2025 Mazda3 2.5T Premium Plus AWD - Review by David Colman
Experience “Provocative Blatting Chortle” (It's a good thing!)
![]() David Colman |
Special Correspondent
THE AUTO CHANNEL
The uncontested award for sleeper of the new year goes to Mazda for their 2025 Mazda3. This stealth package goes like a bat out of hell but looks like a pigeon out of heaven. At the Golden Arches, they say 'Have It Your Way.' At Mazda, they say 'Have it Both Ways.' Inconspicuous high performance is the byword here. If you don't feel the need to announce your rambunctious side to the driving public with outlandish wings or histrionic wraps, then dole out just $37,580 for this elegantly understated Mazda3 Turbo.
I have to admit, this one caught me off guard. From the outside, it looks like a hundred other nebbish sedans you would have difficulty locating in a packed parking lot. But one swoop through the Esses of your favorite back road will have you convinced this Mazda milquetoast is whole grained. It all gets back to the premium Mazda engineers put on steering feedback, chassis set up, and engine response. It doesn't really matter whether you dial up Normal or Sport mode from Mazda Intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive), this lightweight (3,095 lb) package is equally happy doing the somnolent shuffle downtown or the full Travolta boogie on racer road.
The first time I tromped the go pedal, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the turbo four has a baritone voice of its own, an exhaust note that has been dutifully eliminated by the Aural Police from virtually everything else on sale today. Thankfully not the Mazda3, which confirms your application of throttle with a provocative blatting chortle. On Premium (91 Octane) fuel the turbocharged, intercooled, all aluminum, 16-valve straight 4 pumps out 250hp at 5000rpm and 320lb.-ft. of torque at just 2500rpm. Those numbers may seem modest, but they prove useful in such a svelte sedan. You end up with a frisky power-to-weight ratio of 12.38 lb/hp. Not surprisingly, that computation leads to outstanding acceleration from 0-60mph (5.6 seconds) and through the standing start quarter mile ( 14.1 seconds @ 99mph).
The all-wheel-drive Mazda3's performance envelope is enhanced by a do-it-your way 6-speed automatic gearbox. This shifter can be locked into manual mode by slotting the stick on the console into its manual-only gate, then bumping the stick forward for downshifts and backward for upshifts. You can also operate the transmission with small paddles attached to the steering wheel. If you've locked the console stick into the manual gate, those paddles will retain your chosen gear until you decide to make an upshift or downshift. Also note that if you are set on shifting your own gears manually with a clutch and stick, you can do so by selecting the $30,560 front-wheel-drive Mazda3 2.5S hatchback, which can be ordered with a 6-speed manual. This kind of belt-and-suspenders approach is typical of Mazda, a company dedicated to making enthusiasts happy.
Partially responsible for the high cornering force generated by the Premium Plus Sedan are its excellent Bridgestone Turanza EL440 (215/45R18) radials. Although mud and snow-rated, these touring tires hung on like leeches when we snapped the 3 from apex to apex without a squeal of protest. Mazda's G-Vectoring Control Plus suspension tuning and Dynamic Stability Control combined to extract maximum lateral grip from the relatively hard compound (TW 480)Turanza rubber. This model range-topping Mazda 3 proved itself a great back road dance partner. When you lead it follows without hesitation. We were also impressed with the smooth, progressive and predictable braking capabilities of a car that had less than a thousand miles on the clock when delivered to us.
Cosmetically, the only appearance item differentiating the '25 from the '24 Mazda3 is the latest version's gloss black rear spoiler. In Premium Plus trim, the interior benefits from full leather seats (available in black or red), a distinguished 12-speaker Bose audio system, and a 10.25-inch color center display screen that can operate in touchscreen mode when directed by Apple Car Play or Android Auto. The typical Mazda selector wheel also suffices for commanding operations. The front seats proved supportive and well configured, while the rear seats felt rather confining due to the low height (56.9 in) of the sedan's roof. Another drawback to the 3's streamlined architecture is the frequency with which you whack your noggin on the roof when alighting from the car. I did it twice, once on the driver's side, and once on the passenger side.
This demure Mazda won't garner you the top parking spot at your next Cars & Coffee. What it will guarantee you is unexpected bragging rights out on Highway 1 when that Bimmer or Porsche ahead of you sees an inconspicuous looking grey sedan lurking behind.
2025 MAZDA3 2.5T PREMIUM PLUS SEDAN AWD
-
• ENGINE: 2.5 liter inline-4, turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
• HORSEPOWER: 250hp@5000rpm
• TORQUE: 320LB.-FT. @2500rpm
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 23MPG City/32MPG Highway
• PRICE AS TESTED: $37,580
HYPES: Perfect Handling Balance
GRIPES: Watch Your Head on Ingress/Egress
STAR RATING: 10 Stars out of 10
©2025 David E Colman