Car and Driver Review

[servoeyes]

Here's why I take C&D's opinions with a grain of salt...

In the MSP review they were so desperate for listing negatives that the size of the radio's buttons and it's apparently subsequent complexity (it's like a fisher-price toy compared to some stuff I've seen) was one of them. They also seem to prefer smoothness to handling...which is more about how they classify a car. They group something like the MSP (really an enthusiast's car) properly in comparisons, but in the review they expect it to be as refined as a BMW, and as simple as a coloring book.

Basically, they find something negative about every car they review, just so that they can have a counterpoint.

 

[PeaB0dy]

Well, after driving a 3 GT GFX, I did not find it fun to drive at all...

My noen was more fun to drive

The P5, now that's a thing of beauty..

Hell, even a Renault Clio, with a 1.4 litre 65 hp was more fun to drive...

 

[M3-GT]

Well, after driving a 3 GT GFX, I did not find it fun to drive at all...

My noen was more fun to drive

The P5, now that's a thing of beauty..

Hell, even a Renault Clio, with a 1.4 litre 65 hp was more fun to drive...

Again....this thread is going on the childish side. My magazine's better than yours, My car's better than yours etc....

A neon (and I had one) or a Clio is more fun to drive? We obviously have a different view of what "fun to drive" means....

 

[TUNGSTENGREYWIDOW]

Well, after driving a 3 GT GFX, I did not find it fun to drive at all...

My noen was more fun to drive

The P5, now that's a thing of beauty..

Hell, even a Renault Clio, with a 1.4 litre 65 hp was more fun to drive...

Damn that's harsh.

 

[Newf]

i think fun to drive is a personal opinion. I drove it, it's a nice car. I can't see how a car that is faster, quicker, more power all around, more responsive steering, and handles better is not as fun????

I have never liked Car and Drivers opinions. But they, contrary to what some say here, do get decent 0-60 / 1/4 / skidpad times compared to other mags. So at least they can drive to a degree. However, I think most of them should just retire and let the next gen editors take over.

 

[mazdaspeedpower]

damn you 3 guys are harsh. put down anything that isnt completely glowing about the mazda3.

i suppose the srt4 kill stories are coming soon...

Hey! Go easy on them, they aren't MSP drivers u know, only we can make up such good kill stories. But hey, amybe they'll take some of the heat from Matthew and get him off our backs

 

[leungwingkei]

The MSP in the CD comparo against the SVT, SRT4, SE-R was a pre-flashed version. The biggest gripe they emphasized the most was the stuttering of the engine, a condition experienced by some MSP owners before they vehicle was flashed.

Got to keep the above in mind when reading the results.

But even if that problem was mended, I think that it would only come in second after the SRT-4, since in almost every other comparo, the SRT-4 comes in first. Not to say that the SRT-4 is a better car or anything.

But given their objectives of doing the sport compact comparo, raw power and speed of the SRT-$ takes precedence over refinement and handling finesse of the MSP.

 

[Newf]

I agree with leungwingkei. Even with the flash, i think the srt4 would have won. I mean come on....the damn thing does 0-60 under 6 sec's and it's a 20k car. For some people.....that's enough.

 

[misbehave]

My run down -
Car and Driver = Soccer mom pandering; too many minivans
Motor Trend = Actually thinks America produces high quality autos
Automobile = Snobby and overblown; seems to pander to BMW WAY too much
R&T = Not that bad but I can't remember the last time I read one though

LOL, I agree man!

I think all the above magazines (or I should say all the auto magazines) leave all the mini-van reviews to be done by Comsumer Reports.

(Actually I think they should also leave all reviews of all the boring family cars/Vans/SUVs made by Buick, Chev, Ford, Saturn, Oldsmobile, Lincoln, Mercury to Comsumer Reports).

 

[Dexter]

i already told you all about the SFTD scale.

 

[Dre]

I said I don't care for C&D. I didn't say I don't care for the thread. Some people like to know others' opinions on things. I thought I'd share mine.

 

[Dre]

And I gave my opinion. Thanks for coming out sparky!

 

[Dre]

You're very welcome.

 

[taylor5]

the article

I read the C&D article and well.....

I cannot help it, but the first thing I thought when I saw the side view was...."Pontiac".....I looked again and again and again and could not shake that thought outta my brain that they copied the Vibe. It might be a more "mature" car than the Protege', but damn, it seems like it lost the "Mazda Personality" in the looks department.

I am sure it drives great, but I dont think I could trade up for it. I do like the very rear view of it though, that seems to retain the Mazda look, but the rest makes me numb.

Now the "Sedan 3" , that is a whole different story....Nice Update!

-Tay

 

[Newf]

Funny, my woman ( clueless about cars ) looked at the sedan side on and said it looked like a sunfire????

WTF? I almost kicked her out of the damn car!
That's blasphemy.

I need to go up and take a shot of the base sedan with the hubcaps on it. It's SOOO much like a jetta side on it's scarey. Even the hubs look like the VW

 

[Dre]

newf, you took the rims and brakes off to look at the hubs?

 

[1sty]

So Car and Driver sucks because it wasn't glowing about the MZ3?

It rated the 1st MP3, P5 and LX in multi comparos.

Yep I won the comparison

 

[leungwingkei]

Me too!

 

[RHAGEL]

Re: the article

I read the C&D article and well.....

I cannot help it, but the first thing I thought when I saw the side view was...."Pontiac".....I looked again and again and again and could not shake that thought outta my brain that they copied the Vibe. It might be a more "mature" car than the Protege', but damn, it seems like it lost the "Mazda Personality" in the looks department.

I am sure it drives great, but I dont think I could trade up for it. I do like the very rear view of it though, that seems to retain the Mazda look, but the rest makes me numb.

Now the "Sedan 3" , that is a whole different story....Nice Update!

-Tay

I totally agree, but if you go see the hatchback in person, it looks much better. I saw a sunlight silver and they were planning to fit it with some sort of 18x7" gunmetal rim with machined lip. The car is going look phat, once it it done. I still am going to get a sedan. But, I am going to seriously thinking about putting 18's on it.

 

[loccusst]

I Don't think I like the new 3. It just looks too much like a Vibe or Matrix. I would have to replace the grill. I think that might help. I do like the interior alot.