2009 Mazda Mazda3 Review

If you don’t love this machine – there’s something wrong with you!

By: Nathan D. Adlen

If I were to tell you that a car can make you a better driver, you should take notice. If I were to add that this car is fairly inexpensive ($24,000 - $26,000 pending on options), fairly economical (MPG is about 18 city, 26 highway), and SERIOUSLY fast (0-60 in less than 6 seconds), you should head over to your local Mazda dealership – like, now!

Yup, the 2009 Mazdaspeed 3 is that damn good.

There is very little I can say to put down such a well executed vehicle. First of all, the Mazdaspeed 3 is based on the regular Mazda 3, which is an excellent place to start. Even though the platform is several years old, it is still a strong foundation to build from and one that Mazda used on other well made vehicles like the Mazda 5. Keep in mind that the Mazda 3 has won several awards and still steals sales from the likes of Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

A Mazdaspeed 3 is a Bionic Man version of the regular Mazda 3. Better, stronger and faster with a 263 horsepower (a whopping 280 lbs feet of torque) and 2.3 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder; this is no econo-box. Additionally, the structure is reinforced, fenders flared, wheels widened and suspension significantly beefed in order to harness the power. All this and a smart electronic traction control system that retards wheel spin and helps mitigate the potential for massive torque steer (there still is some, but it is manageable).

Chunkier disk brakes and sporty seats complete the major upgrades to move the sweet Mazda 3 into the monster Mazdaspeed 3’s territory. Your molars will yank themselves out of your face when you stop in less than 112 feet from 60 mph. The cozy sporty seats will keep the rest of you buckled in. That’s top-end sports car league breaking; only appropriate as the rest of the car is in that same league, except for price.

At 3,153 lbs, the Mazdaspeed 3 is fairly light for the amount of horsepower under the hood. 263 horsepower is mucho power, just imagine how it responds to the Mazdaspeed 3’s weight. That comes out to 1 horsepower for nearly every 12 lbs. Consider that the 224 horsepower (3,142 lbs) Subaru WRX has about 9 ½ horsepower for every pound, and I consider the WRX a very quick car. Now imagine that power to weight ratio working for the Mazdaspeed 3.

The looks are subjective for those of you who refuse to find hatchbacks attractive. I find it fairly clean and muscular without embarrassing itself like other “boy racer” cars. To the untrained eye, the Mazdaspeed 3 looks like its little Mazda 3 brother with beefier, 18 inch wheels. Looking deeper, you should be able to detect the larger fenders, side skirts, exhaust and a spoiler. The front end has integrated fog lights that look aerodynamic and help the normally mellow looking face. It is less “boy racer” than, say, the Mitsubishi Evo, but still imparts an air of sports pretension. Mazda has yet to truly update the look and I think it is something that should be done in the next year or two. My main gripe with the exterior is the lack of color choices. Mazdaspeed 3’s color options amount to four – and that’s it.

The interior is well put together and the sport seats are very comfortable. It would be nice to have a few more inches of travel in the front. At 6’2”, I was comfortable-ish, though I needed another inch to find that just right feeling. Back seat comfort is fine for people in the short to medium category, with well sculpted seats. Tall people may find it slightly less accommodating and tight on legroom (headroom is fine).

You get the black interior trim to choose from on the “Sport” and black Alcantara seats with leather bolsters in the “Grand Touring.” They are both nice with my preference being the “Grand Sport” interior. Still the regular black is very nice with its well woven fabrics. I do wish they had more variety. It’s kind of junior league to see “Mazdaspeed” woven on the seats and floor mats; at least it’s unique compared to the regular Mazda 3.

Some may complain about the simplicity of the instrumentation and controls. I find most of them easy to reach and use. Even my vertically stumped sister would have no problem sitting comfortably and reaching everything (except, maybe the rear-view mirror). The orange on black looks good and is fairly easy to see. Save nearly 2 grand and get an aftermarket navigation system. The one Mazda offers is good, but I don’t think it’s worth nearly 2 large.

I have NO problem with the feeling of the 6-speed manual transmission. It provides easy, drama free shifts and provides a decent feel. I liked it a little better than the 6-speed I sampled on the Subaru WRX STI. Seriously, it is still the best way to get the most out of your car, and this is the only way the Mazdaspeed 3 comes – thank god.

{Here’s a hint. If you want to save some bucks on buying an economy car and want a little bit of fun, learn to drive a stick! Seriously; its how dad did it, grandpa did it and you can do it too.}

Trunk/cargo space is great, perhaps 5% less than an equivalent VW 4-door Rabbit. It is useful space for regular errands and can hold a small stroller along with a family load from a bulk store. If you have a larger item, or one of those massive infant strollers, simply dropping one side of the 60/40 rear seatbacks will let you hold fairly long objects (2 long shop brooms fit at a slight angle).

Driving is what the Mazdaspeed 3 is all about, and when I say “driving” I mean, balls out, hyper racing on city streets and canyons – “driving.”

Do whatever you can to take a test drive WITHOUT a sales person. Now, if you are alone, rev the snarly 2.3 liter up to about 4500 rpm and bump the smooth 6-speed into 1st as you quickly let off the clutch. You will feel a bit of a tug at the wheel (just ignore it) as you stomp your happy foot down and zap to 6000 rpm. “BAM!” shift quickly to 2nd gear and repeat; by now you will be going about 35 to 45 mph. The steering will ease up as you slam it into 3rd and sweep past 70 mph. I kept hitting 60 mph under 6 seconds. Mind you, that is at over a mile above sea level.

You can do this all day. Or, exploit the other strong part of the Mazdaspeed 3 – handling. It is a bit twitchy on rough roads, so I would recommend a smooth series of corners to get started. Every corner exit will increase in excitement as you learn what gear works best for the Mazdaspeed 3. I learned that if you wait until just after the apex before planting the power, you will avoid over-steer and most torque steer. Just use the balance and let the momentum pull you through the corner. It’s a blast!

Don’t worry about the turbocharger kicking in mid corner or at unwanted times; the Mazdaspeed guys did a supremely good job mitigating it. In fact, there is almost no turbo lag, just a firm thrust that pulls you into your seat as if someone is tugging on underpants. It’s a unique sensation that I highly recommend. Drive a car like this at 7/10th its limit while managing not to crash and you will actually become a better driver. This is a very forgiving car, as long as you keep a little bit of your reserve.

Here is the best part of the Mazdaspeed 3 equation. Let’s say you need better mileage, a cheaper price and less bravado; I recommend eyeballing the regular Mazda 3. My cousin has had the Mazda 3 sedan for a few years and she is still delighted by it. No matter what version you get, the performance and quality is hard to beat. Now that the Mazda 3 has been in production for over 4 years, it’s a proven design that needed little if any updates.

What makes the Mazdaspeed 3 so compelling (other than its kick-ass performance) is that it can easily be a daily driver and can return mid 20 mpg if you take it easy. I drove it like a gorilla on meth and still managed a hair over 20 mpg. Lugging my daughter and all of her accouterments around was a breeze and the rear doors open wide enough to allow easy removal of her booster seat. Plus, there was enough room for two other kids – no problem. So, if you had to give up your Mazda MX-5 Miata (or the equivalent) for a small family, the Mazdaspeed 3 might make your withdrawal sickness easier.

No self-righteous “greenies” can get after you for having this much fun. This is still an economy car (sort of). Few people (including dudes with radar guns) know how naughty the Mazdaspeed 3 can be, so it may not be long before this model is discontinued. Why are you still reading this? GET TO MAZDA AND BUY A MAZDASPEED 3!

Man, I wish I could… stupid mortgage!