Review: 2010 Mazdaspeed3 is sitting on the bubble

[armthehomeless]

Filed under: Performance, Japan, Hatchback, Mazda, Reviews

2010 Mazdaspeed3 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Last summer, our man Damon Lavrinc drove the then-brand-new 2010 Mazdaspeed3 around California's legendary Laguna Seca Raceway and then Caramel Valley's world-class back roads. And he loved it. I mention this because we're sure that under similar, near-ideal conditions, I would have been nearly as smitten. But reality has a funny way of tossing monkey wrenches at even the most lovely picnics. To wit: I had the Speed3 in Los Angeles during the recent torrential downpour/tornado warnings, then drove to Phoenix through a monsoon the same day/night that Russo and Steele got their tents blown across a freeway. Ideal? Hardly. Informative? Keep reading and decide for yourself.


Gallery: Review: 2010 Mazdaspeed3



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Review: 2010 Mazdaspeed3 is sitting on the bubble originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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[DISIMS3]

We've heard all this before haven't we?....Granted the MPS takes a little getting used to but come on....grow some freakin balls.... or buy a WRX if it makes you feel better. Just don't act suprised when your subie can't keep up with my Mazda

[lucifuge]

The latest WRX's with 195kw are quoted as 5.3 seconds 0-100kph.

Stock for stock, I can't see that trailing an MPS3.

[Jmac]

The latest WRX's with 195kw are quoted as 5.3 seconds 0-100kph.

Stock for stock, I can't see that trailing an MPS3.

Might be quoted.. though bear in mind that it is at the fly, not the wheels.. and its AWD which equals more power loss...

Ive test driven the new WRX and was not too impressed.

[kagerou]

sure, a wrx is tested as running a 5.3sec 0-100km/hr sprint, but you have to be really brutal with the clutch to do so, otherwise you bog down and get a bad launch

i had a wrx, and after launching it "properly" once, there was no way i was ever going to do it again with the factory gearbox, the sound the drivetrain made was horrible, and would definitely have shortened its life

unless the wrx driver launches properly, i know that an mps is quicker to 400m, and several car lengths by 1km. true story

[Nirvandan]

Wow the new MPS took a beating in that review!

Seriously Im starting to question MPS drivers.... are we that crazy? why is that I fail to understand the torque steer that these journos are talking about. Like its something impossible to handle?... and this coming from a Gen 1 owner which is by the way a real animal. Drove the Gen 2 on the weekend and gave it some stick reving almost to the redline and I could have fall sleep, harly could notice any pull or torque whatsoever!

Im so confused!

[Jmac]

Motoring journos are a product of their environment..
They must drive that many cars that unless its RWD and they can make the arse swing out they are bored as bat ..

And because of this, when they drive a FWD and get some steering tug they dont like it...

Sure ive just made all that up but it sounds plausible, and my theory - so im sticking to it :P

[MISSMPS]

Motoring journos are a product of their environment..
They must drive that many cars that unless its RWD and they can make the arse swing out they are bored as bat ..

And because of this, when they drive a FWD and get some steering tug they dont like it...

Sure ive just made all that up but it sounds plausible, and my theory - so im sticking to it :P

Sounds about right to me...

[DISIMS3]

The latest WRX's with 195kw are quoted as 5.3 seconds 0-100kph.

Stock for stock, I can't see that trailing an MPS3.

I didn't say stock for stock + i'm being patriotic + MPS owners are better drivers

[MPShiv]

I love that my car gets a grilling from the motoring journalists, absolutely.

So it scares off all the pussies who think "torque steer" will kill them just by touching the wheel.Amatuers of an MPS and drive a camry.

I ALWAYS feel safe in my car, dry or wet conditions because if i drive to the conditions i can still cover ground at immense speeds comfortably. Like hell i am going to go the ragged edge of handling or clutch dump and flat shift my daily driver.

I would love to see a 20 run 0 - 400m shoot out between an MPS and WRX, after about run 7-9 the wrx clutch would be fried and i could do a 18 second pass and still win haha.

"A mazda 3 mps is a muscle car for the new generation of drivers, A car with brawn and muscle born from the fires of hell itself"

That's my definition and if i like such a car then i must be the devils right hand man.

Shibbs