Mazdaspeed 3 review

[SVT_Power]

One hot hatch
Mazda varies magic formula with 263 hp in a light car and presto! Mazdaspeed3

Boasts turbo engine, 6-speed box, lower ride height, 18-inch wheels, sport exhaust
Sep. 9, 2006. 01:30 PM
JIL MCINTOSH
SPECIAL TO THE STAR


MONTEREY, CALIF.?It's the oldest go-fast trick in the book: put a powerful engine into a lightweight vehicle and watch it fly.

Mazdaspeed, the company's performance division, has already had its way with the Proteg?, Miata and Mazda6. It now applies its magic touch to the Mazda3, and it's turned out one very sweet little road rocket.

None were aboard the Cougar Ace, the car carrier that keeled over with a hold full of Mazda CX-7s, so expect the first wave of 250 Mazdaspeed3s to start hitting dealerships right about now.

The new model is based on the Mazda3 Sport four-door hatchback, but borrows its turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine from the Mazdaspeed6 and CX-7.

In this version, it creates 263 hp at 5500 r.p.m. and 280 lb.-ft. of torque at 3000 r.p.m.; it's mated exclusively to a short-throw, six-speed manual gearbox with compact three-shaft design, packing six gears into the same overall length as the Mazda3's five-speed version.

It's a DSI engine, for Direct Injection Spark Ignition. Gasoline is sprayed directly into the cylinders under high pressure; it rapidly cools from the pressure drop as it enters the cylinder and this, along with a dense air-and-fuel mixture near the spark plug, increases torque, reduces turbo lag and improves fuel mileage and emissions.

The turbo kicks in around 2500 r.p.m. and feels more like a V6 than a pumped-up four.

Both on the track at nearby Laguna Seca and negotiating around the crazy drivers on California's highways, there was no need for constant up- and downshifting, thanks to the fat powerband.

The result is a car that'll make 0-to-100 km/h in 6.1 seconds, with an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h, but is comfortable enough for everyday driving.

Unlike the all-wheel-drive Mazdaspeed6, the 'Speed3 is front-wheel-drive, which presented a particular problem for the engineers: getting all that power to the ground.

So there's an electronic torque management system that reduces torque in first and second gear and monitors the vehicle speed and steering angle for maximum traction, along with a limited-slip differential.

"There's an absurd amount of torque in first," says Mazda group manager Ruben Archilla. "This system doesn't make it easier to drive ? it makes it possible to drive. It'll still spin the wheels, but without it, it would spin even more."

The Mazdaspeed package is more than just an engine, of course.

The standard hatchback body is reinforced with gussets at the strut tower tops and rear wheel wells, with a brace across the cowl, a thicker front crossmember and an underbody plate; all of that adds only about seven kg, but contributes to a 60 per cent gain in roll stiffness and prevents body deformation in hard cornering.

The ride height is 10 mm lower, and spring rates are stiffer by 43 per cent in front and 30 per cent in back over the stock version; the rotors are larger and the standard 18-inch wheels are clad in the same 215-series performance tires as the Mazdaspeed6, which you'll need to swap for winter rubber come fall.

The whole package weighs in at 1432 kg (3157 lbs), or 123 kg (271 lbs) more than a stock, 156 hp Mazda3 Sport.

The extra stiffness is immediately evident, but you won't need a kidney belt for it. The ride is firmer than the stock version, of course, but it's surprisingly comfortable, even on rough pavement.

The Mazda3 is already one of the better-handling cars out there, and it continues here, even with this much power pushing through the front wheels; the rigid body corners almost flat.

As if 263 hp isn't enough, Mazda's aftermarket department has already had its measuring tape out, and on hand at the track was one outfitted with a cold air intake and performance exhaust ? an extra 30 horses for about $900 (U.S.). As gnarly as a 300-horse compact sounds, it feels even more nimble than the regular version, and Mazda claims the add-ons don't affect the factory warranty; expect to see a few of these at the local tuner event.

Finishing it all off is the exhaust, which has half the Mazda3's silencer volume and is about 10 decibels louder; it's deliciously throaty and finds an even more aggressive note around 4000 r.p.m. Who needs a stereo?

Well, some people still will, and for that, there's a premium six-CD Bose in the dash, because we only get the Mazdaspeed3 in top-end trim. U.S. buyers can get a plainer-Jane version, but we get only the GT, which includes self-levelling Xenon headlamps, LED taillights, rain-sensing wipers and stereo not found on the regular model, which is surprising given that we're supposed to be the frugal ones.

And we pay $30,995 for it, while American buyers shell out a mere $23,995 Bush-bucks for the GT ($26,658 Canadian;) even though the exchange rate hasn't been 29 per cent for quite a while.

The only thing we can't get is the optional navigation system, which Mazda's product manager said would translate around the $3,000 range and couldn't be justified. (It's a pretty slick one, too, popping up out of the dash when you push a button.) These cars won't ever be big volume sellers, but a lower-priced model would probably move out the door faster.

We're also restricted on colour, at least for now; Americans get black, silver, red or a spiffy 'Speed3-specific blue, while we get red and red only. White (ho hum) will be added here at a later date.

What impresses me most about the Mazdaspeed3 is its versatility: I hit 160 km/h pretty quickly on the straightaway and curled it around Laguna Seca's famous corkscrew, but when I got stuck in commuter traffic driving back to the airport, it was as docile as a regular Mazda3, and I emerged without the shaky-leg syndrome from mixing a performance car's clutch with stop-and-go driving.

And once you're done racing, the rear seats fold so there's plenty of room to pick up groceries on the way home.

[SVT_Power]

I thought the most interesting thing about the article is that Mazda offers a CAI and exhaust system to bump HP to 300 without voiding the warranty

[MX793]

Several Mazdaspeed components leave the warranty intact, though usually any kind of powertrain modification from them either voids the warranty or reduces it to 12 months, 12K miles.  Although I don't see how a cat back or CAI would really harm anything, so it would make sense that those items wouldn't affect the warranty.

[Raza]

Sounds like a winner.  I must give it a go.

[Catman]

This is the most awesome car for the money this year.  Damn, if I didn't need my SUV I'd get one.

[Raza]

This is the most awesome car for the money this year.  Damn, if I didn't need my SUV I'd get one.

It is a hatch.

[Catman]

It is a hatch.

Yeah and is pretty small.  Put a kid seat in the back and see how much room is in there.  take away the third row and I'm out to lunch when when I need to drive my kid's friends.

[TBR]

That's just an excuse to have their parents drive instead of you. Seems like a good thing to me :P.

[Raza]

Yeah and is pretty small.  Put a kid seat in the back and see how much room is in there.  take away the third row and I'm out to lunch when when I need to drive my kid's friends.

Sounds like a win-win.

[Catman]

Sounds like a win-win.

No shit.

[eightballsidepocket]

I heard that the old car carrying ship, Cougar Ace, that listed badly up in the Aleutians back in July, may have had a nice batch of Mazdaspeed 3's on it.  That whole batch of nearly 5,000 Mazda's will now be sold as not-quite-new according to Mazda........and will be distributed to any and all Mazda dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada.  Only a few, 40+ actually were bodily damaged, but Mazda is following some good P.R. and not passing the remaining off as "new" with the normal warrantys.

Anyway, I wonder if the Cougar Ace debacle will be delaying the Mazdaspeed 3's arrival to dealer in a major way.

I hear that the Mazda plants in Japan are working extra shifts to make up for the loss.
......
Just type in "Cougar Ace" on the Yahoo or Google News search websites and you'll get some interesting news about this. 

Currently, Cougar Ace is suppose to be getting off-loading ok'd at Portland, Ore..  Cougar Ace was towed all the way from the Aleutians, up the Columbia River to Portland, Ore..

[Laconian]

The Car Connection had their own glowing review of the Speed3.

Excerpts:

"The DISI engine, on the other hand, whomps off the line with the slightest dip into the throttle but doesn't perform like a V-8; this is something new, a creamy, seamlessly torque-laden four with an eager-to-please personality. It still has that four-cylinder eagerness that a V-8 can't quite duplicate and slightly shrill exhaust note that's almost brat-like in its impropriety. The Mazdaspeed3 the friendliest thoroughbred in the corral and the quickest - Mazda claims a zero-to-60 time of under six seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. It feels even quicker."

This is not, however, a car to buy because of steering wheel stitching or special LED taillights. This car's attraction is performance, not the image of performance. They could ship it over here available only in taupe paint and genuine rust and it would still be one of the most exhilarating cars Mazda has ever sold in the United States . In the history of sport compacts, this car is an immediate icon.

With a price starting at $22,835 the raging Mazdaspeed3 is also a raging bargain. While it's bound to be compared with other powerful front drivers like the upcoming Dodge Caliber SRT4, it also compares favorably with such all-wheel-drive near-legends as the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Yes, it really is that good.

Were I in the market for a new car this would most definitely be on my short list. It just sounds like they got everything right. I'm looking forward to more detailed reviews as the more mainstream publications get their hands on this baby.

2007 Mazdaspeed3
Right engine, right car, totally righteous.
by John Pearley Huffman             (2006-09-18)


  If Chevrolet's small-block V-8 had been introduced one year earlier than it actually was, it would have been stuck in the staid, bulbous and wallowing 1954 Chevrolet. Sure that would have meant that the '54 Chevy was faster, but it merely would have been a faster block of crap. But instead the small-block appeared alongside the also all-new, all-stylish, elegantly lithe and nimble 1955 Chevrolet and history was made - this was a great car in which a great engine like the small block could develop into a legend.



The Mazdaspeed3 does for Mazda's DISI engine what the '55 Chevy did for the small-block.



Mazda's Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI) Turbo engine had the distinct disadvantage of showing up last year initially in the Mazdaspeed6 mid-size sedan and CX-7 crossover SUV-like thing. Both of those sophisticated machines have their advantages and attractions, but they're relatively large, relatively heavy and, except for a few front-drive CX-7s, usually burdened by all-wheel drive systems with their inherent parasitic drag. The 2.3-liter DISI four-cylinder engine makes enough power to keep those machines interesting, but not enough to turn them into legends.



The Mazdaspeed3, on the other hand, weighs in at 3153 pounds, 436 pounds lighter than the MazdaSpeed6 and 776 pounds lighter than the all-wheel-drive CX-7, and the power take-off on its six-speed transaxle's case has been blocked off. The result is that the merely adequate DISI engine in the Mazdaspeed6 and CX-7 is allowed to romp heroically in this car.



Good vibrations



[http://forum.thecarconnection.com/] The Mazda3 is already a well-established hit for Mazda; the only thing that keeps the company from selling even more of these subcompacts in America is that worldwide demand is so intense that there's not enough production capacity to supply more. And it's a success that's deserved since the Mazda3 works so well in every form in which it's sold; it handles great, is logically laid out and attractive in both general shape and design detail. The genius of the Mazdaspeed3 is that it amplifies everything that's already good about the Mazda3 so effectively.



Of course that amplification starts in the engine bay where the DISI takes up residence. Mechanically the four-cylinder, 2.3-liter DISI in the Mazdaspeed3 is identical to the DISI in the Mazdaspeed6; the same DOHC aluminum cylinder head, same direct injection fuel system, same aluminum block, same pistons, same forged steel crank, forged steel connecting rods, same counter-rotating balance shafts, the same 87.5-millimeter cylinder bores and 94.0-millimeter crank stroke and the same turbocharger heaving through the same intercooler and plumbing. The only difference, says Mazda, is a slight change in software programming for quicker throttle response. Some differences in exhaust routing and such mean the DISI is rated at 263 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 280 pound-feet of peak torque at a measly 3000 rpm while it makes 11 more horsepower in the Mazdaspeed6 (the torque rating is identical).



The super-small "three-shaft" six-speed manual transaxle to which the Mazdaspeed3's DISI is lashed is also the same one used in the Mazdaspeed6 and in turn it feeds a conical limited slip differential. And hitched to that diff are hardened steel equal-length driveshafts. To further stifle any possible torque steer, the powertrain control module has the turbocharger wastegate bleeding off excess boost during possible torque spikes in first and second gear and allowing maximum boost only in third gear and beyond and restraining torque output when sensors indicate that the front wheels are angling into a turn. And finally the drive-by-wire throttle operates according to algorithms intended to minimize torque spikes no matter how cluelessly the driver whacks, slams, thrashes, or drops anvils on the accelerator pedal.



GET J.D. Power Circle ratings for new cars and trucks









With its thick torque spread (remember that chunky peak number occurs way down at 3000 rpm) the contrast between the DISI engine in the Mazdaspeed3 and the 197-horsepower i-VTEC 2.0-liter four in Honda's directly competitive (in at least price and attitude) Civic Si couldn't be starker. The Honda engine feels like it was engineered in a meth lab; it needs to spin like a Tasmanian devil in order to generate significant thrust.



The DISI engine, on the other hand, whomps off the line with the slightest dip into the throttle but doesn't perform like a V-8; this is something new, a creamy, seamlessly torque-laden four with an eager-to-please personality. It still has that four-cylinder eagerness that a V-8 can't quite duplicate and slightly shrill exhaust note that's almost brat-like in its impropriety. The Mazdaspeed3 the friendliest thoroughbred in the corral and the quickest - Mazda claims a zero-to-60 time of under six seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. It feels even quicker.



Structured settlement



The basic structure and substance of the Mazda3 five-door hatchback carries over to the Mazdaspeed3 intact. There's still a simple set of MacPherson struts holding the front off the ground and a slightly more advanced multi-link suspension system keeps the rear bumper from dragging on the pavement. Of course, however, there have been modifications.



As is well known, the Mazda3's basic structure is Ford's global C1 small-car platform upon which the Volvo S40 and European Ford Focus are constructed. However for this most powerful C1 the body rigidity had to be augmented and Mazda did that by reinforcing the cowl area, center floor tunnel, and rear shock towers with additional steel. They also added a front strut tower bar to decrease deflection there. This is a very solid small car despite its five big door openings.



It's also a slightly lower car thanks to a suspension that drops ride height about a third of an inch compared to the standard Mazda3. The shocks and springs are stiffer but hardly brutal and seem well matched to the 215/45ZR18 summer-spec performance tires.



The Mazdaspeed3's steering is excellent, but still not quite as communicative or precise as that of the Civic Si's and its initial turn-in to corners isn't quite as crisp. And while the six-speed transmission's shifter action is better than good, it's nowhere near the almost-perfect shifter in that Honda. On the Mazda Raceway track at California's Laguna Seca the Mazdaspeed3's initial understeer was apparent diving into the tighter corners, but the engine was so brilliant and traction system so elegant that it pulls through a corner after the apex effortlessly. Under braking the nose squats down rather than dives; once again only the Honda Civic Si is as good when it comes to front drivers. And the Mazdaspeed3's ABS-controlled brakes are simply superb - 12.6-inch diameter ventilated discs in front and 11.0-inch solid discs in the back.



If there's any reaction the Mazdaspeed3's performance ought to inspire, it's sending Honda engineers back to their CAD systems to conjure up a turbo system for the Civic Si.



Decoration nation



Most of the unique elements of the Mazdaspeed3's interior and exterior are readily apparent and rather conventional. What may escape notice are the slightly flared front fenders and the bump in the hood to clear the top-mounted intercooler (air is fed to the intercooler through ducting in the hood). The deep front air dam, revised bumper covers, rear spoiler are all more apparent.



Inside there are aluminum covers for the pedals, red accent stitching on the steering wheel and upholstery and the seats have been specially designed for support during hero work. The Mazda3's compliment of front, seat-mounted side, and roof-mounted curtain airbags all carry on to the Mazdaspeed version.



This is not, however, a car to buy because of steering wheel stitching or special LED taillights. This car's attraction is performance, not the image of performance. They could ship it over here available only in taupe paint and genuine rust and it would still be one of the most exhilarating cars Mazda has ever sold in the United States . In the history of sport compacts, this car is an immediate icon.



With a price starting at $22,835 the raging Mazdaspeed3 is also a raging bargain. While it's bound to be compared with other powerful front drivers like the upcoming Dodge Caliber SRT4, it also compares favorably with such all-wheel-drive near-legends as the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Yes, it really is that good.



2007 Mazdaspeed3

Base price: $22,835
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Engine: 2.3-liter in-line turbocharged four, 263 hp/280 lb-ft

Drivetrain: Six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive

Length x width x height: 176.8 x 69.5 x 57.7 in

Wheelbase: 103.9 in

Curb weight: 3153 lb

Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 20/28 mpg

Safety equipment: Dual front, side, and curtain airbags; four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes

Major standard equipment: Power windows/locks/mirrors; cruise control; CD player

Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles

[Car Zeus]

Why doesn't MazdaSpeed produce a 3 that isn't a hatch.

[Raza]

Why doesn't MazdaSpeed produce a 3 that isn't a hatch.

Who needs it?

[TBR]

Because the hatch looks so much better and I bet that most 3s(s) sold are hatches.

[Champ]

This car makes me say, why did I buy my Viggen?  But then again it probably doesn't have the personality...  :shrugs:

[thewizard16]

Who needs it?

No one, but if I were buying, I really don't think I could buy a hatch. I just don't care for the shape. I really like the 3 sedan, on the other hand, and I could see myself with a MazdaSpeed3 sedan, if there were such a thing. It's a matter of preference, not necessity.

[Raza]

No one, but if I were buying, I really don't think I could buy a hatch. I just don't care for the shape. I really like the 3 sedan, on the other hand, and I could see myself with a MazdaSpeed3 sedan, if there were such a thing. It's a matter of preference, not necessity.

You're the first person I can remember saying that they think the saloon looks better.  I know it can't be an image thing with you, since you drive a toaster :P. 

I look at it as a utility issue.  The hatch offers more utility with little weight penalty.  That I think it looks better is a bonus.

[Champ]

My friend has a new Mazda 3 NOT hatch, and I don't really care for the back either, I would have gone hatch if I went down that street.

[SJ_GTI]

Not sure if this has been posted here before, but this is a review of the Mazdaspeed 3 compared to its competition abroad:

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=18339&vf=15&comparisonID=492

The Japanese-made Mazda uses the same 2.3-litre direct injection engine as its big brother, the Mazda6 MPS. It produces the highest power numbers - a monster 190kW at 5500rpm, and 380Nm at 3000rpm.

This reaches the road via a six-speed manual gearbox and the front wheels; the Mazda6 has a variable split all-wheel-drive system, absent here due to cost.

If you're thinking 190kW and 380Nm sounds like too much firepower for a small front-drive hatch, you're right.

The Mazda3 MPS engineers acknowledge this by cutting engine torque under full load in first and second gears, or when the steering wheel is turned into a tight corner.

Giving a front-drive car an excess of grunt, then using electronics to reduce it in situations where it creates untidy dynamics, seems like a futile exercise. And it is. The engine's delivery is brutal but erratic. Put your foot down to drive out of a tight corner and you're unsure what you're going to get, how much, or when. The intervention of the electronics is obvious and clumsy.

One moment the steering is light and responsive, the next it is paralysed and the wheel is almost reefed from your hands, especially when you change into third gear, where the full performance quota arrives with an almighty rush.

The suspension is hard and noisy; the ride is unforgiving.

The Mazda3 MPS handles OK, but you're too often fighting it. The Bridgestone RE050 tyres on 18-inch alloy wheels try valiantly to contain the chaos, and the car has a tendency to push in corners.

The driver's seat is more luxury than sports, with inadequate backrest support. Rear seat and boot space are average. A six-stack CD, climate-controlled air-conditioning and cruise control are included. A sports pack, adds $3700 for Bose sound, xenon headlights, half-leather trim and gloss alloys.

The claimed average fuel consumption is 10L/100km. On the open road we averaged 8.2 and around town it drank 14; not bad considering the performance. The FA-18 fighter jet exhaust sound is a highlight. But make no mistake, this car is a handful.

You can read the reviews of the other cars at the link.

[thewizard16]

You're the first person I can remember saying that they think the saloon looks better. I know it can't be an image thing with you, since you drive a toaster :P.

I look at it as a utility issue. The hatch offers more utility with little weight penalty. That I think it looks better is a bonus.

I don't like how the sedan looks in base form, but an s trim with a lip spoiler makes it look pretty nice, I think. I don't know what it is, but there just aren't any wagons/hatches out there I find attractive. Something in my brain is programmed against hatches, it seems. I definitely see the practicality benefit, but I just don't care for the shape of the vehicle.

[Laconian]

I don't like how the sedan looks in base form, but an s trim with a lip spoiler makes it look pretty nice, I think. I don't know what it is, but there just aren't any wagons/hatches out there I find attractive. Something in my brain is programmed against hatches, it seems. I definitely see the practicality benefit, but I just don't care for the shape of the vehicle.

What if I called it a "sport crossover"? :) Feel any paradigms shifting?