I’d agree. While the Gen. 4 took steps back from the “fun” aspect in order to achieve a more premium experience overall, the manual transmission in it is still as crisp & notchy as ever. The 2.5T is a solid motor, but (to me, anyway) the engagement was lacking from the automatic (as much as I liked it for being an automatic).
I have the MT in my 2018 Gen. 3 Mazda3 hatch & have no regrets. I’d opt for it again with the Gen. 4 if I’m back in the market for a new car. It’s a hoot to drive on the twisty mountain roads near me. If you’re only driving yourself & are light on cargo, the 2.5L NA motor has plenty of torque from the 3k-5k RPM band to give you all the fun you need.
I’d agree. While the Gen. 4 took steps back from the “fun” aspect in order to achieve a more premium experience overall, the manual transmission in it is still as crisp & notchy as ever. The 2.5T is a solid motor, but (to me, anyway) the engagement was lacking from the automatic (as much as I liked it for being an automatic).
I have the MT in my 2018 Gen. 3 Mazda3 hatch & have no regrets. I’d opt for it again with the Gen. 4 if I’m back in the market for a new car. It’s a hoot to drive on the twisty mountain roads near me. If you’re only driving yourself & are light on cargo, the 2.5L NA motor has plenty of torque from the 3k-5k RPM band to give you all the fun you need.