The 2023 Mazda 3 Turbo All-Wheel Drive hatchback was a car I had been waiting a while to drive. I’ve driven the sedan and hatchback non-turbo variations of the Mazda 3, but this one had a turbo. From the outside, the 3 Turbo doesn’t look too different from its lower and non-turbo trims. It’s a shame because I feel like Mazda could’ve added more aero from its TCR race car that never made it to a track. The Premium Plus does come with front air guides but it is a subtle piece that barely distinguishes from the other trims. The snowflake white pearl color really shined compared to a simple white color. The black 18” wheels and other black trim pieces, helped add accents to break up all the white.

Inside, the interior is your typical high quality and beautiful Mazda design that I always get excited for. It’s incredible how a more consumer level brand can deliver more luxurious and sporty interiors, than higher priced luxury brands. The red leather seats are comfortable yet still sporty enough for spirited drives. The steering wheel could’ve used a little bit of the red color but other than the looks, the feel and design were incredible. The infotainment screen is where I wish Mazda would implement touch functionality. Other Mazdas usually have the touch option when you are at slower speed or stopped, but the 3 didn’t have it at all. I’m glad that Mazda has designed a knob that does make it easy to navigate its system.

Under the hood, the 2.5L is now turbocharged to put out 227 horsepower and a very impressive 310 lb.-ft. of torque. The power is then sent to the 6-speed auto, and then to the Mazda all-wheel drive system. The turbo was exactly what the 2.5L needed but thankfully it still delivered the power in a very smooth supercharger-like linearity. The gearing on the automatic did seem a little on the long side and wasn’t as sharp as I’d expect the more performance version of the 3 to be. I did have 2 occasions where the rear stepped out more than it should’ve. I tried to pinpoint the cause but both times I wasn’t driving aggressively. It happened once in sport mode and the other time in normal mode. The traction control also didn’t react till after I had corrected the slide. I wonder if stickier tires would solve the issue as someone experience the same with the Toyota GR86 and said changing tires fixed the snap oversteer.

Overall, I was excited to see that Mazda had added a turbocharger to their already awesome 2.5L engine. The styling both in and out are incredible and this is one hot hatch that I would love to own.