C&D MS3 Review, 1 Down, 2 to Go

[seanw]

Here's the skinny on the Nov C&D review of the MS3.

Very good review overall, well-written with touches of Top Gear color. For example: "The Verdict: Mazda's minute wagon gets drunk on boost without losing it's balance." They had a tough time figuring out how to get the best drag strip times. They asked Mazda and Mazda told them to "flat shift through 2nd and 3rd . . . . Don't worry it won't break." Apparently keeping the thing floored while shifting violates C&D's test protocols, and they equate this to dropping a Steinway on the clutch and half-shafts. So I am unclear if they followed this advice or not.

Everybody was happy with it. The editor who was so worried about torque steer says that Mazda has "shackled the torque steer demon, pretty much. . . . Wow, how do you say GTI in Japanese?" Another says "Apart from [a notchy, vague shifter and having to push a button to remove the key], it's a brilliant little car." Last guy says "The line forms behind me!" I can't believe they added a button you have to push to remove the key. Do they like having customers curse them every time they shut the car off?

Anyway, for those who are interested the 0-100 mph acceleration breaks down like this:

0-30 - 2.3
40 - 3.4
50 - 4.4
60 - 5.8
70 - 7.2
80 - 9.3
90 - 11.4
100 - 14.8
110 - 17.8
120 - 21.9

They list top gear acceleration from 30-50 and 50-70, but I think that's stupid. If you want to go faster drop down a gear or two. I'm surprised they didn't throw it into engine protection mode with all the knock a 6th gear 30-50 roll-on would cause.

Skidpad - .87g; understeer - minimal; braking 70-0 - 167 ft. Don't ask me to scan the article, please. It'll be on your local store's shelves soon if it's not already.

 

[MazdaTurboSpeed]

Is anyone else disappointed? The 0-60 time is good...but they had to WORK to get that. Obviously the driver comes into play,..but these guys drive any and every car out there. It's their job! 14.4 in the quarter!!?? Whats up with that? I am sure that once the technique is perfected, with good conditions, you can rip a 14.1-14.2.
I love this car overall, but I'm seriously thinking of pulling my deposit and getting a MS6. What happens when we mod the MS3? How will the launch be then? I'm just thinking that AWD might be better to have.

Please don't stone me to death in the town square...lol. (peep)

 

[dread]

Yeah it seems as thought the ms6 would kill this ms3 especially with minimal mods ie. intake and exhaust. If they made the ms3 awd they really would have had a sti/evo killer and it still would have been cheaper than both of those cars. Not that the ms3 isn't a completely amazing car but it just makes you wonder about the choices of mazda. I guess we will have to wait and see, but I still want a ms3 despite the less than spectacular numbers.

 

[MazdaTurboSpeed]

Hmmm.. the only thing saving the MS3 for me is the hatch... decisions decisions. Is the trans the same in both cars..cuz C&D didnt really like the MS3's.

 

[tsunami]

i believe its the same tranny different clutch...

and due to the fact that it is a front wheel drive car with a tq limiter (boost i would imagine) in first and second gears... now i can deffinatly see a good reason in first but in second as well?? thats where the majority of you pulling comes in a 0-60 sprint and also the 1/4 mile you don't get to third and full power until then as well, it may make more sense to shift early from second into third to get the full power of the turbo earlier for a better time? but when i first read that they were limiting it in first and second i new the numbers were not going to be what they should for the quoted hp... remember guys this is a fwd car with WAY to much tq.

just my .02

 

[Newf]

hmmmm, wonder what gas they used.

 

[tsunami]

oh god more of the 91 only in cali thing again... its retarded if thats the case that mazda makes the tune for 93 and then sells them in states where they can't get anything higher then 91.... i think the states should all get 93 wtf is the difference am i going to deplete the ozone more using 93 octane?? i don't get it.

 

[II-Savy]

If you hold her straight you get the whole can of spam, read the article.
To me an under 6 second to 60 every day car is kick ass!

Edit - Consumer Reports dumps hard on the 6 series.

 

[haze20]

You have to look at what kind of cars they usually drive. Sport Compact Car in my opinion will run better times with the MS3. C&D is use to driving RWD cars.

 

[seanw]

Is anyone else disappointed? The 0-60 time is good...but they had to WORK to get that. Obviously the driver comes into play,..but these guys drive any and every car out there. It's their job! 14.4 in the quarter!!?? Whats up with that? I am sure that once the technique is perfected, with good conditions, you can rip a 14.1-14.2.
I love this car overall, but I'm seriously thinking of pulling my deposit and getting a MS6. What happens when we mod the MS3? How will the launch be then? I'm just thinking that AWD might be better to have.

Please don't stone me to death in the town square...lol. (peep)

I think the irony here is that the MS6 was supposed to be the handling car, what with the AWD and all. But the MS3 is being a called a track car by SCC and getting overall kudos from C&D (note: "minimal understeer"), while the MS6 is the drag stip king. Too funny, since the MS6 is marketed as the understated BMW/Audi alternative and the MS3 as the "Wild Child".

Does anybody still have the C&D with the comparison "Everyday Heroes"? I want to see how the MS6 acceleration stacks up against MS3 in 10 mph intervals. I can't find my hard copy and the online article doesn't appear to have the chart that was at the end of the article in the hard copy.

 

[Insurance Guy]

oh god more of the 91 only in cali thing again... its retarded if thats the case that mazda makes the tune for 93 and then sells them in states where they can't get anything higher then 91.... i think the states should all get 93 wtf is the difference am i going to deplete the ozone more using 93 octane?? i don't get it.

I've been scouting the gas stations near my home, in anticipation of having to buy premium gas. 90% of the stations sell 93 octane, not 91. There are a few that sell both, but the majority of the stations are at 93. Then there's Sunoco with 94 octane.

Premium is going for about $2.49 - 2.59 in Delaware.

 

[jersey_emt]

The 0-60 time of the Mazdaspeed3 is a bit misleading and "tainted" by the fact that you need to shift to 3rd to get to 60mph. If 2nd gear topped out at 60+ (like the MSP), the 0-60 time would drop by at least a couple of tenths.

 

[CTGrey02]

14 second quarter miles are hardly drag kings... They do however make plenty of power for a commuter vehicle. I just want to smile again on my way to work.

 

[jersey_emt]

14 second quarter miles are hardly drag kings... They do however make plenty of power for a commuter vehicle. I just want to smile again on my way to work.

A stock MS6 is capable of 13 second 1/4's. Even though you lose the AWD as well as a few ponies, the difference in weight should allow the MS3 to obtain similar times.

It will of course require practice to do so. A magazine review only puts the car down the track a few times, a good driver should have no problem matching or beating the "magazine specs" after adjusting to the nuances of that vehicle.

Even so, mid-high 13 second cars are hardly drag kings either. But mid-high 13 second cars are definitely quick enough to put a smile on your face, especially if that power is matched by the superior handling that we all know Mazdas are lucky to have.

 

[msp35]

The 0-60 time of the Mazdaspeed3 is a bit misleading and "tainted" by the fact that you need to shift to 3rd to get to 60mph. If 2nd gear topped out at 60+ (like the MSP), the 0-60 time would drop by at least a couple of tenths.

Whaaaaa, I hit 59 just @ redline, so I guess I'm a pussy for not waiting to shift a little longer. That's okay i prefer to KEEP my engine in 1 piece for a
little longer.

 

[seanw]

14 second quarter miles are hardly drag kings... They do however make plenty of power for a commuter vehicle. I just want to smile again on my way to work.

Excuse me, take it in context. Of the two cars, the MS6 is the drag strip king. But, beyond that, 13.7 1/4 miles is not too shabby for any car in the MS6's class.

 

[CTGrey02]

Yep, not bad. I knew what ya meant. It's a good time on 4 wheels.

 

[protege02]

The 0-60 time of the Mazdaspeed3 is a bit misleading and "tainted" by the fact that you need to shift to 3rd to get to 60mph. If 2nd gear topped out at 60+ (like the MSP), the 0-60 time would drop by at least a couple of tenths.

the ms3 has 6 gears, so the redlines will be different then say a 5 speed. the protege redlines at like 35ish(forgot this one so it could be higher), 60, 80, 110 to 115ish to whatever the topspeed is(my es went up to 132mphish with 17's on it, so it's not accurate).

the ms3 will probably be 2 to 4mph shorter with the extra gear. my sentra redlines at 32, 52ish, 76ish, 90, n that's as far as i've redline, so it all depends on gearing.

 

[protege02]

http://www.caranddriver.com/previews/11603/preview-mazdaspeed-3.html


that is the link

 

[jersey_emt]

the ms3 has 6 gears, so the redlines will be different then say a 5 speed. the protege redlines at like 35ish(forgot this one so it could be higher), 60, 80, 110 to 115ish to whatever the topspeed is(my es went up to 132mphish with 17's on it, so it's not accurate).

the ms3 will probably be 2 to 4mph shorter with the extra gear. my sentra redlines at 32, 52ish, 76ish, 90, n that's as far as i've redline, so it all depends on gearing.

Not sure what point you are trying to make.

The MSP (and other 3rd gen Proteges with a manual gearbox) hits the rev limiter at right near 62mph in 2nd gear. You do not need to shift to 3rd for a 0-60 run.

The MS3 has shorter gearing and requires the shift to 3rd in order to hit 60mph, so the 0-60 time is a bit higher than what is expected based on the HP of the car. Adding a 2nd gear shift adds on a bit of time to the 0-60 run.