<ul class="summary-list"><li><strong style="color: #222222;">The 2020 <keyword id="9419506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="honda-civic-si">Honda Civic Si</keyword> is the most recent iteration of a car that's been around for decades. It's a sporty vehicle with all of the practicality of a compact car.</strong></li><li><strong>The Si comes in a sedan and a coupe, and starts at $25,200. It doesn't have many optional add-ons to up the price much further.</strong></li><li><strong>Only one powertrain is available on the Si: a 205-horsepower engine and a six-speed manual transmission. </strong></li><li><strong>The Si is a great car, both in how enjoyable it is to drive and in its styling. But it does have the woes of entry-level vehicles, such as elements of the interior that just feel cheap. </strong></li></ul><p>My spouse and I stood in our driveway looking at the 2006 <keyword id="339557" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Honda-Civic">Honda Civic</keyword> that might soon stop calling this home. Yet another prospective buyer from Facebook Marketplace had shown up, fueling our running bet on whether they'd ask how to shift the car out of park.</p><p>"Oh!" said the person they brought. "It has a manual transmission — that's so cool!" </p><p>The photos showed the shifter, but you'll quickly learn on Facebook Marketplace that a lot of folks don't look at the photos. They were probably the fourth person to stop by that week to see the 2006 <keyword id="20630" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Honda">Honda</keyword> Civic, which had to go after my spouse impulse-bought a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata (also on Facebook).</p><p>The actual buyer, though, slumped at the thought of needing to learn to drive the car they were buying — especially after they'd stalled it five times at a stop sign during their test drive. They took it home only at the insistence of their companion, who couldn't wait to impart some knowledge.</p><p>A few weeks later, after a whole lot of pounding on its clutch pedal, they texted my spouse to say they were loving the car. It was an ending I saw coming from the moment they signed the papers: a by-chance new fan of the manual transmission.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2914" width="2000" msid="77766549" hostid="261"></div><p>Years after<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mazda-mx-5-miata-club-manual-specs-horsepower-sports-car-2020-7"> my own conversion</a> and a few weeks after I'd spent some time with the new Honda Civic Si, the saga reminded me just how amazing it is that in 2020, when buyers overwhelmingly choose SUVs and automatics over small cars and manuals, you don't have to roll up to someone's driveway to find a Civic with a stick. You can still get one new at the dealership.</p><p>But the 2020 Si isn't just a Civic with a stick. It's a damn-good Civic, from how it looks to how it drives.</p><h2><strong>The 2020 Civic Si, the latest incarnation of a long tradition</strong></h2><p>Honda's Si badge — that's "<a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/honda-civic-si-history">sport injection</a>," despite the lowercase "I" — has been around for decades. It's the normal Civic, but sportier. With an "injection of sport," if you will.</p><p>For car enthusiasts, the Si is one of those go-to vehicles. If you want a $35,000 V8 with a manual transmission, you go for a Ford Mustang. If you crave the crown jewel of affordable yet impractical sports cars and have an extra space in the garage, you go for a Mazda Miata.</p><p>If you want good, cheap fun right off a dealer lot for $15,000 less than the average price of a new car, you go for the Si.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1822" width="3000" msid="77766552" hostid="261"></div><p>But the Si isn't the kind of car most Americans go for. <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/autos/sc-auto-cover-manual-transmissions-20180710-story.html">Only about 2% of vehicles</a> sold in the US these days have a third pedal, yet the Si doesn't come as an automatic. Crossovers and SUVs are<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/passenger-cars-are-dying-in-the-us-market-honda-disagrees-2019-7"> killing the small-car market</a>, yet the Si remains a small car. The average price of a new car is<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/20-cars-trucks-suvs-you-can-buy-new-under-20000-2020-5"> nearing $40,000</a>, yet the Si costs about $25,000.</p><p>The Si fills a void in between dedicated sports car and practical commuter ride, a car light on interior goodies and engineered for fun — a segment that's shrinking as automakers cut small cars and kill manuals in favor of transmissions that require less attention.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2590" width="1800" msid="77766555" hostid="261"></div><p>The Honda Civic Si, in other words, has all the attributes most modern car buyers shun. Yet it's still here, and we're thankful.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: Pay attention to the headlights</strong></h2><p>The 2020 Si starts at $25,200, which is $4,400 more than the base-model Civic. There aren't too many features to add on, either. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2000" width="3000" msid="77766557" hostid="261"></div><p>The only powertrain option is the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 205 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission. Honda offers the Si as a coupe and as a sedan, but is<a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33336901/honda-civic-coupe-discontinued/"> killing the coupe</a> across its Civic lineup after this model year. The Si itself will also take a break in 2021, returning when the<a href="https://www.autoblog.com/2020/07/17/2021-honda-civic-info-dump/"> new-generation Civic arrives</a> in 2022.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1739" width="3000" msid="77766562" hostid="261"></div><p>A limited-slip differential and sport mode come standard on the Si, as do Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a push-to-start button, and headlights that turn on and off automatically. The parking brake is electronic, whether you like it or not.</p><p>Also standard are adaptive cruise control, a collision-mitigation braking system, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning in the Honda Sensing safety suite, as well as heated front seats and dual-zone climate control, so you can crank the temperature down to 65 degrees while your passenger hangs out at 78.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2000" width="3000" msid="77766568" hostid="261"></div><p>Both the 2020 Civic<a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Honda/civic-2-door-coupe/2020"> coupe</a> and<a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Honda/civic-4-door-sedan/2020"> sedan</a>, which I tested, have top crash ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The only trouble comes with the Si's headlights, which got the organization's worst safety rating because of excessive glare. Honda later updated the headlights to create only "some glare" and get an IIHS top rating. But that means you'll have to pay attention on the lot, since the old cars are still for sale: Si models built from December 2019 onward have the new headlights, and you can often find out when a car was built on the inside of the driver's door.</p><h2><strong>What stands out: an incredible drive that won't bankrupt you</strong></h2><p>The Civic Si, like many cars of its nature, is pretty much the full package for someone who wants a new sporty car that won't require choosing between said car and ever having a hope of retiring. (Choose retirement. Cars are just cars.)</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1861" width="3000" msid="77766572" hostid="261"></div><p>In a roughly $26,000 package, the Civic Si comes with the tech and safety comforts a car needs along with all the fun a buyer might want. With its four doors and trunk big enough to fit at least two humans (or, to be less ominous, two humans' worth of groceries for a couple of weeks), its sporty driving characteristics are balanced out by the fact that you could easily use it to bring home new furniture.</p><p>Shifts are effortless. The light clutch pedal doesn't push back or provide much tension, but that doesn't matter. The lack of resistance and ease of shifting just feels right. You want to drive the Si, and it wants to drive with you.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1867" width="3000" msid="77766575" hostid="261"></div><p>The Si won't awe you with speed, even with the turbocharger's help. Its 205 horsepower isn't enough to make any compact sedan into a land rocket, because even "compact" sedans are heavy. The Si is meant to be fun for what it is: practical, from its body style to its 30-mpg combined fuel-economy rating.</p><p>The car looks the part too. The red accenting all over its black interior makes you feel at ease when you step inside, ready to go, no matter how far you're going. The carbon-fiber-like accents are a nice touch. The circular shift knob fit perfectly in my palm.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1738" width="3000" msid="77766579" hostid="261"></div><p>The Si has the Goldilocks of steering wheels, not too thin and not too thick. It was just big enough to wrap my hands around comfortably, but not big enough to be burdensome in a vehicle that's supposed to feel somewhat nimble. Its infotainment screen is intuitive to use, unlike many modern systems, and its turn-signal cameras feed live video into the gauge cluster to fill in blind spots.</p><p>The Si is driver-centric. The focal point of the gauge cluster — the driver's main view — is the giant digital tachometer with a numerical speed reading under its arc, because it's more enjoyable to watch the revs bounce up and down than it is to see a speedometer hold at the speed limit.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1730" width="3000" msid="77766582" hostid="261"></div><p>That's what the Si is all about: being enjoyable, from the drive itself to all the things that factor into it.</p><h2><strong>What falls short: the less obvious drawbacks of an economy car</strong></h2><p>The Civic Si is still on the cheap end of the new-car market, meaning it comes with many of the woes of an entry-level interior.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77766583" hostid="261"></div><p>Cloth seats like the ones in the Si can be a plus, for some. They won't start to wear and crack on the edges like leather, and they can be made to look nice with a little bit of contrast stitching and a pattern.</p><p>But cloth in the Si is everywhere. On the door panels. The armrests. The places other cars use hard materials instead of soft, absorbent ones. The problem isn't with the cloth itself, but with any grime it might pick up. You'll start to see marks on the armrest and the doors, and have no clue where they came from. Sure, it's an easy clean, but that doesn't make it not annoying. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1742" width="3000" msid="77766586" hostid="261"></div><p>The seats are weak and bouncy, particularly in the back. Hop behind the driver and be reminded of that couch you purchased for your first apartment — temptingly inexpensive, but sure to wear down after a few years.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1809" width="3000" msid="77766691" hostid="261"></div><p>The rear fold-out armrest is like that too. Pull it out of its little socket in the middle seat, and you won't get a stiff, stable spot for your arm. You get a thing that will bounce off the seat bottom about three times when pulled down, then come to a limp rest against it, unable to hold itself up, let alone your arm.</p><p>There's a lot of legroom in the back of the Si, but the overall view isn't fancy. It almost feels like a different car than it does in the front seats, where the red-and-gray accents leave you with a sporty vibe. In the back, it's just a lot of flat black.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1766" width="3000" msid="77766695" hostid="261"></div><p>Adding to the economy feel are the car's yellow-tinted interior lights and hollow-feeling accents, like the hard black lining on either side of the shifter. It might look nice and neat in photos, but tap it with your finger a few times and it feels just a little too cheap.</p><p>Don't look (or tap) too hard, though, and you'll be OK.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2684" width="2000" msid="77766698" hostid="261"></div><p>That's the case with most disappointments on the Si: If you don't look too hard, they won't bother you. The issues aren't intrusive, and they're easy to set aside when you remember that this isn't a car anyone buys for fanciness. It's a car people buy to have a blast in, with a new-car warranty and without spending a lot of money. </p><p>In that respect, it does its job more than all right.</p><h2><strong>How the Si compares to its competitors: It's all a matter of preference</strong></h2><p>The Civic Si is the middle tier between the regular Civic and the full-blown Civic Type R, which comes with 306 horsepower, a six-speed manual, and starts at $36,995. It sits in a crowd of other manual-transmission front-wheel-drive cars vying for the same customer.</p><p><strong><div type="image" title="honda civic si hyundai veloster n volkswagen golf gti mazda 3 hatch comparison" height="1294" width="1840" msid="77766707" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><div type="image" title="honda civic si hyundai veloster n volkswagen golf gti mazda 3 hatchback" height="400" width="1982" msid="77766712" hostid="261"></div><p>There's the Volkswagen Golf GTI with a $28,595 base price, and before it fell victim to Ford's plans to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-eliminating-passenger-cars-is-paying-off-2018-9">eliminate passenger cars</a>, there was a Ford Focus ST — also the middle tier between the base Focus and the all-out performance version. Prices for Hyundai's performance trims sit on either side of the Si's MSRP, with the middle option, the Elantra N-Line, starting at $23,500, and the top option, Veloster N, starting at $27,600.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-drove-a-46000-mini-jcw-gp-reviewed-speed-demon-2020-8">John Cooper Works</a> is Mini's offering, but it starts in the $33,000 range. Mazda and Toyota don't have performance variants for their competitors, but the 168-horsepower Corolla hatch starts at $20,290 and the 186-horsepower Mazda 3 hatch only has a manual on its top trim, which starts at $27,500.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1865" width="3000" msid="77766715" hostid="261"></div><p>In terms of looks alone, the new Mazda 3 hatch and the Veloster N win out in this crowd. But the Mazda 3 sacrifices performance for a "premium" feel, while the Veloster N and Golf GTI bring more performance than the Si at the cost of a higher MSRP. </p><p>But the market for these cars is competitive, and each buyer is going to have a different set of wants. If this is your niche, take all of them on a test drive and see which you like the best.</p><h2><strong>Our impressions: a car we don't deserve </strong></h2><p>Many buyers who go for automatics likely feel the same way the buyer of my husband's Civic did. Why learn to do something most cars handle just fine?</p><p>We've shown, at least in America, that our tastes generally aren't for cars like the Si or its counterparts. We're into big crossovers with enough room for the kids and enough cup holders for the lattes, and we want transmissions so smooth that we forget the car is even shifting from one gear to another.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="3000" width="2000" msid="77766718" hostid="261"></div><p>But for the few who venture toward a clutch — reluctantly or not — cars like the Si remain, with their small statures and very obvious gears that need to be manually changed, catering to that 2% of us who still want to buy a new car with that funky third pedal.</p><p>That's a choice we're lucky to have, even if only a few of us know it. </p>

REVIEW: The $25,000 Honda Civic Si is the perfect compromise for drivers who want a sports car but need a practical one

This 20-year-old Honda Civic just sold for a whopping $50,000 at auction — here's what makes it so rare and valuable

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The 2021 <keyword id="1988165" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Honda-Accord-Hybrid">Honda Accord Hybrid</keyword> marks 16 years since the debut of the <keyword id="92836" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="hybrid">hybrid</keyword> <keyword id="25787" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Accord">Accord</keyword>.</li><li>It gets between 43 and 48 mpg combined depending on trim, and it doesn't need to be plugged in.</li><li>The hybrid starts at $26,570. My innocuous $37,435 loaner taught me blending in isn't so bad.</li></ul><p>It's an age-old question: Would you rather fly or be invisible?</p><p>You could choose invisibility, letting you be wherever you want, whenever you want, without the awkward task of explaining why you belong. You'd be unperceived. Unassuming. You'd simply exist and observe things you wouldn't have otherwise. Or you could fly! You could soar wherever you wanted, wind in your face and airline fares in your rearview forever. You could see the world from a perspective few, if any, ever do. Constant catharsis.</p><p>It seems like an impossible choice. But driving a silver 2021 <keyword id="58507" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Honda-Accord">Honda Accord</keyword> Hybrid for a week taught me that in some ways a lot of people have already chosen. And I guess I don't blame them.</p><h2><strong>The 2021 <keyword id="20630" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Honda">Honda</keyword> Accord Hybrid: electrification for the masses</strong></h2><p>Much like the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord is a mainstay on the car market. Everyone knows what it is; everyone's connotation of it is generally "practical and reliable." It's a Honda, after all. It might just outlive you.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="4020" width="2847" msid="81915199" hostid="261"></div><p>That reputation translates to sales: Even as SUVs squash sedans and small cars on the US market, American Honda managed to <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-0d4299c7fc28e9f9054be9d007071e77-trucks-electrified-vehicles-propel-american-honda-to-strong-2020-finish">sell</a> just under 200,000 Accords last year (down from 267,000 in 2019). Honda sold about 1.2 million vehicles overall in the region in 2020, meaning the Accord accounted for about a sixth of the total tally.</p><p>The Accord's popularity isn't new, and neither is the existence of a hybrid. The first Accord Hybrid <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-7f9aa48d1f5f7150ca799f004c34c2df-2005-honda-accord-hybrid-sedan-overview-part">debuted</a> for the 2005 model year, with <a href="https://www.motortrend.com/cars/honda/accord/2005/rev-accord-hybrid-2/">Motor Trend</a> describing it as a car that "does not flaunt its hybrid status" despite its enticing features and powertrain.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2603" width="3999" msid="81915203" hostid="261"></div><p>"Instead, it blends into traffic with little more than a diminutive badge to announce its 'greener than thou' presence," Motor Trend wrote. Sixteen years later, that part hasn't changed.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: high value for an average price</strong></h2><p>The 2021 Accord Hybrid comes with 212 horsepower, 232 pound-feet of torque, a <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/research/a31517125/cvt-transmission-vs-automatic-quick-guide/">continuously variable transmission</a>, and four trims. For most car buyers, the difference between a CVT and an automatic is negligible.</p><p>The base trim, merely called the Accord Hybrid, starts at $26,570 and features Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, automatic on-off headlights, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The next step up is the $30,520 Hybrid EX, which adds a power moonroof, heated front seats, and a 12-way power-adjusted driver's seat.</p><div type="image" title="Trim levels for the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="568" width="1528" msid="81915206" hostid="261"></div><p>The $32,890 EX-L gets you all of that plus leather seats, a four-way power passenger seat, and 10 speakers instead of eight. Move all the way up to the $36,440 Hybrid Touring - which this review loaner was, plus $995 in fees to total $37,435 - and you'll add 19-inch alloy wheels (because bigger wheels are fancier), active dampers to make the ride and suspension smoother, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and parking sensors, among other things.</p><p>The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Accord Hybrid five stars in all three of its crash tests and a five-star rollover rating, while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave all versions of the 2021 Accord sedan, including the hybrid, its top crash rating in every test.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2884" width="2366" msid="81915209" hostid="261"></div><p>While the LED headlights on the top three hybrid trims received IIHS' highest of four safety ratings, the base model got the IIHS' second-highest rating for minor visibility and glare concerns.</p><h2><strong>What stands out: the practicality you know and love</strong></h2><p>If someone in your family had a road trip car when you were a kid - the one where all of the seats were deeply broken in, where you could spend 12 hours you needed to - the Accord Hybrid feels like that car. It might be new, but it feels familiar.</p><p>But for those used to cars that rely entirely on gas, that familiarity won't extend to its driving style. The Accord is a <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a27127697/plug-in-hybrid-2019/">conventional hybrid</a>, meaning its fuel-economy-boosting battery gets charged while driving rather than with a plug.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2661" width="3991" msid="81915211" hostid="261"></div><p>The Accord Hybrid operates in EV mode on starts and at low speeds, meaning its acceleration pedal has the elastic feel of an electric car before the gas engine kicks in.</p><p>Basically, rather than the slight resistance of a typical gas pedal, you feel more like you're pressing against a stretchy piece of gum. That makes it feel fun! And new! And fancy!</p><p>Congratulations. Welcome to our electrified future.</p><div type="image" title="honda accord hybrid engine modes" height="1164" width="2286" msid="81915217" hostid="261"></div><p>The Hybrid's Touring trim is also peaceful. Everything inside of it communicates a sense of relaxation: the large seats, the soft color transitions from black paneling to dark-wood-look accents, the minimalist design that still features all the buttons you instinctively reach for instead of one big touchscreen from Hell, doors that close with a loud but solid thump, an interior that feels closed off from the outside world.</p><p>Adding to that sense of relaxation is a lack of wind noise. If you turn the radio off, you can hear a tiny whistle just above your head. Otherwise, it's nonexistent.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2422" width="4004" msid="81915219" hostid="261"></div><p>The steering wheel isn't too thin or thick, and it has just enough weight when you turn it that it doesn't feel hollow. There's enough legroom in the front and back to haul around a few planets in the floorboard, and the sheer amount of trunk space means you'll never really need a truck, no matter how much you tell yourself you do.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Alanis King  (@alanisnking) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1377274849303932932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2021</a></blockquote><p>Then there's the fuel mileage! The EPA rates the Hybrid Touring trim at 44 mpg in the city, 41 on the highway, and 43 combined. It takes a lot of driving to make a dent in the fuel gauge, which is better for both wallets and climates.</p><h2><strong>What falls short: confusing controls</strong></h2><p>The Accord Hybrid might be a familiar car, but it comes with a lot of confusing controls.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2520" width="3995" msid="81915227" hostid="261"></div><p>There's an EV-mode button that seems promising - why not be all EV all the time? - but when I tried to turn it on, a message told me it wasn't available while the cabin was being heated. It didn't tell me whether that meant seat heaters or my 79-degree climate control, so I cut both off. (Listen, we all have our preferences.)</p><p>EV mode lasted about 45 seconds before the message said battery charge was too low, which felt like more of a letdown than the button was worth. Honda describes EV mode as "electric up to a mile depending on charge, throttle input" in its press materials, but the car itself didn't tell me that.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2673" width="4010" msid="81915229" hostid="261"></div><p>The car's messages didn't direct me to further information or reading about what EV mode actually consisted of, which was mildly inconvenient for me since I was going to do my research on the car anyway. But it could easily discourage a normal driver from using the controls at all.</p><p>If you're building hybrids, you want people using the more efficient modes - not ignoring them because they can't figure out how.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2673" width="4010" msid="81915229" hostid="261"></div><p>The Accord also has regenerative braking to help recharge the battery, and paddle shifters on the wheel let drivers choose just how intense they want the braking (thus charging) to be. But that setting, too, disappears after a few seconds without any explanation.</p><p>While the Hybrid Touring trim has barely any wind noise, that isn't the case with road noise. Drive on a smooth section of pavement and you're numb to the world around you, but hit rougher stretches and a rugged drone will bring you back to reality. The radio can cover most of the noise at a modest volume, but not get rid of it entirely.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2267" width="4013" msid="81915232" hostid="261"></div><p>Fingerprints don't mix well with the Accord's shiny infotainment screen, which is fine if you're like me and only use the physical controls. Its visors, visor mirrors, light gray headliner, and orange-yellow interior lights that could've been swapped for clean LEDs also don't fit the classy vibe of the rest of the car; they feel pulled from something cheaper. Keep your eyes down, though, and you might not notice.</p><p>Rear passengers get seat heaters and good radio quality, but they don't have their own climate controls - only two vents blowing the temperature preference of the people up front. And while two average-size people can ride back there like royalty, three would be a squeeze.</p><div type="image" title="center armrest in the back seat of the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="448" width="820" msid="81915233" hostid="261"></div><p>The back seat also features a problem that plagued the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/honda-civic-si-review-specs-sedan-manual-price-horsepower-sport-2020-8">$25,000 Honda Civic Si</a>: a rear armrest that flops down and bounces off the seats instead of descending in a controlled movement, making it feel like a cheap afterthought.</p><p>Look, these folks already lost out on shotgun. We don't need to make it worse with a floppy armrest.</p><h2><strong>The Accord Hybrid versus its competitors: the cheapest, but not by a lot</strong></h2><p>The Accord and Camry are longtime frontrunners in the American sedan market, but there's also a stunning new Sonata Hybrid.</p><div type="image" title="Honda accord, toyota camry, hyundai sonata hybrid" height="532" width="2058" msid="81915236" hostid="261"></div><p>The Accord Hybrid has the lowest starting price of them all at $26,570, but not by a lot - a hybrid Camry starts at $27,270, while the base hybrid Sonata runs $27,750. They're all front-wheel drive, and the Sonata features a six-speed automatic compared to the CVTs in the Accord and Camry. The Accord leads in terms of horsepower with 212, while the Camry has 208 and the Sonata 192.</p><p>Crash ratings from the IIHS are consistent across all of the cars, but headlight ratings aren't. While all of the <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/honda/accord-4-door-sedan/2021">Accord</a> and <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/toyota/camry-4-door-sedan/2021">Camry</a> hybrid trims have one of IIHS' top two ratings - "good" or "acceptable" - for their headlights, the <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/hyundai/sonata-4-door-sedan/2021#headlights">Sonata</a> is an iffier bet. Its $35,300 top-tier Limited trim has a "good" rating from IIHS, while its bottom two trims got the second-worst rating of "marginal."</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="4013" width="2675" msid="81915239" hostid="261"></div><p>Fuel economy for each varies based on trim, with the EPA <a href="https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&amp;id=43364&amp;id=43365&amp;id=43307&amp;id=43308307&amp;id=43308">rating</a> the base Accord Hybrid at 48 mpg combined, the top-level Hybrid Touring at 43 mpg, the base Camry at 52 mpg compared to 46 mpg for the rest of the trims, and the base Sonata Hybrid at 52 mpg compared to 47 mpg elsewhere in the lineup.</p><h2><strong>Our impressions: Going with the safe choice isn't a bad thing</strong></h2><p>The Accord Hybrid is everything your stereotypes think it is. It's familiar. It's comfortable. It's the easy choice that'll leave you worried about anything other than the quality of your car. All the while, it gets great gas mileage.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2487" width="3977" msid="81915241" hostid="261"></div><p>During my week with a silver Accord Hybrid, no one noticed me. Not a single person looked in my direction. Its styling was just as subdued as any Accord's, and its hybrid badges were more like freckles than anything. It was rolling anonymity with the benefit of fewer trips to the gas station.</p><p>In the Accord Hybrid, you're not choosing to fly. You're choosing to be invisible, and that's just fine.</p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2577" width="3995" msid="81915243" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2383" width="3900" msid="81915249" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="3978" width="2304" msid="81915252" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="3981" width="2888" msid="81915256" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="3993" width="2662" msid="81915266" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2588" width="3991" msid="81915273" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2661" width="3992" msid="81915275" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2516" width="3993" msid="81915364" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2403" width="3992" msid="81915367" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="3109" width="2319" msid="81915369" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2416" width="3992" msid="81915371" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Honda Accord Hybrid" height="2791" width="4186" msid="81915374" hostid="261"></div>

Review: The $37,000 Honda Accord Hybrid perfectly blends a trusty reputation with go-anywhere fuel economy

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="9557590" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2021-mazda-3-2-5-turbo">2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo</keyword> finally gives the <keyword id="1900832" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda-3">Mazda 3</keyword> lineup a turbocharged option.</li><li>This makes the <keyword id="116215" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda">Mazda</keyword> 3 finally competitive with the sporty <keyword id="20630" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Honda">Honda</keyword> Civic Si and <keyword id="6361865" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="volkswagen">Volkswagen</keyword> Golf GTI.</li><li>Mazda did not announce pricing at this time but said the option will be available at the end of 2020.</li></ul><p>The current, fourth-generation Mazda 3 is a handsome thing, with sleek lines and athletic proportions. But some buyers wanted more power to match its looks. Mazda finally listened.</p><p>On Wednesday, <a href="https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/press-release/2021-mazda3-2-5-turbo-refined-performance/">Mazda announced</a> the 2021 Mazda 3 would have the option of the company's Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter turbocharged engine. The turbo motor will produce a claimed 250 horsepower and 320 pounds-feet of torque on 93 octane fuel. With 87 octane fuel, it'll produce a claimed 227 horsepower and 310 pounds-feet of torque.</p><p>The Mazda 3's two existing engines are both naturally aspirated. The first is the 2.0-liter four-cylinder, good for a claimed 155 horsepower. The second is the 2.5-liter four-cylinder, good for a claimed 186 horsepower.</p><p>If you opt for the Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo, you'll get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. The engine also comes exclusively with Mazda's all-wheel drive system.</p><p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus_02 1024x683" height="1334" width="2000" msid="76910169" hostid="261"></div></p><p>The option is a welcome sporty addition to the Mazda 3 family, as competitors like the Honda Civic and the Volkswagen Golf already offer turbocharged options. The base Civic has a 174-horsepower, 1.5-liter turbocharged motor, and the sportier Civic Si kicks that power up to 205 horsepower.</p><p>The stylish Volkswagen Golf comes standard with a turbocharged 1.4-liter motor that puts down 147 horsepower and 184 pounds-feet of torque. The sportier Golf GTI comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter motor that produces 228 horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque.</p><p>The Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo is still no Mazdaspeed 3 — the turbocharged sport compact hot hatch that Mazda made between 2007 and 2013 — but it sure brings the current Mazda 3 much closer to its competition.</p><p>Mazda says the 2.5 Turbo will hit dealerships by the end of 2020. It did not give official pricing at this time. </p>

The Mazda 3's new model finally makes it competitive with Honda and Volkswagen — check out the Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo

<ul class="summary-list"><li>More than two dozen 2020 vehicles won't be back for the 2021 model year. </li><li>As consumer demand shifts, many automakers are eliminating sedans, wagons, and hatchbacks. </li><li>Only one crossover won't make it to 2021: the Dodge Journey. </li></ul><p>The <keyword id="34478" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="auto-industry">auto industry</keyword> is in the midst of a crossover boom - and for every new compact crossover automakers bring to market, some sorry sedan or hatchback heads to the automotive graveyard.</p><p>The list of models that won't live to see the 2021 model year includes some iconic and long-running nameplates like the Lincoln Continental, Chevy Impala, and Dodge Grand Caravan, along with some short-lived models that just didn't manage to catch on, like Jaguar's high-performance station wagon and Alfa Romeo's inexpensive mid-engine sports car. </p><p>And although the models that won't live to see the 2021 model year span makes and price points, the one thing that unites nearly all of them is that they're not crossovers. In fact, after the 2020 model year, multiple brands - Cadillac, Lincoln, Buick, and Ford among them - will have transitioned to lineups that don't include a single sedan. </p><p>Check out 25 cars automakers killed off for 2021 below: </p><h2><strong>Acura RLX</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020_Acura_RLX_Sport_Hybrid_034 source" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978917" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The RLX luxury sedan is out of Acura's 2021 lineup after selling <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-807c080220275f828905387c4f002e91-record-light-truck-sales-lift-ahm-and-honda-brand-to-sales-increases-in-2019">just over 1,000 units</a> in 2019. Acura sold roughly 50 times that amount of its MDX crossover, and around 60 times more RDX crossovers. </p><p>It has unusual features like rear-wheel steering and a sporty hybrid option with a claimed 377 horsepower, but that wasn't enough to keep buyers interested.</p><h2><strong>Alfa Romeo 4C Spider</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Alfa Romeo 4C Spider 3" height="1502" width="2250" msid="79978918" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Alfa Romeo killed off the hardtop version of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alfa-romeo-4c-spider-review-mini-ferrari-2016-7">4C</a> a few years back, and the roadster follows in its footsteps for 2021. Starting at under $70,000, the 4C is one of the most affordable mid-engined sports cars on the market - but alas, it <a href="https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/alfa-romeo-4c-sales-figures-usa-canada/">barely broke triple-digit sales</a> in 2019 and so it's gone for good. </p><p>But other inexpensive mid-engine options like the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chevrolet-corvette-mid-engine-review-c8-horsepower-price-specs-chevy-2020-10">Chevy Corvette</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-718-boxster-s-and-alfa-romeo-4c-spider-comparison-2018-5">Porsche Boxster</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-cayman-s-review-photos-details-2018-3">Porsche Cayman</a> are still kicking. </p><h2><strong>BMW i8</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="bmw i8 hero" height="2000" width="3000" msid="79978919" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>After six years on the market, it's the end of the line for the plug-in hybrid i8. Despite its somewhat confused combination of exotic looks and a tiny three-cylinder engine (aided by electric motors), the i8 managed to sell more than 20,000 units in its run, making it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/a-look-back-at-the-futuristic-bmw-i8-which-ends-production-in-april-2020-3">the best-selling car of its kind</a>, according to BMW. </p><p><a href="https://www.bmwblog.com/2020/08/26/bmw-i8-successor/">Rumors have circulated</a> around a possible i8 successor based on the Vision M Next concept car, but there's no official word yet on when or if that will happen. </p><h2><strong>BMW M8 Coupe and Convertible</strong></h2><div type="image" title="P90348795_highRes_the all new bmw m8 c" height="1571" width="2095" msid="79978920" hostid="261"></div><p>BMW is trimming the options available for its halo M8 due to COVID-19-related supply issues, <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34252647/2021-bmw-m8-coupe-convertible-phased-out/">Car and Driver</a> reported in October. The coupe and convertible won't be available for 2021, but the four-door Gran Coupe version is still on the table if you have a spare $130,000 laying around.</p><h2><strong>Buick Regal</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2019 Buick Regal GS 021 (1)" height="1398" width="1865" msid="79978923" hostid="261"></div><p>After nearly 50 years on the market, GM has canceled the Buick Regal as part of its shift away from passenger cars. The move means the Buick brand will have an all-SUV lineup going into the 2021 model year.</p><h2><strong>Cadillac CT6</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2020 Cadillac CT6 V US Product 013" height="2377" width="3169" msid="79978929" hostid="261"></div><p>Cadillac made a name for itself building gigantic land yachts, but it's pared back its sedan lineup in recent years. Its biggest sedan won't make it to 2021, despite being one of Caddy's technological leaders and the only vehicle to get its twin-turbocharged, 4.2-liter, 550-horsepower <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cadillacs-new-blackwing-cars-here-to-take-on-bmw-mercedes-2020-4#-2">Blackwing V8</a>. </p><h2><strong>Chevrolet Impala</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2018 Chevrolet Impala." height="2000" width="3000" msid="79978931" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The iconic Impala nameplate bites the dust this year, but it's not the first time GM has discontinued the model. It's been on the market in spurts since the late 1950s - so there's still hope it returns once the nostalgia sets in. </p><h2><strong>Chevrolet Sonic</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Sonic 006" height="1395" width="2500" msid="79978933" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The demise of the small car claims another victim in the Chevy Sonic. Sales of the inexpensive hatchback and sedan peaked in 2014, when Chevy sold <a href="https://carsalesbase.com/us-chevrolet-sonic/">nearly 94,000 of them</a>, but plummeted <a href="https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2020/jan/0103-gmsales.html">below 14,000 in 2019</a>. </p><p>It started its life outside the US as the Aveo, and, like lots of compact cars that don't find success stateside, it will live on in other markets. </p><h2><strong>Dodge Grand Caravan</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Dodge Grand Caravan." height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978934" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Dodge Grand Caravan arguably <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-rise-fall-of-the-minivan-led-by-dodge-caravan-2020-4">birthed the minivan segment</a> when it came on the scene in 1984 along with its upmarket sibling, the Plymouth Voyager. Now, as crossovers and full-size SUVs have superseded minivans as America's family hauler of choice, the minivan that started it all is no more. </p><p>But Fiat Chrysler isn't out of the minivan game altogether - it still sells the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chrysler-pacifica-hybrid-minivan-review-features-2019-4">Chrysler Pacifica</a>, which got a facelift for 2021. </p><h2><strong>Dodge Journey</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="DG020_003JNf41s27dlha2vt5b61j75a7jmp2" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978935" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Dodge Journey is the only crossover to kick the bucket for 2021, which speaks volumes of its consumer appeal - or lack thereof. As of May, nearly half of 2019 Journeys sat unsold on dealer lots, according to car search engine <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/20-car-models-with-most-2019-surplus-inventory-2020-5">iSeeCars</a>.</p><h2><strong>Ford Fusion</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 ford fusion titanium white platinum metallic" height="1292" width="2000" msid="79978936" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Ford announced plans to discontinue all of its sedans <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2018/04/26/ford-has-been-synonymous-with-cars-for-more-than-a-century-thats-about-to-change/">back in 2018</a>, and it's achieved that with the demise of the Fusion. The Focus, Fiesta, and Taurus have all left the scene as well, leaving the Ecosport compact crossover as Ford's entry-level offering. </p><h2><strong>Ford Mustang Shelby GT350</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Heritage Edition_6.JPG" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978990" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The V8-powered, manual-transmission-only <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-mustang-shelby-gt350-gt350r-stopping-production-this-fall-2020-10">Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R</a> pay homage to the famed Shelby GT350 of the 1960s, which kicked off the Mustang's high-performance reputation. But that rich history wasn't enough for the Blue Oval to keep it around. </p><p>For buyers who desire no less than an absurdly powerful sports car bearing the Shelby name, the 760-horsepower Shelby GT500 is still on the market. </p><h2><strong>Honda Civic Coupe and Civic Si</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1608" width="3000" msid="79978991" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Honda is launching a new, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2022-honda-civic-debut-photos-sleek-styling-2020-11">11th generation of the Civic</a> for 2021, and some changes are coming to the popular model's lineup. The two-door Civic Coupe variant bites the dust after the 2020 model year, while the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/honda-civic-si-review-specs-sedan-manual-price-horsepower-sport-2020-8">sporty Si</a> will take a hiatus for 2021 and return for the following model year. </p><h2><strong>Honda Fit</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Honda Fit" height="800" width="1200" msid="79978992" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Carmakers are getting rid of small hatchbacks left and right, and Honda is no exception. It's axing the Fit, despite the little guy being widely regarded as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-of-the-best-affordable-cars-you-can-buy-just-got-an-update-2017-7">one of the best compact economy cars</a> money can buy. </p><p>It's an understandable move, given that Fit sales have declined as appetite for the brand's crossovers grows. Now the cheapest vehicle in Honda's lineup is the $21,000 HR-V, which <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-807c080220275f828905387c4f002e91-record-light-truck-sales-lift-ahm-and-honda-brand-to-sales-increases-in-2019">outsold the Fit three-to-one</a> in 2019. </p><h2><strong>Hyundai Elantra GT</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2020 Elantra GT " height="995" width="1326" msid="79978994" hostid="261"></div><p>The hatchback version of the Hyundai Elantra heads to the great junkyard in the sky after the 2020 model year, along with its sporty sibling, the GT N Line. <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/3101">Hyundai said</a> the hatchback was displaced by the compact Venue and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hyundai-kona-review-photos-styling-2020-12">Kona</a> crossovers.</p><p>But the Veloster and Veloster N carry over to 2021. </p><h2><strong>Jaguar XE</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Jaguar XE" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978995" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Jaguar is eliminating its entry-level sport sedan, the XE, from its US lineup after selling only <a href="https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/jaguar-xe-sales-figures-usa-canada/">3,551 of them</a> in 2019. By comparison, BMW regularly sells well <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200103005391/en/BMW-of-North-America-Reports-December-2019-and-Year-End-U.S.-Sales.">over 40,000</a> 3-Series sedans annually, while Mercedes-Benz moved some <a href="https://carsalesbase.com/us-mercedes-benz-c-class/">50,000 C-Class sedans</a> in 2019. </p><p>For 2021, the XF sedan assumes the entry-level spot and gets a significant price cut to match.</p><h2><strong>Jaguar XF Sportbrake</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Jaguar XF S" height="1200" width="1800" msid="79978996" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Wagons are also going by the wayside as crossovers take over, and Jaguar is pulling its one and only long-roof model, the XF Sportbrake, from the American market after only three model years. In that time, Jaguar sold fewer than 250 of the wagons, according to <a href="https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a34285524/jaguar-xe-xf-sportbrake-cancelled/">Road &amp; Track</a>.</p><p>Buyers in the market for a luxury wagon will need to look to offerings like the Volvo V90, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/audi-a4-allroad-wagon-crossover-review-2017-6">Audi</a> A6 Avant, or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-panamera-gts-sport-turismo-review-photos-features-verdict-2020-2">Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo</a> come 2021. </p><h2><strong>Kia Optima</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Kia Optima" height="1326" width="2000" msid="79978997" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Kia Optima is on its way out after two decades in production. But the South Korean carmaker isn't abandoning sedans like some of its US counterparts - the Optima is succeeded by a sleek new mid-sized model called the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-kia-k5-specs-features-photos-release-date">K5</a>. </p><h2><strong>Lexus GS</strong></h2><div type="image" title="LEX GSG MY20 0010 LEAD IMAGE scaled" height="1298" width="1731" msid="79978999" hostid="261"></div><p>The Lexus GS hit the scene in the early 1990s and has endured through four generations. This particular rear-wheel-drive sedan may be going away after 2020, but Lexus-sedan stans will still be able to choose the ES, LS, and IS. </p><h2><strong>Lincoln Continental</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Lincoln Continental" height="942" width="2000" msid="79979001" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Lincoln has used the Continental name on and off for some 80 years, and this latest version of the car is dead for 2021. But given the nameplate's deep history, there's a good shot it will come back someday - perhaps on some future electric luxury sedan. </p><h2><strong>Lincoln MKZ</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Lincoln MKZ" height="2000" width="3000" msid="79979002" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>With the MKZ and Continental gone for 2021, Lincoln is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lincoln-continental-mkz-sedan-dead-suv-crossover-lineup-american-luxury-2020-7">left with an all-SUV lineup</a> of the Nautilus, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lincoln-aviator-review-hybrid-specs-three-row-suv-luxury-2020-7">Aviator</a>, Corsair, and the flagship Navigator. </p><p>And the numbers back up Lincoln's move. In 2019, the brand sold some <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North%20America/US/2020/01/06/sales-4q2019.pdf">88,000 SUVs</a> and fewer than 25,000 sedans - and that's with only a partial year of Aviator sales. </p><p>Following this year's lineup shakeups at Ford and Lincoln, the Mustang is the Blue Oval's only car left standing. </p><h2><strong>Mercedes-Benz SLC</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="_F8A6477 1200x800" height="800" width="1200" msid="79979005" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Mercedes-Benz SLC is has been officially discontinued with no successor planned, following more than two decades of continuous production. For the model's last hurrah, Mercedes added a yellow <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/the-slc-final-edition">2020 SLC Final Edition</a> to its lineup. </p><h2><strong>Toyota Yaris</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Yaris " height="1166" width="1555" msid="79979006" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The death of the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Chevy Sonic, and Hyundai Elantra GT this year - along with the end of the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 previously - leave a scant few options for fans of subcompacts here in the US. </p><p>Despite the Yaris being a favorite among lovers of small cars, it <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-motor-north-america-reports-december-2019-year-end-sales/">hasn't sold well</a> in the US as of late. Fewer than 22,000 of them rolled off of dealer lots in 2019, as compared with 304,850 Corollas, 336,978 Camrys, and 448,071 Rav4 crossovers. </p>

25 cars discontinued in 2021 that will disappear from US dealerships, from Ford's last sedan to fan-favorite small hatchbacks

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="1900832" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda-3">Mazda 3</keyword> is <keyword id="116215" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mazda">Mazda</keyword>'s compact, entry-level car. Now it has an optional turbocharger.</li><li>Power and performance have been increased, which means the 3 Turbo can now compete with models from Audi and Mercedes.</li><li>The 2021 <keyword id="10305881" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mazda-3-turbo">Mazda 3 Turbo</keyword> starts at $33,750, compared to the base sedan's $20,500 starting price. My loaner came out to $34,820 after delivery fees.</li></ul><p>From the outside, the <keyword id="9557590" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2021-mazda-3-2-5-turbo">2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo</keyword> looks the same as its non-turbocharged brethren. Save for a few badges and bigger tailpipes, it's the same sleek design we've all seen ever since the new 3 debuted in 2018.</p><p>But the big deal with the 3 Turbo is what's under the hood — because with the addition of a much-anticipated turbocharger, Mazda turned the humble Mazda 3 from merely fun to <em>fun</em>. </p><h2><strong>The 2021 3 Turbo: Boosted now</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_18" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324465" hostid="261"></div>The 3 is Mazda's entry-level car in the United States — a compact car available as either a hatchback or a sedan and, most importantly, <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2019-mazda-3-doesnt-let-the-enthusiasts-down-1830690640">with the option of a manual transmission</a>. In July, the automaker announced the addition of a turbocharged variant to the lineup, which is a big deal.<p>The 3 has long been a fan-favorite, boasting good driver feedback at an affordable price point. Some, though, faulted it for being a bit low on power, so fans and enthusiasts yelled and yelled for a turbo.</p><p>As a way to bring the car further upmarket, Mazda <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-mazda-3-25-turbo-specs-photos-release-date-2020-7">finally</a> answered on the current- and fourth-generation Mazda 3.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_12" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324469" hostid="261"></div><p>The move gave the car more power and Mazda the justification for charging about $13,000 more for it over the base model.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: Five stars all around</strong></h2><p>That turbocharged engine comes with a few strings, however — namely, the removal of the optional manual transmission. Yes, I'm sorry to say that you cannot get the Mazda 3 Turbo with a clutch pedal. It does come exclusively with all-wheel drive, though, to help with traction while driving through all the purist tears.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_27" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324475" hostid="261"></div>The 3 Turbo comes as either a sedan or a hatchback. It uses the 2.5-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder SkyActiv-G engine, found in the larger <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33236706/2021-mazda-3-turbo-specs/">CX-5, CX-9, and Mazda 6</a> models.<p>On <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-mazda-3-25-turbo-specs-photos-release-date-2020-7">93 octane fuel</a>, it produces a claimed 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. On 87 octane fuel, those figures drop slightly to a claimed 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Top speed is an estimated 130 mph.</p><p>This is a significant bump in power over the <a href="https://www.mazdausa.com/shopping-tools/build-and-price/2021-mazda3-sedan#s=1&amp;tr=Automatic&amp;d=FWD&amp;f=Gasoline&amp;t=21M3S20%7C21M3S202A&amp;ex=41W&amp;in=C_BY3&amp;p=&amp;ip=&amp;o=&amp;io=p;in=C_BY3&amp;p=&amp;ip=&amp;o=&amp;io=">non-turbocharged versions of the 3</a>, which use either a 2.0-liter engine that produces a claimed 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque or a 2.5-liter engine with a claimed 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_3" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324477" hostid="261"></div>Cargo volume of the turbo sedan measures 13.2 cubic feet, while the hatchback measures 20.1 feet. If that last number looks familiar to you like it did for me, it's because that's the same amount of cargo volume that you'd get combined from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mclaren-gt-supercar-grand-tourer-costco-it-went-shockingly-well-2020-11">a McLaren GT's two trunks</a>. <p>That's more than you'd get with the single rear trunk in <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/toyota-cms-media/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2021_Toyota_Camry_Product-Information.pdf">a Toyota Camry</a>! Not bad for a little compact hatchback.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_15" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324481" hostid="261"></div>The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the hatchback 3 Turbo to get 23 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined, and the sedan to return mostly the same. The car <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/MAZDA/MAZDA3/5%252520HB/AWD#safety-ratings-frontal">earned five stars on every single test</a> in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's crashworthiness evaluation. <p>The 2020 model also earned a <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Mazda/3-4-door-hatchback/2020">Top Safety Pick Plus award</a> with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — the highest safety award the agency has to offer.</p><h2><strong>What stands out: Darty little Fun Car™</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_7" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324485" hostid="261"></div>Personally, I thought the regular Mazda 3 was just fine. But if more power suddenly becomes an option, I obviously won't say no.<p>Of the 3 Turbo's newfound spunk, I can say this: It definitely feels much zippier! After the initial <a href="https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/a14242489/you-might-not-actually-know-what-turbo-lag-really-means/">turbo lag</a> wears off, the extra torque shoots the car forward like a cork. It's punchy, lively, and inspires smiles all around. Maybe even a small laugh in the form of a forced exhale, too. <div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_5" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324488" hostid="261"></div></p><p>What's great about this new turbocharged engine application is that it's now powering a far lighter and smaller car in Mazda's lineup. The 3 has always maintained good, light-footedness that made chucking it into corners at speed fun. With its intuitive steering, the car practically begged you to abuse it. At least a little bit.</p><p>Couple that energy now with more power — well, buddy, you've got yourself a darty little Fun Car™, especially in Sport mode. There's more direct steering response and the transmission hangs out in a lower gear, keeping the power in a more readily accessible spot. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_19" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79324491" hostid="261"></div>It doesn't matter if you're merging and passing on the highway or flicking the nose into a corner on some back road, the turbocharged engine has turned the 3 into a legitimate athlete, dancing on its toes, always at the ready.<p>Predictably, because the 3 Turbo is a new Mazda, the interior is also quite classy. My loaner came with buttery leather seats in a deep red color and a fancy Bose sound system. </p><p>All of the switchgear was quality to the touch, too. The dial for selecting menu items clicked satisfyingly and the HVAC vents slid in their slots smoothly. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_22" height="1666" width="2500" msid="79324494" hostid="261"></div><p>And the most beautiful thing of all? <em>No! Touchscreens!</em></p><p>Oh, yes, friends. The 3 does not have a touchscreen. There's a screen, but you have to use a dial to navigate it with. The rest of the radio and climate controls use buttons, switches, and dials. Alright, yes, using the navigation with a dial was frustrating — you're painfully aware of how many letters and numbers are in an address — but conversely, fixing the climate didn't mean I had to look away from the road to make sure I was hitting the right part of the touchscreen.</p><p>As God is my witness, the interior of the 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo was my happy place.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_26" height="1666" width="2500" msid="79324496" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>What falls short: No manual transmission</strong></h2><p>I elected to test out the 3 Turbo hatchback because hatchbacks are awesome. Unfortunately, as stylish as the car is from the outside, those thick C-pillars made over-the-shoulder glances difficult. </p><p>All in all, it's not a terrible loss, since the mirrors do their job and there are plenty of proximity sensors that scream at you if you try and merge into another car. </p><p>Still, I like to look. Proximity sensors can theoretically fail and by the time you find out that they've done so, it's already too late. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_9" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324499" hostid="261"></div>I'm a hopeless nerd, so I shamelessly wished the turbo model had a manual option. It was the only missing ingredient in what would have been a perfect turbo, all-wheel drive, sporty hatchback sundae. <p>When pressed about the absence of a manual in the 3 Turbo, a Mazda engineer gave a few reasons during a roundtable interview. The engineer said this engine has never been paired with a manual before and it would take a lot more work (see also: time and money) to attach one. There were packaging constraints to consider. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_16" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324502" hostid="261"></div>Plus, the number of people who buy manuals is apparently so woefully low that it just didn't make any business sense to go through the trouble of including the option at all.<p>That said, there's nothing wrong with the six-speed automatic transmission. It does its job, doesn't get in the way of itself or you, and is reasonably intuitive in Sport mode. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_13" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79324595" hostid="261"></div>In the same roundtable, Mazda backed up those impressions, saying the system assumes you're on a twisty mode when you put it in Sport mode. It anticipates that if you brake for a turn, you're going to want to power out of that corner, hence the transmission's tendency to stay in a lower gear.<h2><strong>How the 3 Turbo compares to its competitors: Priced like an Audi or Mercedes</strong></h2><p>The non-turbocharged Mazda 3 competes with other compact cars such as the Subaru Impreza, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Hyundai Elantra. With the introduction of the turbocharged engine, added performance, all-wheel drive, and upmarket interior, the 3 Turbo can set its sights a little higher and target the likes of the Acura ILX, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, and Audi A3.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_10" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324597" hostid="261"></div><p>It's certainly priced that way: Base price of my Mazda 3 Turbo loaner started at $33,750. After a $125 rear bumper guard and a $945 fee for delivery, processing, and handling, the car's total MSRP came out to $34,820. That is a lot to ask for a Mazda 3, especially when you consider <a href="https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/2021-mazda3-sedan">a base Mazda 3 sedan can be had for $20,500</a>.</p><p>As a comparison, the <a href="https://www.mbusa.com/en/vehicles/class/a-class/sedan">Mercedes-Benz A-Class</a> starts at $33,650, the <a href="https://www.audiusa.com/us/web/en/models.html?bytype=Sedans%20and%20Sportbacks">Audi A3</a> starts at $33,300, and the <a href="https://www.acura.com/ilx">Acura ILX</a> starts at $25,950. Keep in mind, though, that those three do not come as hatchbacks and they all start with far less power than the 3 Turbo.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_20" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324599" hostid="261"></div><p>Spiritually, I'd say the 3 Turbo is more akin to sportier versions of the other compact cars. The power is there, certainly, as is the hatchiness, but the manual transmission available on the Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Veloster N, and Volkswagen Golf GTI make for very compelling counterarguments. </p><h2><strong>Our impressions: That's (not that) hot</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_24" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79324606" hostid="261"></div>Though it has all the dressings of a hot hatch, I'm still hesitant to call the 3 Turbo a hot hatch. It's certainly not a cold hatch — more like a warm hatch. A Goldilocks hatch. And the omission of a manual transmission isn't the only thing that's making me feel this way.<p>See, other hot hatches — specifically, the Honda Civic Type R and the Hyundai Veloster N — are an assault on the senses. Not only do their exteriors have dramatic wings and scoops, but their exhaust notes burble, crack, and pop. Sometimes they <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/models/hyundai-veloster-2021-veloster_n/photos">even have electric blue seat belts</a>. There is something exciting about them before you even climb into them. They give you something to talk about.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_16" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324502" hostid="261"></div>That extra flair is missing from the 3 Turbo. Don't misunderstand — the thing is charming to drive, and super entertaining to flick around obstacles like other cars. And it's quite quick! Under its sensible exterior, the 3 Turbo is a joyous time. <p>But it's also quieter in its abilities and what it offers; more refined, much less shouty and in-your-face than the others. After all, "hot" hatches can be sophomoric and therefore counter the new, premium attitude Mazda hopes you'll have about its products.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_25" height="3750" width="2500" msid="79324614" hostid="261"></div>This is the car for the person who wants a racy little sedan or hatchback for weekend canyon carving but doesn't want to be judged too much when they pull up to work in it on Monday morning. <p>If you can get over a Mazda with a Mercedes price tag, of course.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo_KL_8" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79324617" hostid="261"></div>

You Searched For "honda civic si" and got 6 results

REVIEW: The $25,000 Honda Civic Si is the perfect compromise for drivers who want a sports car but need a practical one

Alanis King

This 20-year-old Honda Civic just sold for a whopping $50,000 at auction — here's what makes it so rare and valuable

Kristen Lee

Review: The $37,000 Honda Accord Hybrid perfectly blends a trusty reputation with go-anywhere fuel economy

Alanis King

The Mazda 3's new model finally makes it competitive with Honda and Volkswagen — check out the Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo

Kristen Lee

25 cars discontinued in 2021 that will disappear from US dealerships, from Ford's last sedan to fan-favorite small hatchbacks

Tim Levin

REVIEW: The $34,000 Mazda 3 Turbo is all grown up and aims to lure entry-level buyers from Audi and Mercedes

Kristen Lee