2026 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn vs. Hyundai Elantra N vs. Mazda3 2.5T Premium Plus AWD Hatchback: Let’s have some fun without breaking the bank.
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This week: Mazda3 Hatchback
Price: $41,560 as tested. Ouch. Some bank-breaking this week after all.
What others are saying: “Highs: Posh interior, engaging to drive, manual transmission and AWD options; Lows: The stick is limited to a single setup, abysmal rear visibility with the hatchback,” reports Car and Driver.
What Mazda is saying: “For the fun of the drive.”
Reality: Fun comes at a cost.
What’s new: The aging little hatchback (or sedan) gets some added standard features and packaging updates. Its last major redesign came pre-pandemic in 2019.
Competition: In addition to the comparison vehicles, there are the Honda Civic Si, Honda Civic Type R, Toyota GR Corolla, Volkswagen Golf GTI, and Volkswagen Golf R.
The real competition, though, may be built by Mazda itself, in CX-30 form.
Up to speed: The Mazda3 is fast enough to get you out of jams. Hit the sport mode switch, and the power really comes through.
The 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine definitely adds oomph to the experience, boosting the 186 horsepower in lesser models to 250. That means you’ll get to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, according to Car and Driver, compared to 7 for the base front-wheel-drive model or 7.5 seconds for the all-wheel drive. The turbo tested matches the Jetta but falls behind the Elantra N.
Shifty: Knock the PRND gear selector to the left, and you can slice through the six gears on your own. Pull for upshift, as with the Hyundai; the Jetta is the odd sedan out here, with the upshift push.
Somehow Mazda’s small SUV, the CX-30, felt a lot more fun. Maybe it was the shifter, maybe it was the whole feel, seating position, drivability. Among our test group, though, the Mazda3 is the winner for shifting fun.
A stick is also available, but not if you want the turbo or all-wheel drive. But clutching could add enough fun to the slower ride and put the vehicle around a more reasonable $30,000 (the manual hatchback starts at $25,650).
On the road: The Mazda3 provided some joy but not Elantra N-level highs. It also didn’t have the Elantra N-levellows — hitting road seams and bumps with thunderous force. Similarly, the Mazda kept its composure throughout the drive, not frightening me like the Jetta GLI with frantic dances when the gas pedal was stomped. Here, the Mazda3 wins out.
Driver’s Seat: The leather-trimmed Driver’s Seat provided plenty of support and comfort and didn’t feel at all too firm on my travels. The gauges remain what Mazda owners are familiar with, and that’s fine — they’re really all you need. Mazda doesn’t have a Toyota or BMW budget for updating willy-nilly, and that suits my ilk. In this category, the Elantra N lags the other two.
Friends and stuff: Here’s the really nice part about this Mazda3: It was a hatchback. So of course its spaciousness wipes the board compared to the Jetta and the Elantra.
Cargo space is 20.1 cubic feet behind the rear seat. There’s also a bunch more space when the seat is folded, but Mazda doesn’t share those measurements.
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The rear seat has plenty of foot room, and the hatchback boosts the headroom a bit, but legroom remains a bit challenging. This category is a draw.
In and out: The Mazda3 skirts sports car territory with its height, so if you’re of a certain age, you’re going to feel it here. (I’ve learned how to stand up leaning on the doorway so it looks nothing at all like I’m approaching age 60, he said delusionally.)
Play some tunes: Speaking of old, the Mazda3 keeps the dial and buttons for stereo control, in addition to the touchscreen that’s so ubiquitous it must be required by law. The touchscreen does have its uses, but the dial and buttons allow for moving around the choices without looking with some practice. Perfect for, you know, driving, which is kinda why we’re here, no? (That guy driving in front of us obviously disagrees.)
The sound, unfortunately, is not up to the latest from the competition, a B+ at best. The bass either thudded or was lacking and song clarity was hit or miss. (Shockingly, the CX-30’s got an A rating.)
Keeping warm and cool: This system also matches all the other Mazdas, dials for temperature and horizontal buttons operating the rest of it, with a small readout.
Fuel economy: The vehicle averaged 24 mpg over its lifetime, kinda par for the course, tied for the loser spot in this category.
Where it’s built: Hofu, Japan, and 85% of its components hail from the Land of the Rising Sun, with none from the U.S.
How it’s built: Consumer Reports rates the Mazda3 a 4 out of 5 for reliability, as it has for the previous two years.
In the end: Mr. Driver’s Seat is faced with one of his biggest dilemmas ever with this comparison. The Jetta brings so much to the game for a bargain price, which we should reward, but a Volkswagen with a 2 out of 5 reliability rating will not stay a bargain.
I still daydream about the Elantra N slicing through the curves north of Reading (and Mrs. Passenger Seat probably still cringes when thinking about that ride), but everything else is so less-than. Still, take a spin in the Elantra N.
The Mazda3 has fun, space, all-wheel drive, and the best reliability rating. But, oh, that price. It’s the same as a similarly equipped CX-30 Turbo, so I’d probably send you to the Mazda dealer and let you choose. Maybe learn to drive a stick if you have to save some dough.
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