2010 Mazdaspeed 3: Everything You Love, Only Moreso.

A few years ago, I extolled the virtues of the Mazdaspeed3 to virtually anyone that would listen. Shoehorning the best engine in its segment into one of the most attractive and practical cars available was a surefire way to earn my praises, and the Mazdaspeed3’s excellent performance and superb practicality had me suggesting it to any nearby car shoppers.

But now that car is a distant memory, fading into the obscurity of the countless cars I’ve tested since then. In the years since, there’s no denying the progress that’s been made by manufacturers, and the bar has been raised significantly as a result. And while Mazda still hasn’t fitted the all-wheel drive system touted in the first Mazdaspeed3 concept, the new base model Mazda3 does wonders for the overall personality of the range-topping Mazdaspeed3.

First, there’s the new skin. While the last Mazdaspeed3 earned kudos for flying under the radar, the new car sports more bulges, scoops, and curves than any hot hatch has a right to. Out front, a redesigned front fascia preserves the controversial smiley face, but gives the big grin some teeth via a lower valance and more aggressive fog light surrounds. But, all that is easily overshadowed by the bulging hood (needed to clear the top-mounted intercooler) and snarling scoop. Ramming air through the intercooler, the hood is undoubtedly effective, and will allow tuners to make better use of the power potential lurking in the 2.3L DISI turbocharged four cylinder. Move around to the rear of the car (past the lower side valances), and us Canadians will be treated to a unique colour-keyed rear facia while American cars feature flat black plastic.
Inside, the now-familiar Mazda3 interior is spiced up with a few highlights to remind drivers as to what they’re driving. However, the red dot-matrix-ish gridwork on the black plastic swathed across the dash is one particular reminder I could do without; it looks more early ‘90s hot hatch than modern 21st Century sports sedan. Of course, being a Mazda3, it’s supremely comfortable, and every control falls easily to hand. Between the adjustment in the seat and steering wheel, you’d have to be a Sasquatch to find an uncomfortable seating position, and the commanding view lends drivers confidence. During spirited driving, there’s plenty of elbow room, and the distance from the steering wheel to the shifter is short and direct, meaning you can keep both hands on the wriggling wheel for the maximum amount of time.

That said, you could hammer on this front-driver’s throttle all day long and never see more than a twitch at the helm. Maintaining the same torque limiting system as the previous generation Mazdaspeed3, the new one is even better at maintaining a straight-ahead attitude. With excellent tires at all four corners and butter-smooth power delivery, it does its best to emulate an all wheel drive vehicle. Head into a corner, and the thicker anti roll bars and sticky tires pick up the car’s weight incredibly well before the nose pushes slightly wide. Roll into the throttle, and the ECU matches the torque output to the steering angle and gear to avoid unwanted torque steer. Attack the apex with even more fervour, and the oversized brakes (320 millimetres out front and 280 millimetres in the rear) will hammer the front tires to the road under the weight of the car’s 3,245 pounds. With a static weight distribution of 62.3% front, 37.7% rear, it doesn’t take much to give the front end more grip, and a few malicious flicks of the wheel will bring the back end out. However, push too hard, and that front weight bias overwhelms, sending the 225 millimetres of tread width scrambling and triggering all sorts of electronic nannies.

But perhaps more impressive is the Mazdaspeed3’s manners during sedate driving. Being a turbocharged engine, there’s plenty of torque already, and the torque-sensitive engine management system means there’s even more power when you’re up a gear or two. The suspension, if it’s possible, is even better than the last model’s, and handles high-speed irregularities with aplomb. The larger wheel and tire package produces no untoward noises, and the uprated brakes give even more confidence. In short, it handles slow speeds not unlike a standard Mazda3 would... just, better.

And that’s the best part of the Mazdaspeed3; for all intents and purposes it’s just like a Mazda3 Sport dialled up the 11. It’s got more speed, more performance, and more head-turning looks without impinging on the standard car’s practicality. And with a standard features list that puts many of its competitors’ to shame, it offers the same great value as its slower stablemates. And that's exactly what Mazda needed to do to make this once-great sports sedan a leader in its segment once again.