It’s easy to be a Mazda fan. It’s not so much that they can do no wrong; it’s that they keep getting so much right. This 2024 Mazda3 Sport Turbo Suna Edition is no different.
Mazda’s success isn’t predicated on gimmickry or needless flash, instead opting for simple design, minimalist interiors, and solid but perhaps imperfect powertrains. It’s important to note that Mazda isn’t nearly as large or profitable as rivals its Japanese rivals, so the breadth of their offerings isn’t nearly as vast as Honda or Toyota’s, and product life cycles tend to last longer as well.
That is why they are so good at hitting it out of the park each time they do release a new product. Having driven almost everything Mazda has on offer, from the CX-30 to the CX-90 plug-in hybrid, and my buddy’s “ND2” Miata in between, all Mazdas excel at what they’re meant to do. This turbocharged Mazda3 hatchback fits right into that idea, and is a great way entry-level way to fall in love with the brand.
Most compact cars can feel cheap, boring, and devoid of personality, or any combination of that. Not the Mazda3; even without the Suna Edition enhancements, it can easily pass as an Audi A3 or Mercedes CLA rival, with attractive LED headlights and darkened chrome accents dipping down to frame the grille. The side profile is clean, with no Hyundai Elantra-like cuts or weird angles, and the bulbous rear end features Mazda’s signature circular taillights. The gloss black 18-inch wheels feel a little mundane when almost everything else has black wheels, and the Suna Edition package only comes one way: in Mazda’s unique Zircon Sand Metallic paint. It’s a blend of sand beige (duh) with a tinge of green mixed in. At least that’s how I saw it; others saw purely beige tones, but we all agreed it looks great. Something like this would be a $12,000 Paint to Sample (PTS) option from Porsche!
The Mazda3 is an exercise in restraint inside. It’s among the simplest of layouts in the segment, with minimal (but still physical) buttons and switchgear. It does have a wide display on top of the dashboard, but the Mazda3 doesn’t commit the sin of putting all your controls behind a touchscreen. There are physical switchgear for features that matter, like the heated seats and steering wheel, the climate control system, and the infotainment controls. The iDrive-like rotary knob on the centre console controls the infotainment, and the touchscreen can function as a touchscreen when the transmission is in Park, but the display is a bit far away. The gauge cluster is a blend of digital-and-analog, and it’s my only nitpick inside: it looks outdated, seeing what other cars can do.
The Suna Edition is a new-for-2024 trim that, in addition to the Zircon Sand paint and gloss black exterior trim, gives you a two-tone Terracotta-and-black interior motif with a mixture of leather, Alcantara, and contrast stitching throughout. It all feels quite premium and ties in nicely with the exterior to give you something more unique than a Civic hatch. The Suna Edition is as comfortable as any Mazda3, and it’s decently spacious despite a small footprint and low roofline. Yes, a Civic hatch is cavernous compared to the Mazda3 Sport, but unless you have two kids or more, you’ll make do. I could fit our stroller into the back without having to remove a wheel, unlike in my MK8 GTI.
Under the hood, the Mazda3 Suna Edition is unchanged, but that’s OK because it’s still a hoot to drive. Mazda doesn’t tout the 3 as a hot hatch, and it isn’t up to snuff compared to a Civic Type R or a Golf R, but it’s definitely a lukewarm hatch. I’ve praised Mazda’s 2.5-litre turbo-four in the CX-30 before, and it works wonderfully in the 3. On 93-octane gas, it gives you a healthy 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. Routed through a six-speed automatic to all four wheels, it never feels wanting for power or grip. In a perfect world, Mazda would put a seven- or eight-speed auto with some shorter ratios to improve performance and fuel economy, but the six-speed gearbox is more than fine. And before you make a stank face, you can fill up with regular gas just fine. Mazda says you get 227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque on 87, but you’ll notice a bigger difference in refinement. Choice!
The suspension and steering are both tuned to feel on the sportier end, like all other Mazdas. This is great because the Mazda3 provides good feedback and inspires confidence. With the all-wheel-drive system and aftermarket winter tires on our tester, it behaved very well over snow-covered roads, despite having an “archaic” torsion-beam rear suspension setup. Now, I’m not saying a torsion-beam is better than an independent setup, but Mazda tuned the chassis just right-enough that you forget about it except on the harshest of roads.
All-in, the 2024 Mazda3 Sport Turbo Suna Edition is a great addition to the lineup. The regular Mazda3 hatch was already great, and the Suna Edition styling enhancements add to the appeal. If you’re in the market for a compact car that punches above its weight, make sure you check this one out.
