Turbocharged Mazda3 is a pleasing pocket rocket

This review first appeared in the March 2021 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California ­– What to make of the 2021 Mazda3?

It gets well-deserved raves from various automotive journalists for its saucy exterior styling and elegant interior layout.

It's called a compact sedan in most circles.  It gets the oft-dreaded "hatch" label elsewhere, but Mazda seems to have no problem with that.  The automaker proudly calls the Mazda3 a hatchback in its marketing materials.

I did not struggle with any of these descriptions.  For me, the tested 2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo with all-wheel drive came off as a classic pocket rocket.

Yup, a lightweight machine with a 2.5-liter turbo-4 and 227 horsepower (a reported 250 with primo octane fuel) will do that, and I had a fabulous time jetting around in this Mazda machine.

The tested model was rubber-squealing quick off the line and darted precisely through freeway stragglers with just a nudge on the accelerator.  Performance was strong in high and low revs.

The whole pocket rocket thing was sealed with the presence of that itty-bitty wing on the back of the roofline.  I'm not sure how fast you'd have to go to generate significant downforce with the mini-wing, but I think image is everything in this case.

The fun driving experience was bolstered by the long list of standard features and a "Premium Plus" package of goodies. I was ridiculously spoiled with  customer-pleasing comfort/convenience features and advanced safety technology one expects from a Mercedes-Benz product.

On the safety front, the tested Mazda3 scored a maximum five stars across the board on all federal government crash tests.

More good news: solid fuel mileage ratings of 23 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

Please note, the back seat area would be quite a squeeze for even small adults, so I wouldn't plan a daylong road trip with impatient relatives.

Given the whole lights-out package, the bottom line on the tester's sticker came to a reasonable $35,415.

Overall, I'd rate this Mazda3 an ideal daily driver/commuter or a perfect second car for a small family looking for a chore doer or enjoyable weekend runabout.