2010 Mazdaspeed 3 – Long-Term Road Test Update

2010 Mazdaspeed 3 – Long-Term Road Test Update «

2010 Mazdaspeed 3 – Long-Term Road Test Update

Date: December 2010
Months in Fleet: 13 months
Current Mileage: 30,744 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 23 mpg
Average Range: 366 miles
Service: $319
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $217

A vigorous power-to-weight ratio is always seductive around the C/D HQ. A car packaging that attribute with feline reflexes is likely to find favor even if it also has significant drawbacks. So it is with our long-term Mazdaspeed 3, a classic hot hatchback with a gift for traffic dissection. Its blend of eager turbo thrust, snick-snick six-speed manual gearbox, and mongoose transient responses has made it a staff favorite. But the exceptionally high fun-to-drive index is mitigated by a few negatives, particularly when the driver is dealing with stop-and-go traffic.

Hair-Trigger Clutch

The above descriptor appears more than once in the Speed 3’s logbook, alluding to the heavy spring action and minute pedal movement between partial and full clutch engagement. Most drivers are able to finesse this trait with a little practice, but newcomers are likely to experience lurching launches, and almost everyone who spends time in the car comments on it.

Once the clutch is transmitting power—especially anything close to full power—to the front wheels, another undesirable trait appears: torque steer. This is a common problem in front-drive cars with lots of power and relatively low curb weight, a problem Mazda attempted to address in its 2010 update of the Mazdaspeed 3 with, among other tweaks, heavier-duty half-shafts. Nevertheless, when the driver tramps on the throttle in any of the first three gears he’ll find himself in a wrestling match with the steering wheel as the car tries to go somewhere—anywhere—other than the desired direction.

Lovable Rascality

Like touchy clutch engagement, torque steer is a trait that drivers learn to deal with over time, although it’s more pervasive and requires constant vigilance, especially at lower speeds. But for all that, almost every mention of torque steer and/or the tricky clutch has been balanced by praise for the Mazdaspeed 3’s athletic character, fluid power rush, and decisive handling. True, the nimble handling comes at the expense of ride quality that can be harsh, as well as a fair amount of noise transmitted by the tires and suspension. But this hasn’t kept the car from being a favorite weekend sign-out by staff members.

Solid Service Record

The 3’s service record has been exemplary, especially for a car whose very nature invites hard use. A couple of unscheduled stops at the dealership were detailed in our previous update, and we have taken the car in for four scheduled service visits. Including an oil change, tire rotation, and various inspections at each stop—plus a $90 alignment to fix a vibration on one occasion—the four have totaled $319. Fuel economy has been respectable, too, again considering the nature of the beast. We’re averaging 23 mpg, with occasional interstate stretches edging close to 30 mpg. Add in a spacious cargo hold, and the Mazdaspeed 3 is proving to be an exemplar of the hot-hatch breed—even with its shortcomings.Continued…