2018 Mazda 3 vs 2021

What's the difference?

The 3 is a terrific car and continues to improve with every yearly update, however minor. The uplift in the Neo Sport may not look like $1000 worth, but having that proper screen and reversing camera - along with standard AEB - starts to make sense over time.

In 2017, I said the pick of the range was the Maxx and I still reckon the Maxx Sport is the one to go for - it has a good package of safety equipment and a sensible spec list, without the frippery of the increasingly oddly priced Touring. The not-that-much-more SP25 is similarly specified, but only worth it if you want the extra power. Not everyone does.

The new i30 and forthcoming new Corolla are giving the Mazda3 more of a hurry-up these days, especially in price and spec but the i30 now has the driving dynamics to go with it. And with the Kia Cerato rapidly closing in, every little bit of competition is making the 3 a better car than before.

And it's still by far the best-looking car in the segment. For many, that's what will tip them over the edge.

Granted. The Mazda3 X20 Astina is an expensive mainstream-branded hatchback from Japan. This is not your aunt’s BJ 323 Protégé Shades.

Still, as with all the current-series BP 3s, the fundamentals are spot on – evocative design inside and out, obsessive detailing, superb quality, progressive engineering and delightful dynamics – in a safe, practical, reliable and brilliantly efficient package to boot.

We understand that, for some people, the X20 Astina strong but silent-type personality may be too understated. But the fact remains that it is a graceful yet forceful and fast grand touring hatchback when called upon, with all the athleticism and sophistication that implies.

Mazda’s hype around the Skyactiv-X powertrain promised Wonder Woman but the Diana Prince we have instead still makes it a marvel. Maybe you should hold on a little longer and wait for the more powerful model expected imminently. Either way, you’re in for something special. The 3’s controversy rages on.