Motortrend 10' MS3 review

[Stotrupp]

http://motortrend.automotive.com/115367/112-0911-2010-mazda-mazdaspeed3-test/index.html

"While the MazdaSpeed3 has not beaten the GTI when facing it in one of our comparisons, Mazda has given it new life for 2010, and we wonder: is that going to be enough to dethrone the GTI?" LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!

"Can the new MazdaSpeed3 beat the next-generation GTI? The Speed3 offers fun on twisty roads at a bargain price, good looks (although we're still trying to get used to the new nose), roomy interior for the car's size, and the practical function of a hatchback. It is also faster at the track than the GTI is. The Mazda is definitely catching up to the GTI, but unless the next generation of the VW has gotten worse than the ones that came before, the MazdaSpeed3 isn't quite there yet. Refinements and other improvements have absolutely made the car better than it was, but until Mazda does something to alleviate the torque steer, It seems the Volkswagen would still be king."

* These people apparently don't understand the concept of both hands on the wheel when flogging a high powered FWD car.

 

[Stotrupp]

I guess a pretty interior goes a long way these days lol

 

[hectik1]

Good read even though they are biased!

 

[Stotrupp]

Good read even though they are biased!

They're so biased it makes me sick to my stomach!

 

[Sport6]

I didn't know the GTI was competition really... It hasn't been in any of the other magazines..

 

[Trdkamuri51o]

for some reason i dont feel it is biased.... and torque steer is an issue with any FWD car.. the gti is an awesome car, but remember most of them have 2 less doors!!!!

 

[Stotrupp]

I didn't know the GTI was competition really... It hasn't been in any of the other magazines..

The GTI isn't even in the same league with the MS3! Its performance is on par with a Honda Civic SI.

 

[Saskatchewan17]

Motor trend is a joke... every other auto publication I can think of rates the MS3 as top of the sport compact class. Edmunds, R&T, C&D.

 

[oaklandopen]

The GTI isn't even in the same league with the MS3! Its performance is on par with a Honda Civic SI.

it is solely on the fact that it is in the "hot hatch" or "bargain performance" and the like. so basically its cars like the cobalt ss (tc or sc), mini cooper s, gti/r32 (r32 is pushing it cuz it is overpriced), civic si, calibur srt4, and i think that's it

they mainly throw cars together starting with price, then power. and since it's widely known that german cars have awesome handling and "overall" nice qualities to them, the mags tend to lean towards them, or base other cars off of their perfection. bmw has been pretty much the king of those mags since forever, and it seems every article that pins another car up against it is always getting compared to the bimmer and nothing else

the newer mag that pinned the camaro ss, challenger rt, and mustang gt got a lot of heat from the readers, but the editors were right in putting them together based on price. turned out the ss camaro was the better buy, even though it wasn't pinned against the top engines in the ford or chrysler group

 

[Saskatchewan17]

^In C&D The Mustang won that comparo^

Sure the price point suggestion is true... but the GTI is more expensive than an MS3. And basing these facts off of magazine reviews the GTI doesn't: Handle as well or have as much power.

 

[oaklandopen]

i thought the camaro won because everyone who wrote in kept saying it was "unfair to not include the gt500 and srt8 in the comparo", so i figured the stang and challenger lost

 

[Stotrupp]

for some reason i dont feel it is biased.... and torque steer is an issue with any FWD car.. the gti is an awesome car, but remember most of them have 2 less doors!!!!

What does having 2 less doors have to do with this? Regardless the MS3 is leaps add bounds the better performing vehicle here. Acceleration wise the MS3 is so much faster its not even funny. Motor trend apparently rates interior quality and refinement over performance because thats really the only area where a GTI might have an edge and even then its a close call. The whole torque steer issue they keep bringing up is just an excuse they love to use to make the GTI look better. In reality the speed3 isnt that hard to control if you keep both hands on the wheel @WOT.

 

[zx2man]

yeah pretty mute subject...I would say the gti has slight refinement improvements over the ms3..and german engineering..so thats about it..and these days japanese engineering is just as good for the most part..unless were talking high end M&AMG cars...and with Nissan making the the sweet ass GTR,that puts those subjects in prospective too...Soooo what leg does the Gti have to stand on...its a good car..decent power..good gas milege and sporty fun..Mazdaspeed 3 has awesome power,super fun factor,great priced and still has good gas milege...in terms of perfomance..the speed 3 destroys it on straight line and is atleast on par if not better on the curves..But oh wait..people are knocking on at my door...its guys from motortrend!!!!..ummmmmmm yeah the GTI is the the best!!(screwy)

 

[nazgul350r]

"While it isn't as bad as it was in other cars we've tested, it's noticeable enough that we hope to see the addition of all-wheel drive in the future -- or a slight power reduction." <--WTF

 

[Stotrupp]

"While it isn't as bad as it was in other cars we've tested, it's noticeable enough that we hope to see the addition of all-wheel drive in the future -- or a slight power reduction." <--WTF

Yeah apparently they don't understand the concept of "throttle modulation" or keeping both hands on the steering wheel @wot between shifting. There’s no other way around it, they’re on VW payroll and or getting some kind of reimbursement for their outlandish total bulls*** reviews. The GTI and Mazdaspeed3 fall into the “Sport compact” category with “Sport” being the main idea here, not luxury or refinement. They are so full of s***. The Mazdaspeed3 doesn't need to catch up to the GTI, its the other way around. The GTI needs to catch up to the Mazdaspeed3! I wish I had what they're smoking over here.

 

[BillTheCat]

I stil don't understand why everyone goes gaga over VW's interiors. They're rather spartan, the seats are rock hard, and they're, well, mostly... beige. (pukey) And all that beige tends to get dirty & hold stains, etc., too. Yay.

I have to assume that Motor Trend is testing the GTI with a 6-speed, and not the DSG, because the DSG is a steaming pile of crap in any of its automatic modes. And if you're going to use it in manual shift mode, why bother having it at all? To save your left foot all of that work, and then pay 3-4 times the going rate for a tranny rebuild when the time comes? No thanks.

From reading the rest of the article, it at least sounds as though Mazda made some decent improvements to the new MS3. Smiley bumper or not, performance improvements are always a plus in my book.

 

[Stotrupp]

Yeah it seems like the new MS3's handling has improved pretty significantely.
.92g's on the skip pad &
72.4 mph slalom is pretty damn impressive!

I wonder what a 1gen speed3 could do with say Cobb stage 2 suspension (sway bars, springs), wider/ lighter wheels, stickier wider tires...

 

[Tyrdstorm]

"while it isn't as bad as it was in other cars we've tested, it's noticeable enough that we hope to see the addition of all-wheel drive in the future -- or a slight power reduction." <--wtf

+1 wtf

 

[mr_mazda329]

Motor Trend is a bunch of pansies. They rave about the new Z06, yet can handle the disi? Failcakes!

 

[oaklandopen]

i like the one vid where the ms3 was pitted against an r32, and beat it out by a smidge. well, at the end with the guy talking and the cars in the frame he started talking about getting a couple upgrades for the r32 and it would give the mazda a run for the money

sounds like a bunch of guys on here when you tell them one car can beat another, then they come back saying "well all you need is an intake, mm, blah blah blah..."