The refined Mazda CX-30 Turbo is aimed at Mercedes and BMW. Here's how to tell it apart from a normal CX-30.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Just like the <keyword id="116215" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda">Mazda</keyword> 3 before it, Mazda has given the CX-30 subcompact SUV a turbocharged engine.</li><li>The turbocharger makes the CX-30 Turbo a competitor against luxury automakers like BMW and Mercedes.</li><li>The CX-30 Turbo starts at $30,050. My loaner had a $35,400 price tag.</li></ul><p>Here's what we already knew: The perennial Mazda 3, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-mazda-3-turbo-review-hatchback-turbocharged-price-horsepower-specs-2020-11">when given a turbocharger, becomes zippy and fun</a>. Here's what we just learned: When you give that same engine to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mazda-cx30-crossover-suv-geneva-2019-3">CX-30 subcompact SUV</a>, it <em>also</em> becomes a joy.</p><p>Not that the CX-30 wasn't already a joy, mind you. Clearly, Mazda did something right with it. After it was introduced in 2019, the little SUV rocketed to second-best on the automaker's 2020 US sales charts. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_12" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80770443" hostid="261"></div>Mazda <a href="https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/press-release/mazda-reports-december-and-full-year-2020-sales-results/">managed to move</a> 38,064 CX-30s last year. It was second only to the ever-popular CX-5, which sold 146,420 examples.<p>You can get a far cheaper version of the CX-30 if you forego the turbocharger - $22,050 versus the $30,050 starting price from this version. I have no idea if buyers will take the bait on a more powerful CX-30 Turbo, but if enjoyment behind the wheel is something you generally look for in a car, then you'll find it here.</p><h2><strong>The 2021 CX-30 Turbo: A taller 3</strong></h2><p>As a subcompact SUV, the CX-30 slots between the CX-3 and the CX-5. And no, it's not a CX-4, <a href="https://www.autoblog.com/2016/04/26/mazda-cx4-china-official/">because that already exists in China</a>. That would be nice, though, if not logical!</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_34" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770445" hostid="261"></div>If it helps, think of it as a taller Mazda 3, as the two share the same platform. Mazda did with the CX-30 what it did for the Mazda 3 Turbo: gave it the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder SkyActiv-G engine from the CX-5, CX-9, and Mazda 6 in the hopes for a more premium and upmarket push. Save for a few visual cues, The CX-30 Turbo looks largely the same as the non-turbo version. <p>The biggest difference surfaces when you drive it. </p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: Turbo time</strong></h2><p>The Skyactiv-G turbocharged engine produces a claimed 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque on 93-octane fuel. The power drops a bit to 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque on 87-octane fuel. In Turbo guise, the CX-30 is only offered with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_38" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770447" hostid="261"></div>Note that the non-turbo versions of the CX-30 make 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. You can get them in either front- or all-wheel drive.<p>The car measures 14.4 feet long and stands 5.2 feet tall. Its maximum ground clearance comes to eight inches - a bit taller than the 3's 5.5 inches. Cargo volume comes to 20.2 cubic feet, or about the same as what the 3 hatchback offers. The EPA estimates the CX-30 Turbo to return 22 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_27" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770448" hostid="261"></div>The regular CX-30 earned five stars in its overall vehicle score when tested for crashworthiness by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, although it only got four stars for rollover risk. Last year, the <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/mazda/cx-30-4-door-suv/2021">Insurance Institute for Highway Safety</a> awarded the subcompact SUV its highest award, the Top Safety Pick Plus.<h2><strong>What stands out: Delights in the act of driving</strong></h2><p>When building the CX-30, it's clear Mazda didn't set out to remake the idea of a car. Its goal was to merely build a car - and build it well - so that driving it would come easily and non-invasively to anyone.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_1" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770450" hostid="261"></div>The interior only features stuff you'd actually need, like the climate controls, radio, and navigation. There's a physical gear selector lever, not buttons with P, R, N, and D on them. The steering wheel has just a handful of controls on it. Only the driver's seat is powered; the passenger seat is manually adjusted. Some might say this is because the car is affordable. I say it's because most other cars have gotten far too complicated and expensive.<p>Once you do start driving, the steering is responsive and the brakes don't grab hard when you first begin to press the pedal. The addition of the turbo engine gives the car great pickup and acceleration, propelling its egg-shaped body forward with the gumption of a much smaller car. There's pep right off the line, lending a tangible eagerness to the CX-30 Turbo's mood.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_3" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770451" hostid="261"></div>I've found other cars in the CX-30's class show their price when it comes to road noise, vibration, and harshness, but the Mazda impressed with its sound deadening and smooth ride. The only real exterior noise came from the wind washing over its body. <p>Otherwise, highway cruising was just as polished as cars worth two or three times as much as the CX-30.</p><h2><strong>What falls short: It's called subcompact for a reason</strong></h2><p>I don't consider myself a large person, but even I thought the back seats in the CX-30 were tight. The trunk, likewise, was petite, and only would probably only fit one large suitcase plus <em>maybe</em> a large duffel bag. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_7" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80770454" hostid="261"></div>But as the car is classed as a subcompact, this is to be expected. Realistically, the CX-30 is for a two-person household that only sometimes needs to put friends or family in the back seat. A family with a small child or two could make it work, but they'd need to trade up for a bigger car as soon as those kids grew.<p>And while I appreciated the Mazda's devotion to physical buttons, dials, and switches, scrolling through menus on the infotainment screen proved clunky and slow. The CX-30's interface felt outdated when compared to the systems offered in competitor vehicles. This system, as <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/news/39126/mazdas-infotainment-system-is-designed-for-safety-but-could-be-so-much-better">The Drive</a> pointed out, makes selecting music difficult. </p><h2><strong>How the CX-30 Turbo compares to its competitors</strong></h2><p>A regular, 186-horsepower 2021 CX-30 <a href="https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/2021-cx-30">starts</a> at $22,050. With its 250 horsepower, the base price for the 2021 CX-30 Turbo jumps to $30,050. My loaner came in the top Premium Plus package and thus had a starting price of $33,900. After a few options and a destination charge, the final MSRP came to $35,400.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_8" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770458" hostid="261"></div>Price-wise, the CX-30 isn't exactly within spitting distance of the Mini Clubman All4 John Cooper Works (<a href="https://www.miniusa.com/tools/learning/models-build/config-options/select-trim-coopersclubman.html#/config/jcwclubman/build/0/">$39,500</a>), Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 (<a href="https://www.mbusa.com/en/vehicles/model/gla/suv/gla35w4">$47,550</a>), or the BMW X2 M35i (<a href="https://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/x-models/x2/sports-activity-coupe/performance.html">$46,450</a>). <p>But in power, it is. In this sense, you're getting quite a bit of engine for almost $10,000 less.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_37" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80770459" hostid="261"></div>Buyers might balk at the premium price that the addition of the turbo engine commands, but <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mazda-3-turbo-is-no-mazdaspeed-3-represents-upmarket-push-2020-11">it's clear who Mazda is aiming for with this upmarket push</a>. And while the interior of the CX-30 is nice, it's still no Mercedes. <p>The newly turbocharged CX-30 and 3 drive well, but they are still based on entry-level cars from what, for a very long time, has been an economically focused brand. Keep in mind that the non-turbo CX-30 competes with the Jeep Renegade, Kia Seltos, and Subaru Crosstrek. Among those "entry-level errand-runners" (Mazda's words), it's king. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_22" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770461" hostid="261"></div>But against the existing luxury brands, ones whose lineups already include more powerful engines? Are consumers willing to shell out thousands more for what basically amounts to a turbocharged Mazda with all-wheel drive? Because it's asking a lot.<p>That remains to be seen.</p><h2><strong>Our impressions: It's fun!</strong></h2><p>Pleasant. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_15" height="1666" width="2500" msid="80770463" hostid="261"></div>That's the word that thumped around in my head during the time I spent with the CX-30 Turbo. I haven't driven many new cars I can confidently say feel like they have much of a personality, but the turbocharged CX-30's playfulness is palpable. <p>Its light-footedness and agility, paired with its eagerness off the line, make for an impish little SUV. With acute steering, good brakes, and torque on your side, you find yourself tucking around slower cars and tossing the CX-30 around corners with a bit more spunk than you would in something bigger and heavier. There's no reason everyday driving has to be a snooze<strong>, </strong>and Mazda has proven that.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_41" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770464" hostid="261"></div>As an added bonus, there's even an off-road traction assist function that helps with any off-roading you might want to do. I'm not saying you should immediately take your CX-30 to the Baja 1000, but during low-traction situations such as over a blanket of hard-packed snow, the Mazda felt sure-footed. The 360-degree monitor, which remains active up to speeds of 9.3 mph, helped me see the terrain all around me.<p>Yes, the CX-30 is expensive and the room for rear passengers and cargo is a bit cramped. But it's undoubtedly a fun car wrapped up in a very unassuming package. If you're someone who wants something that will plant a smile on your face but also doesn't scream for attention with brand snobbery, this is your friend.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_30" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80770468" hostid="261"></div>Just be ready to pay for it.<p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_9" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770473" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_24" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80770474" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_28" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770476" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_39" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770477" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_35" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80770478" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_36" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770480" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_33" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770481" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_25" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770482" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_18" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80770484" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_4" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80770485" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda CX 30 Turbo._KL_23" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80770488" hostid="261"></div>

Review: Mazda's $35,000 CX-30 Turbo is aimed directly at Mercedes and BMW subcompact SUVs

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Spiritually, the new turbocharged <keyword id="1900832" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda-3">Mazda 3</keyword> is similar to the hot-hatch <keyword id="4177261" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazdaspeed-3">Mazdaspeed 3</keyword>, an enthusiast favorite from 2007 to 2013.</li><li>But the new 3 Turbo is missing a lot of the flair from the sporty Mazdaspeed 3, like front-wheel drive, a manual transmission, and a hood scoop.</li><li>This new take on a turbocharged <keyword id="116215" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda">Mazda</keyword> 3 represents the upmarket push that Mazda's been aiming for — one that it hopes will put it in entry-level Mercedes and Audi territory.</li></ul><p>Not since the hotted-up <a href="https://jalopnik.com/2013-mazdaspeed3-the-jalopnik-review-648274870">Mazdaspeed 3</a> - last on the market in 2013 - has there been a turbocharged Mazda 3. But don't call the new <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-mazda-3-turbo-review-hatchback-turbocharged-price-horsepower-specs-2020-11">2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo</a> a Mazdaspeed 3, because it's not. </p><p>The 2013 Mazdaspeed 3 was a <a href="https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-hot-hatchbacks">hot hatch</a> done proper. It produced a claimed 263 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. It was rowdy, with all of its power going to the front wheels and resulting in some uncouth <a href="https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/what-the-heck-is-torque-steer-abcs-of-car-tech/">torque steer</a>. It was offered exclusively with a manual transmission. It had a functional hood scoop - big enough that you could slide a whole pizza into it - to channel air into its top-mounted intercooler. </p><div type="image" title="2010 MAZDASPEED3_front 7 8 dynamic hi_w1170_header" height="778" width="1170" msid="79390334" hostid="261"></div><p>The new <keyword id="10305881" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mazda-3-turbo">Mazda 3 Turbo</keyword>, despite coming from the factory with even more torque (Mazda quotes output to be 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet), is <em>not</em> the successor to the beloved, rockety hot hatch of yore. Those tricks are for kids. </p><h2>Don't call it a Mazdaspeed </h2><p>Mazda, instead, wants you to see the new 3 Turbo as the latest piece in its upmarket push to the premium space. The turbocharged engine is present, but there's also standard all-wheel drive, a quality interior, and - I'm sorry to report this - no option for a manual transmission. Zilch. The only transmission you get is the six-speed automatic. </p><p>Those who prefer rowing their own gears will have to look elsewhere; specifically, downmarket and at the non-turbocharged versions of the Mazda 3. They're lower on power, but they can come with a clutch pedal if you want one.</p><p>"The Mazdaspeed 3 was a pure enthusiast's car," Dave Coleman, Mazda's vehicle dynamics engineer, told Business Insider during a roundtable interview. "There were a lot of sacrifices in [noise, vibration, and harshness] and livability. And that was what that brand was about."</p><div type="image" title="2007_ms3 front 3 4 beauty 1" height="961" width="1280" msid="79390335" hostid="261"></div><h2>All grown up</h2><p>The new 3 Turbo has grown up - and with it, Mazda imagines its buyers have as well.</p><p>"This is positioned as [the Mazdaspeed 3] grown up with a job and some responsibility - much like our customers," Coleman went on. "It still has a lot of the fundamental capabilities but it doesn't wear it on its sleeve so obviously. </p><p>"The 'Mazdaspeed' name brings some expectation that this car does not deliver. We do not want to sow confusion with the name and thought that the purpose of this car is much higher volume than with another Mazdaspeed 3."</p><p>Coleman has a point. By being manual-only with scoops, wings, and flairs, the Mazdaspeed 3 likely alienated non-enthusiast buyers for the very things car enthusiasts loved about it. Just recently, <a href="https://twitter.com/Nic_Agn/status/1329847506897866761">someone on Twitter</a> called the Mazdaspeed 3 "corny."</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_2" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79390338" hostid="261"></div><p>The Mazdaspeed 3 was great for brand perception, but its niche market perhaps didn't necessarily translate to healthy sales.</p><p>Plus, had Mazda called the new, more subtle 3 Turbo a "Mazdaspeed 3," it would have caught a lot of enthusiast grief - which, if you've spent any time at all on the internet or on forums, is some of the loudest grief there is.</p><h2>'Zoom-Zoom' no more</h2><p>A racy Mazda 3 doesn't really fit with the image Mazda is going for anymore, nor does the iconic and scrappy "Zoom-Zoom" tagline Mazda used for much of its 2000s marketing campaigns. As <a href="https://www.autonews.com/sales/mazdas-complicated-journey-premium">Automotive News</a> pointed out in 2019, "Zoom-Zoom" has been replaced with "what it calls Mazda Premium under the latest 'Feel Alive' slogan."</p><p>Premium, by Mazda's definition, means the time for unruly hot hatches is over. It means fun but refined performance that doesn't go shouting about it from the outside. It means finally being able to compete against entry-level luxury heavyweights like Mercedes and Audi.</p><p>So the 3 Turbo's certainly got the hardware. But the public awareness? Maybe not so much.</p><p>Established premium brands such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and Lexus have it easy. Buyers already associate them with luxury. Mazda still has work to do before the public automatically considers it in the same sentence as the others, if at all.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_23" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79390340" hostid="261"></div>Part of the challenge lies in Mazda's approach, according to Drew Cary, Mazda's North American brand communications senior manager. He said Mazda's method is to build a car around driver experience rather than "marketing to a spec sheet" like its competitors do.<p>There's some truth to this, as press releases from Mercedes-Benz and BMW all typically include 0 to 60 times and top speed estimates. Numbers, numbers, numbers. It's much easier to pit numbers against each other. It's harder to quantify something that's "fun" on paper, but that's the hard sell Mazda - a much smaller company - is up against.</p><p>"Typical marketing tactics don't work," Cary said. "We're not able to spend as much as the big brands on marketing." </p><p>So what's left to do?</p><h2>A hard sell </h2><p>First, Mazda is <a href="https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/the-mazda-way/design/mazdas-retail-evolution/">working on improving its dealership experience</a> - which, for many people, is critical to establishing loyalty. A bad first impression at a dealer can ruin a buyer's perception of the brand. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_17" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79390343" hostid="261"></div>And second, the automaker is relying heavily on earned marketing. That is, third parties (such as owners) acting as advocates who can talk about Mazda and its products. On this front, it's <em>especially</em> important that Mazda alienates no one and engages as many people as it can.<p>In 2019, <a href="https://news.mazdausa.com/2020-01-03-Mazda-Reports-December-Sales-Results-and-Full-Year-2019-Sales">Mazda North America sold</a> 50,741 3s, its second-best seller behind the popular CX-5. In all, the Japanese automaker sold 278,552 cars total, which means that the Mazda 3 accounted for 18% of all sales. </p><p>It's not an insignificant figure. It would be in Mazda's best interest to try to appeal to a broader buying pool - but now one that appreciates premium features, wants power but with subtlety, and is willing to pay a bit more for it.</p><p>Maybe one day soon, a customer will have second thoughts before mindlessly buying a Mercedes when they see they can get a fully loaded Mazda 3 instead. Maybe.</p><h2>Enthusiasts will have to deal</h2><p>For car enthusiasts, though, it truly seems like a new Mazdaspeed 3 isn't happening anytime soon, if ever. In 2016, Mazda told the Australian publication <a href="https://www.motoring.com.au/mazda-performance-models-will-mature-101965/">Motoring</a> that it was too "mature" for such Mazdaspeed shenanigans anymore. </p><p>"As a brand we are trying to elevate again a little bit more, because execution of Mazda MPS or Mazdaspeed 3 or whatever you call it was a little bit - I am not afraid to say it - childish," Masahiro Moro, Mazda's chairman and CEO of North American operations, said. </p><p>We all must grow up eventually, I suppose.</p><div type="image" title="2010_MAZDASPEED3_086" height="2832" width="4256" msid="79390344" hostid="261"></div><p>In the roundtable, Mazda obviously wouldn't give a straight answer on whether this new push to premium spelled the end for Mazdaspeed. But so as to not back themselves into corners, brands never give journalists a simple "yes" or "no."</p><p>"We're open to the market, but there's nothing in the pipeline, either," Coleman said. "But regardless of what happens with Mazdaspeed, we will always focus on driving dynamics."</p>

How the refined new Mazda 3 Turbo is pivotal to Mazda's push to compete with the likes of Audi and Mercedes

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="1900832" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda-3">Mazda 3</keyword> is <keyword id="116215" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda">Mazda</keyword>'s compact, entry-level car. Now it has an optional turbocharger.</li><li>Power and performance have been increased, which means the 3 Turbo can now compete with models from Audi and Mercedes.</li><li>The 2021 <keyword id="10305881" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mazda-3-turbo">Mazda 3 Turbo</keyword> starts at $33,750, compared to the base sedan's $20,500 starting price. My loaner came out to $34,820 after delivery fees.</li></ul><p>From the outside, the <keyword id="9557590" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2021-mazda-3-2-5-turbo">2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo</keyword> looks the same as its non-turbocharged brethren. Save for a few badges and bigger tailpipes, it's the same sleek design we've all seen ever since the new 3 debuted in 2018.</p><p>But the big deal with the 3 Turbo is what's under the hood — because with the addition of a much-anticipated turbocharger, Mazda turned the humble Mazda 3 from merely fun to <em>fun</em>. </p><h2><strong>The 2021 3 Turbo: Boosted now</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_18" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324465" hostid="261"></div>The 3 is Mazda's entry-level car in the United States — a compact car available as either a hatchback or a sedan and, most importantly, <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2019-mazda-3-doesnt-let-the-enthusiasts-down-1830690640">with the option of a manual transmission</a>. In July, the automaker announced the addition of a turbocharged variant to the lineup, which is a big deal.<p>The 3 has long been a fan-favorite, boasting good driver feedback at an affordable price point. Some, though, faulted it for being a bit low on power, so fans and enthusiasts yelled and yelled for a turbo.</p><p>As a way to bring the car further upmarket, Mazda <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-mazda-3-25-turbo-specs-photos-release-date-2020-7">finally</a> answered on the current- and fourth-generation Mazda 3.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_12" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324469" hostid="261"></div><p>The move gave the car more power and Mazda the justification for charging about $13,000 more for it over the base model.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: Five stars all around</strong></h2><p>That turbocharged engine comes with a few strings, however — namely, the removal of the optional manual transmission. Yes, I'm sorry to say that you cannot get the Mazda 3 Turbo with a clutch pedal. It does come exclusively with all-wheel drive, though, to help with traction while driving through all the purist tears.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_27" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324475" hostid="261"></div>The 3 Turbo comes as either a sedan or a hatchback. It uses the 2.5-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder SkyActiv-G engine, found in the larger <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33236706/2021-mazda-3-turbo-specs/">CX-5, CX-9, and Mazda 6</a> models.<p>On <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-mazda-3-25-turbo-specs-photos-release-date-2020-7">93 octane fuel</a>, it produces a claimed 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. On 87 octane fuel, those figures drop slightly to a claimed 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Top speed is an estimated 130 mph.</p><p>This is a significant bump in power over the <a href="https://www.mazdausa.com/shopping-tools/build-and-price/2021-mazda3-sedan#s=1&amp;tr=Automatic&amp;d=FWD&amp;f=Gasoline&amp;t=21M3S20%7C21M3S202A&amp;ex=41W&amp;in=C_BY3&amp;p=&amp;ip=&amp;o=&amp;io=p;in=C_BY3&amp;p=&amp;ip=&amp;o=&amp;io=">non-turbocharged versions of the 3</a>, which use either a 2.0-liter engine that produces a claimed 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque or a 2.5-liter engine with a claimed 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_3" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324477" hostid="261"></div>Cargo volume of the turbo sedan measures 13.2 cubic feet, while the hatchback measures 20.1 feet. If that last number looks familiar to you like it did for me, it's because that's the same amount of cargo volume that you'd get combined from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mclaren-gt-supercar-grand-tourer-costco-it-went-shockingly-well-2020-11">a McLaren GT's two trunks</a>. <p>That's more than you'd get with the single rear trunk in <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/toyota-cms-media/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2021_Toyota_Camry_Product-Information.pdf">a Toyota Camry</a>! Not bad for a little compact hatchback.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_15" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324481" hostid="261"></div>The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the hatchback 3 Turbo to get 23 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined, and the sedan to return mostly the same. The car <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/MAZDA/MAZDA3/5%252520HB/AWD#safety-ratings-frontal">earned five stars on every single test</a> in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's crashworthiness evaluation. <p>The 2020 model also earned a <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Mazda/3-4-door-hatchback/2020">Top Safety Pick Plus award</a> with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — the highest safety award the agency has to offer.</p><h2><strong>What stands out: Darty little Fun Car™</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_7" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324485" hostid="261"></div>Personally, I thought the regular Mazda 3 was just fine. But if more power suddenly becomes an option, I obviously won't say no.<p>Of the 3 Turbo's newfound spunk, I can say this: It definitely feels much zippier! After the initial <a href="https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/a14242489/you-might-not-actually-know-what-turbo-lag-really-means/">turbo lag</a> wears off, the extra torque shoots the car forward like a cork. It's punchy, lively, and inspires smiles all around. Maybe even a small laugh in the form of a forced exhale, too. <div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_5" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324488" hostid="261"></div></p><p>What's great about this new turbocharged engine application is that it's now powering a far lighter and smaller car in Mazda's lineup. The 3 has always maintained good, light-footedness that made chucking it into corners at speed fun. With its intuitive steering, the car practically begged you to abuse it. At least a little bit.</p><p>Couple that energy now with more power — well, buddy, you've got yourself a darty little Fun Car™, especially in Sport mode. There's more direct steering response and the transmission hangs out in a lower gear, keeping the power in a more readily accessible spot. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_19" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79324491" hostid="261"></div>It doesn't matter if you're merging and passing on the highway or flicking the nose into a corner on some back road, the turbocharged engine has turned the 3 into a legitimate athlete, dancing on its toes, always at the ready.<p>Predictably, because the 3 Turbo is a new Mazda, the interior is also quite classy. My loaner came with buttery leather seats in a deep red color and a fancy Bose sound system. </p><p>All of the switchgear was quality to the touch, too. The dial for selecting menu items clicked satisfyingly and the HVAC vents slid in their slots smoothly. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_22" height="1666" width="2500" msid="79324494" hostid="261"></div><p>And the most beautiful thing of all? <em>No! Touchscreens!</em></p><p>Oh, yes, friends. The 3 does not have a touchscreen. There's a screen, but you have to use a dial to navigate it with. The rest of the radio and climate controls use buttons, switches, and dials. Alright, yes, using the navigation with a dial was frustrating — you're painfully aware of how many letters and numbers are in an address — but conversely, fixing the climate didn't mean I had to look away from the road to make sure I was hitting the right part of the touchscreen.</p><p>As God is my witness, the interior of the 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo was my happy place.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_26" height="1666" width="2500" msid="79324496" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>What falls short: No manual transmission</strong></h2><p>I elected to test out the 3 Turbo hatchback because hatchbacks are awesome. Unfortunately, as stylish as the car is from the outside, those thick C-pillars made over-the-shoulder glances difficult. </p><p>All in all, it's not a terrible loss, since the mirrors do their job and there are plenty of proximity sensors that scream at you if you try and merge into another car. </p><p>Still, I like to look. Proximity sensors can theoretically fail and by the time you find out that they've done so, it's already too late. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_9" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324499" hostid="261"></div>I'm a hopeless nerd, so I shamelessly wished the turbo model had a manual option. It was the only missing ingredient in what would have been a perfect turbo, all-wheel drive, sporty hatchback sundae. <p>When pressed about the absence of a manual in the 3 Turbo, a Mazda engineer gave a few reasons during a roundtable interview. The engineer said this engine has never been paired with a manual before and it would take a lot more work (see also: time and money) to attach one. There were packaging constraints to consider. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_16" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324502" hostid="261"></div>Plus, the number of people who buy manuals is apparently so woefully low that it just didn't make any business sense to go through the trouble of including the option at all.<p>That said, there's nothing wrong with the six-speed automatic transmission. It does its job, doesn't get in the way of itself or you, and is reasonably intuitive in Sport mode. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_13" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79324595" hostid="261"></div>In the same roundtable, Mazda backed up those impressions, saying the system assumes you're on a twisty mode when you put it in Sport mode. It anticipates that if you brake for a turn, you're going to want to power out of that corner, hence the transmission's tendency to stay in a lower gear.<h2><strong>How the 3 Turbo compares to its competitors: Priced like an Audi or Mercedes</strong></h2><p>The non-turbocharged Mazda 3 competes with other compact cars such as the Subaru Impreza, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Hyundai Elantra. With the introduction of the turbocharged engine, added performance, all-wheel drive, and upmarket interior, the 3 Turbo can set its sights a little higher and target the likes of the Acura ILX, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, and Audi A3.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_10" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324597" hostid="261"></div><p>It's certainly priced that way: Base price of my Mazda 3 Turbo loaner started at $33,750. After a $125 rear bumper guard and a $945 fee for delivery, processing, and handling, the car's total MSRP came out to $34,820. That is a lot to ask for a Mazda 3, especially when you consider <a href="https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/2021-mazda3-sedan">a base Mazda 3 sedan can be had for $20,500</a>.</p><p>As a comparison, the <a href="https://www.mbusa.com/en/vehicles/class/a-class/sedan">Mercedes-Benz A-Class</a> starts at $33,650, the <a href="https://www.audiusa.com/us/web/en/models.html?bytype=Sedans%20and%20Sportbacks">Audi A3</a> starts at $33,300, and the <a href="https://www.acura.com/ilx">Acura ILX</a> starts at $25,950. Keep in mind, though, that those three do not come as hatchbacks and they all start with far less power than the 3 Turbo.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_20" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324599" hostid="261"></div><p>Spiritually, I'd say the 3 Turbo is more akin to sportier versions of the other compact cars. The power is there, certainly, as is the hatchiness, but the manual transmission available on the Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Veloster N, and Volkswagen Golf GTI make for very compelling counterarguments. </p><h2><strong>Our impressions: That's (not that) hot</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_24" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79324606" hostid="261"></div>Though it has all the dressings of a hot hatch, I'm still hesitant to call the 3 Turbo a hot hatch. It's certainly not a cold hatch — more like a warm hatch. A Goldilocks hatch. And the omission of a manual transmission isn't the only thing that's making me feel this way.<p>See, other hot hatches — specifically, the Honda Civic Type R and the Hyundai Veloster N — are an assault on the senses. Not only do their exteriors have dramatic wings and scoops, but their exhaust notes burble, crack, and pop. Sometimes they <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/models/hyundai-veloster-2021-veloster_n/photos">even have electric blue seat belts</a>. There is something exciting about them before you even climb into them. They give you something to talk about.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_16" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324502" hostid="261"></div>That extra flair is missing from the 3 Turbo. Don't misunderstand — the thing is charming to drive, and super entertaining to flick around obstacles like other cars. And it's quite quick! Under its sensible exterior, the 3 Turbo is a joyous time. <p>But it's also quieter in its abilities and what it offers; more refined, much less shouty and in-your-face than the others. After all, "hot" hatches can be sophomoric and therefore counter the new, premium attitude Mazda hopes you'll have about its products.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_25" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79324614" hostid="261"></div>This is the car for the person who wants a racy little sedan or hatchback for weekend canyon carving but doesn't want to be judged too much when they pull up to work in it on Monday morning. <p>If you can get over a Mazda with a Mercedes price tag, of course.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_8" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324617" hostid="261"></div>

REVIEW: The $34,000 Mazda 3 Turbo is all grown up and aims to lure entry-level buyers from Audi and Mercedes

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="116215" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda">Mazda</keyword>'s first EV, the MX-30, is headed to the US this fall. </li><li>It will be available in California to start and will be followed up by a plug-in hybrid version. </li><li>It's expected to have a range of around 100 miles, but Mazda hasn't announced official figures. </li></ul><p>Mazda's first electric car is coming to the US.</p><p>The brand on Wednesday <a href="https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/press-release/all-new-electrified-mx-30-features-mazdas-great-driving-dynamics/">announced</a> that the 2022 MX-30 is heading stateside in fall 2021, starting with dealers in California. It will share details like pricing and range closer to when the electric vehicle goes on sale. </p><div type="image" title="Mazda MX-30." height="1350" width="1800" msid="82068831" hostid="261"></div><p>Revealed in 2019 and already on sale outside of the US, the MX-30 is Mazda's quirky first stab at an EV. The compact crossover has five seats and odd rear half-doors like you'd find in a BMW i3 or a Honda Element. It has a similar size and shape to Mazda's gas-powered CX-30. </p><p>The US version of the car, Mazda said, will have a 35.5-kWh battery pack, 144 horsepower, and 200 lb-ft of torque. The battery can be charged from 20% to 80% in around 36 minutes using a DC fast charger, according to Mazda. </p><div type="image" title="Mazda MX-30." height="1350" width="1800" msid="82068834" hostid="261"></div><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-startups-plan-to-mine-cheap-lithium-in-the-us-2021-4">T</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-startups-plan-to-mine-cheap-lithium-in-the-us-2021-4">he CEO of a Tesla-backed battery startup explains why he's mining for cheap lithium in North Carolina</a></em></p><p>The company didn't release an official range figure, but the European-market MX-30 (which comes with the same sized battery) can travel 124 miles on a charge, according to the European WLTP standards. The US EPA tends to give more conservative range ratings, so the MX-30 will likely go on sale in the US with an estimated range of around 100 miles. </p><div type="image" title="Mazda MX-30." height="1013" width="1800" msid="82068836" hostid="261"></div><p>That's fairly low by today's standards, as several <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-cheap-affordable-evs-electric-vehicles-tesla-nissan-ford-mustang-2021-2">sub-$35,000 EVs</a> can travel well over 200 miles on a charge. It indicates that Mazda is targeting the MX-30 at urban buyers who don't need to drive very far at a time.  </p><p>Mazda plans to follow up the battery-powered MX-30 with a plug-in hybrid version equipped with a rotary generator. That model should satisfy buyers looking for more range. A larger plug-in hybrid model along with a traditional hybrid crossover are in the works as well, Mazda said. </p>

Mazda's first EV is coming to the US this fall, but its range might be disappointing compared to rivals

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Business Insider spoke with Derek Jenkins, the VP of design at <keyword id="3904314" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="lucid-motors">Lucid Motors</keyword>, about designing the company's upcoming Air EV. The Air officially debuted on Wednesday.</li><li>The Air was first sketched out in 2015 and the design team had to figure out what would still look futuristic by the time the car debuted in 2020.</li><li>Because Lucid compacted the size of the Air’s drive components, there was a lot of interior space that could be maximized.</li></ul><p>This might come as a surprise to you, but the new cars you see on the road weren't designed recently. In fact, most designs are conceived about five to seven years before the general public even gets a whiff of what the final product will look like. The minimalist and futuristic-looking <a href="http://businessinsider.com/lucid-motors-ceo-wants-ev-technology-create-cheaper-electric-vehicles-2020-9">Lucid Air EV</a> is no different. </p><p>"As a designer, you have to live five years in the future," Derek Jenkins, Lucid's VP of design, told Business Insider. Jenkins hails from Mazda — where he was responsible for the 2016 Miata, CX-5, Mazda 3, Mazda 6, and 2017 CX-9 — and Volkswagen, according to his <a href="https://www.lucidmotors.com/company/derek-jenkins">company profile</a>. </p><p>Jenkins said the very first pieces of the <keyword id="4225799" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="lucid-air">Lucid Air</keyword>, a car that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lucid-motors-air-debut-cost-specs-price-sale-date-ev-2020-9">debuted on Wednesday</a> but won't be in the hands of customers <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lucid-air-sedan-features-specs-range-performance-tesla-model-s-2020-8#lucid-is-set-to-reveal-the-production-version-of-the-air-on-september-9-with-customer-deliveries-starting-in-2021-18">until 2021</a>, started coming together in late 2015. The priority? Shedding design elements associated with traditional internal-combustion engine cars.</p><p>"We wanted the Air to be fluid and sleek and have a lot of sculpture," Jenkins said. "Very minimalist and clean. We had to get into the mindset with features that will be accustomed to electrification and aerodynamics.</p><p>"Beyond that, I am a big believer in simplicity rather than complexity. If a design is simple, it will look bold. In cars, there's sometimes a pressure on designers to make something new and fresh — and that's confused with adding more lines and complexity."</p><div type="image" title="Lucid Air exterior_6" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78029269" hostid="261"></div><p>The Air, as Jenkins told it, was designed from the inside out with a "relentless focus on platform architecture." By shrinking the drivetrain significantly, Lucid's designers were able to free up a lot of usable interior space. Once the team established the optimal interior, they designed the exterior around that.</p><p>Though the Air's exterior dimensions are comparable to the midsize BMW 5 Series or Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans, Jenkins said the cabin space is more akin to a full-size 7 Series or S-Class sedan. This is despite the roof of the car being about 20 to 30 millimeters (0.8 to 1.2 inches) lower than a traditional internal-combustion car, Jenkins said. Exterior dimensions for the Air are similar to that of the E-Class, but Lucid has not yet announced interior measurements. </p><p>At launch, the Air will have a fixed bench back seat. After about a year, however, Lucid will launch the executive seat package, where the rear seats can recline about 45 degrees. "The platform is designed to accept that reclining seat," Jenkins said.</p><p>The company <a href="https://www.lucidmotors.com/media-room/lucid-space-concept-delivers-class-leading-interior-space">also claims</a> the Air has the biggest front trunk ever offered on an EV.</p><div type="image" title="Lucid Air interior_12" height="1375" width="2500" msid="78029271" hostid="261"></div><p>Inside, perhaps the most visually striking thing about the Air is its massive, curved driver information display. That screen is a particular point of achievement, Jenkins said, because a lot of effort went into finding one that worked. Automotive screen technology moves at a slower speed than screens on consumer devices because certifications on screens used in cars are far more demanding. There are standards and specifications to fulfill, temperature variants to withstand.</p><p>The Air's screen isn't just a big, pretty, screen, either. There's app flow: an interface that allows you to swipe an app from the top screen down to the lower, center screen. </p><p>Jenkins said Lucid found that consumers deal with navigation, music options, and phone functions the most with quick touches. Thus, those were the apps selected for the app-flow capabilities, allowing passengers to use the bigger screen look through more detailed things like Spotify playlists and call histories. </p><div type="image" title="Lucid Air interior_3" height="1874" width="2500" msid="78029273" hostid="261"></div><p>It's undeniable that the Air has the <em>look</em> of an electric car. It's sleek and futuristic in its sweeping proportions and gratuitous use of horizontal lines. It's an exercise in both form and function — <keyword id="312660" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="EVS">EVs</keyword> don't need traditional grilles cluttering up their front fascias because there's less stuff that needs to be cooled. Fewer open vents for cooling means less drag. Less drag means greater efficiency — which, for EVs, is the name of the game.</p><p>The Air's drag coefficient is a very slippery 0.21, which is less than the <a href="https://jalopnik.com/an-extremely-detailed-look-at-the-porsche-taycans-engin-1837802533">Porsche Taycan</a>'s 0.22 and the <a href="https://www.tesla.com/models">Tesla Model S</a>'s 0.23, respectively.</p><p>So, yes, the Air has the <em>look</em>. But as it is the first EV from a brand-new automaker, the Lucid Air has a couple of challenges ahead of it — namely, solidifying that look as something the public will instantly recognize as the face of not just another EV startup, but as a luxury EV brand that'll really take on <keyword id="107096" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tesla">Tesla</keyword> in earnest. A luxury EV brand that won't fade as traditional automakers catch onto electrification, but one that'll be here to stay.</p><div type="image" title="Lucid Air exterior_1" height="1581" width="2500" msid="78029275" hostid="261"></div><p>But will <em>a </em>look evolve into <em>the</em> look — the one that the public will come to recognize as the unique face of Lucid? </p><p>"Every design has a shelf life," Jenkins said. "It's dependent on technology." </p><p>In the coming years, how we understand aerodynamics and what legislation deems is safe for pedestrians will certainly change how a car looks. For now, though, the Air looks years ahead of its time. But in 10 years? Fifteen? Will it still look good? Fresh? Timeless? Immediately recognizable? That remains to be seen.</p><p>As for Jenkins? "I'm already onto the next thing," he said.</p>

The designer of Lucid's $80,000 Tesla rival says it will be spacious enough to offer business class-like reclining seats

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The 2020 Kona is <keyword id="596" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hyundai">Hyundai</keyword>'s compact SUV, slotting in between the subcompact Venue and the Tuscon in Hyundai's crossover and SUV lineup.</li><li>The Kona comes in five trims, with the 2021 model featuring a $20,400 base trim and a $28,050 top trim.</li><li>This 2020 review loaner had a Lime Twist exterior, a 175-horsepower turbocharged engine, and a $28,980 MSRP.</li></ul><p>The 2020 Hyundai Kona has a lot going on. Its busy front end challenges you to put the pieces together - the thin front lights that would look aggressive if they weren't so cutesy, the studded grille, the abundance of plastic cladding - while its orange and lime-green paint options remind you that, yes, there are more choices in this world than just white, silver, or black. </p><p>The quirkiness is surprising, given that the Kona is a response to Americans' current car craze: crossovers and SUVs, where carmakers can capitalize by simply producing vehicles with the necessary ride height and cargo room but without much personality. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2196" width="3992" msid="79708397" hostid="261"></div><p>Hyundai could have played it safe, but instead went for a slight departure from the norm - the very norm to which the Kona was introduced to cater. It's bold, and it kind of works. </p><h2><strong>The 2020 Hyundai Kona: Capitalizing on the crossover craze</strong></h2><p>Hyundai <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/2440">first introduced</a> the US-market Kona in late 2017, marketing it as a practical crossover that could be fun and quirky, complete with a lime-green show car and what it called an "urban smart armor" exterior. Whatever that means.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2301" width="3992" msid="79708400" hostid="261"></div><p>As buyers flock toward bigger vehicles in the name of safety and more space, the Kona fills an important niche for Hyundai. It slots in right above the subcompact Venue crossover, the smallest entry in Hyundai's lineup of crossovers and SUVs.</p><p>The move paid off. Even without name recognition, the Kona shot up Hyundai's sales charts. In 2019, Hyundai Motor America <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/2944">sold</a> more than 73,000 Konas - just 14,000 fewer models than its Sonata nameplate, which has been around for decades.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: Watch the headlights</strong></h2><p>The Kona has five trims, and for 2021, the base SE trim starts at $20,400 while the top Ultimate trim starts at $28,050. Front-wheel drive is standard on every trim and all-wheel drive is $1,400 extra.</p><div type="image" title="trim options 2021 hyundai kona" height="732" width="1450" msid="79708403" hostid="261"></div><p>This 2020 review loaner was a Kona Ultimate with a "Lime Twist" exterior and without the optional AWD, coming to $28,980 with fees. The only added feature, in fact, was carpet on the floor mats for an extra $135. Everything else was standard for the top trim. </p><p>Those standard features include, among other things: a turbocharged 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine making a claimed 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque; a seven-speed dual clutch transmission; 18-inch wheels; high-beam assist; rain-sensing windshield wipers; and safety features including forward-collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot detection, automatic cruise control, and a parking warning while in reverse. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2682" width="4020" msid="79708410" hostid="261"></div><p>The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2020 Kona top <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/hyundai/kona-4-door-suv/2020#headlights">crash ratings</a> in every category, but watch out for the headlights.</p><p>The most expensive two trims on the Kona, the Limited and Ultimate, have LED headlights with the IIHS' top ratings. The bottom three have halogen lights, which got the IIHS' bottom of four safety ratings. The halogen low beams, the IIHS said, provided inadequate visibility in all of its tests. </p><h2><strong>What stands out: Green on green on green</strong></h2><p>Listen. Your argument about buying only black, white, or gray cars because of the "resale value" is tired. It's boring. Do you want to be tired and boring? No, you don't. Neither does this Hyundai Kona, which is why it's green.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3992" width="2661" msid="79708412" hostid="261"></div><p>It's not a safe, muted forest green or a green that's trying to pass for black, either - it's bright, in your face, look at me green, more fit for a Lamborghini than any crossover kind of green.</p><p>Boring? Maybe you are, but this Kona's color isn't.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2651" width="2015" msid="79708414" hostid="261"></div><p>The green bleeds into the interior of the car, accenting everything from the seats to the dashboard. Hyundai's had some interesting takes on the Kona - including an "Iron Man Edition" that a local Hyundai salesperson tried to sell me, of all people, once - but the bright green one is a winner.</p><p>Along with the green, a tiny honeycomb pattern runs the length of the Kona's dashboard. The material looks neither expensive nor cheap, which is a good compromise in a $29,000 car that could have just slapped some bland plastic panels on there and called it a day. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2396" width="3992" msid="79708415" hostid="261"></div><p>Hyundai also carried this Kona's black interior onto its headliner, giving it a cohesive look on the inside. But that doesn't appear to be the case with every model from Hyundai's range-topping Ultimate trim, since <a href="https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=549953307&amp;zip=10001&amp;referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D10001%26city%3DNew%2BYork%26startYear%3D2020%26incremental%3Dall%26endYear%3D2020%26modelCodeList%3DHYUKONA%26makeCodeList%3DHYUND%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceASC%26location%3D%255Bobject%2BObject%255D%26state%3DNY%26firstRecord%3D0%26marketExtension%3Dinclude%26searchRadius%3D0%26trimCodeList%3DHYUKONA%257CUltimate%26isNewSearch%3Dfalse&amp;startYear=2020&amp;numRecords=25&amp;firstRecord=0&amp;endYear=2020&amp;modelCodeList=HYUKONA&amp;makeCodeList=HYUND&amp;searchRadius=0&amp;trimCodeList=HYUKONA%7CUltimate&amp;makeCode1=HYUND&amp;modelCode1=HYUKONA&amp;clickType=listing1=HYUND&amp;modelCode1=HYUKONA&amp;clickType=listing">some appear on Autotrader</a> with black interiors and stark, light-gray headliners. </p><p>Interior-matching headliners are always king.</p><div type="image" title="hyundai kona headliner" height="652" width="1956" msid="79708417" hostid="261"></div><p>The Kona emits a low, uncharacteristically aggressive snarl as it gets up to speed. Its pedals are sensitive - tap the gas just a bit and you're lurching out of your parking space; graze the brakes and prepare to get a gut check from your seat belt.</p><p>The steering is the opposite, numbly swaying from left to right as the car's turbo supplies a bit of boost to the engine without the characteristic <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM7WTTeo_iE&amp;ab_channel=VisioRaceracer"><em>whoooosh</em></a> sound. Quieter cars are fancier, remember. </p><p>The Kona has a sport mode, which can be told apart from its normal drive mode by the usual characteristics: Sport mode makes the car feel and sound slightly more growly without transforming your little crossover into anything more than a little crossover. <em>Grr</em>, though!</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3988" width="2817" msid="79708418" hostid="261"></div><p>In the year 2020, it's also nice to come across a car whose interior isn't one large touchscreen from Hell. The Kona's infotainment screen is easy to navigate and allows the driver to use those all-familiar buttons, while also offering fun menu options like the one that shows how long you've spent idling versus driving on a trip. </p><p>If there's any existential wisdom I want out of life, it's how many years I've lost while sitting in traffic. For that, Hyundai, I thank you.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3111" width="5183" msid="79708422" hostid="261"></div><p>The Kona's telescoping steering wheel also provides a third dimension of adjustment, allowing a driver to not only move it up and down, but toward and away from them as well. And before you say, "That sounds very basic; doesn't every car do that?" you should go outside and check your own. Every car does not do that. </p><p>Every car doesn't come in an Iron Man theme either, I guess. </p><h2><strong>What falls short:</strong> Plastic, plastic, plastic</h2><p>The Kona, in this spec, is a $29,000 car. That's mild compared to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/average-prices-for-cars-increased-during-covid-19-over-demand-2020-8">average new-car price</a> of nearly $40,000, but it's still $30,000, and $30,000 should buy some less plasticky materials inside. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2431" width="3992" msid="79708426" hostid="261"></div><p>While the overall vibe of the interior - black with electric green accents - is charming, the details aren't. Cheap-looking materials line the infotainment screen, the shifter, the parking brake, the cup holders.</p><p>The door handles and steering wheel feature a nice, glossy piano black material, but that stuff only stays nice and glossy for about five minutes before grime piles on. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kia-seltos-review-2021-price-photos-suv-hyundai-reviews-specs-2020-5">Ask the 2021 Kia Seltos</a>. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2414" width="4006" msid="79708429" hostid="261"></div><p>There's also a catch with this lovely green: While it and an equally lovely orange were available on Konas in the past, neither option shows up in the build configurator for the 2021 car. A Hyundai spokesperson confirmed that they're not available for special order for 2021 or beyond, telling Business Insider that "trendy colors like that typically last a year or two." </p><p>If you want to go green, you have to go pre-2021.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2440" width="3994" msid="79708431" hostid="261"></div><p>The Kona has all of the wind noise and road feel of a car in its price range: there, but ignorable. But don't touch the navigation controls if the car is in drive: You can select from popular locations - gas stations, restaurants - but you can't manually enter addresses.</p><p>Hop in the back of the 2020 Kona and you'll notice a few things: The roof feels low because of its gradual slope; legroom isn't anything to brag about; and there are no vents to be seen. Zero. Not one.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2518" width="3989" msid="79708507" hostid="261"></div><p>Were people meant to sit back there during the summer or winter? Perhaps as a form of punishment. </p><h2><strong>How the Kona compares to its rivals: Close competition</strong></h2><p>Given that crossovers and SUVs are all that American buyers want right now, the categories are competitive. The Kona stacks up well against its competition, including the 2021 Kia Seltos, the 2020 Mazda CX-30, and the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek, and vice versa. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Kia Seltos 2020 Hyundai Kona 2020 Mazda CX-30 2019 Subaru Crosstrek" height="1150" width="1830" msid="79708510" hostid="261"></div><p>Since Hyundai and Kia are sister companies, the Seltos and Kona are sister vehicles. They also offer longer warranty periods than their competitors do, with five years or 60,000 miles on the countdown clock compared to the industry standard of three years or 36,000 miles. </p><p>And while the Seltos' all-wheel-drive $29,485 SX Turbo model was more enticing in both looks and use than the front-wheel-drive $28,980 Kona Ultimate <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kia-seltos-review-2021-price-photos-suv-hyundai-reviews-specs-2020-5">during our testing</a>, the Kona beats it in base price and headlight safety.</p><div type="image" title="kona, seltos, crosstrek, cx-30 updated with kona headlights" height="1300" width="1860" msid="79708513" hostid="261"></div><p>Buy the $20,300 base 2020 Kona, nothing added, and you'll come in about $1,700 under the $21,990 Seltos. It's not a lot in the scheme of a $20,000 car, but it's not nothing. </p><p>But the Seltos really loses out in its headlights, receiving the IIHS' lowest rating of "poor" across the board. The Kona might not have good headlights on every trim, but they are an option. </p><h2><strong>Our impressions: A quirky car in a conventional segment</strong></h2><p>The US circa 2020 will go down as a few things in automotive history: the time when people found out luxury EVs other than Teslas exist; when cars marketed for their "autonomy" weren't really autonomous; and when the age of the crossover really took hold. The Kona, like much of its competition, wants to take hold as well.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2537" width="3992" msid="79708519" hostid="261"></div><p>But unlike much of its competition, the Kona - at least in lime-green form - wants to remind you that being a crossover buyer doesn't mean assimilating with the masses of crossover buyers. Practicality doesn't mean you have to be a bore, the Kona says. You can buy your high-riding, cargo-carrying crossover, but you can give it lime-green interior accents too. What a concept. </p><p>The Kona is a commuter vehicle for folks who want to spend less than the average American does on a new car, whether it's for the $20,000 base trim or the $28,000 top trim. It's not the fanciest car on the road, nor is it even the fanciest looking among its competitors. </p><p>But it does have a personality, and sometimes that makes all the difference. </p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3456" width="5184" msid="79708525" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2444" width="3989" msid="79708529" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2580" width="3997" msid="79708537" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2567" width="3992" msid="79708543" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3079" width="5029" msid="79708547" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2336" width="3992" msid="79708552" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3159" width="5123" msid="79708557" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2337" width="3983" msid="79708560" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2354" width="3992" msid="79708562" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2327" width="4023" msid="79708565" hostid="261"></div>

REVIEW: The $29,000 Hyundai Kona crossover offers a quirky take on a conventional segment

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I tested a 2021 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/chevy">Chevy</a> Trailblazer, with all-wheel-drive in the well-optioned Activ trim.</li><li>The as-tested price was $32,350, but the vehicle can be had for $19,000, base.</li><li>The Trailblazer borrows some snazzy design cues from the larger <keyword id="143502" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Chevy">Chevy</keyword> Blazer. These set it apart from the competition, which includes compact crossovers from Kia, Mazda, and Honda.</li><li>The Trailblazer has two engine and transmission options. My tester had a 155-horsepower, turbocharged, three-cylinder powerplant that offered nice punch at lower speeds, but that was slow to 60 mph and not as easy on gas as I thought it would be.</li><li>What sets the Trailblazer apart from the competition is a suite of technology features, ranging from infotainment to wifi connectivity to driver-assist, that are enviable in a budget package.</li></ul><p>I really wasn't sure about the 2021 Chevy Trailblazer going into a week-long test of the small crossover SUV. This is not your father's Trailblazer, and in this case, I'm the father who remembers the nameplate from a larger, truck-based SUV that was discontinued in the mid-2000s. I was expecting a basic, entry-level crossover, easy on gas but nothing too impressive otherwise. </p><p>Instead, I enjoyed a nifty little SUV with compelling exterior styling, fully loaded with industry-leading infotainment and connectivity systems.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Chevy Trailblazer" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78092540" hostid="261"></div><p>The best way to think about the Trailblazer is not as a blazer of trails, but as an ambler of suburban roads that borrows its design inspiration from the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chevy-blazer-2019-suv-review-features-photos-2019-3">new Chevy Blazer</a> — which is also questionable as a blazer of trails, but is an excellent SUV interpretation of the Camaro.</p><p>That makes the Trailblazer is a subcompact muscle-car SUV, except that it lacks anything even vaguely resembling muscle. The upshot? Chevy wants you to have something slightly jazzier than the Trax to start you out on the <keyword id="6372405" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="gm">GM</keyword> brand ladder. </p><h2>Bring on the three-cylinder power!</h2><div type="image" title="2021 Chevy Trailblazer" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78092541" hostid="261"></div><p>My nicely optioned test vehicle cost $32,350, but the price before goodies was $26,900, and I sampled the Activ trim level with all-wheel-drive. The base front-wheel-drive version goes for $19,000. I got a white floating roof and a paint job dubbed "Zeus Bronze Metallic," which suggests a lot of chromatic firepower for a ride this modest. The interior was "Jet Black," boring but not cheap-looking.</p><p>Under the hood, the Trailblazer has a 1.3-liter, three-cylinder (yes, three) turbocharged engine that makes 155 horsepower with 174 pound-feet of torque. This is a step up from the 137-hp base motor, and the larger powerplant is mated to a nine-speed automatic rather than a continuously variable transmission. That's a lotta gears for not a lot of power, and I anticipated fuel economy that was better than the rated 26 mpg city/30 highway/28 combined.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Chevy Trailblazer" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78092545" hostid="261"></div><p>A snappy o-60 mph time is barely worth thinking about with a vehicle such as this; I clocked something like 10 seconds. However, the Trailblazer can muster sufficient torque to pass semis on the highway, and the motor's punch is more appealing in zippy, around-town driving. You have normal, sport, all-wheel-drive, and sport modes to play with. Sport firms up the steering, but the steering was adequately frisky and assured in other modes.</p><p>Cargo capacity is 25 cubic feet under the (powered!) liftgate, rising to 54 if you drop the rear seats, which are bench design, provided limited legroom for adults. The fronts split the difference between firm and compliant. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Chevy Trailblazer" height="1304" width="1739" msid="78092547" hostid="261"></div><p>Ride quality doesn't come off as jittery, but the Trailblazer doesn't always feel fully planted to the pavement, and as I noted earlier, I'd steer clear of trying to blaze any trails in this thing. One can tow up to 1,000 pounds, good enough for a small trailer or micro-camper, if you're taking an outdoorsy excursion or working on the house.</p><p>The best part of the Trailblazer is undoubtedly the infotainment system, running on an eight-inch central touchscreen, combined with OnStar's 4G LTE WiFi and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to go along with wireless charging (there are also USB ports for device connectivity, and Bluetooth pairing is a breeze). This is one of the best systems on the market, better than what you'd find in many luxury brands. An optional seven-speaker Bose audio system brings superb sound to the cabin.</p><h2>Industry-leading tech and my soft spot for the bowtie brand's <keyword id="60427" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="SUVs">SUVs</keyword></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Chevy Trailblazer" height="1182" width="1576" msid="78092548" hostid="261"></div><p>Throw in a passel of driver-assist features and crisp, high-definition rear-facing camera and you start to think that while the Trailblazer is pricier than some other compact SUVs in this segment, at least as mine was well-configured, it's money well spent. That $32,000 sticker is not excessive when you consider that infotainment and audio outdo a significant slice of the premium market, and the flashy styling tended to put a smile on my face.</p><p>The market for the Trailblazer is first-time car buyers, as well as vehicle-deprived urbanites striking out of the 'burbs. But I could also see this package appealing to retirees who have a moderately active lifestyle, as well as frugal singles who aren't chasing status. It's certainly worth a test drive, if you're eyeballing the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kia-seltos-review-2021-specs-price-suv-hyundai-car-buying-2020-6">Kia Seltos</a>, the Mazda CX-3, or the Honda HR-V — and even if you're considering slightly larger crossovers with bigger engines.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Chevy Trailblazer" height="1503" width="2000" msid="78092549" hostid="261"></div><p>For me, well, I have a soft spot for Chevy SUVs, from the Trax (which performed admirably when I tested it in a blizzard several years ago) to the Suburban, a commendable beast whose latest iteration I enjoyed just a few weeks ago.</p><p>Much of my affection can be chalked up to the genre of small crossovers being fairly same-old-same-old, regardless of manufacturer. This makes styling and technology matter, along with propulsion. In the last category, the Trailblazer is rewarding as a suburban runabout, and it's fun to take to a denser setting like Manhattan, to zoom around with the yellow taxis.</p><p>But in the end, it's the tech that sets Chevy apart from the competition. And it's the chief reason that you should consider buying or leasing a Trailblazer.</p>

REVIEW: The Chevy Trailblazer completely surprised me with its combination of technology and a small yet punchy engine

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The legendary <keyword id="88157" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="VW">VW</keyword> Golf GTI arrived in 1976 when I was nine years old. It's captivated me for decades, but I've found plenty of other cars to fall for in 44 years.</li><li>VW recently loaned me a 2020 GTI that stickered at about $38,000.</li><li>As usual, I initially thought the GTI was a little crude compared with fancier cars, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vw-golf-r-review-pictures-2019-3">even with the VW Golf R, a snazzier sibling that I last drove a few years ago</a>.</li><li>But over a week, the GTI worked its charms on me, and once again I asked myself why anybody would drive anything else.</li></ul><p>The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a legend. It's the car that created the "hot hatch" category back in the 1980s. But its triple-threat — small, fast, and surprisingly versatile — has been supplanted in the US over the past 10 years by consumer preference for larger vehicles. SUVs and pickups sell. Compact hatches don't. </p><p>So my recent test of the 2020 GTI forced me to grapple with how a great car can fall out of favor, even when it's as good as it's ever been.</p><p>Basically, the Volkswagen Golf is everything the American auto market doesn't want right now: a modest car with room for ... let's call it four, uncomfortably, less-than-awesome cargo capacity, and a relatively teensy engine. But when the Golf arrived, it was a revelation. </p><p>Introduced in 1974, it succeeded the Beetle as the VW people's car, and for Americans already educated in the virtues of German engineering, an object of desire. Easy on gas, fairly reliable, fun to drive — who needed a V8 and eight mpg?</p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78078161" hostid="261"></div><p>By 1983, when I got my license, the performance-happy, GTI version of the Golf had arrived in the US, after captivating the European enthusiast crowd for about a decade. I wanted one. My friends wanted one. By the early days of the Reagan administration, it was possible to be a complete snob about VW's hot hatch. Why pay more for performance? The GTI offered all the punch required, and the popularity of what was then called the Rabbit — later rechristened the Golf, to match the Euro designation — had established the boxy liftback as a player.</p><h2><strong>Outgrowing the GTI, but coming back</strong></h2><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1296" width="1728" msid="78078162" hostid="261"></div><p>I never owned a GTI, but I got my share of rides. Then the mood changed. Hatches gave way to wagons and then to SUVs. The 2020 equivalent of the Golf for most customers is the VW Tiguan crossover. The Golf, in assorted variants, has sold capably in the US for the past ten years, at times breaching 60,000 annual units, but lately falling below 40,000. </p><p>Then VW loaned me a GTI "Autobahn," at $38,215 the top trim of the aging icon. (The base GTI S is about $30,000.)</p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="867" width="1157" msid="78078164" hostid="261"></div><p>The GTI is a light, lively, even jittery thing, throwing power to the front wheels in quick, turbocharged surges and often advertising its sporty insubstantial-ness. </p><p>But after a day or two, the inverted learning curve kicked in, and I remember why the GTI has been beloved: because it's a light, lively, even jittery thing, throwing power to the front wheels in quick, turbocharged surges and often advertising its sporty insubstantial-ness. </p><p>Once we were reacquainted, the Grand Tourer Injection (back in the day, fuel injection was a so tremendous an innovation that automakers touted it in their cars' monikers) and I settled into a familiar pattern: I hunted down corners, and the GTI made them a reason for being. </p><p>Minus the front-wheel-drive, this is what driving a sports car is supposed to feel like. I mean, I like the new Porsche 911 4S about as much as I like coffee — which is to say I couldn't live without it — but just try to unsettle the masterpiece from Stuttgart.</p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1104" width="1473" msid="78078166" hostid="261"></div><p>The GTI's 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder powerplant makes 228 horsepower with 258 pound-feet of torque, piping the thrust through a seven-speed automatic transmission. (A six-speed manual is available, and I sure wished I had been testing that.) This car tips the scales at just over 3,100 lbs. so the power-to-weight ratio is a formula for tossability. </p><p>The 0 to 60 mph dash clocks in at less than six seconds, en route to a 155 mph top speed. This is why the GTI has been fun forever and remains one of the best cars I've ever taken around a race track. For less than $40,000, I can be as engaged as Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel of his Mercedes F1 ride.</p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1457" width="1942" msid="78078169" hostid="261"></div><p>Amid the moderately frightening joy, one periodically remembers that this isn't a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-drove-a-46000-mini-jcw-gp-reviewed-speed-demon-2020-8">MINI John Cooper Works</a> or a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mazda-mx-5-miata-club-manual-specs-horsepower-sports-car-2020-7">Mazda Miata</a>. You've got a back seat — it's snug, but still — and a perfectly reasonable 17 cubic feet of cargo area at the stern, 54 cubic feet with the rear seats dropped. You could plausibly use the GTI as a "family car," as long as your family is composed mostly of travel-light pre-tweens. </p><p>My test car, unfortunately, had an all-white exterior, punctuated only with dashes of red here and there, a motif that was echoed in the red highlights of the black interior. This is a stately combo, but I'd probably drop down to a lower trim and get the glorious plaid upholstery that has made the vee-dub not just one of the best values in performance motoring but also one of the kookiest cars on the road. The opportunities for pattern-clash, unless your wardrobe is undertaker-inspired, are endless.</p><h2><strong>The GTI stands alone, sort of</strong></h2><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78078172" hostid="261"></div><p>Competition for the GTI sparks an awkward analysis. The Honda Civic Type R offers a 21st-century take on youthful exuberance, while the GTI continues to evoke the 1970s. Other performance cars that are easy on the budget have two doors and two seats (the Toyota Supra, for instance). The GTI isn't utterly sui generis, but I tend to think of it in a class of one. </p><p>Bear in mind, too, that while the GTI's 24 mpg city/32 highway/27 combined fuel-economy rating looks good on paper, the machine doesn't invite you to drive it conservatively and therefore could lead to a few more fill-ups than planned. I burned up most of a tank in a week's worth of bold motoring around the New Jersey suburbs.</p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78078173" hostid="261"></div><p>Build quality and fit-and-finish are excellent. The exterior design — for the seventh generation of the mighty Golf — is extremely familiar (gen eight launched last year, but the GTI version won't land until 2021). The GTI is a streamlined little box, nothing fancy. Some character lines and an angular fascia add panache, but I'm being charitable. You don't really need to dress up to get behind the wheel. </p><p>Inside, the appointments are classic VW, smack in between mass-market and luxury. Everything is studiously nice, nothing is notably special. On the plus side, you won't weep if you spill some coffee or skip the vacuuming for a month to two. If you don't like it, buy a Buick. (My Autobahn trim did swap the pleather for actual hides, to give credit where due.)</p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78078175" hostid="261"></div><p>The fronts are heated and intended to grab hold of your haunches when you indulge the GTI's addiction to curves. The rear is a bench, and feels like a bench. I was able to accustom myself to it, but beware: I'm not tall, and anybody even slightly larger than me, including two of my family members, would be entitled to complain. </p><p>The infotainment technology is medium-wattage, based on a responsive central touchscreen (the Fender premium audio system, by the way, is a gem). It gets the job done, neither visually thrilling nor needlessly complicated. The assumption among automakers is that you have to deliver the goods with these setups nowadays or risk alienating younger customers, but the GTI is one of those traditionally youthful cars that can actually be enjoyed without being plugged into the grid.</p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1503" width="2000" msid="78078178" hostid="261"></div><p>The best way to consider the interior overall is to put yourself in the mindset of a European designer in the postwar period: opulence was out, rebuilding society, in a spirit of shared peace and prosperity, was in.</p><p>That makes the Golf GTI a reassuring essay in frugality, leaving out what isn't required and maximizing utility in a small vehicle intended for road systems that could date to the Roman Empire. </p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1503" width="2000" msid="78078186" hostid="261"></div><p>You could consider it boring, and if you don't harbor affections for small-ish hatchbacks, you should focus your attention on the more serious people haulers that industry has given us since the late 1980s and 1990s. </p><h2><strong>Well-mannered wild thing</strong></h2><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78078188" hostid="261"></div><p>It's hard to get away from the GTI's demeanor: apply the power and once you're in third gear, the chassis starts that bouncy thing. More power, more bounce. </p><p>But that's about it for the seat-of-the-pants part of the story. There's no meaningful understeer, and the suspension rapidly absorbs and mitigates what little torque steer the four-banger generates under hard acceleration. </p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78078190" hostid="261"></div><p>There isn't enough power to worry about the brakes not being up to the task. Steering is bliss, ideally balanced, and matched to the GTI's need for a lot of little micro-adjustments.</p><p>There are five drive modes to play with: Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Custom. Too much choice. You bought a GTI. Stick to Sport.</p><div type="image" title="VW GTI" height="1500" width="2000" msid="78078194" hostid="261"></div><h2>An icon, a classic, and still impossible to beat for the price</h2><p>I'm a lucky guy. I get to drive nearly every high-performance automobile that shapes the dreams of drivers everywhere. Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, Porsches, Corvettes, Mustangs, BMW M cars, Mercedes-AMGs. On and on.</p><p>But in that exalted company, the GTI remains special. It's incredibly good and incredibly cheap. If you think it through, it's all the car most folks need, if you want some fun combined with versatility and a lack of styling bravado.</p><p>The GTI costs well under $50,000, completely tricked out, and it can be used for everything from daily commutes to school drop offs to grocery store runs to medium-length road trips, and even hot laps (with some sticky performance tires). </p><p>The Golf could be going away in the US market, but the GTI and Golf R will remain, in the upcoming eighth generation iterations. </p><p>Few vehicles could claim a greater prerogative to fade away with dignity and reputation, as the US is conquered by SUVs and pickups. But the GTI continues to carry the banner it always has: driving should be an absolute blast, every single day, and it shouldn't cost very much at all.</p>

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