengers cool and the storage space is almost nonexistent. There might not be any rear USB ports either.
2. This Mazda SUV is loud
There is noticeable road and wind noise at speeds above 40 mph. You have to turn the radio system up to cover the noise.
On the highway, the loud interior can be a bit fatiguing. It’s just disappointing because the interior has such a premium build quality. You would expect the interior to have better noise-damping materials.
3. The Mazda3 has a low front skirt
The front skirt on the Mazda3 makes me nervous because I don’t like to scrape on driveways or curves. In areas with businesses and restaurants with entry waves on curves, there’s not much you can do to avoid it.
Plus, the skirt is limiting. I understand that it’s for aerodynamics and a better fuel economy, but it prevents going off-road. Plus, it could make it more difficult to get out during periods with higher amounts of snow accumulation.
4. Features limited to higher trim levels
This Mazda SUV can feel like it’s trying to nickel and dime you. Desirable features such as wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, head-up display, a wireless charging pad, and heated seats require upgrading to higher trim levels.
Paddle shifters, a heated steering wheel, and a 360-degree camera view are limited to the top-spec Turbo Premium Plus trim.
Mazda3 wildcards:
- The Mazda3 doesn’t have a touchscreen, but the rotary dial system is easy to master. It allows you to focus on the road and enjoy the drive.
- This Mazda is available with AWD but doesn’t have extra driving modes for slippery conditions.
- Storage space is limited, but the trunk area is bigger than expected. The hatchback offers 20.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 47.1 cubes in total.
