As one of the most popular vehicles in Canada since its launch in the fall of 2003, the Mazda3 has always been regarded as a compact car that offers a dynamic driving experience. But afterwards, the Japanese company decided to assign a new mission to the Mazda3: beat the Volkswagen GTI as the ultimate hot hatch.
Massive torque
The centerpiece of the MAZDASPEED3 is the turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-litre 4-cylinder engine. Developing 263 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, the engine is a fire-breather, and in a car that weighs 3,150 lbs (1,430 kg), it has no problem delivering explosive performance.
While trying to achieve the best acceleration times, launching the car actually takes a little practice. You either underrev the engine and the car bucks before taking off, or overrev it and get an uncontrollable amount of wheelspin; the car then takes off in a challenging, torque-steering frenzy.
What is torque steer? In front-wheel drive cars with high-torque engines, like the MAZDASPEED3, the front wheels go berserk under full acceleration and tend to tug from one side to another. The driver must be cautious and keep both hands on the wheel in order to guide the car in a straight line. The MSP3 isn't dangerous, but you have to be careful during launches and passing manoeuvres.
0-100 km/h flashes by in 7.5 seconds and rips through the quarter-mile in 15.4 seconds at 147 km/h. These numbers would be greater if the car was easier to launch, as the manufacturer tells us it can get the 0-100 done in 5.8 seconds.
Fuel consumption could also be better, too, as the MAZDASPEED3 is averaging 12.8 L/100 km in our hands, excluding the track session during our recent Hot Hatch comparison test.
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| The driver must be cautious and keep both hands on the wheel in order to guide the car in a straight line. |
Massive torque
The centerpiece of the MAZDASPEED3 is the turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-litre 4-cylinder engine. Developing 263 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, the engine is a fire-breather, and in a car that weighs 3,150 lbs (1,430 kg), it has no problem delivering explosive performance.
While trying to achieve the best acceleration times, launching the car actually takes a little practice. You either underrev the engine and the car bucks before taking off, or overrev it and get an uncontrollable amount of wheelspin; the car then takes off in a challenging, torque-steering frenzy.
What is torque steer? In front-wheel drive cars with high-torque engines, like the MAZDASPEED3, the front wheels go berserk under full acceleration and tend to tug from one side to another. The driver must be cautious and keep both hands on the wheel in order to guide the car in a straight line. The MSP3 isn't dangerous, but you have to be careful during launches and passing manoeuvres.
0-100 km/h flashes by in 7.5 seconds and rips through the quarter-mile in 15.4 seconds at 147 km/h. These numbers would be greater if the car was easier to launch, as the manufacturer tells us it can get the 0-100 done in 5.8 seconds.
Fuel consumption could also be better, too, as the MAZDASPEED3 is averaging 12.8 L/100 km in our hands, excluding the track session during our recent Hot Hatch comparison test.
 |
| The centerpiece of the MAZDASPEED3 is the turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-litre 4-cylinder engine. |