Car and Driver, October 1st, 2006
The Mazda 3 is already a huge hit, but until now there hasn’t been a performance version. That changes with the Mazdaspeed 3, which is targeted, according to chief engineer Tatsuo Maeda, directly at the Volkswagen GTI.
Externally, the Mazdaspeed 3 gets subtle yet sporty upgrades to the grille and bumpers, and a rear roof spoiler and 18-inch rims. Inside, the two-tone interior trim, the red stitching, the leather steering wheel and gear-shifter, and the polished aluminum pedals make it feel very European.
Tipping the scales at roughly 3100 pounds, the Mazdaspeed 3 is lighter than the GTI and boasts an advantage of 64 horsepower and 74 pound-feet over its German rival. Employing the same 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbo unit as the Mazdaspeed 6, but with retuned intake and exhaust systems and a modified ECU that reduces torque levels in the first three gears, the Mazdaspeed 3 generates 264 horses at 5500 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque at 3000 rpm. That translates to a 0-to-60 time of well under six seconds and a top speed of 149 mph.
Power comes on from 2500 rpm and stays hot all the way to the 6750-rpm redline. The linear torque response is more akin to that of a gutsy V-6 than a turbo four. The six-speed manual transmission is typically slick and easy to use.
To reduce wheelspin and torque steer, Mazda reinforced the driveshafts and fi tted a specially tuned torque-sensing limited-slip differential. Other modifi cations to the 3’s chassis include extra reinforcement around the floor and center tunnel and across the strut towers, plus higher spring rates and thicker anti-roll bars. The larger brakes and calipers are modified from those of the Volvo S60, and the 3 is equipped with sticky Bridgestone RE050A tires.
Honed in Germany, this suspension and chassis package is terrifi c, and the ride quality and the noise levels are surprisingly good. In short, this is a serious rival to the GTI, especially since Mazda claims it will be priced right around $23,000 when it goes on sale this fall.
…The rest of the lineup
CX-7: This sporty crossover uses the turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four from the Mazdaspeed 6, detuned to 244 horsepower and driving either the front or all four wheels via a six-speed manumatic transmission. At less than $25,000 for the front driver, it offers some competition to the new Edge crossover from its corporate master, Ford.
CX-9: An all-new Mazda, the swoopy-looking CX-9 is powered by the new Ford corporate 250-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 backed by a six-speed automatic. The most significant aspect of this larger crossover is its third-row bench seat, with a sliding second row. Sports and Touring models roll on 18-inch wheels and tires, but the upscale Grand Touring has 20-inch wheels. Standard equipment includes Ford’s Roll Stability Control and curtain airbags.
MX-5: This open-air runabout goes upscale with the addition of a new power-retractable hardtop.
Unchanged: B-series, Mazdaspeed 6, RX-8, 5, 6.
In purgatory: Tribute. (Replaced by a 2008 model early in 2007. Confused? So are we.)
Dead: MPV.
