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Mazda 3 Turbo revealed in the US with more power, still no closer to Australia

The turbo hatch has been officially unveiled, boasting more power and torque than previously reported.


North American arms of Mazda have officially revealed a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Mazda 3 hatch and sedan, however the model is no closer to receiving Australian confirmation.

Available for US, Canadian and Mexican markets, the turbocharged petrol 3 is expected to be produced only in left-hand-drive form for the foreseeable future.

While the engine is used in upper trims of Australian-delivered CX-5, CX-9 and Mazda 6, Mazda’s local arm has said today a Mazda 3 turbo is no closer to confirmation for Australia – although it is understood to have made a strong pitch to get the variant here.

For those who like to dream, the Mazda 3 turbo picks up a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine outputting 186kW and 434Nm when run on US-rated 93 octane – roughly the equivalent of Australian 98 octane petrol.

Previous reports – based on promotional footage released by a Mexican Mazda dealer – put the figures at 170kW and 420Nm for the warmed-up hatch. These outputs are still applicable for the engine when run on lower octane fuels.

The new figures places the Mazda 3 turbo in the league of true hot hatches, such as the Ford Focus ST (206kW/420Nm), Volkswagen Golf R (213kW/380Nm), and Honda Civic Type R (228kW/400Nm).

However, the Mazda 3 turbo’s lower power-to-torque ratio – and the fact the model will only be sold with a six-speed automatic transmission – still suggests the car is not designed to compete with hotter hatches in sportiness.

Sold as GT and Sport GT trims in North American markets, the 2.5-litre turbo Mazda 3 models come standard with the suite of Mazda’s infotainment and safety tech, mirroring much of what is seen on the Australian-delivered G25 Astina trim.

The turbo models will also pick up larger exhaust tips, 18-inch black alloy wheels, 'turbo' badging on the boot and engine cover, and gloss black front grille and heated door mirrors.

A Premium Plus Package adds a gloss black rear spoiler to both hatch and sedan models with a revised front air dam.


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