2021 Mazda 3 to receive turbo AWD powertrain: report

The latest Mazda 3 is set to receive a turbocharged engine for the 2021 model year, according to Jalopnik. Screenshots the website received from a source noted that the more potent powertrain will be offered on both sedan and hatchback bodystyles, and be paired exclusively to all-wheel-drive and an automatic gearbox.

Drawing from its current powertrain selection suggests the use of the turbocharged 2.5 litre inline-four petrol unit that serves in the CX-5 2.5 Turbo and CX-9 with 228 hp and 420 Nm of torque, also paired with all-wheel-drive. There is a 2.0 litre turbo engine also in a Mazda, though that is in the Mazda 3 TCR customer race car, in which it outputs 350 hp and 490 Nm of torque.

This likely isn’t going to be a replacement for the Mazda 3 MPS, as said screenshots identify the turbocharged variant as ‘MAZDA3 HB PP TURBO’ which suggests it is to be an additional to the regular line-up, rather than an all-out performance model.

For this particular entry, ‘HB’ should denote hatchback, while ‘turbo’ is self-explanatory. It remains to be seen what ‘PP’ stands for, though this could be a US-market specific trim level identifier. As much as some would love to see the mainstream return of the rotary, PP probably won’t stand for ‘peripheral port’.

A successor to the MPS was rumoured in 2013, though ultimately that notion was quashed by the manufacturer itself. For comparison, the MPS hatchback made 256 hp at 5,500 rpm and 380 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm from its turbocharged MZR 2.3 litre DISI engine, driving the front wheels though a .

GALLERY: 2019 Mazda 3 1.5L Hatchback