While the new Honda Civic and its high-zoot Si and Type R variants have been dominating headlines in the compact-car world lately, the Mazda 3—its direct competitor—has kept calm and carried on, seemingly unfazed. For the 2018 model year, Mazda has added new standard equipment across the range and made the more powerful 2.5-liter engine more widely available, enhancing what is already one of our favorites in the category.
The base Sport and mid-level Touring models barely tick up the price scale, while the Grand Touring starting prices remain the same. A Sport sedan with a six-speed manual transmission starts at $18,970 (versus $18,680 last year) and is powered by the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 155 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 150 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. An extra $1050 buys a six-speed automatic transmission, while the hatchback body style commands a $1250 premium. New for 2018, all cars come standard with automated emergency braking. The Sport also comes equipped with a 7.0-inch infotainment screen, push-button start, Bluetooth phone and audio, and cloth seats. An available $1000 Preferred Equipment package buys blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert plus 16-inch alloy wheels (standard for the hatchback), satin chrome interior trim, and heated side mirrors with turn-signal lamps.
The Touring sedan starts at $20,965, and the Touring hatchback is only $750 more. The big news for the Touring is that it now gets the 2.5-liter engine as its standard powertrain. It provides a decent power bump to 184 horsepower at 5700 rpm and 185 lb-ft of torque at 3250. The Touring has leatherette seats—heated in front—plus blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, a new dark silver alloy wheel color, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. A $1500 option package buys a nine-speaker Bose audio system, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a sunroof.
The Grand Touring is Mazda’s loaded version of the 3. The sedan starts at $24,020 with a six-speed manual transmission, while the hatchback with a manual starts at $24,770. Again, both come standard with the 2.5-liter engine, and an automatic transmission is a $1050 upcharge. In addition to everything listed as standard and optional on the lower trims, the Grand Touring has black or off-white leather seats, a color head-up display, and all-LED exterior lighting. For those who still aren’t satisfied and need more, the $1600 Premium Equipment package adds navigation, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, and traffic-sign recognition, plus adaptive front headlights, a heated steering wheel, and paddle shifters (with the automatic transmission).
The 2018 Mazda 3 arrives in dealerships this month.
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