MS3 vs MS6: What Do You Think? PART 2

[SwampAss]

that's interesting as to the results you get for MPG's in the speed6. It sounds as though it's within 2mpg. Had I known that, my decision would have been a little tougher. I think interior wise, the Speed6 was a bit nicer. It was also roomier, which is never a bad thing. I also think the 6 looks better.

I've had AWD cars. And loved them. (Audi quattros) In your part of PA, you see a bit more snow than I do. That would have been another thing to factor in. Especially since I spent two years partying at Lehigh when my friend got in on a baseball scholarship. I'll admit, this much power in a FWD car is a bit useless at lower speeds, but it's still a boatload of fun to try and put it down.

 

[gsrtype1]

there both so good its hard, my ms3 spanks ms6 even with the traction prob., but i stil love the sensation of florring the ms6 in 1st and getting that 4 wheel traction rush foward feel, even though the ms3 losss grip its still rips foward a little faster, becuase its lighter i guess . both wonderful cars ....

 

[redspeed]

I drove both cars the same day at the dealer. First the ms3, I instantly fell in love with it. The Power, the handling and the interior were some of the things I liked the most. But they had a 06 ms6 sport for 21k and I was like "I have to drive this car". The interior was nice, but you can really feel the extra weight on the ms6 after driving the ms3. The handling was good too but the ms3 feel more solid. Don't get me wrong I was seriously thinking of getting the ms6 because mainly the price and the looks, but after driving the ms3 it feels way more powerful and sporty, and my main factor is always power.

Just for your info, I drove a 06 wrx the same day, the car I wanted for like 4 years. Compared to the ms3 and ms6 it was A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT. The car feels fast, but the interior, handling and engine noise was pretty bad. And the freaking doors OMG! every time you open and close them, they feel like they gona fall off! WTF.

 

[Betelgeuse]

I came from a Mazda 6s so I was used to the interior roominess, but at heart I was never really into sedans so I'd find myself looking seriously at the mazda 3 hatches driving around. Yeah I'd agree the interior was a little nicer but the 3 was always good enough to me. Then the time came to make a decision.

I wanted something fast, economical, good looking and practical (I needed some utility). The mazdaspeed 6 just couldn't quite fit the good looking and practical part. Yeah the speed 3 might have a smaller passenger cabin but fold those backs seats down and you have a lot more usuable space than the ms6 for transporting bulky items. And the speed 3 hatch is a very sweet-looking car from any angle (IMO).

Another thing I wanted was something that could take a beating and keep on ticking so that meant no AWD. I know some will argue this point, but it seems AWD's hidden costs are in its upkeep unless we're talking about more expensive cars like an STI. Yeah drive'em like grandma and they last but that's not the way I drive. I'm just not convinced they can take a beating like a FWD without breaking something especially when it comes to power mods. Yeah I know I gave up some off of the line performance but I've never regretted it once. And I drive a sport model so gadgets mean ziltch to me.

 

[MS6S2K]

that's interesting as to the results you get for MPG's in the speed6. It sounds as though it's within 2mpg. Had I known that, my decision would have been a little tougher. I think interior wise, the Speed6 was a bit nicer. It was also roomier, which is never a bad thing. I also think the 6 looks better.

I've had AWD cars. And loved them. (Audi quattros) In your part of PA, you see a bit more snow than I do. That would have been another thing to factor in. Especially since I spent two years partying at Lehigh when my friend got in on a baseball scholarship. I'll admit, this much power in a FWD car is a bit useless at lower speeds, but it's still a boatload of fun to try and put it down.

I'd guess the Speed 3 would have the advantage in MPG due to weight and less boost starting out, and the AWD thing doesn't play too much of a role because when cruising all the power is to the front wheels. The price was the deciding factor for me. Had the Speed 3 been available at invoice, I'd have waited and gotten one, but I knew before it came out it wasn't gonna happen.

As far as power comparison, there's about 450lbs difference, so obviously once moving the Speed 3 will be faster. A FWD car with that kind of power wouldn't really bother me very much, as I really don't drive the car fast until I'm moving anyway. You're definitely right. With 18 inch wheels, all season high performance tires ( which is what I swapped out with the summers for year round use), fwd wouldn't cut it in snow. Having the tires I have on the car makes AWD that much more necessary to me, and it got me out of jams this past winter whereas the Speed 3 with same tires would not have. The AWD kicks in immediately, and with DSC and the weight, I believe this car is even better in the snow then my STI was, so it really comes in handy. Plus, the commuting in this car is just fabulous for my long highway trips compared to the Speed 3.

This is why it's great to currently have both the Speed 3 and 6 available at same time right now. You can pick the car for what suits your needs, and you cannot go wrong either way. It makes total sense that the Speed 3 would be the main enthusiast car, and the Speed 6 would be purchased by all kinds of everyday people and enthusiasts as well, because of the price deals and the luxury.

Notice how even though there are currently more Speed 6s on the roads, there are way more Speed 3 fans on this site. I've met two other Speed 6 owners, and neither of them were car enthusiasts at all. As far as they were concerned, it was a top of the line Mazda 6 that had AWD, and was manual. With Speed 3 owners, those are fans that truly know about the car, and bought it with an enthusiast state of mind. That mentality is exactly why the Speed 6 failed, and the Speed 3 shined. The Speed 6 just isn't enough of an enthusiast car because of it's weight and luxury. I can't hear the turbo, and hardly the engine it's so darn quiet. I forget sometimes I'm driving what's supposed to be an enthusiast car. It's really a powerful luxury performance crusier sedan. Had they made this in auto, the car would have sold like hot cakes, because everyday people would have been buying them right and left.

 

[SwampAss]

you said a mouthful. Esp in your last paragraph.(drinks)