My Mazdaspeed 3 Impressions

[Turtle of Time]

I went to purchase a new car after the MSP was retired... and I saw a MS3 GT w/o Nav on the dealer lot... while the car does look good from the outside, its interior looks good too... Until I got in the car...

Creature Comforts

I'm 5'5" and this car felt like I was in one of those clown cars...
Everything feels too close and cramped and even worse in the back seat... its nearly impossible to get all passengers comfortable at full capacity.

On the MSP on the other hand (and MS6) full capacity does not feel cramped in any way.

The seats do have more support on the side bolsters in my opinion than the MSP did, so they do a nice job of holding your ass on the seat, the perforated material has good grip on you... but no heated seats are also a turn on.

The cloth seats are the best bet, since the leather is really 50 leather /50 cloth on some parts.

For you speed/performance nuts

The car has alot of get up and go... It's almost as good as the MS6/STi/Evo on throwing you in the back of your seat, but not as much as it also loses boost near redline.

The handling is not spot on or as some of you guys call it "on rails" like the MSP but it does the job pretty well.

It was daylight when I tried the car, so I didn't get to see the HIDs, but the LED brake lights looked pretty sexy.

True Red really got my hairs standing on end, but if it wasn't for the cramped interior I would have gotten it.

Aesthetics

The wheels are different from the MS6, and in their own way they do look good. And of course if you debadge your MS3 to make it a Mz3 no one will be able to tell the difference, unless they look for the stock wheels, or the bulge as on the MS6.

The floating foglights is only a mind trick, as they are sealed on and supported on the bumper.

 

[Turtle of Time]

last pic

 

[ZoomZoomH]

so they have one at rosenthal arlington huh

 

[Salmon_Rob]

they have one at fitzgerald, went and looked at it

 

[Turtle of Time]

Yeah, but they're charging over MSRP so unless you feel like calling MazdaUSA HQ to make them stop that practice you're more than welcome to. But the car feels like a driver and passenger vehicle only... I didn't find it too functional as a family car.

 

[Salmon_Rob]

you dont have a family

 

[ZoomZoomH]

awwwwe turtle wants lil turtles crawling around lol

 

[Salmon_Rob]

i dont think the world is ready for that

 

[Captain KRM P5]

first of all, finally someone who is shorter than me (i am 5 ft 7 in) . second of all, having a 3 myself (just bought an 07 for the misses) i agree on back seat room, but I found the front to be very roomy compared to my protege.

i will be checking out the 6 and the 3 next year when my payments go bye bye. right now i am leaning towards a mazdaspeed6 because you seem to be able to secure a badass discount on one and get more car for the money.

 

[ChopstickHero]

i always found my friend's 3 alot roomier than mine. even in the back seat.

maybe it's just personal preference. i'm not diggin the red though. i like the other colors better.

 

[PRO 5]

Wait, your 5'5" and you say your cramped in the front and the back??? I'm 5'11" 220lbs and there is a lot of room in the front and the rear even compaired to my old P5. Thats kinda wierd.......


Dave

 

[ZoomZoomH]

i think turtle may have misinterpreted the hugging front seats of the MS3 (w/ big side bolsters) to 'being tight', since the MSP's seats are like couches compared to the MS3's.

 

[jbiird317]

I'm 6'2" 220 and I have plenty of room in the front seats...the bolsters definitely hug you in the turns... different than in the protege for sure, but far more comfortable IMHO. As for the back seat, my roomate said it seemed kinda cramped, but I havent sat back there yet so I wouldnt know

 

[PRO 5]

i think turtle may have misinterpreted the hugging front seats of the MS3 (w/ big side bolsters) to 'being tight', since the MSP's seats are like couches compared to the MS3's.

Yeah I could see that. I love how the seats are. Very supportive yet comfortable.


Dave

 

[protegeV]

wtf? I'm 5'7" 260lb and I don;t have ANY problems with the front seats or the rear. plenty of room for two car seats if need be, or two adults(probably not three). Oh yeah, and I took some nice turns and I can say the MS3 DEFINITELY handles better than my MSP did, and it rides rougher to boot. other than those two points, I agree with you.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

i sat in one today as they prepped the car for display. i am mildly disappointed that the interior is damn near identical to the 07 grand touring my wife just bought, i would have hoped for a little more something to scream 'mazdaspeed' when you sit in it. the seats were good, nice grip from those side bolsters. if you're going to make it leather though, make it all leather, not that swimsuit mesh crap they put in the early msps. shifter was really tall though, can't say i liked the feel of that.

other than that, i like the car. my buddy in the parts dept really wants to buy one but mazda is not doing anything in terms of E or S plan for at least six months.

until i drive it, my money is still on the mazdaspeed6.