The Volkswagen Golf GTI has long been seen as one of the best hot hatches on the market, but in recent years it has had to fend off an increasing amount of competition. In Europe, cars like the Renault Megane RS and Hyundai i30N have been giving it a real run for its money, although, of course, those two cars are just a few of many cool models that aren't available in the States.
Its rivals in the US might be fewer, but they're still fierce. The Mazda 3 Turbo in particular has emerged as an unlikely contender in the past few years, perhaps not offering the same brand appeal as a GTI-badged VW, but offering mostly the same performance and power nonetheless. The Mazda might not be many people's first thought when it comes to hot hatches, but as it turns out, it might be a real dark horse when compared to the veteran Golf GTI.
10 Engine
The most important factor in any hot hatch is its powertrain, and both the GTI and the 3 Turbo are well-equipped here. The GTI comes with a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine that makes 241 hp, a 13 hp increase over the previous generation model.
The 3 Turbo in comparison uses a larger 2.5L four-cylinder but only manages to offer an extra 9 hp, taking its total output to 250 hp. Both cars feel punchy to drive and are broadly in line with the rest of the segment in terms of power.
9 Handling
Just as important as the power of a hot hatch is its handling, but again, both cars deliver here. The GTI is predictably sharp, with a setup that encourages drivers to throw it into corners with gleeful abandon.
The 3 Turbo isn't quite as fun on twisty roads, but it still feels planted even under sharp cornering. It's also slightly more refined to drive at highway speeds than the GTI, although most buyers are unlikely to notice any significant difference between the two cars here.
8 Styling
Styling is always a subjective matter, but it seems like the Golf GTI is the safer choice out of the two in terms of its looks. The new eighth-generation car is very much an evolution rather than a revolution, with many visual similarities remaining from the previous generation model.
The 3 Turbo's looks are a little more unique in comparison, with a gaping front grille that's almost getting up to Lexus levels of oversized. Grille aside, the rest of the car is a typical streamlined Mazda affair, with the same design language that we've seen from the brand's other models in recent years.
7 Interior
Step inside both cars and the big differences begin to show, and surprisingly it's the Mazda that has the upper hand here. While the Golf GTI sports a cabin very typical for the segment, the 3 Turbo features a surprisingly upmarket look that could have come straight out of an entry-level Mercedes or Audi.
The sleek design of the 3 Turbo, combined with its leather upholstery and heated seats, make for a very pleasant surrounding that will allow drivers to eat up the miles on long road trips in total comfort. Sure, the GTI isn't bad, but its typical VW cabin feels a little underwhelming in comparison.
6 Infotainment and Tech
VW's flagship infotainment system isn't one of the better options on the market, and unfortunately, it's included with the Golf GTI. Rather than a central control knob or buttons, most of the controls are operated via touch-sensitive sliders, which can be infuriating as they don't always work as intended.
The Mazda's system is a lot more conventional, with a center-mounted 8.8" screen that's controlled via a single rotary knob mounted on the console. It might not be as high-tech as the VW's infotainment, but it's certainly more intuitive to use.
5 Safety
Modern cars are becoming safer than ever, so it's no surprise to find that both cars come with high safety ratings across all trims. The Mazda 3 Turbo is rated 5 stars by the NHTSA, and comes with an industry-standard set of automatic driver assistance features like lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control.
The 2022 model year Golf GTI hasn't been crash-tested by the NHTSA yet, but the previous model year scored five stars and the new one is likely to be the same. Like the Mazda, it too comes with a suite of driver assistance features as standard.
4 Cargo Space
One of the selling points of a hot hatch is that they offer the driving experience of a sports car but with the practicality of a hatchback, so it's critical that they're spacious inside to make the most of that winning formula.
Out of the two, it's the Golf GTI that boasts the more impressive capacity, with the Mazda's design hindering its usefulness in carrying cargo. It's also worth noting that the curving rear end and small rear window limits visibility in the 3 Turbo, especially when the car is fully loaded.
3 Efficiency
Gas prices only ever seem to be going one way at the moment, and that's upwards. So, now more than ever, it's important to get a car that won't break the bank at the fuel pumps, and both the 3 Turbo and the Golf GTI are roughly on par when it comes to efficiency.
The Mazda's official EPA ratings are 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, and the Golf hasn't been officially rated yet, although Car and Driver estimate its ratings to be 24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.
2 Warranty
As much as most drivers don't want to think about it, there's a very real possibility that something in their new car will go wrong within the first few years of ownership, and as such, it's good to have a comprehensive warranty. Both cars differ in their warranty offerings, but it's the Golf that arguably comes out on top.
VW offers four years or 50,000 miles for both their limited warranty and powertrain warranty, plus two years of complimentary maintenance. Mazda only offers three years or 36,000 miles of limited warranty and no scheduled maintenance, although their powertrain warranty period is slightly longer at five years or 50,000 miles.
1 Price
Prices for the Mazda 3 Turbo start at around $31,000 and rise to $34,000 for the premium-spec model. The premium model is the one that most buyers will want to go for as it features a more upmarket interior, and it's priced almost identically to the mid-spec Golf GTI SE, which costs a fraction over $35,000.
However, those who don't mind opting for a base-spec GTI can save even more, as the GTI S trim costs just $30,000, making it the cheapest option out of both cars. It's hard not to recommend the Golf thanks to its veteran badge and class-leading handling, but the Mazda makes a surprisingly good case for itself, and really, the decision on which one is better comes down to personal brand preferences rather than any big differences between the cars themselves.