2013 MAZDASPEED3, Practical and Sporty

Compact cars represent one of the most popular vehicle categories, especially since the jump in gas prices. In the past, people bought compacts mainly for their attractive price, but they had to sacrifice fun, equipment and sportiness. Times sure have changed. Nowadays, there’s a compact car for all tastes: some are simply affordable, others as well equipped as a large luxury sedan, while a few models target performance enthusiasts – and that’s precisely what the MAZDASPEED3 does.

At the top of the Mazda3 lineup, the “Speed3,” as it’s known to its friends, appeals to those who are in the market for a car that’s both practical and dynamic. It owes its practicality primarily to its hatchback configuration and five doors, while its sporty aspirations are met with a flashier design and turbocharged engine. This car oscillates between being sensible and brutish, depending on its mood.

• Also: You’d Better Forget About a New Mazdaspeed3

Power and style

The MAZDASPEED3 crosses swords with several rivals that are every bit as intriguing as it is, such as the Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Si, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart and Subaru Impreza. Only the Impreza and Lancer Ralliart feature all-wheel drive, while the others come with front-wheel drive, the standard for compact sports cars.

At the heart of the MAZDASPEED3’s performance, you’ll find the 2.3-litre direct injection MZR turbo engine that develops 263 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and a torque of 280 lbs-ft at 3,000 rpm. This engine is paired with the only available transmission, a six-speed manual with short gears. With two additional horses, only the Subaru WRX is a little more powerful, but the MAZDASPEED3 is tops when it comes to torque.

Style-wise, the car has several elements that are indicative of its status in the Mazda hierarchy. First of all, its 18-inch dark grey rims fitted with performance tires emphasize its presence. You can’t forget about its exclusive grille and side skirts but, above all, it’s the air intake integrated in the hood that reveals its true aspirations. But this air intake isn’t just about style; it has substance too, supplying fresh air to the supercharged engine.  In back, note its raised spoiler and sport exhausts. Overall, it has some punch – it manages to be very distinctive without overdoing it.
The same can be said on board where fans will notice the aluminum pedals, material of the exclusive seats and the signature mats. There are a few differences in the passenger compartment, but that of the regular Mazda3 was already pretty impressive.

The equipment is relatively complete, but the most demanding buyers can opt for the “Technology Package”, which adds a new navigation system with 5.8-inch touch screen, a blind spot monitoring system and an intelligent key system with push-button ignition.

Sports AND family car...

You’ll appreciate both sides of the car’s personality once you get behind the wheel. Its configuration makes it practical for the family, as evidenced by its excellent work accompanying us and all our gear to a hockey tournament without breaking a sweat. It’s also a first-rate little sports car, as its handling turns out to be a real pleasure on winding roads.

However, you’ll have to get used to the firmness of the clutch pedal and its rather short push distance, which isn’t exactly its best quality in the city or in traffic. Despite its sport aspirations, its consumption of super gasoline remains very reasonable as long as you don’t drive it like an F1 pilot. As for the turbocharged engine, its power is more than satisfactory and it offers good pick-up when you want to pass another vehicle. We would have liked it if the MAZDASPEED3 had all-wheel drive: it would have made it all the more attractive and, more importantly, it would have eliminated its unpleasant torque effect. Indeed, when you press down on the accelerator, make sure you hold on to the steering wheel tightly, especially on uneven pavement. Mechanically, that’s pretty much our only real complaint.

During its launch, there were a lot of comments about the MAZDASPEED3’s very steep price, which was $33,000 at the time. Since then, the price has been lowered to $29,995. This amount is more competitive compared to that of its rivals.