Vauxhall Vectra VXR v Mazda 6 MPS v Subaru Impreza WRX STi Spec.D
Buying a coupe is a strange business. It isnt like buying a hatchback or an MPV. It isnt a rational thing to do. After all, how can it be sensible to buy a two-door car when you could have a much more practical four-door version for less money? Simple answer: looks. Its possible that potential coupe owners will find all the information they need in the photographs of this test. Coupes tug at the emotions, and one glance at the pictures reveals Alfa Romeo is playing a sweet melody on the heartstrings with the new Brera. But should that alone induce you to part with 24,500 for the 185bhp 2.2 JTS SV?
However drawn you are to a cars appearance, you dont want to throw that kind of money down the pan. Were here to find out if youd be better off with the beautiful Brera, or one of its rivals. The Peugeot 407 Coupe is also new to the sector, and should offer the most luxury for its 24,200: thats the price of the 163bhp 2.2 SE tested here. Finally, the radical Mazda RX-8, tested in lower-powered 192bhp guise to align it with the other cars, weighs in at a bargain 20,500. Its the oldest of the three, but with its rotary engine and rear-hinged doors, its like no other car you can buy. Time to find out which of these petrol coupes has the substance to match its style.
TEST DRIVE Verdict: These cars need to be good all-rounders, as happy on the run to work as they are on mountain roads. With this in mind, the Mazda wins. Some drivers might be put off by its anodyne engine note, but the MPS provides the best compromise between daily driver and fun weekend car, plus it's the cheapest to buy and run and will still surprise Impreza owners away from the lights. In second place comes the Subaru. We love this car, but when you're not enjoying its abilities on good roads you'll really notice the compromises needed to live with it, like putting up with a lack of safety kit, the jarring ride and the noise. Plus it costs a small fortune to run. The Vectra comes last: it is practical and sounds good, but the ride is floaty on back roads and harsh around town, and it lacks the poise of the other two.
Critics said: Under the Mazda Performance Series banner, or MPS, the Japanese company hopes to carve a niche for itself with a host of exciting firebreathers. The first step is the new 6 MPS. The Mazda certainly ticks the performance box, completing 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds and 0-100mph in only 16.4 seconds. With 257bhp, 380Nm of torque and lots of urge across the rev range, the four-cylinder unit feels more like a big V6, happy to pull low down from any of its six gears and accelerating hard into three figures. To cope with the extra performance, Mazda has fitted a four-wheel-drive system, bigger disc brakes, stiffer suspension all-round and rigidity-enhancing chassis crossbraces. It's also fettled the steering system to give a heavier, sportier feel. Net result is a car which corners quickly and safely with lots of traction and little drama - even on the soaking wet roads that formed part of our test route. Auto Express, Feb 2006
3rd Place
Vauxhall Vectra VXR
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Which is why we were pleasantly surprised when we got the VXR on the road. Admittedly its front wheels do tug left and right when the turbo kicks in its extra power, but unlike the smaller Astra VXR, the action is not particularly brutal. In fact, the turbo's delivery is more measured than the Subaru's or Mazda's; there's just a seamless, linear surge of acceleration. Consequently, the VXR doesn't feel as quick or immediate, but it is deceptively rapid.
Even though it is the slowest car here, on flowing roads the VXR doesn't hang around. The muscular engine means the other cars never get far ahead. The Vectra sounds the most thrilling, too, with a throaty V6 growl that the two four-cylinder rivals cannot compete with. Sadly, the mediocre gearbox is a letdown, with a long throw and oversized gearknob. The brakes counter speed efficiently, but the pedal feels spongy.
However, while the Vectra definitely has the pace, it doesn't quite have the poise. It lacks the grip and nimbleness of the four-wheel-drive cars and it feels like the heaviest car here, even though that dubious honour actually belongs to the Mazda. Although the VXR's adaptive suspension system stops the body leaning unduly in corners, it is not perfect. Even when in Sport mode - which firms up the dampers and sharpens the steering and throttle response - the VXR still gets wallowy over a bumpy road and when it's pushed hard it just doesn't put the driver in touch with the road. The steering is well enough weighted, but it lacks the precision and feedback of its rivals and can kick back over bumps.
The Vectra makes more sense on the motorway. Turn off Sport and the ride is at its comfiest - at least at cruising speeds, for at lower speeds the ride turns crashy again. Our test car had optional 500 19-inch wheels, which didn't help matters.
On a more positive note, the hatchback Vectra makes a very swift family express, with the roomiest cabin and the biggest boot. There's also an estate version for an extra 1,000. You get a lot of kit, too; 18-inch alloys, xenon headlights, Recaro sports seats, air conditioning and a six-disc CD player.
In terms of running costs, the Vectra treads the middle ground here. It's in insurance group 18, while higher-rate taxpayers using the Vectra on company business will spend 279 a month. Fuel bills are still pretty harrowing: 20.3mpg means 10,000 miles will cost you 2,148. At least it's the cheapest here to fuel, but that's rather cold comfort.
2nd Place
Subaru Impreza WRX STi Spec D
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That's the theory, at least. The Spec.D still looks pretty mean, displaying the STi's aggressive snout, bonnet air scoop and bulging arches - plus, now, a far more modest bootlid spoiler than the STi. Thankfully, Subaru has left the STi's 281bhp 2.5-litre turbo engine unchanged, and it's a cracker. As with the MPS, you must wait until 3,000rpm for the turbo to really kick in, and it can feel a bit underpowered until this point. But then all hell breaks loose.
On a string of fast, sweeping B-roads the Impreza feels as close as you can get to perfection. The front wheels faithfully respond to each nudge of the steering wheel, the body stays flat through corners and the four-wheel-drive system enables the tyres to grab the road firmly and hurl you along it at ever-greater speeds. Push it particularly hard around tighter bends and the Subaru's rear wheels gently and predictably step out of line for perfect balance and blistering exit speeds. Fittingly, then, the brakes are fantastic, with no dead travel in the pedal's movement. The gearchange is precise, if not as slick as the MPS's in its action. The whole package is undeniably addictive. But unless you're regularly driving wild mountain routes, you could end up more than a little frustrated if you choose a Spec.D.
The ride is incredibly stiff, picking out every dent and scar in the road, while the track-spec Bridgestone tyres will follow the merest hint of a camber. Extra sound-deadening fails to mask the excessive engine noise on long runs. Factor in a heavy clutch and all but the truly committed will find the Impreza too uncompromising for comfortable everyday use.
Still, at least you'll get a break when you stop for fuel - and that'll happen often. Like the Mazda, the Subaru drinks pricey superunleaded and gulped a gallon of every 18.1 miles. That's a 240-mile range and a 2,409 fuel bill for every 10,000 miles. The insurance is also a hefty group 20, while company car drivers paying higher-rate tax will pay 330 for the privilege of running a Spec.D - the most here.
Inside, the Spec.D looks and feels outmoded. The plastics are certainly below standard for a 28,000 car, and the flashy Pioneer stereo doesn't compensate, although it does link to an iPod and feature Bluetooth. There's room for five adults at a pinch, but the boot is the smallest here, and we can't recommend this Subaru as a family car. The Spec.D has the least safety kit, missing out on curtain airbags and stability and traction control.
1st Place
Mazda6 MPS
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And, in fairness, the 6 MPS is special. It may have the smallest engine here, but with 256bhp it's still second most powerful. And it packs a sophisticated four-wheel-drive system that can channel up to 50 per cent of its power to the rear wheels depending on conditions. Could it be a driver's dream after all?
Initially, the MPS didn't blow us away. For a start the engine sounds terribly dull and uncharismatic. However, keep your foot down and things improve beyond 3,000rpm. That's when the turbo and peak pulling power fully kick in, slinging the MPS forward with impressive - and we have to say it - Subaru-like pace. In a straight line sprint, the MPS is quicker than the Vectra, and not far off the more powerful Impreza. But in-gear acceleration is where the MPS really shines, convincingly outpacing both its rivals.
Happily, it isn't just effective in a straight line. Mazda has stiffened the MPS's body by 50 per cent over a standard 6, and this is evident when you drive it hard on a demanding country road. Here, the MPS is taut and agile: its four-wheel drive enables it to hang on impressively through corners, while stiff suspension stops the body leaning too much, no matter how suddenly you change direction. The brakes are strong, too, encouraging you to brake late into corners, and the pedal has a firm, confidence-inspiring action. The steering is equally engaging, letting you place the MPS accurately on the road with no nasty kickback over rough patches. The six-speed gearbox feels just as well engineered.
Away from the fun roads, on motorways and town streets - where the MPS is likely to spend most of its time - it reverts to being a thoroughly sensible car. The ride is firm, but it's never jarring and by far the smoothest here. Meanwhile, the 280lb ft of pulling power saves you from changing down to overtake, again making the MPS easy to live with.
However, like the other two, the MPS isn't cheap to run. We recorded just 19.4mpg, which equates to 2,247 of fuel over 10,000 miles. But at least it doesn't short-change you when it comes to kit. It gets a six-disc CD player, xenon headlights, side, front and rear curtain airbags, electronic stability control, climate control and 18-inch alloy wheels.
The MPS makes a reasonable family car too. It doesn't have the outright space of the Vectra, but it's got a roomy, functional cabin and feels the best constructed car of our low-profile hooligans.
source:http://www.testdrivemag.co.uk/grouptests/grouptests/201792/stealth_bombers.html
