And now for the technical side of it: I've already mentioned the variable valve timing, but the GT also upgrades from the base 2.2-litre
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| An extra 26 horsepower plus 0.2 liters displacement and the GT actuallygets slightly better fuel consumption than the base engine, at least with an automatic. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
unit to a more substantive 2.4-litre engine, adding sequential multi-port fuel injection with high-flow injectors to go along with the usual electronic throttle control, and they also increased compression ratio from 10.0:1 to 10.5:1 for greater explosiveness across the power band. An extra 26 horsepower plus 0.2 liters displacement and the GT actually gets slightly better
fuel consumption, at least with an automatic. With the 5-speed Getrag manual, consumption is not adversely affected in combined use.
Speaking of the manual, I found it both easier to operate than some more challenging stick/clutch combos, yet rather unnerving in its positioning. A little clarification is in order, I suppose. After having just stepped out of a Mazdaspeed6, the clutch was soft and somewhat of a relief to operate. And while the shifter was short and the throws easy although perhaps a little loose, when in the lower arms (2, 3 and R) the knob was so far back that
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| One thing I was not expecting was the variable assist power steering, and though I greatly appreciated the added maneuverability of the steering wheel, the turning radius seemed unnaturally wide. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
it was practically bumping into the armrest requiring an unnatural and uncomfortable reach to grip it and push it back up. The knob itself was a pretty cool chrome-plated billiard-ball-sized grip, but this didn't make up for the overall quirkiness of the gearbox.
One thing I was not expecting was the variable assist power steering, and though I greatly appreciated the added maneuverability of the steering wheel, the turning radius seemed unnaturally wide, so every bit of that assist was needed for my sloppy back and forth attempts at, what I am embarrassed to call, parallel parking. I think it's a genetic thing, and I just don't have it, but in my defense, at least I don't fall back on the, "I'll know when I'm close enough when I feel my bumper hit something" technique that I have seen practiced more and more often on our congested streets.
