Mazda3 gets a big petrol engine for better ‘real-world performance’

• New 2.5-litre petrol engine
• On sale now
• Costs from £24,010

An updated version of the Mazda3 family hatchback has been announced, with a few subtle technology upgrades and a new petrol engine. Remarkably, this is actually larger than the old engine, as Mazda sticks with its “right-sizing” approach to maintaining efficiency while upping the “real-world performance” for customers in everyday driving.

Mazda has long taken a different approach to engineering its cars, and not only do we think the Mazda3 is one of the best looking cars on sale in 2024, these latest changes will also help it stand out amongst turbocharged and plug-in hybrid rivals like the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class.

What do I need to know about the Mazda3?

The biggest change is under the bonnet, where the existing 2.0-litre petrol engine with 120bhp has been swapped out for a 2.5-litre petrol with 138bhp and some extra pulling power. While it might seem like a strange move to make an engine larger in 2024, this Mazda CX-5-derived engine boasts plenty of technology to make it as efficient as possible. For a start, it can shut down engine cylinders when the car is cruising along, and it also features Mazda’s ‘M Hybrid’ mild-hybrid hardware.

Mazda3 hatchback review

M Hybrid saves some energy into a small battery when the car is slowing down, then uses it to take some strain off the petrol engine when you want to speed up again. The new engine promises to deliver a 0.9-second quicker acceleration time in the manual and shave a full second off with the automatic gearbox. According to Mazda’s configurator, its fuel economy figure is 47.9mpg for the manual, which is slightly down on the official 51.4mpg WLTP figure of the outgoing car. The automatic sees this fall to 44.8mpg.

Elsewhere, the changes are slight, and build on the arrival of a new 10.25-inch central screen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a smartphone charging pad and USB Type-C ports already ushered in for the refreshed 2024 Mazda3. There’s now Alexa Voice Assistant as standard, and the navigation system gains points of interest and database updates from the cloud. 

The Mazda3 2.5-litre e-Skyactiv G engine will be offered with both a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox, and you’ll still be able to upgrade to the 183bhp e-Skyactiv-X engine if you’d prefer extra performance.

How much does the Mazda3 cost and when can I buy one?

The updated Mazda3 is on sale now in the UK, costing from £24,010 in the entry Prime-Line trim. You’ll need to upgrade to at least Homura trim to pick the automatic, pushing the price up to £27,155 if you need this feature. The more potent (and more economical) e-Skyactiv X engine is available from Centre-Line trim up and costs at least £27,005.

If you're interested in this car, read our in-depth Mazda3 review, or take a look at our round-up of the best hatchbacks on sale