Some impressions:
- To my ears, the system in CX-30 sounds a bit different compared with the one from Mazda3 and it could be due to different seat position and how speakers fit in the cabin
- like in the Mazda3, the system seems to be bass heavy (linear mode helps reduce a bit at lower volume as standard mode will pump the bass even more at lower volumes)
- there's a significant drop bellow 35-40Hz and the bass seems to be localizable as coming from the trunk; I'm not sure what is the crossover point but usually above 80Hz you can localize the source of the sound.
- big difference in sound quality between bluetooth and cable
A large reason I bought a turbo 3 2 years ago was that Bose system. It was a lot better than what any other mainstream automaker will sell you at this price range. For example, the now last-gen Accord had a nice interior, but the good stereo was the one thing Honda saved for the Acura TLX. IIRC I have the stereo in linear mode, with the listening position set at the driver, and the EQ set to -1 or -2 for bass and no treble adjustments.
The complaint I have is that the rear deck subwoofer in the sedan seems detached, like it's rumbling away without doing much of anything. If I don't do something stupid and keep the 3 next year, maybe I'll get a real subwoofer integrated with Helix DSP.
I’m a big fan of Mazda products, though don’t own a street car Mazda right now. Very curious to hear about the car with the 2.5 Turbo. Has to be a lot of fun.
The 2.5T is a great engine for everyday driving. It always feels like I have power available, and I don't have to wait around for a downshift or the turbo to spool up. If I'm honest with myself, any more power than my 3 has would be purely for fun.
I don't miss a manual due to the nature of the powertrain. Mazda tuned this as a truck motor first for the big CX-9. While the 2.5T revs quickly, it's not an engine that feels like it's crying out for a manual. It revs out to 6K but you're better off shifting just past 5 since that's where peak power ends.
The overall character of the current 3 is much more luxury car than sport compact. My turbo 3 feels a world away from the old Mazdaspeeds 3. The GTI and Elantra N are better shouts if you want pure fun and can only have 1 car. I'm thinking about adding a Miata to my garage for something more fun than the 3.