I drove a base model Mazda3 i sedan with the 148 hp 2.0 liter and then a 5 door hatch Mazda3 2.3 liter 160hp
A little highway time and about 70% twisting back roads.
First impression was amazement at the fit and finish. It seems impossible for the car to be this nice for the price. It scores a 12 on the dashstroker 1-10 scale. The most jaded VW dashstroker in the world would not be able to say any VW in price range is nicer. Period. The seats are great and interior/switchgear are worthy of a much more expensive car. Rear seats have class-leading legroom. Significantly more than a Jetta or Golf, yet the trunk is still Jetta-huge.
The shifter is the best I've experienced on any car I've ever driven. That includes my neighbors 540i. Yes, seriously. Just MHO. Flame away.
There is no looseness, just steady, velvety resistance on the stick. Never felt anything quite like it. It doesn't even wiggle in neutral. Throws are super short. It's nearly telepathic. It just goes directly into the right gear with a flick of the wrist. It's as if you had been driving the car all your life. Positively delicious.
Handling is tight as a drum. There is minimal lean in a hard turn and the steering is progressive and totally predictable. You wind up exactly where you think you will at the end of the turn.
The base engine revs freely and has good low end response. Coming out of a hairpin turn in 3rd gear I was barely going 15 mph yet I was able to accelerate out of the turn smoothly. It didn't rocket out of the turn, but there was no sense of lugging or struggle. Power builds very evenly in a very non-VTEC type of way. Feels like a V6 in that respect.
In a straight line, it moves out neatly. Not fast, but *almost* quick I'd say.
2.0 acceleration: 6.5/10
2.0 flexibility, smoothness and response: 7.5/10
2.3 acceleration: 6.75/10
2.0 flexibility, smoothness and response: 8.5/10
The 2.3 liter 160 hp engine was noticeably smoother and quieter at idle and under load. The 2.0 was very smooth, but the 2.3 was Lexus like at idle. You could not hear or feel it running at all. Performance wise the difference was very subtle. It really doesn't feel much faster at all. What you notice is the smoothness and a bit of a fatter torque wave. There is just a wee bit more thrust when you press the pedal in higher gear. It's a pleasing difference, but very subtle. Still not a "fast" car, but it's "peppy". A GTI 1.8T would definitely kick it ass in a straight line. No question, but I still found the 3 more fun to drive. The shifter alone would make a GTI owner cry.
The base model is such a good deal at $15-16k that it is criminal. The nicer models with the big wheels don't handle THAT much better and they have just a hint more thrust (the smoothness/refinement of the 2.3 is enticing though)
It's a little hard to justify $3-5,000+ more for the S. It isn't faster, just more options. If you like options though, they have some good ones and they are all reasonably priced. For $20-22k you can have a 3 that is loaded to the gills with everything from Xenon headlamps to a navigation system and it is still and incredible bargain.
I like the sedan better. The hatchback is nice, but the space behind the rear seat is just silly, it's less than half the amount the huge trunk of the sedan has and the sedan looks better IMHO. A wagon would be a dream, it's a shame they don't make one.
OVERALL: The fit/finish is better than anything near its price by far, handling is in the top 10 of cars I've ever driven in my life no joke. Shifter is the best I've ever felt period. Power is not amazing, but the flexible engines never feel sluggish and the total package is so much fun to drive that it's silly especially considering the price.
Go and drive one. If you can find a better new sports sedan for $15-17k --- buy it.
I predict the Mazdaspeed version will be superb enough to cross-shop against cars costing $10,000 more.
The only way this car could be any better is if the mid level 2.3 engine made more power, something like 175 hp and if they offered a wagon. With that it would be untouchable.
Can't say enough good things about this car. I cannot comprehend how they can build a machine this nice for that price. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
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A little highway time and about 70% twisting back roads.
First impression was amazement at the fit and finish. It seems impossible for the car to be this nice for the price. It scores a 12 on the dashstroker 1-10 scale. The most jaded VW dashstroker in the world would not be able to say any VW in price range is nicer. Period. The seats are great and interior/switchgear are worthy of a much more expensive car. Rear seats have class-leading legroom. Significantly more than a Jetta or Golf, yet the trunk is still Jetta-huge.
The shifter is the best I've experienced on any car I've ever driven. That includes my neighbors 540i. Yes, seriously. Just MHO. Flame away.
There is no looseness, just steady, velvety resistance on the stick. Never felt anything quite like it. It doesn't even wiggle in neutral. Throws are super short. It's nearly telepathic. It just goes directly into the right gear with a flick of the wrist. It's as if you had been driving the car all your life. Positively delicious.
Handling is tight as a drum. There is minimal lean in a hard turn and the steering is progressive and totally predictable. You wind up exactly where you think you will at the end of the turn.
The base engine revs freely and has good low end response. Coming out of a hairpin turn in 3rd gear I was barely going 15 mph yet I was able to accelerate out of the turn smoothly. It didn't rocket out of the turn, but there was no sense of lugging or struggle. Power builds very evenly in a very non-VTEC type of way. Feels like a V6 in that respect.
In a straight line, it moves out neatly. Not fast, but *almost* quick I'd say.
2.0 acceleration: 6.5/10
2.0 flexibility, smoothness and response: 7.5/10
2.3 acceleration: 6.75/10
2.0 flexibility, smoothness and response: 8.5/10
The 2.3 liter 160 hp engine was noticeably smoother and quieter at idle and under load. The 2.0 was very smooth, but the 2.3 was Lexus like at idle. You could not hear or feel it running at all. Performance wise the difference was very subtle. It really doesn't feel much faster at all. What you notice is the smoothness and a bit of a fatter torque wave. There is just a wee bit more thrust when you press the pedal in higher gear. It's a pleasing difference, but very subtle. Still not a "fast" car, but it's "peppy". A GTI 1.8T would definitely kick it ass in a straight line. No question, but I still found the 3 more fun to drive. The shifter alone would make a GTI owner cry.
The base model is such a good deal at $15-16k that it is criminal. The nicer models with the big wheels don't handle THAT much better and they have just a hint more thrust (the smoothness/refinement of the 2.3 is enticing though)
It's a little hard to justify $3-5,000+ more for the S. It isn't faster, just more options. If you like options though, they have some good ones and they are all reasonably priced. For $20-22k you can have a 3 that is loaded to the gills with everything from Xenon headlamps to a navigation system and it is still and incredible bargain.
I like the sedan better. The hatchback is nice, but the space behind the rear seat is just silly, it's less than half the amount the huge trunk of the sedan has and the sedan looks better IMHO. A wagon would be a dream, it's a shame they don't make one.
OVERALL: The fit/finish is better than anything near its price by far, handling is in the top 10 of cars I've ever driven in my life no joke. Shifter is the best I've ever felt period. Power is not amazing, but the flexible engines never feel sluggish and the total package is so much fun to drive that it's silly especially considering the price.
Go and drive one. If you can find a better new sports sedan for $15-17k --- buy it.
I predict the Mazdaspeed version will be superb enough to cross-shop against cars costing $10,000 more.
The only way this car could be any better is if the mid level 2.3 engine made more power, something like 175 hp and if they offered a wagon. With that it would be untouchable.
Can't say enough good things about this car. I cannot comprehend how they can build a machine this nice for that price. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
