2015 Mazda 3 S Grand Touring

There aren’t many “normal” vehicles you can get into after spending a week with a six-figure German sports car—never mind one costing under $30,000—that have any real driver appeal. The Mazda3 Grand Touring hatchback with a six speed manual transmission is that rarest of cars that still engages and satisfies.

The 3 certainly looks very European, and almost rear-drive in the way it is stanced and proportioned. Its interior is superbly executed too, with a great two-tone color combination wrought in generally very high quality materials. The driving position is spot-on, and the new MazdaConnect infotainment system is superb overall, though some of the choices the company made in its programing might puzzle. The little fighter jet-like head up display is useful, and control weights for the throttle, clutch, gear lever and brake are all perfectly matched, something almost no one else but ze Germans seems to know how to do so well. Likewise the Mazda’s steering, which offers almost as much precision and feedback as the helm of the $150,000 Carrera 4S that had been replaced by the car from Hiroshima. In some other, unexpected ways the cars are much alike: both ride very well for the level of performance on offer, have tight rear accommodations but good luggage space, and are quite practical for day-to-day use. Ironically, the Bose sound system in the Mazda was better than that made by the same company for Porsche, though the sound of the Mazda3’s 184hp, 2.5-liter engine had none of the sonic rewards offered by the either the Porsche or many other four-cylinder powered vehicles.

This is one of the only areas though were Mazda isn’t clearly ahead of rivals. In real-world fuel economy, performance (0-60mph in just over seven seconds), and rewarding the driver with superb handling and great interactivity the Mazda3 S GT is quite an astonishing achievement. And a nice way to come down from the high of a car that few mortals will ever be able to afford.

EPA ratings: 26mpg city/35mpg highway
Price as tested: $26,365
Here is what Mazda has to say.

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