Which Mazda 3 to Get - G25 Astina (2.5L Petrol) or X20 Astina (2.0L Petrol/Hybrid)

TwentyTwoCarats on 06/06/2021 - 14:14

Really keen on getting a new Mazda 3 hatch top of the line Astina range, because of that juicy red leather interior. I've never seen such a sick interior on an everyday brand car.

Anyway - which one should I get: The 2.5L naturally aspirated G25 Astina (top 139kW) or X20 Astina Hybrid (top 132kW)? In terms of the following:

  • Driving experience / ease? I'm thinking they will be quite similar
  • Resale after 5-10 years? Maybe people will like hybrids more? Maybe not?
  • Reliability? Unsure. Petrol is tried and trusted but I'm not doubting the new hybrid either.

General question since I've never owned a hybrid - where do you charge it? How long and how often? I live in an apartment so I couldn't have a garage charger or something.

Automotive Car Mazda

Comments

  • tryonthis on 06/06/2021 - 14:29

    G25 every day of the week. That extra bit of grunt is something I wouldn't want to give up.

    • TwentyTwoCarats on 06/06/2021 - 14:31

      I know what you mean mate. You reckon the difference between the 2.5L/139kw vs. 2.0L/132kw is that noticeable though?

      • dukeGR4 on 06/06/2021 - 21:19

        you could not be more wrong. Torque difference is significant : 200Nm @ 4k rpm vs 250 Nm @ 4k rpm for peak torque. There's marginal improvement of rev throughout the rev range also.

    • brendanm on 06/06/2021 - 15:49

      7kw? Peak power isn't important for driving anyway, area under the curve is. The hybrid will likely be much more sprightly around town, though I've never driven a Mazda hybrid, so could be wrong.

  • pharkurnell on 06/06/2021 - 14:33
    -5

    You rate how good a car is by the fooly sik red interior? Never seen one as good?

    You dont get out much do you?

  • dazeet on 06/06/2021 - 14:43
    +2

    I am not as "techie" as many people here, so please do correct me if I am wrong in anything and in any way here.

    As far as I know, the X20 is not a plug in hybrid, so no charging from a wall outlet. Similar to the kind of hybrid that Toyota sells in Australia at the moment.

    The X20 is also due for an upgrade from 132 kW and 224 Nm to 140kW and 240 Nm. Apparently Mazda will offer that upgrade to early adopters of the Skyactiv X. While that pips the G25's 139 kW, that is still shy of the G25's 250 Nm. Hopefully the upgrade will also include the acceptance of 91 octane like the Skyactiv G (it currently mandates 95 minimum).

    Real world tests by motoring journos suggest the Skyactiv X's fuel consumption is not significantly less than the Skyactiv G equivalent as promised. Suggest that may be due to a higher proportion of the duration of the test drive spent in the "performance/acceleration testing" phase, where the engine behaves more like a conventional direct injected engine with mild supercharging and mild hybrid assistance. Driven more sedately like most owners would, where the engine spends more of its time running in the SPCCI mode instead, and the fuel consumption difference should be more marked.

    That said, as much I appreciate Mazda's ethos, I tend to shy away from owning something for extended periods that are more complicated than they need to be. So while 5-10 years may be OK, not really sure at this stage how they would go after say 15+ years and 200,000 km.

    There really should be a X25, or a G25T IMHO (the latter is already available in some other markets).

  • Euphemistic on 06/06/2021 - 14:49

    Test drive and decide for yourself. I don’t drive like you do.

    • TwentyTwoCarats on 06/06/2021 - 14:50

      That's what I plan on doing (after lockdown). Still sometimes it's hard to get a proper feel of a car after a quick test drive.

      • Euphemistic on 06/06/2021 - 14:53

        Try to drive them back to back. Even if you need to test drive a different spec model. The driving dynamics won’t change much for different trim levels.

        • TwentyTwoCarats on 06/06/2021 - 14:54

          Yeah trim don't matter in test drives, I know the engines. I can just test drive a G25 GT it doesn't have to be the G25 Astina. I'll see if I can drive back to back but it could be hard to organise.

  • whitelie on 06/06/2021 - 15:10
    +1

    As said, drive both.
    Most comparisons I've seen say the X20 feels better at low to mid range where you want it in traffic. Lower peak figure but likely a better/flatter torque curve due to the supercharger.

    X20 might be slightly better in economy on paper but you will have to feed it premium. If you're used to using 91, this will probably outweigh the saving. If you use 95 or 98 regardless than it's a moot point I guess.

  • Stewardo on 06/06/2021 - 17:26

    If your looking at hybrid to save money it all depends how many kms you drive a year? The 3k premium might take years to payback in fuel savings. They don’t plug in.

    • Euphemistic on 06/06/2021 - 17:50
      +1

      Not as simple as how many kms you drive. Hybrids excel in stop start traffic where the battery is replenished during braking and the electric motor is used to accelerate. If you are doing long highway drives you won’t get as much benefit from current hybrid systems (less braking and accelerating)

      • Stewardo on 06/06/2021 - 20:15

        I understand that, I’ve had Toyota hybrid before, most people will drive a mix of both start/stop and highway. Obviously there is many variables but if you drive 40000kms a year, you will save a lot more money on fuel with a Hybrid (repaying the 3km premium quickly) than you would if you drove 5000kms a year.

  • Miata9 on 06/06/2021 - 20:20

    Speaking as a mazda fan who done test drive for both G25 and X20. I'd go G25 unless theres deal opportunity for X20.

    The current MY20 X20 has a weird Automatic gear box matching feeling. I think thats why Mazda is fixing it in the later model. Plus the insane complexity of the engine is unproven for reliability. I wouldn't pay extra for those.

  • kierank1 on 06/06/2021 - 20:37

    G25. Mazda's hybrid is just a mild hybrid so its inferior to the Toyota hybrid system if fuel saving is a consideration. You don't have to charge either the Mazda or Toyota hybrids. The ones you have to plug in and fill with petrol are plug-in hybrids like the Mitsubishi Outlander.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join