3 Variants Stand Out For The 2018 Mazda 3
The new Mazda 3 may not be as popular as Honda Civic right now, especially when it comes to the Si and Type R variants, but it has an appeal that cannot be denied, too. As the Civic’s direct competitor, the Mazda 3 added new standard equipment to its lineup and made the powerful 2.5-liter engine more readily available.
1. Sport Variant
The Sport variant of the compact sedan is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce 155 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 150 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission and a $18,970 price tag. The six-speed auto transmission will add $1,050 and the hatchback style has a $1,250 premium.
The standard equipment would be an automated emergency braking (available across all variants), 7.0-inch infotainment screen, Bluetooth phone and audio, push-button start, and cloth seats. With the $1,000 Preferred Equipment package, owners can also get 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.
2. Touring Variant
The Touring has a new 2.5-liter engine that has an output of 184 horsepower at 5700 rpm and 185 lb-ft of torque at 3250 rpm. The price tag starts at $20,965 with the hatchback version adding $750 on top of that.
Standard equipment includes leatherette seats with heated front, 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.
For an additional $1,500, owners can get a nine-speaker Bose audio system, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a sunroof.
3. Grand Touring Variant
Mazda 3’s loaded version has a starting price of $24,020 with a six-speed manual transmission but for $24,770, you can have it in the hatchback version with manual gearbox. An automatic transmission adds another $1,050.
The Grand Touring will have all the standard and optional equipment on the lower trims, plus black or off-white leather seats, a color head-up display, and all-LED exterior lighting. If you want more, there’s the $1,600 Premium Equipment package that will add 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).
Expect the Mazda 3 to arrive this month.