This week I was enjoying the compact ease of driving the 2025 Mazda 3 GT Turbo as my “whip of the week”. It was quicker on the handling, with the ability to take rounded corners without the need to fully decelerate. And I saved additional time on the parking thanks to plenty of parking opportunities with a smaller surface area to worry about.
The Mazda 3 is also equipped with less controls and add-ons, with little need to search. All the controls were prominent and easy to identify. In truth, climbing in to the front seat felt like pulling on an old glove; familiar, comfortable, and fun. This is a playful friendly vehicle that was easy to approach and non-pretentious. Ideal for those who like the steady durability of a sedan, and the agility and pick up speed of a sports car.
The only hitch was the size made it a rocky ride. Closer to the ground with your head grazing the top of the roof, I felt all the commotion underneath the tires and heard it vertebrate and rattle through the windows. Thankfully the quality Bose speakers was able to mask most of it, turning the smaller cabin into an amphitheater of acoustics.
Be warned there are no modern safety features. No warning beeps or alerts, no sensors to indicate proximity when trying to change lanes or during parking. No lane correction or over head cameras to judge distance around the car. Basic back up camera are present, but once again, it was so easy to park, that I didn’t really need additional help. This was a sports car that put you back in control.
The highlight was how excellent it was in fuel economy. You get close to 330km with a full tank. After a week of regular commuting and city to country driving, I was still left with a quarter of gas by the end of the week. And good thing, as it was close at 190 at the pumps.
And this was with the Sports mode that gave you a bit more gusto and fluidity in the controls. Although considering how small the car was, pick up speed is already pretty impressive.
