2008.5 Mazdaspeed3 Road Test

Angry. That's the word. The Mazdaspeed3 is an angry car. Angry that it doesn't

Looks angry, sounds angry too. (Photo: Dan Heyman, American Auto Press)

quite garner the same respect as perennial sports compact leader Honda with their latest Civic Si, or the across-the-pond competitor, the Golf GTI. Angry that even though it actually has more power than Mazda's suicide-door equipped sports coupe cum sedan, the RX-8 (a great car in its own right, don't get me wrong), it isn't the car that immediately comes to mind when listing high-performance Mazdas. But the peppy little 'Speed3 shouldn't be so angry.

Having just spent a week with Mazda's manic hot-hatch, I think it really needs to seek counseling to right its massive inferiority complex (is that an oxymoron?). For starters, the Mazda3 was a refreshing take on the compact car when it was released as a 2003 model. Its engine was a fiery little unit that showed that Honda wasn't alone in making great four bangers, while its styling showed that you could get from A to B on the cheap and reliably without having to sit behind the bland dash of a Corolla. Now that the geniuses over at Mazda's performance division have had their hands on the 3, you still get all the benefits of the regular car, but with performance that is hard to match.

Hatch-top spoiler one of the many tidbits that transforms the common Mazda3 into the Mazdaspeed3. (Photo: Dan Heyman, American Auto Press)

Prior to getting into the Mazdaspeed3, I had just spent a week in the latest Civic Si, and was convinced that I had just sampled the crème-de-la-crème when it comes to the sports compact world. Now, I think I have to adjust my judgment, a little.

Let's start with the impressions the car leaves from a stylistic standpoint. My particular example was finished in what Mazda calls “True Red”, and true it is. This hue was the exclusive color for the first model year of Mazdaspeed3, and was dropped the following year, but it's back for 2008.5. Rarely was I forced to guess where I'd left the car in a large parkade; that searing color makes it impossible for the hatch to hide among the neutral grays, whites and “champagne” colors so prominent in the automotive world today, and when the visibility is optimal I swear my car could be seen from a thousand yards away. The only knock I have here is how tempting the 'Speed3 is to drive quickly, and how quickly any police officer would be tempted to pull it over even if it was moving at 5 mph over the limit, given its go-fast color. Best to be prudent when using your right ankle muscle, then.

There's plenty of poke from the turbocharged, direct-injected four. (Photo: Dan Heyman, American Auto Press)

Equally eye-catching is the spoiler sprouting out from just above the tailgate. Now, I often find spoilers on wagons/hatchbacks (this car is a mix of both, really) to be a little hokey and obtrusive, but the one found on the 'Speed3 manages to get noticed without completely dominating the car's profile. Along with the side sills, front air dam, body-color grille and wing mirrors, rear valance and LED “Hannabi” tail lamps, the wing helps deliver an air of unity and tightness to the car's styling without feeling like they're a bunch of bolt-on aftermarket parts.

Personally, I found the Mazdaspeed3's visual highlight to be the aggressive rear diffuser that gives a rally-car flare to the hot-hatch. Officially, the car is no longer than its brethren, but when seen from the side, that diffuser really gives the impression that the car is ready to tackle the twisties, be it on the road or the track. The only exterior styling changes for 2008 (or 2008.5, as Mazda has taken to calling its latest models) include bright finish (and very boy-racer) 18-inch alloy wheels that may not help the already stiff ride, but boy do they ever fill the arches generously.

Polished 18-inch wheels contribute to the stiffness of the ride, but they look great. (Photo: Dan Heyman, American Auto Press)

Inside you'll find black-on-gray cloth seats, plus piano black dash trim. I used to think that carbon fiber or brushed aluminum was the only way to add sportiness to an interior, but I must say that the smooth, high-gloss finish accenting my test car's cabin was great. It looks classy while some faux-carbon fiber or plastic impersonating aluminum can be distracting, and it also provides an ideal contrast to the bright red instrumentation. For their part, the seats with their red piping and “Mazdaspeed” embroidery (by my count, the Mazdaspeed logo itself is repeated 6 times throughout the interior) are the business. Side bolstering that is supportive, but not to the point of intrusive such as those found on the RX-8, and grippy upholstery help keep drivers firmly in place. They do their part to provide a sportscar-lite feel to the 3. I love them, as oftentimes the sporty intentions of a car can be felt as soon as you sit down and peer over the wheel, without ever having to turn the engine on. But oh, when that engine does eventually spark...

Aggressively bolstered cloth-trimmed seats hug your torso nice and tight. (Photo: Dan Heyman, American Auto Press)

One blip of the throttle and the Speed's angry, grumbly vibe becomes an angry yell. I have never heard a four-banger with a tone like this. While not quite up to V8 muscle-car standards, the burbly growl from the 3 is as close as you're going to come without doubling the cylinder count or installing a paint-can sized muffler. It's menacing, really, and while initially fun, it can become a little grating on longer drives. But really, who cares if the Premium Bose audio system is sometimes drowned out a little when the road opens up and you get to really exploit the MS3.

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