Mazda3: Is it worth it to get the 2.5 engine?

I've had a couple of quick cars over the yesrs, so I think either choice is painful. I have a CX-5 with the 2.0l - a '13 with an ATX. That sucker is anemic.

I have a 3GT MTX with the 2.5l - certainly better than the 2.0l in my wife's heavier CX-5, but still mind numbing. If you want to have any amount of fun, get something powerful. Where my Mazdas excel is exceptional value, economy and low cost of ownership, with a dash a pleasant driving dynamics.
 
Keep in mind that each wheel on the 2.5GT weighs 27 lbs. That is staggeringly heavy and adversely affects acceleration and braking, not to mention ride. My Enkei 17 lb wheels make a nice difference when it comes to acceleration. The downside is sound attenuation. The boat anchor wheels from the factory do dampen sound; perhaps that was one of the reasons Mazda chose them.

But really, those of us who live and drive in a large city cannot benefit from big power on a typical daily basis. When I had my Corvette, a bunch of local owners and I would head out to unpopulated areas to stretch the cars' legs and have some fun. However, that was not very often. I could've rented a Mustang GT every so often to get that acceleration fix.
As you mentioned, the 3 is a great combination of economy, handling, and fun with 0-60 MPH time in the mid to low 6 seconds (with lightweight wheels).
 
We've had both. But the 2.0 was a 6spd manual. It is actually peppier than the 2.5. I hated to sell that one, it was a better driving car than the GT.

Along with the bigger engine you get a lot of other options, the bigger nicer wheels (that ride worse) as well as leather and roof, nav, if you like that kind of stuff. There was a big price difference from a iTouring to a GT, about five or six grand. So it's not just the motor.

We liked them both but one went back on lease and the other we traded off at 2-years for a CX-5. The 3 was too small and too noisy. I guess for 17 they have improved sound deadening on them. The '5 is church-quiet. :)

Yes, my son's Mazda 3 has the 2.0L engine and it is a very sweet engine. Yes, it lacks hp but it revs smoothly and is more than adequate for the 3. There is a reason why the 2.0 is in the MX-5 and not the 2.5L, and it has nothing to do with not fitting.
 
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