2024 Mazda 3 Hatchback Review: Surprising Faults in a Once-Loved Model

As a long-time admirer of Mazda’s engineering and design philosophy, I’ve consistently championed their vehicles for blending driving pleasure with upscale features in everyday cars. The Mazda 3, in both sedan and hatchback forms, has always been a standout in my book. However, my recent experience with the 2024 Mazda 3 Hatchback, specifically the turbo model, has left me genuinely puzzled. Could this have been an anomaly, a test unit with unforeseen issues? I sincerely hope so, because this encounter has shaken my previously unwavering appreciation.

Stepping inside the 2024 Mazda 3 Hatchback Turbo Premium Plus, the interior immediately justifies its hefty $38,410 price tag. Mazda continues to excel in cabin design and material quality, delivering a near-luxury experience that rivals some German marques. The leather seats are comfortable and supportive, but the true highlight is the abundance of soft-touch materials enveloping the doors and dashboard. The design is elegantly simplistic, yet sophisticated, prioritizing a sense of class over mere visual flashiness. The tactile feedback from the switchgear further enhances the premium feel. Spending just a few moments inside this Mazda 3 Turbo is enough to realize it surpasses any competitor in the compact class, including Honda and Toyota, in terms of interior refinement. While it does command a higher price, features like the panoramic sunroof and 360-degree cameras, absent in rivals like the Civic or Corolla, contribute to its elevated status. For a car still within the realm of affordability, the Mazda 3 offers a genuinely luxurious environment.

Under the hood, the turbo variant boasts Mazda’s proven 2.5-liter inline-four engine, producing a robust 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque on regular 87 octane fuel. Opting for 93 octane boosts these figures to an even more impressive 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. Even on the lower octane fuel, this Skyactiv engine propels the sleek hatchback from 0 to 60 mph in under 6 seconds. The engine is surprisingly refined for a four-cylinder, emitting a pleasing, albeit somewhat artificial, growl without the typical harshness often associated with this engine configuration. The six-speed automatic transmission, while perhaps not the most cutting-edge in terms of gear count, is perfectly adequate thanks to the engine’s broad and strong power delivery. It operates seamlessly, making gear changes virtually imperceptible in most driving situations.

However, it pains me to report that the driving experience of this particular Mazda 3 Hatchback fell far short of Mazda’s usual high standards. Steering, typically a Mazda strong suit, was shockingly deficient. The steering in this AWD hatchback offered absolutely no feedback and suffered from a disconcerting dead spot in the center, leading to a constant feeling of wandering, especially at highway speeds. Minor steering adjustments were met with vagueness as the wheel communicated nothing about the road surface or tire grip. Worse still, the dead zone was followed by an unnatural build-up of resistance, like a spring suddenly tightening, resulting in a significant lack of driver confidence. Having driven this exact Mazda 3 configuration previously and experienced brilliant steering, I can only speculate that a severe alignment issue or a more fundamental mechanical problem plagued this test vehicle. It’s truly disheartening to write these criticisms, and I sincerely hope the car was simply malfunctioning.

Adding to the list of disappointments, Mazda seems to have claimed the dubious title of “most irritating car chimes” in the automotive industry. Instead of the standard five beeps upon entry, this Mazda 3 unleashed a jarring eight beeps, set to an obnoxiously loud volume by default. While thankfully adjustable, the constant barrage of beeps every time you enter or exit the vehicle quickly becomes tiresome. Furthermore, the car frequently issued audible warnings about leaving items in the back seat, even when the rear seats were completely empty. Even more perplexing, these warnings would sometimes sound upon entering the car, still with nothing in the back. An equally concerning issue was the persistent “rear safety sensor problem” warning that appeared on every drive, typically about ten minutes into the journey.

The electronic parking brake also exhibited erratic behavior, randomly disengaging automatically when shifting into drive, while at other times remaining engaged. This inconsistency, with no discernible pattern, erodes trust in a fundamental safety feature. A parking brake should either consistently disengage automatically or never do so; intermittent operation is simply unacceptable in a modern vehicle.

Fuel economy was another area where the Mazda 3 Turbo Hatchback underperformed expectations for a vehicle of its size. Over a week of mixed driving, it returned an average of just 24 MPG. While 24 MPG might not seem terrible on paper, it’s worth noting that a Volkswagen Golf R, an AWD hot hatchback with significantly more power (90 additional horsepower), achieved better fuel economy in my testing. Even a BMW 330i with AWD and comparable power also proved more fuel-efficient. In fact, prior to a longer highway drive to Sacramento and back, the Mazda 3 was averaging a disappointing 23 MPG in mixed conditions. Surprisingly, even a manual transmission Toyota GR Supra, boasting 382 horsepower, managed over 26 MPG in similar driving scenarios. The Mazda 3 Turbo simply feels somewhat thirsty for a four-cylinder engine. Furthermore, despite the respectable horsepower and torque figures, the Mazda 3 Turbo never truly felt particularly quick. It’s certainly not slow, but those anticipating genuine hot hatch performance will likely be left wanting. An eight-speed transmission might improve both performance and fuel efficiency.

Adding to the growing list of concerns about this specific test vehicle, a persistent low-frequency cyclical rumble was present at highway speeds. It sounded eerily like a subwoofer operating continuously, with a noticeable booming sound occurring approximately every second, emanating from somewhere within the car’s structure. Turning off the radio and climate control system made no difference; the noise persisted. Passengers immediately noticed the unsettling rumble as well. This is the kind of issue that would prompt an immediate return to the dealership for investigation. It’s unlikely to be tire-related, as the cyclical nature of the noise (roughly once per second) doesn’t align with the much faster rotation speed of the tires.

Confusion Reigns

Approaching this Mazda 3 Turbo Hatchback review, I was genuinely excited, anticipating another enjoyable Mazda driving experience. However, from the very first drive, it became clear that something was amiss. “What went wrong?” I kept wondering as the steering issues, safety system warnings, incessant beeps, and false “items left in rear seat” notifications accumulated, leaving me shaking my head in disappointed disbelief. Despite its advertised horsepower, the car never delivered the expected sense of urgency, feeling noticeably less sprightly than a VW GTI (rated at 241 horsepower). This Mazda 3 Turbo, in this particular test form, falls short of being a true hot hatch, leaving me with a sense of profound disappointment. I sincerely hope to test another Mazda 3 Turbo in the future to determine if this Soul Red example was an anomaly and if a different unit can restore my faith in this once-loved model.

2024 Mazda3 Hatchback Turbo Premium Plus

As-tested price: $38,410

Mazda 3 Hatchback Rear Seats: Image showcasing the back seat space

Mazda 3 Hatchback Exterior: Front three-quarter view emphasizing exterior styling