Mazda3 2.5 Turbo revealed

Mazda’s first hot hatch in more than seven years has been revealed, and it’s got more mumbo than first thought – 186kW of power and 434Nm of torque.

However, the all-new Mazda3 2.5 Turbo all-wheel-drive hot hatch will only be sold in the USA, Canada and Mexico for now.

Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak told carsales.com.au that while the Mazda3 Turbo is destined for the Americas only at the moment, the consumer appetite for hot hatches in Australia means its still a chance to come here.

“We know there is market interest here, so we will continue to ask for it,” he said.

If the new Mazda3 Turbo does come to Australia, it will have its hands full dealing with the upcoming Toyota Corolla GR hot hatch.

Powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine also found in the Mazda6, CX-5 and CX-9 vehicles, the US-spec Mazda3 2.5 Turbo is offered in hatch and sedan body styles and generates more power and torque than the Mexican version of the hot hatch (170kW/420Nm), which was revealed early this week.

Running on higher quality (93 RON octane) petrol, Mazda3 2.5 Turbo bangs out a Volkswagen Golf GTI-slaying 186kW and 434Nm of torque. For our American readers, that’s a handy 250hp and 320 lb-ft of torque.

Power pumps through a six-speed automatic transmission which sends drive to all four wheels via Mazda's i-Activ AWD system, which should give the conservatively-styled hottie plenty of grip off the line.

No performance details such as top speed or 0-100km/h acceleration times have been confirmed at the time of writing.

However, given the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo has an AWD setup and more torque – but not necessarily power – than any of its rivals, including the Ford Focus ST (420Nm), Honda Civic Type R (400Nm), Hyundai i30 N (378Nm) and even the Volkswagen Golf R (380Nm), it could be a swift machine.

Spiritual successor to the Mazda3 MPS (aka MazdaSpeed) last seen in 2013, the new model misses out on its predecessors 'look-at-me' bonnet scoop.

Mazda has only officially released two shady images of the US-spec Mazda3 Turbo but it's clear that a body kit has been added, with a front lip spoiler and side skirts finished in gloss black. There's also a large rear wing in evidence.

It’s not clear if the new model gets upgraded brakes or suspension, with Mazda USA only confirming broad equipment levels at this stage, such as 18-inch black alloy wheels, steering wheel paddle gear shifters, a 12-speaker Bose sound system with an 8.8-inch infotainment screen and a moonroof.

The top-spec model also gets dual-zone climate control, a head-up display, heated front seats and mirrors, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus external LED lights front and rear and loads of semi-autonomous driver assistance systems like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist.

There is a Premium Plus Package that adds a roof spoiler for the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo hatch and a boot lid spoiler for the Turbo sedan.

The new Mazda3 2.5 Turbo costs between $32,900 to $37,100 in Canada, which translates to between $A35,000 and $A40,000.

If the Mazda3 Turbo was offered in Australia, it would likely be priced above $40,000 given that the current range starts at $25,590 for the G20 Pure and tops out at $37,590 for the G25 Astina.

Australian Mazda3 vehicles are built in Japan while the new Mazda3 Turbo hot hatch that will make its way into American showrooms later in 2020 is built in Mexico.