3 + Turbo vs 4.. Where does the future lie?

Recently took for 500km drive in Slavia with loads of luggage and room full of people. Man the vehicle did a decent pull, but under the hood the guy was really pounding every inch of its hardwork.

At a severe point, i didn't even feel like rising up the throttle due to this. The Honda City of my life never had this confusion, I had the whole village in the car and Ivtec doing what's it's exactly built for...

What are your experiences?