Mazda Made The 2026 Mazda3 Slower. You Should Be Thrilled.

Mazda stripped the fragile cylinder deactivation hardware from the 2026 Mazda3 2.5 liter engine, intentionally accepting a 5 horsepower penalty to guarantee long term reliability. We test the 6 speed manual hatchback to see if losing spec sheet supremacy makes this the definitive front drive benchmark. The 2026 Mazda3 Hatchback 2.5 S Premium (GT in Canada) pairs a naturally aspirated 186 horsepower Skyactiv-G engine with a 6 speed manual transmission, an open differential, and a torsion beam rear axle. We evaluate the steering weight, brake master cylinder ratio, and chassis rotation to see if this Mazda still has its mojo. Mazda chose mechanical simplicity over turbocharged complexity, but with an as tested price of $33,280 USD ($36,895 CAD), buyers are forced to pay the premium trim tax just to get three pedals. Timestamps 0:00 Drivetrain Performance 3:56 Dynamics & Handling: 6:24 Why The Torsion Beam Actually Works 9:36 Driver Interface & Ergonomics 13:55 Owner Intel 15:20 Verdict: The Last Honest Manual Hatchback Heel And Toe: Learn The Most Important Manual Driving Skill NOW! https://youtu.be/nrQHPz87FP0 2025 Mazda3 Manual Review: The Last Great Driver's Car Under $31K? https://youtu.be/TF_Sh-rpcb8 /// THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY GOCLEAN I’ve been using GoClean Waterless Car Wash in my cleaning kit for the last 2 months to get cars camera ready before shoots. Use code MAKSE15 for 15% off. Free shipping on orders over $100 in Canada. Available in the US and Canada at https://www.goclean.ca/ and tell 'em I sent ya! ——————————————————————— // MY AMAZON STORE with my favorite things for drivers https://www.amazon.com/shop/influencer-4cc174af (this is an affiliate link) /// MERCH Pick up some sweet merch in our store! https://brian-makse-shop.fourthwall.com/ /// SUBSCRIBE Subscribe NOW to Brian Makse's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=brianmakse /// SOCIAL Instagram: http://Instagram.com/BrianMakse Twitter: http://Twitter.com/BrianMakse Facebook: http://Facebook.com/MakseAttack Spotify: https://sptfy.com/brianmakse Link In My Bio: https://makse.com/linkinbio/ /// MORE About Brian: http://makse.com/about /// WHAT I'M LISTENING TO Real AF With Andy Frisella https://andyfrisella.com/blogs/realaf-podcast Be sure to let us know what you think about this video and smash the subscribe button if you haven’t already! Test vehicles are provided by the respective manufacturers for review purposes, unless otherwise noted, and all opinions are our own. Music © 2026 Russell Soares (russellsoares.com), used with permission, all rights reserved. #Mazda3 #SaveTheManuals #BrianMakse #CarReview #Skyactiv