2027 Mazda 3 Adds Features to Manual Hatchback and Sedan

The Mazda 3 enters its eighth model year with small but useful equipment changes aimed at two versions buyers might otherwise overlook: the entry-level sedan and the manual hatchback. The basic formula carries over, including the familiar engine choices and the split between sedan and hatchback body styles. For shoppers comparing configurations, the main task remains sorting out which trim offers the preferred features, body style and drive layout.

Mazda’s compact car has also been finding more buyers in recent months, even as the CX-5 and CX-50 remain its volume leaders. That gives the 2027 updates a practical purpose: the 3 stays a lower-priced way into the range, while the added equipment makes certain versions easier to justify as prices rise from last year.

Entry sedan starts at $26,065

The 2027 range begins with the 2.5 S sedan at $26,065, including Mazda’s $1,365 destination fee. The next step is the 2.5 S Select Sport, priced $1,000 higher. It brings wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while the base trim uses a wired connection. The Select Sport also adds 18-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, leatherette upholstery, dual-zone climate control and keyless entry.

Those upgrades touch everyday use as much as the cabin’s appearance. Wireless phone pairing removes the need to connect a cable for compatible devices, while dual-zone climate control lets the front occupants select separate temperature settings. Heated mirrors are a useful cold-weather feature, and keyless entry cuts down on the routine of taking a key out to unlock the car. Buyers who want those conveniences will need to weigh them against the $1,000 step up from the base sedan.

The Select Sport is also the first trim offered as a hatchback. That body style costs $600 more than the corresponding sedan. The price difference buys a different shape and packaging choice; the source does not specify cargo measurements, so shoppers who need to compare storage space should check the hatchback and sedan in person.

Manual hatchback gains Premium Plus equipment

The manual transmission remains exclusive to the hatchback and comes in one configuration: the 2.5 Premium Plus. For 2027, the “Plus” designation brings a 10.25-inch infotainment display with touchscreen controls for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a heated steering wheel. Adaptive front lighting and the active driving display are also included.

That equipment makes the manual car a more specific proposition within the lineup. It pairs a six-speed manual with the standard 186-horsepower 2.5-liter engine and front-wheel drive, at a price of $33,065. Drivers who want a stick shift therefore get a single, relatively well-equipped hatchback configuration rather than a choice of manual trims. The larger touchscreen adds a touch-operated interface for phone features, while the heated steering wheel brings a comfort upgrade to the cabin.

There’s a clear trade-off in that setup: the manual is tied to one trim and one engine, so shoppers can’t combine it with the turbo-four or all-wheel drive. The price also sits well above the entry sedan, reflecting the different body style and Premium Plus equipment. Buyers focused on the transmission will want to compare that package with the automatic hatchback versions before deciding which features matter most.

Turbo power and all-wheel drive depend on trim

The 250-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder is now limited to the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus. Mazda offers that trim as either a sedan, priced at $38,405, or a hatchback, at $39,465. Both versions include all-wheel drive, making this the clearest route to combining the stronger engine with that drivetrain. The hatchback carries a $1,060 premium over the sedan.

Across much of the rest of the lineup, front-wheel drive is the default. All-wheel drive availability gets more complicated in the Preferred, Premium and Premium Plus grades, because the body style varies by trim. Preferred AWD is offered only as a hatchback, for $31,305. Premium AWD is sedan-only, at $31,730. The hatchback Premium Plus with all-wheel drive costs $34,665 and uses a six-speed automatic instead of the manual.

This makes the trim names alone an incomplete guide to the available combinations. Buyers should first decide whether they want a sedan or hatchback, then check which drive layout and transmission are actually offered on that version. The Turbo Premium Plus is the only trim that provides standard all-wheel drive with both body styles under the same grade.

Prices rise with color choices

Polymetal Gray Metallic, Soul Red Crystal and Snowflake White Pearl are available for an additional $595. That charge applies on top of the listed trim pricing, so the delivered figure will depend on the selected paint and configuration.

The 2027 changes leave the Mazda 3’s broad range structure intact while adding a more useful feature set to the base sedan and manual hatchback. With dealer arrival expected soon, the key comparisons for buyers are the Select Sport’s convenience equipment, the single-trim manual’s price and the body-style limits on all-wheel drive.