Mazda Breaks $22K with Its Ultimate Hot Hatch

The Mazda3 shocked compact buyers when it first came to market. Not only did it perform better than most competitors it was up against, but even in base trim it offered an interior quality that rivaled some premium brands. The entry-level 3 continues forward into 2007 more or less unchanged, but for those looking for a little more action on the road and track, a range-topping MAZDASPEED3 is being added for the coming year.

Not to be outdone by its hot hatch competitors, the new MAZDASPEED3 gets sold off the rack with what Mazda calls "a double dose of Zoom-Zoom"; a 263-horsepower turbocharged and intercooled four-cylinder engine with a formidable 280 lb-ft of gut-wrenching torque. It maximizes power at 5,500 rpm and torque at 3,000, which should make for a very tractable driving experience no matter the situation. A six-speed manual takes care of shifting duties.

Amazingly, the MAZDASPEED3 puts all this energy through the front wheels. Normally a small car powered by such power would optimally get all-wheel drive in order to minimize torque steer and all-round stability, like Subarus Impreza WRX STi or Mitsubishis Lancer EVO IX, but in the same way that Dodge is confident that its new 300-horsepower Caliber SRT4 will be drivable when putting the power down, Mazda is bullish about the MAZDASPEED3s at-the-limit control.

No doubt the automaker also feels confident that the cars rather steep base price of $22,800 wont turn off potential buyers. But relative to its competitors, is the MAZDASPEED3 really expensive? After all, a Subaru Impreza WRX TR edition starts at $23,995 and the top-line STi will cost you a heady $32,995, but these are rally-inspired performance machines that will most likely outperform the Mazda, especially in slippery conditions where their all-wheel drive would make them dominant. At the other end of the performance chart, hot compacts such as Chevys Cobalt SS Supercharged start at $20,495, but with significantly less power and nowhere near the Mazdas refinement, while Hondas even less energetic but nevertheless high-quality Civic Coupe Si will set buyers back $20,290. Probably closer to Mazda in all-round near-premium quality is Volkswagens new GTI, which again doesnt make as much power yet starts at $21,990, still under the MAZDASPEED3.

Of course, its impossible to quantify a car such as Mazdas hottest five-door merely by comparing output ratings and pricing, it will no doubt come down to personal taste. Still, it stacks up pretty well amongst its peers using this simple formula, and given that the regular Mazda3 is already a very impressive performer, the new MAZDASPEED3 should be well worth the asking price.

It will arrive in Mazda dealerships across the nation later this month.