My last car was a CX-5 with the turbo and while the low end with that motor torque is phenomenal it has no sporting aspirations whatsoever. I really wish they would have tuned in differently for the 3. I considered a turbo 3 but I’m much happier a 3 with a manual transmission. I added the Corksport intake with air box and front strut brace and that really sharpened the throttle response and chassis flex both on turn in and when putting the power down out of a corner. Also, that shifter and clutch combo is very easy to live with, even in stop and go traffic. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a sporty car but it’s well composed and every input comes with a predictable and natural reaction. It just feels good to drive. Plus, it’s fantastic on gas; I’m averaging 35.8 mpg over the 7800 miles I’ve put on it so far.
My last car was a CX-5 with the turbo and while the low end with that motor torque is phenomenal it has no sporting aspirations whatsoever. I really wish they would have tuned in differently for the 3. I considered a turbo 3 but I’m much happier a 3 with a manual transmission. I added the Corksport intake with air box and front strut brace and that really sharpened the throttle response and chassis flex both on turn in and when putting the power down out of a corner. Also, that shifter and clutch combo is very easy to live with, even in stop and go traffic. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a sporty car but it’s well composed and every input comes with a predictable and natural reaction. It just feels good to drive. Plus, it’s fantastic on gas; I’m averaging 35.8 mpg over the 7800 miles I’ve put on it so far.