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Thread: NRMA Car Review - 2010 Mazda 3 MPS

  1. #1

    Default NRMA Car Review - 2010 Mazda 3 MPS

    NRMA Car Review - October 2009

    The MPS faces some strong competition from Subaru's Impreza WRX and the up coming launch of the new Golf GTI.
    But its performance, everyday drivability, styling and long list of standard features makes it worth considering if you're in the market for a hot hatch.

    NRMA Car Review

    Pluses
    Exterior styling
    Power and performance

    Minuses
    Torque steer on hard acceleration
    Rear seat space

    Country of Manufacturer
    Japan

    Models Available
    Five door MPS: $39,690
    Five door Luxury: $43,290

    Engine Size
    2.261L

    Fuel
    PULP

    Wheels Driven
    Front Wheel

    Acceleration
    6.71 sec

    Warranty
    Three years unlimited Km

    Since the arrival of this stylish hot hatch in 2006 the turbocharged Mazda3 MPS has acquired a small army of loyal followers
    who were quick to show their enthusiasm when the new model arrived in 2009.

    Unlike the WRX, the turbocharged Mazda3 has managed to avoid the 'boy racer' stigma that can quickly spoil the name of small performance models.

    Value for money

    Pricing

    Pricing for the base model five door MPS starts at $39,690.
    The top of the line Luxury five door hatchback is $43,290.
    The recommended drive away price for our test vehicle MPS Luxury was $47,335.

    Standard features

    Mazda3 MPS 2010

    Standard features include:

    * 18" alloy wheels
    * LED tail lamps
    * Sports body kit including front and rear aero bumpers
    * Rear spoiler and side skirts including MPS sports grill
    * Dual zone climate control airconditioning
    * Six-disc in-dash MP3/WMA-compatible CD player
    * Bluetooth® audio
    * Cruise control
    * Eight way power adjustable driver front seat
    * Leather wrapped steering wheel and gear shift knob
    * Smart key entry and starting
    * 4.1 inch colour multi-function display that integrates the satellite navigation and multi-function trip computer.

    The Luxury model also gets:

    * Auto dimming rear vision mirror
    * Bi-xenon headlamps with Adaptive front lighting system (AFS)
    * Auto head lights
    * Premium Bose amplifier and 10 speakers with subwoofer and
    * Rain sensing front wipers.

    Design & function


    Space & practicality


    Front seat space is more than adequate giving the driver and front passenger ample head, shoulder and leg room.
    There is an abundance of luggage space behind the rear seats however, a major down side,
    and one of my biggest criticisms in the 3 range, is the rear seat space.
    Taller teens and adults may struggle with the rear seat leg room and compared to others in this class it didn't rate very highly.

    Comfort

    The sports contoured front seats do an excellent job of cradling the driver and passenger especially through fast flowing corners.
    Both provide good levels of back and base support with just the right amount of bolstering.
    In the rear smaller passengers will enjoy a very comfortable experience although the low sitting position and high door frames can restrict their vision.

    Ergonomics

    At first glace the centre console, switch gear and steering wheel controls seem a bit mystifying.
    However, soon everything becomes easy to use, especially the sat nav system whose controls are mounted within easy finger reach on the steering wheel.

    The speedo cluster display, with bright red illumination and two large binnacles, is easy to read.
    Between the speedo and the tacho is a neatly positioned LED turbo boost gauge.

    Safety

    The Mazda3 MPS has an impressive list of standard safety features including:

    * Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
    * Traction Control System (TCS)
    * Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
    * Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and
    * Six airbags.

    Build quality & finish

    The build quality in the Mazda3 MPS is excellent with good plastics and soft trim materials used throughout the cabin.
    However, as we found during our recent comparison test, some of the trims mark easily by shoes and fingers.

    It received 8/10 in its class during our Australia's Best Cars judging, putting it level with Honda and Volkswagen for build quality and finish.

    Security

    Security features on the Mazda3 MPS include:

    * Engine immobiliser
    * Remote central locking with two transmitters and
    * Smart keyless entry with push-button engine start.

    On the road

    Fuel

    The Mazda3 MPS achieves a combined fuel consumption of 9.9 litres per 100km.

    Performance

    Power from the 2.3 litre direct injected turbocharged engine is delivered through the front wheels via a six-speed manual that combines crisp, precise shifting.
    The engine delivers an impressive 190kW of power and 380Nm of torque.

    The biggest down side is the prominent torque steering which becomes more evident when taking off hard, especially when up-shifting on slight bends.
    Some driveshaft improvements have been done in this area but obviously more is needed.

    Ride

    The ride in the new MPS is firm giving the car a sporty feel, but it did an excellent job of soaking up the bumps on Sydney’s roads.
    The only time it felt a little harsh was negotiating oversized speed-humps in shopping centre car parks.

    Handling & steering

    With modified coil spring rates, larger diameter stabiliser bars and wider 18" Dunlop tyres the new Mazda3 MPS remained surefooted and composed even when pushed hard around the test track.
    The biggest surprise was how well it handled during everyday test conditions, from the winding country roads of the Southern Highlands to Sydney’s peak hour traffic.
    At no time during testing did the Mazada3 MPS feel out of its comfort zone.

    Braking

    The brake package, with 320mm ventilated discs on the front and 280mm solid discs on the rear, offers plenty of bite. The brake pedal always felt reassuring.

    During emergency brake testing from 80-0km/h the MPS achieved an average braking distance of 22.53m - good for this size of car.

    Smoothness & quietness

    Mechanically, the MPS is a refined package that's smooth, quiet and easy to drive in any conditions.
    The only noise was the pleasant burble from the twin sports exhaust system and a droning road noise from its wider tyres.

    Summary

    The Mazda3 MPS is a sharp looking mid-sized sports car that had no trouble holding its own when put to the test.
    Its exterior styling changes are a big improvement with its most dominate feature being the aggressive bonnet scoop that starts to gather its shape from the Mazda badge on the front bar.

    In the MPS range there are four very distinctive colours to choose from. Our test vehicle was Velocity Red Mica -
    one of the most impressive colours I've seen on any car in a long time, especially when the sun catches the gold flecks in the paint work.

    The MPS faces some strong competition from Subaru's Impreza WRX and the up coming launch of the new Golf GTI.
    Its performance, everyday drivability, styling and long list of standard features make it worth considering if you're in the market for a hot hatch.

    Test vehicle supplied by Mazda Australia.


    NRMA Motoring, October 2009.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Carindale
    Age
    37
    Posts
    2,043

    Default

    6.7 seconds sprint... woah

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