Also doing the 10K service while I am at it.

OK anyway so I get handed the keys to a new MazdaSpeed3 and told to "Have Fun, tell me what you think." Now the GM Marc knows I have already ordered a new 335i, but he's curious to hear what I think of three.

FIRST! What a HOOT! All Rorty and Grunty and just rough and playful. WEEE!!!! ZOOM ZOOM INDEED. Little thing acts and feels like a little dog with a big fight in em'. Just Burly. Makes the drive exciting.
-Engine, WONDERFUL free revving sounds tough, low vibes.
-Tranny, VERY NICE... Longer throws than the 8 but less notchy.
-Clutch, I dunno I mist be slightly retarded. I can drive the hell outta the BMW clutch, no jerkiness, and buttery smooth. But for whatever reason my 8's clutch still prevents the smoothness, as does this 3s.. I don't get it. But good feel, it just has a weird uptake...

B. Acceleration... NO TRACTION!!!! NONE! An owner is going to need some serious Yokahamas on this thing to get it to hook up. Put your foot into it and them tires just start breaking loose. Kind of fun riding that swell of turbo boost right through the tires limits. Still a rocket though, and gives you that feel of just ABOUT being outta control... Great Fun.

C. Good handling for a front driver. Lacks all the feel of the 8 but has a good if somewhat JUMPY feeling to it. A little numb off center and not as responsive as the 8. But there is plenty of grip to be had then leads to understeer..

D. Torque Steer, well... Just keep two hands on the wheel at all times. Cause there is torque steer aplenty.

E. Fit and Finish, excellent fit and finish from what I saw.

F. Interior, Materials down a little bit from where the 8 owners are used to, but decent and on par with most the other pocket rockets. The Seats are very cushy and comfortable. Good looking interior materials though, good red stitching. I would upgrade the stereo though to whatever Mazda offers, the base one is what I think is in here and it's less than inspiring. Auto Climate control though works great.

G. Ride, As I mentioned it's "rorty" little jumped up excitable thing, easing into the throttle til the turbo tears the front wheels loose is huge fun. Going down the Interstate is a little louder than the 8 but not unlivable and DAMN there is A LOT of room in there for people and stuff. A little bouncy, but well damped and the suspension over all has a good solid feel to it.

Conclusion? When the hell are they going to put this kinda ROMP into the RX? I know it's not that much faster than the RX and after driving both back to back the RX is going to be going down the road while this thing is spinning but talk about silly FUN? This is where the ZOOM ZOOM is at right now I think. Not very refined, not all polished and smoothed out, but just heaps of giggly fun...

Would I rather have it than an 8? I dunno, I'm big and it fits me SO MUCH BETTER than the 8 does. The price is right, Mid 20's is a hell of a deal for this engine. This particular one is stickered at $23k. But it is rough, I mean it's a little pocket rocket , it handles well, but the RX would dance around it all day, it's noisy, and the interior, while appropriate for the Mazda 3 is lacking compared to the RX.


So, I dunno. It's a huge fn-grin inducer though, and would be fun to tinker with and whip around in and for a good $8-9K less than an EVO or WRX STI? I'd choose this I think instead. Otherwise, I'll keep my 8 and just keep cursing Mazda for not giving her 300HP.

OVER ALL THOUGH Two thumbs up for giggle factor, one thumbs up for Interior, and two thumbs down for Traction... This thing begs for a $3k AWD option, it really does... It would be a match for ANY STI or EVO if it was AWD, the rest of the package is already there.

What I want is this kinda power in the 8's Chassis....

 

NOTE on the traction and handling... It is freaking wet out... so yeah, that might have SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT... Still though, it's nothing to break the tires loose in first and second.

 

Well Doug's got my RX done in record time. Rust off the rotors, 10K service, two recall fixes, wash and a Full tank of gas. All told took them 5 hours and the car looks and is running terrific. Couldn't ask for more.

I wasn't sure about the reflash at first, but after about 5 miles it realy did seem to be making more power and running more smoothly... Seemed to be a little more off Idle softness than before, but it builds quickly. Very nice.

 

Thanks for the 3 review! I want to drive one even more now!

A neighbor down the street has one and I hear him tearing out of the neighborhood all the time. It's a noisy little sucker.

 

When I drove one I got the impression the car was on it's tip-toes during corners. It's the FWD thing, IMO. Ruins it. I'd like that engine, though, in place of my RX8's engine.

:D

 

Yup, it definitely feels... "tippy". And it is very loud, coasting down from about any speed produces a lot of BOOMY noise inside... Fun for a little while, but I could see it getting old fast.

Over all though I still give the little demon a thumbs up... I just wish you could get a $3k AWD option. You'd have a real competitor to the EVO and STI performance car while having a much better finished vehicle overall.

This is exactly what I drove... Nice Arrest me Red...

 

One of the coolest things was taking back to Dougs on the interstate. Accelerating down the on ramp the intake whoosh and suck was loud and a lot of fun. You could really hear the Turbo a turbo'n.

 

definetly a cool car, but never a replacement for the rx8..

 

Hurry up and finish the Turbo Renesis, Mazda. Come on, get with the program.

 

Hmm, I think Supercharging is what the Rotary Needs... Maybe? But then again Superchargers effect gas milage more than turbos.... Hmm...

 

Or an extra rotor or two. Four rotor With boost