MAZDASPEED3 high-performance compact sport wagon comes with a 2.3 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder engine with 250 horspower2008 MAZDASPEED3 MAZDASPEED3 Overview
The 2008 MAZDASPEED3 is the sporty, high-performance version of the MAZDA3 compact five-door wagon. It is a blast to drive with sports car performance and handling while still being practical to own because it gets good mileage and has excellent carrying capacity. At around $25,000 out-the-door, including delivery, the car is a good value for the performance.
Sporty compact cars that are in direct competition with the MAZDASPEED3 for both price and performance include the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series 128i, Honda Civic SI, Mini Cooper S, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution RS, Subaru WRX, Volkswagen GTI, and the Volvo C30.
The MAZDASPEED3 hasn't been on the market long enough to determine how well it will hold its value. However Mazda is a terribly underrated and unappreciated manufacturer and because of that we expect the cars to depreciate faster than some of its competitors. That said, we believe Mazda builds some of the best handling cars on the market.
MAZDASPEED3 is the fourth car to use the MAZDASPEED name in the United States since the 2003 introduction of the MAZDASPEED Protege. Other MAZDASPEED cars that have been offered for sale in the U.S. include the no-long-produced 2006 MAZDASPEED6 and the 2005 MAZDASPEED MX-5 Miata. The same car in Europe is called the MAZDA3 MPS (Mazda Performance Series), and in Japan it is called the Mazdaspeed Axela.
MAZDASPEED3 is based on the MAZDA3 five-door hatchback wagon2008 MAZDASPEED3 front view The MAZDA3, that the MAZDASPEED3 is based on, was first introduced in 2003 and is built on the same platform as the Volvo S40. It is the descendant of the Mazda GLC (Great Little Car) and the Protege. The MAZDA3 is the smallest car the company sells in the United States.
MAZDASPEED3 Exterior
The MAZDASPEED3 is based on the MAZDA3 five-door hatchback wagon and shares the same basic styling. It is a great looking car. A number of enhancements have been made to give it more aggressive styling and better aerodynamics. The front fenders have been widened to accommodate larger tires for a well-planted stance. Bold lines in the hood's sheet metal flow back from Mazda's trademark five-point grille giving it an in-motion look. MAZDASPEED3's aerodynamic front bumper features a large lower grille ensuring good airflow into the radiator for proper cooling. The MAZDASPEED3's sides features aerodynamic skirts. These skirts provide a sporty look, while also keeping air from spilling out the sides from under the car. This helps the MAZDASPEED3 stick to the ground for better handling, by creating suction. The rear features a high-mounted rear spoiler at the end of the roof line and a large diameter tailpipe. These attributes will appeal to the tuner set.
The MAZDASPEED3 has a performance-oriented interior that features refined design and better quality materials than many of its competitors2008 MAZDASPEED3 Interior MAZDASPEED3 Interior
The MAZDASPEED3 has a performance-oriented interior that features refined design and better quality materials than many of its competitors. The sport seats are high quality, solid, and comfortable with large side bolsters to hold the driver and front passenger in place while in high-speed turns. There is red accent stitching on the seats, steering wheel and six-speed manual transmission shift knob. This stitching is a nice touch and it is similar to treatments found in the BMW M series cars. The instrument panel has a cool matte-black decorative insert and blue electroluminescent gauges that are easy to read at night. The gas, brake, clutch and dead pedals are all made of drilled aluminum for a race car-like look. The door scuff plates are stainless steel. It's a hot-looking package.
MAZDASPEED3 comes with a 2.3 liter. 250 horsepower dual overhead cam turbocharged 4 cylinder engine2008 MAZDASPEED3 engine MAZDASPEED3 Performance
The MAZDASPEED3 has a fantastic engine that provides real driving excitement - exceeding the company's "Zoom-Zoom" advertising slogan. The car is powered by a 2.3-liter, dual-overhead cam, turbocharged, intercooled, four-cylinder engine. It delivers in excess of 250 horsepower to the front drive wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. This is the same engine used in the MAZDASPEED6 and the CX-7 crossover SUV sport utility vehicle. In the MAZDASPEED3 it is dynamic.
The engine and cylinder heads are made of aluminum, to reduce weight. There is a large air-to-air intercooler that keeps temperatures lower in the cylinder heads. Cooler air takes up less space, allowing for more air to be introduced in the cylinder heads for a larger explosion resulting in more power. This turbocharged engine provides comparable power and acceleration to larger six-cylinder engines, while consuming less gas and emitting fewer exhaust emissions.
MAZDASPEED3 features a great six-speed manual transmission. It's a blast to drive. Mazda transmissions are generally very smooth - as good as those found in other Japanese imports and more expensive cars like the BMW 3 Series, Mini Cooper Clubman, and the Audi A3 and A4. The transmission shifts smoothly and the wide gear ratios afford great control over the engine and entire rev range.
When you step on the gas the MAZDASPEED3 accelerates quickly and smoothly without hesitation. Getting up to speed when entering the freeway, or changing lanes, is effortless - it has got to be great fun on a racetrack. You can be confident than when you need to accelerate out of danger, you'll be able to do so.
The MAZDASPEED3 has good, but not great, mileage especially on the highway at 26 miles to the gallon. (Great highway mileage is 30 mpg, or above.) On city streets the 18 miles per gallon listed on the sticker is considered weak.
The MAZDASPEED3 has a high-mounted rear spoiler and large diameter tailpipe2008 MAZDASPEED3 rear view MAZDASPEED3 Ride Handling
An automotive journalist colleague once said to us that there are only two mass-producing automakers who really understand how to make a car handle well: BMW and Mazda. We agree with him. The MAZDASPEED3's light-in-weight, high power engine delivers sports car like performance and it is a blast to drive.
MAZDASPEED3 has a more rigid body than the standard MAZDA3 giving it better handling than its sibling. The body has a reinforced front cowl joined directly to a plate in the top section of the front shock mount. This gives the car the same rigidity as one fitted with strut tower bars. This prevents deformation of the front-suspension towers, maintaining correct suspension geometry. There is a closed section member reinforcing the floor tunnel to further reduce flex.
The MAZDASPEED3's MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension have higher spring rates and larger diameter stabilizer bars than the standard Mazda3. The car has large-diameter, four-wheel disc brakes, which are vented in front. This gives the car fantastic stopping power.
The ride comfort of the MAZDASPEED3 is slightly compromised in favor of better handling. But it is certainly comfortable enough to be a daily driver, unlike the competitor the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo.
MAZDASPEED3 Safety
MAZDASPEED3 features Mazda's Advanced Impact-Energy Distribution and Absorption System. It delivers a robust and safe body structure for protection during collisions. Inside the car there are standard dual frontal airbags and seat-mounted side and roof-mounted curtain airbags. Collapsible brake pedal and steering column structures reduce the risk of injury to the driver's lower legs, especially when there is engine intrusion into the cockpit in a front-end crash.
The MAZDASPEED3 received five-star crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for frontal crash impacts for both driver and passenger, as well as for rollovers. NHTSA did not perform side-impact crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Mazda3 - the car the MAZDASPEED3 is based on - a Good rating for the frontal offset crash test and a Poor rating in the side impact crash test.
MAZDASPEED3 Conclusion
The MAZDASPEED3 is a priced-right, fun-to-drive performance hatchback. It gets decent mileage given its gas-hungry features but has fantastic carrying capacity, ride and handling making it a great option for a daily driver. Owners will enjoy its affordability and performance, especially its acceleration and handling in long, high-speed turns.
MAZDASPEED3 Pros: Youthful fun styling, great engine response and acceleration, fun to drive, good cargo capacity.
MAZDASPEED3 Cons: Fair gas mileage. Mazda cars don't have much status but who cares when the car is this good.
MAZDASPEED3 Ratings (1-10):
Style: 7
Performance: 8
Price: 8
Handling: 8
Ride: 7
Comfort: 7
Quality: 8
Overall: 7.5
