The Mazdaspeed3 Is an Underrated Hot Hatchback
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 มิ.ย. 2024
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Mazdaspeed3 review! The Mazdaspeed3 is an exciting hot hatchback -- and today I'm going to review it. First I'll take you on a thorough tour of the Mazdaspeed3 and show you all of its quirks and features; then I'm going to get behind the wheel and drive the Mazdaspeed3, and I'll review the driving experience.
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Now these are the kinda cars I like to see from Doug, along with the very quirky and older vehicles
I know right? Also, someone please tell Doug to stop filming in the rain, this is the third time he filmed a car in the rain, the second time was the WRX and the first time was the Corvette C8 (yep, Corvette C8, not C8 Corvette).
@@brianlee9233 Does it really matter to you he's filming in the rain or not?
Do you even whine when people still driving when it's start raining? All cars get rain on during their lifecycle, all cars do need to get washed once a while.
All cars have windshield wipers, it's not like a raindrop will melt a car.
@@automation7295 thats not what he meant. In the C8 video, he was filing the interior with the doors open and water was getting in it. Wasn't so bad since it was a mule or press car so it wasn't gonna be sold to a customer.
@@brianlee9233 He made a video where he talked in-depth about this. He only has a limited time to film most cars. If it rains, it rains. Quit whining,
same! all ive seen recently is just a bunch of bmws and Mercedes so this is nice
mazda deserves all praise and love. great company making some relatively fun and affordable cars over the years. My first car was a 3rd gen mazda 3 and i loved that thing so much
They remind me of honda and volvo.
Yeah, I had a Protege 5 when I got my first real job. Put on a RAcing-Beat catback and MP3 playing audio head and it was a SWEET ride until I blew it up at a RACE TRACK! lol
I never owner a speed, but my parents had a tribute back on 2005 and I loved that thing, then one time I was in a pinch for a car and ended up getting a 626. I enjoyed that car for the time I had it. It was fun, and one weird quirk it has was the middle air vents would rotate side to side 😂 I always thought it was weird but it was nice for my kid in the back to get some of the air.
@@blueazure9658 they are like honda (acura) and volvo because they are all premium brands
Underrated...like Volvo 5 pots
I still remember this kid in HS who's parents got him a brand new 2008 Speed3 as his first car. I would stare at it in awe as I'd hear him roll in every morning. Jealous as I was I look back and realise how much maturity & restraint he had for a 17 year old with that car.
i had a speed 6 as my first car and did not have the restraint of the kid you talk about lol
I bought my son one. He's only 4. It was a hotwheel.
I remember a similar situation with a guy that was 2 years older than I was, so a 17 when I was a freshman. Well he had this absolutely sick Eagle Talon TSI, the round one. The last one I guess. Anyhow it had this really cool forest green paint job with sweet 2000's style vinyl graphics. As I'm typing this I actually remember suddenly, he ended up rear ending someone right in the front of the school one day coming back from lunch. Totaled the thing. So much for the whole restraint thing :)
probably why his parents got it because they knew he could handle it
@@trash3570 the first car I bought when I was in high school was a speed 6. In about two months I was back to driving the ancient Honda Pilot my parents gave me lol.
I drove the first gen model and it had THE most torque oversteer of all cars I ever tried. It felt like putting a Hellcat engine today in a Golf GTI. It was huge fun in its own way.
thats true my friend let me drive his, lets say.... it WOKE me up LOL
Wild and pissed. That's what I loved about mine. A few simple mods can reduce torque steer by a lot and improve shifter feel. I had a speed6 too at one point. Only reason I sold is for a special Miata build :)
Shame they never made it in awd
Clearly you`ve never driven a South African Opel Kadett 200TS...
I tuned my first Saab, a 150bhp car to 250bhp. It got pretty insane torque steer after that, have lots of fun though.
Am I the only one who's always loved the smile? It reminds me way more of a beak than anything, and it feels fast and has beautiful motion to it. Their new grille style is a pretty nice evolution of it too
it's kinda cute, which doesn't really match the performance. Also, just noticed from the close up frontal shot that without the smile it would look almost exactly like a Peugeot 208
I love the goofy smile, it just encourages you to have fun. It's almost like the Peugeot 206 back in the day which looked way better than any other cheap hatchback.
I love the smile, that is what originally got my attention and allowed me to fall in love with the gen 2 3s which lead me to love the speed3, and, it's fitting for it. Just watch when he guns it and starts smiling and laughing. That's what these are meant for. They're not for measuring contests or to see who is edgier than the next. They're meant just to have a good time with and the smile on the front accentuates that. I love these cars, I have both a speed3 and a 2.5l.
The miata kinda has it too
Reminds me of the Acura TL grill. I learned how to drive in that Acura (it was my grandma’s).
All I have to say is… FINALLY!
I love my Speed3, and I’m still bitter that Mazda killed the MazdaSpeed brand. I could only imagine how good spicy versions of their new lineup would be.
I traded mine some years back due to kids and needing more space.
I miss it 😪
Sooooooooo ... is yours one of the 98% that's modified? :)
I had one when I went off to college and it was an absolutely awful car... It is the only car I regret selling
@@sunspot478 not heavily, but it sure is 😅 to be fair, I bought it used with some mods already on it
@@ninjacookies0 it was awful but you regret selling it? 🤔 what makes you say it’s awful? It ticked almost every box for me between daily drivability, fun, and practicality.
Every other angle besides looked at it head on shows how beautiful this little hatch was. The rear end and side profile is one of the best looking modern hatches imo
Agreed but I’ll add that the Skyactiv 3 facelift for 2012 is a much better looking front end than the Speed3. The 2012+ Skyactiv3 looks dynamite lowered on Corksport springs and 18 inch RX-8 wheels like mine 👍🏼
@@alexandertebo4011 more like a cheap prototype
@@brotherhood_ofstreetracers4268 a cheap prototype of what?
This generation of Mazda3 was so ahead of its time. For a 2012 compact car, you could option push button start, blind spot monitoring, adaptive HID headlights, automatic wipers, and even blind spot monitoring! I don't think a brand new Civic 10 years later has all of those features available.
I've loved my 6 speed non-MS3 for the last 5 years and it has given me absolutely 0 problems. An incredibly fun and reliable daily driver all around
Blind spot monitoring isn't really a great feauture imo. The focus's blind spot mirror is superior, and doesn't go off when someone is 2 lanes over. Wish proper blind spot mirrors would be standard and monitoring thats inferior for everything but inflating pricetags would go away.
I had one with most of those and even heated front windows which are a blessing during winter.
This car has everything! It even takes turns for you if you hit the gas!
And right down the street there’s a club call Torque Steer, this place has everything…ability to shoot you into oncoming traffic, forces you to get another job to afford front tires, makes you rethink every poor decision you’ve ever made etc.
I have been wanting one for years, any advice?
@@j.a.g.8689 Peepee poopoo. Do what you will with that information, godspeed.
The torque steer is blown wayyy out of proportion. I have a gen 2 and floor it often. Keep your hands on the wheel and it stays in a straight line.
@@sidneywidmark3824 it really is lmao
I like the smile. I was never the sort of person thinking that a performance trim car should look like a monster, such as the new M3. I always think as long as it is different from a base trim, it's fine to me.
It's just so god damn cute, it ends up making me smile whenever I see one
But the M3 is a monster, for a gas car
I totaly agree!
But I also like how much of a monster the M3 is lmao
It's what made me fall in love with Mazda, I kinda wish they brought it back
@@davevolz6138 for a gas car ??
This is the kind of content I'm here for! New cars and super high end cars are definitely still interesting to me, but not nearly as much as offbeat and relatively attainable stuff. I just sold my second gen 3 (not speed) last week, so this does bring a tear to my ear, but having just bought a Veloster Turbo, I'm now a proud member of the hot hatch gang 😤
He has mentioned its actually hard to find an original Mazadaspeed 3. here in Europe its very easy to find unmodified, few of them has been modified.
By the way it was named differently, Mazda 3 MPS.
it's harder to find one that's not rusting away from under your ass in Europe thou.
Why did so few get modified?
@@aaron5222 I'll take a wild guess, because laws are different from country to country, but mandatory technical inspections and traffic controls (when cops pull you over and verify your car for modifications) are a big part of the lack of tuning in Europe. Legal parts are also more expensive because they have to be registered and they aren't legal across the whole Europe (might be TUV certified, but fail the MOT if the car is sold to UK).
@@aaron5222 Not much modding support, as JDM is uncommon here and EUDM is favored. Also, someone mentioned the inspections and that is a factor in most cases. In my country, they can fail you on an inspection for literally anything not factory, and even factory sport equipment is prohibited.
Thank you Doug!! 👏🏻 After years of asking for one, I'm glad to see a review of the 2nd gen Mazdaspeed3. I owned an unmodified 2013 for 2.5 years and it was a great all around compact performance car. It was fun to toss around and kept you on your toes when pushing it. Fun fact: While it has no temp gauge, there's a blue coolant light that turns off when it reaches 55°C/131°F (like in other Mazda models) so you know when it's a better time to push it. There's also a red coolant light that can turn on if it senses the car is close to overheating. I used a ScanGaugeII to scan, monitor and track data with mine.
Facts!
he didnt even wash that hunk of shit though
Ha! My Fit has exactly the same thing (blue and red coolant lights), and I also bought a ScanGauge II to address this.
Mine doesn't have a blue light 🤔
2010
@@crazymonkeydude10 might've been introduced in 2011 then!
Doug is the kind of guy who hands himself in for driving over the speed limit.
you must be new here.
I do food reviews while I’m high off that zaza on my yöutube chånnel 😎
plaid video:
@@SevenHunnid LMFAO 😂 im @ work super faded
If he's in a Police Chase video, it'll be he was driving under the speed limit
These engines did a audible magic trick too. Somehow when you installed certain exhausts, they would sound almost like a subaru wrx. This engine had a great sound for a four cylinder of the time.
It’s because the OEM header was unequal length, if you move to an aftermarket that evens out the runners that goes away sadly, but it helps performance.
Delete the resonators (or single resonator if second gen) and the car sings. Nice little pops if you let off the throttle at 2.5k rpm. Deep and gnarly. Catback too if you want even more aggressive.
Yup that’s how my 2008 speed gt sounded. Deleted cats. Kept the resonator. High flow muffler. Sounded just like a subie. My buddies straight piped his speed and good god it was worse than a Honda straight piped
I had always wondered. I am a huge VW fan who grew up to be an audi fan. But one day I will own a speed3 such a nice looking hatch
I drive an unmodified 2013. Used to drive a plain old mazda3 stick for my work commute, when I went to turn in the lease and get another but all they had were automatics, I was about to walk so they were like, are you familiar with the mazdaspeed...? and after the lease was up I decided to keep it. So fun, so quick, so much power in a tiny package.
Man someday I’ll buy a fun hot hatch brand new like that, must’ve felt amazing driving it outta there
Such an awesome car. Having driven many and worked on more; mazda built a great car. Not as precise as other modern hot hatches, but that also contributed to its spirit and level of fun
I've had my 2012 speed3 since new. I wouldn't sell it for anything. Not only is it still very competitive with the new generation of hot hatches but it's also been super reliable. 120k miles and still has great compression and pulls strong.
I'll give ya 1,000,000 $
Pulls strong, huh? Right or left?
@@chanthonygrove usually towards the nearest pole/ditch
My 09 MS3 has 230k and is still going strong with 30 mpg and only burns a quart of oil about every 3-4k miles. My 2015 Cayenne would burn that much oil when it was almost new. It comes with the territory of direct injections
just about 120,000 miles on my tech-package Speed3. bought it in cash like 3 months before the pandemic, never had better life luck and probably never will again. cheers brother
To add on this... There is a dash light that tells you when the engine is cold (im assuming there is one for overheating but I never got to see mine). Also, in that tiny screen on the dash you can also display your tiny 3 inch Navigation screen, so its not JUST driver info.
Yeah he was wrong on , missed or just specific to this exact car on a bunch stuff. Unfortunate. But still cool to see the car getting some light regardless.
Yeah, I assumed it was missed given maybe this one didn't have the tech package option or gps add-on
Do you have a speed yourself, someone wants to trade my 2004 tsx for a 2010 speed3 the deal seems too good to be true, so im just trying to learn as much as i can with these cars.
@@swiatbrano1899 Might wanna know some details about that speed if you going from an '04 tsx to a 2010 speed. Sound like the speed either got some stuff goin on or it somehow has more miles than your shit lol. Just get a good look at it
@@swiatbrano1899 I had the fully loaded 2.5, one step under the speed
They're seriously fun cars. Back in the day I had a 2001 Audi A4 with a big turbo swap and was making pretty good power. A Mazdaspeed 3 with nothing but a tune and upgraded HPFP internals was able to make me almost look slow.
Yup
What turbo did you have on the a4?
Doug leaves no stone unturned, when it comes to reviewing even the weirdest or most obscure cars. This is one reason why we all love him.
yeah but wash that mfer first.
Except he didn't review the almost unusable navigation system found within that tiny screen.
@@stephenj4937 Except for the part where he reviewed it, right?
A Mazdaspeed 3 is hardly all that weird or obscure. If he wants a obscure Mazda Hot hatch, the 323 GTR is the ticket.
What is happening, since when has a Mazda speed 3 Ben anything but normal?
Ascktually! The first gen had a scoop too, it was hidden in the front grill with ducts to the top intercooler, I loved my 2008.5 MS3 :) Great job Doug, as always!
More of a duct than a scoop, speed6 guy here. Tr8 is great 😂
It does have a temp warning light. Shows blue when it's cold, turns off when operating and red when hot.
The screen did include a GPS on the "tech" package in 2012.
Mine was unmodified until last year when we bought a new family car - 1997 LX450. I put adjustable shocks and lowering springs. However the engine and everything else is stock. Still have the stock springs for the next owner. It's still my daily when i do commute to work. 110,000 miles and no major issues.
You're clutch will be giving out sooner than later....mine lasted until 114k miles, also the KO4 turbo don't last to much after 120k miles when engine is left stock.
Your LX/ Land Cruiser is a beast!! One of the greatest SUVs ever made!!
This was basically my dream car ever since I got my first car which was a Mazda Protege sedan when I was 17. My mother drove a Mazda Protege hatchback so it's safe to say I'm a bit of a mazda loyalist. I suspect I'm not the only one either!
Delighted to say I get to own one, these cars are quite affordable. Just make sure to get a compression test done before you pull the trigger and buy one!
my first (and current) car is a 2010 Mazda3. my dad drove it to and from work for 12 years before I got it, and it now has 264,000 miles on it. it runs great and I love it so much.
I'd love a speed3 or an rx7. I would also call myself a Mazda loyalist. they're all so fun to drive! my car brought me my love of cars and driving
The Speed6 and speed3 were fantastic cars! Glad Doug made this video!
i have a focus RS now, but i do really miss my mazdaspeed 6 some times.
@@xxxUPGRAYEDDxxx I wanted a focus rs. How do you like it?
@@anthonymarlette8124 Its a love / annoyed relationship. I really love the AWD, manual, quick hatchback. There just are not really any sold in the US. But my ford has had a few annoying issues, and dealing with local dealerships in Colorado springs has been terrible.
Overall though, i am really happy i bought it when i did. Since they dont make them anymore, and there really isnt anything else that fulfils the AWD, manual hatch in America.
It definitely feels more powerful than my speed 6, however it does feel much more digital. It feels like the computer underneath is doing a ton of work to keep traction, while my speed 6 felt much more analog, which is the part i miss the most.
One of the best external "quirks" of the second-gen MS3, and one I wish was more used today, is the adaptive headlight system. The headlights are motorized and the beams turn in the same direction that the steering wheel is turned allowing you to see better around corners at night, as well as also moving up and down to stay level when going over undulating roads. I have a 2011 MS3 and love it. It's a super fun car.
My Golf R and M340i had that. Great feature, along with cornering lights.
I had one of these and it was a fantastic car. Way ahead of it's time for the tech too. Blind Spot Monitoring, Bluetooth, a kick ass stereo system. It was a riot to drive too.
Still driving my 2010 mazda 3 and very happy with it. Glad to see it's big brother here !
The first VW Polo to ever appear in a video of Doug is the Polo GTI in the beggining of the video under the "everyone knows" hot hatches. Doug most likely put it there by accident, wanting to show the Golf GTI, but showed an image of the Polo GTI. Doug, could you do a review of a Polo (GTI or not) as to show what is a common car driven in Europe today. I love your videos ❤️
Or a review of the R32! Or a Rallye Golf or Harlequin! There are so many VWs that he hasn’t reviewed. I feel like he’s not the biggest fan of VW 🫤
Where did you see a picture of a Polo GTI?! He shows a Focus ST and a Golf GTI..
he shows a golf gti
Its Polo GTI. Look at rear end, headlights and front bumper.
@@scottipippen6554 at 0:11 he shows a white Polo GTI and then a blue MK8 Golf R.
I had a 2012 modded out in many ways. Was putting down 340hp and 360tq to the wheels. Honestly, I had less torque steer than when it was unmodded but that was from a mix of fully modified suspension, great tires, and upgrading all the motor mounts. It was still there, obviously, but not nearly as dramatic anymore.
This was a cool video for me! Learned how to drive stick on this car. It was a nightmare at first because the clutch was SO short but ever since that car I’ve never had an issue with any manual since. Thanks for the review!
Sold my '10 ms3 at 93k miles in 2019 and I still regret it weekly. Despite having no radio in it for 2 years due to the amp blowing out. Sounded great and reasonably quick, while holding its own in New England winters with a set of blizzaks. I hope they bring it back one day, I will be one of the first in line..
Finally reviewed the Speed - thanks Doug!! Finally getting rid of mine after years of great fun (wife wanted an automatic, so we picked up the new turbo AWD hatch). It's in great condition with 90,000 miles and only the necessary Corksport mods to ensure the engine's safety and longevity along with the motor mounts/etc... I really would love for this to go to another enthusiast - please let me know if you are interested. (Car is in CA)
Send your Facebook I have a car I’m trying to trade for a speed3/6 right now😊
I have a 2008 with 190K on it and I still love it!! I actually purchased a 2021 Mazda 3 hatch but kept this car because its such great car, dependable and fun to drive! I have it upgraded but still no real issues.
My 2008 has 180k and is also next to a 2001 Mazda 3. The 2008 is going to rally cross duty!
@@ins2177 I need a valve clearance adjustment which kinda sucks but I have had not one issues with this car and going on 15yrs old
I had a regular 2010 Mazda3 manual hatch for my first car. Loved it and glad to see this review up. Takes me back
Nice to see Mazda's from this generation finally getting some love. I have a 2009 Mazda 3 (...not a speed 3) and I really enjoy that car. It's unmodified in great condition and if Doug ever wanted to review it he definitely can!
I had this car from 2010 - 2018 and Mazda gave my 6K back on it with 144,000 miles. The car was fantastic and its flaws didn't matter from a daily perspective. It was fast in the middle of the range, and the clutch was as good as the day I bought it when I turned it in. Someone got a great project car.
I had a 2010 speed3 that I bought new. Just a few small corrections for Doug on this one.
In 2010 - there was only 1 version - not a sport or Grand Touring - Mazdaspeed was only available as the mazdaspeed - it blended the Sport and GT trims. No sunroof, but leatherette seating, for example. I think on the sticker though they did put that it was a sport version.
The only available option in 2010 was the tech package - which does put the nav screen into that little info screen if you pushed the nav button on the steering wheel.
The temp coolant gauge that had the blue indicator light was not on the 2010 - it was added on future models.
But... in 2010, it did have keyless proximity key (with tech package) - and you could set to auto-lock when you walked away. Push button start and automatic bluetooth audio. Which in 2010, was still thousands of dollars of options for luxury cars.
First gear also had a torque cutoff in to try to eliminate the torque steer. It didn't work.
Yeah, I had a 2010 3 GT (2.5 NA). One of the biggest downsides to the Speed3 is that you couldn't get the AFS headlights on it. They did eventually make the Speed3 GT he mentions, but I think it was in 2012 or something. I loved my car. Might have considered the Speed3 if I didn't have a 82 mile round trip commute at the time.
@@danielisbell the 2.5 doesn't get much better gas mileage than the 2.3t unfortunately. The 2.5 was a pig.
But the 2010 GT had the LED taillights which made it look that much more "Altezza-y"!
@@drewhinners8793 speaking as a current driver of a 2011 2.5, yup. Missed the i e-loop by a year
The regional differences between the MS3/MPS/Axela are interesting. In the UK, we had the 2nd Gen 2010 BL model from 2009.
Over here the tech package was standard on all models as were other optional extras.
Auto-dimming rear-view mirror, AFS, RVM, LED Rear Clusters, front HIDs (headlight washers mandatory), rear passenger ventilation (through ducts under the front seat's flooring), keyless entry & stop/start, Sat-nav and definitely the little blue temperature indicator light. Heated windscreen was also on this as was dual zone climate, I'm unsure whether the heated front screen was on all models as a base.
Also 1st and 2nd gear were boost limited, something like 4psi in 1st and 7psi in 2nd, can't recall the exact numbers. And no, they didn't help.😅
Must've been nice getting one from new though. Not too common, moreso today with less on the roads compared to then.
I bought my 2013 Mazdaspeed 3 new and I still love it. From the smile to the torque steer, it's great fun and very practical.
I had the 07 Mazdaspeed 6 GT. Fantastic car, all the same power + torque vector AWD. Ahead of it's time and a blast to drive.
I hope he can review one of those some day.
As a kid I saw so many of the second generation mazda 3s and I always loved the front design. Two years ago I bought a 2010 Mazda 3 s GT silver sedan and I have loved it. I don't understand why the front grill was so hated, I love the look of it.
Awww brings me back! Bought a brand new speed 3 back in 2012 and was such a fun little car. Upgrade fuel pump and motor mounts made it a rocket! Great pick to review Doug!!
Great video Doug, can’t wait to see what this car brings on cars and bids. I feel as an owner of one of these awesome cars I should add a few things. I have a stock 2011 speed 3 with the same milage as the car in the video (111k). First this car does not completely lack any kind of indication on the temperature of the engine. The car has two lights in the gauge cluster that indicate if the car is still cold or if the car is overheating. As for reliability, all I have had to do is basic maintenance to keep the powertrain running great. I have had to replace a couple of the door lock actuators as sometimes they didn’t know if the door was open or closed and it was annoying to see the indication that a door was open while driving over a bumpy road. The units only cost $120-140 each and took an hour each to install. I also had to replace the drivers sun visor and sun visor clip. These were also not very expensive at about $90 for the visor, and $3 for the clip. All cars made until sometime in 2010 were also susceptible to issues with the timing chains related to the VVT system. My car being a 2011 doesn’t suffer from these issues. Some early cars may have had this issue fixed under warranty, or by a previous owner. When looking at a car that does not have the revised system, make sure you are able to start the car cold. When you start the car, have the hood open and listen for a rattling noise from the engine (there are plenty of examples of what it sounds like when it has this issue on youtube). You know a car is cold if a blue temperature indicator light comes up on the gauge cluster and the car idles above 1400 rpm for the first couple minutes. If you are looking at a 2010 car you should reach out to Mazda to see if that vehicle has the revised timing system. I also feel like the cars rated MPG figures are slightly low as I get 26 mpg on my car doing a roughly 50-50 mix of city and highway driving. The torque steer in the second gen cars is predictable and can be compensated for (or avoided if you short shift) by a driver who has had plenty of time behind the wheel. If you find a car that has been well cared for and continue to do the same, you will have an awesome, fun, practical hot hatch that will put a smile on your face whenever you find yourself alone on some twisty roads. If anyone has any questions about these cars I will be happy to answer them. I’m not the original owner of my car but have owned it for 4 years and put plenty of fun miles on it during that time.
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super helpful info as I'm checking out a few after my protege5 was totaled by a falling tree
Can someone please acknowledge the genius of this man?
He starts a business selling cars online, which brings him profit.
And that business brings all manner of cool cars, that HE can personally choose from to make car videos, which brings him profit.
Of which those videos he makes of these cars, helps sell these cars and possibly even higher prices, which brings him even more profit.
Which means that more people want to bring him more cars to sell, thus starting the cycle of profit, again.
And all of this means the ones who make the cars, seek him out to make more videos on these cars, which makes him more profit.
Woah
I had a 2012 Mazdaspeed3 and I miss it all the time. It was ALWAYS fun to drive. The torque steer and the front smile were non-issues. Unfortunately the seats are unsupportive for tall drivers and I developed knee pain within a month of owning the car. But I miss the daily fun, so much!
Second this. This generation of Mazda 3 has a ton of drivetrain refinement but are incredibly uncomfortable vehicles for long drives, as I’ve gotten older my 2012 just doesn’t support me all that well.
Always? Maybe as long as it wasn’t bumper to bumper traffic. Had the 1st gen and I hated myself every time I’d get stuck in the city. The clutch was long and heavy. Loved the car though!
@@SeandeDios The spring was hard and the clutch was either on or off but I never minded it.
Interesting, I'm 6'4" and I find my 2011 mazdaspeed3.... passible. Not great but not terrible, I could imagine how people taller than me would start to feel confined though.
@@RiskyBiscuit The problem is not that it's small. The seat bottom is short in length with no tilt adjustibility. I love the feeling of small cars but need thigh support.
So glad that you made this video after I finally sold my MS3 after several years of happy ownership. Prices should finally be where they ought to have been. For the happy new owner.
Of course, I had to pull up FB marketplace. I was shocked how cheap they are, all things considered. I saw a few nice, unmodified 07-08's going from $4500-6500. From what I read though, the reliability looks like it's a mixed bag. Still, 263hp is nothing to sneeze at. Bet they're fun cars.
If you don’t mess with the boost and keep up on oil changes, they are fine. I sold mine with 140k mi, no issues and running strong. If you watch I Do Cars, he tears down a lot of those engines and they are unforgiving if you let the oil go.
My dad had a Mazda 6 MPS (the UK variant of the Speed6) back in the day and it was an incredible car. Just an all round excellent car - acceleration, handling all up there with cars way more expensive. Just very high running costs in the UK but worth every penny for the smiles. Also a lot more exclusive than its competitors, only sold a handful and made it more special in my opinion. Hard to find an unmodified version these days.
I owned one of these. Just a note: There is a temperature light instead of a Guage. It lights up blue if it's not warmed up, goes out under normal temps, then goes red when overheating.
I am so glad Doug did a review of the Mazda Speed3, I hope he gets to review a Speed 6
My older brother had one of these! Made me get into fast hatchbacks! Love them! Mazda bring it back!
There is a temp “gauge”. The coolant light is blue when you first start it up indicating it’s cold. At about 131 degrees, it turns off indicating it’s at operating temp. I own a second gen speed3 and a 2006 mazdaspeed6 GT both heavily modded and I love them both! Love the vid
These kinda car reviews are the ones we wanna see, would love to see you review a g37 sedan 6mt or 4th gen tl shawd manual. Super rare and quirky cars that unfortunately no one bought due to competition at the time being “better” for the price
Love the newer Mazdas. Severely underrated
That's better, so they don't get overinflated like miata
This car ain’t even new
@@x-90 This is the rust chassis mazda, probably worst cars theyve made, dont see any of them on the road anymore because they rusted away in 5-10 years. The actual new mazdas, with skyactiv engines, are fucking bangers.
@@PartikleVT are they bangers because they haven't had enough time to rust yet?
@@PartikleVT I love how everyone don't even realize that all cars rust over time.
These Mazda hot hatchback vehicles were a great way for cheap speed performance for fun and daily use. Epic Review Doug!
I still have my 2010! Love it! original owner and only changed the stock air intake for a COBB short ram intake to hear the bypass valve. so fun to drive!
I know nothing about Mazda. Do these have any issues with turbos like the Korean stuff?
I drove one. It was seriously quick. Driving it on the street was crazy. On the highway, it still pulled hard at 50, 60 even 70.
Finally! The review I have been waiting for!
My first car was a 2007 Mazdaspeed3 (1st gen). Very fun and quick car, an absolute joy to drive. Everything about the torque steer is definitely true, but for me it just added to the craziness of driving it. It’s a shame that they don’t make them anymore, very underrated too. After about a year into ownership, I decided to sell the car because it had rust underneath plus on the rear wheel arches and it was beginning to get out of control. This was the biggest issue with 1st gen speed3’s, and it’s why there aren’t many on the road anymore, especially in the rust belt states. Luckily, I was able to sell it for double what I originally paid (due to covid prices), but I still miss it every now and then.
I must say, I love Mazda. I currently drive a 2020 Mazda3 with a manual. While it isn't as bonkers as the old Mazdaspeed models, it's just a brilliant car to live with. It looks great, the Bose sound system sounds great, and the interior is nicer than it has any right to be. Plus, with that 6MT, I can have fun when I want to and still get 31 mpg. Hats off to Mazda for making cars that aren't too flashy, but are a blast where it counts!
Loved my 09. The torque steer was comically strong and the smoke that billowed out if you haven't floored it in a while gave it a certain amount of character you can't find in modern hot hatches. Definitely the most fun I've had in any car.
What is that smoke???? My 08 will Chuck tons of smoke if I idle for a bit. It only goes away if I drive for awhile.
@@anonymouswaffle33 Best I could figure out is either the Ecu over riching the mixture for safety or soot build up. Mine did it from almost new and the dealer said it's normal.
It’s because it’s direct injection and the valves get horrible carbon build up so when you hammer it it’s burning a little off, it’s actually why these cars blow up it’s more unreliable than ppl think it’s called “zoom zoom boom” mine has 128k no issues so far but a media blast of the valves is highly recommended at 80k
I owned one of those and ABSOLUTELY loved it. Great car for manual shift loving hot hatchback enthusiasts
I’m glad Doug finally reviewed this car. Wish he did a Speed6.
This car was my first fun car. It started my love for the hot hatch market. Mine was a 2012 with the tech package which added clear LED taillights and HID headlights that turned with the steering wheel. Pretty cool stuff for the time and on a fairly cheap hatch.
You did get a dummy Coolant light that was blue when the engine was cold. And would supposedly turn red if it was too hot.
Do you regret selling it?
@@sidneywidmark3824 Not really. It was a fun car but it would have been junk by now. It was modded within an inch of its life. Currently own a 21 Type R which is obviously a better car.
It's nice to watch a review of a car for a change instead of a review of a smartphone with wheels. 😀 I've always loved Mazdas. My first car in high school was a used Mazda RX-3 with the rotary engine, and I also bought a 2000 Mazda Protege ES new. Both cars were a blast to drive and if I ever buy another car (my Honda CR-V may outlast me at the rate it's going), the Miata would definitely be on my short list of affordable sports cars.
Decided to step up my game and bought one of these in silver trim one owner stock. Yes they are a sophisticated engine but what isn’t these days. It’s an amazing vehicle that get overlooked and that’s fine with me. Performance and handling is surgically precise, parts are plentiful and reasonably priced. Get the timing chains serviced and she’ll stay together a long time.
"Everyone knows the VW GTI"
*shows picture of Polo GTI*
I'm sensing preparation for Dougcember.
I have a Mazdaspeed MX-5. We put on a larger intercooler, went to a Borla exhaust, deleted the cats, tuned it, and it's been a lot of fun. Quick little sucker.
Recently bought a 08 mazdaspeed 3 with 19k miles. Super clean condition, love every drive with it
i remember this car well. I was in the market and wanted a hot hatch at that time. I ended up going with just a A3 because of styling and brand but I always liked these because they were more powerful.
I've owned 6 Mazdas in my lifetime, and as much track as my old 1st gen MX5 saw, my 1st gen MS3 is the one I miss the most. Great review Doug.
I have old, rusty, slow, basic model of first gen. Steering is damn great and feels like glued to the groud. In corners, i can keep up with much smaller cars like renault clio/ vw polo... After 180,000 miles the car only needed front shocks and chain tensioner. Dead reliable. Thanks to this car I fell in love with the mazda brand.
I have an old, completely rust free, basic model of the first gen. Just passed 100 000 miles with about 4 litres of oil burned per every 1000 km. I might just toss it off a cliff.
@@spatnaspolecnost is your turbo leaking oil?
I finally got my first car, and it's a gen 1 Speed 3. I couldn't be happier with my purchase!
I only just got rid of my 2008 Mazdapseed3 last year. It was the first car I bought new and I loved it. Such a a cool little car.
Can you review a 1998 Toyota RAV4 convertible?
Been driving a 2010 Mazda 3 manual (106hp) for well over 3 years now with 80k miles on it. I take it every year to Mazda for inspection and service. Been dead reliable for me. Suspension is a bit on the stiff side but as a car it's excellent
I had an 08 first gen MS3 GT. I miss it so much. The snarl of the engine when it fired up, the old school turbo lag and the massive torque steer. You had to steer to the left to go straight when on boost. I know it sounds terrible but it was so lively and fun.
Found an unmolested one of these a couple of months ago right here in my town on the edge of the world, in the middle of nowhere. Had no idea what Mazdaspeed was. I got so lucky.
It's got all the 'modern' features I'd want, and none of the fluff or problems. It's got heated seats, Bluetooth radio, leather steering wheel, a USB outlet, phone holder, fog lights even. All I'm missing is remote start for the cold winter months coming up.
Maaaaan brought back some good memories man. Loved my speed3 , but the dang timing chain went on me twice in 60k . I think if it didnt have that problem, and I didnt do all my young dumb driving in it.. would of kept it forever. Thanks Doug , appreciate the great and positive review on the sweet hothatch
You should try the 1st gen if you ever find a stock one, lighter, smaller, less torque reduction (more wheel spin/torque steer), hydraulic steering, gotta love it
Great car, I had an unmodified 2013 from new until a high schooler rear ended me last December and totaled it with about 80,000 miles. I loved the car, it definitely took some time to get used to the torque steer but I miss it. I have a 22 GTI now and it's more planted and better handling but the speed and acceleration are a wash.
By 2013 they had removed the asymmetric tailgate design with the lock button in the taillight and changed the gear shift lever. Also, the upgraded GT package got you LED headlights and the world's smallest navigation system. The display was located in the same area as the trip computer on sport models. I didn't spring for it but a friend in LA had.
Anyway, this one hit in the feels. Great car, great video. Thanks, Doug.
this video brought back memories, i owned a 2012 3 MPS with that glorious red with gold fleck in the paint, it was an incredible colour. the rolling accelleration was something to behold - surprised/embarrassed many drivers of other cars that felt it was "just a mazda 3" ;)
I've been waiting for a Mazda speed 3 review for like 5 years!! The reason I say this is because I'm considering this as my first car! You should also review a 2002 Ford Focus SVT. They're very rare and also as rare as a Pontiac Vibe GT and impossible to find and nobody remembers it.
Here in Germany Mazda has a really good Dealer Network, so as Result you always saw and still see a lot of Mazda Cars in the Crowd of all the German and other European Cars (VW, Skoda & Seat probably being the direct Competition).
As of 2022 i'd even say i see as much Mazda on the Autobahn as i see Toyota. Mazda definitely put a lot of Effort early on to put their Cars into Germany and getting loyal Customers
Prost & Cheers from the Bavarian Alps
I bought an 05 Mazda 3 about a month ago. It drives great, and looks good. I'm finally getting used to that handbrake placement. Owning it brought my attention to the speed 3. I have been thinking about looking for one to buy. Thanks for jacking the prices up a couple grand.
I had one of these back in the day and an RX8. Loved both. But the 3 was a sleeper to those who didn’t know. Loved it
These are the kind of vids we want from you doug. Truly unique and quirky. Not bothering to watch a review on one of the newest super high tech cars or just another crossover etc. which we know will pretty much have the same features as others of its kind as cars now are getting more boring and copy pasted. We want quirky!!!
This is easily the most underrated hatch
This design was perfect. I still look back at it every morning. The locking button on the outside hatch was hugely convenient. Now it's on the inside on newer models, so stupid.
I have a 2012 mazdaspeed3. I'm so glad you finally decided to review one
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I love the speed 3, had one and was the best little car I’ve ever had. Traded mine for a WRX and man I miss that raw feel it used to have and that torque steer was fun
1:26 - this engine is very impressive - but you already know that because you have driven it a lot! Ford adopted it without the turbo as the 2.0L or 2.3L Duratec (the difference is just piston stroke), and it was in all sorts of things, including the competing Focus ST at the time, and it still powers all sorts of small sports cars such as Caterhams (including mine), some versions of the Ariel Atom, and the BAC Mono. Ford also developed it further to produce the EcoBoost, which powered even more things. It's a great little engine by Mazda.
Man I’ve got a standard mazda 3 from this gen as my first car… can’t believe Doug’s reviewing it!
2nd gen was the golden age of mazda3. I have a skyactiv with some mods and it is such a great balance between gas mileage and fun. The exterior of the 2nd gens is so sharp and ahead of its car, still looking better than many cars today.
I owned a bone stock 2009 MS3 and I definitely miss it It! That car went from graceful unassuming comfortable commuter to a tire-smoking demon at the drop of a pedal. The 6-speed transmission was a joy to row. I got like 15 mpg because I couldn't keep my foot out of it...
Yeah, I legit don't think I've ever done better than like 22mpg. In 10+ years of ownership...
Had an 09 as well! Best year by a mile. Used to call it the Zoom Zoom Poof from all the black smoke it would generate if you haven't beat it in a while.lol. I wish I never traded it in.
8:30 There are OBD 2 plugs that shows many live data including the coolant temperature as a heads up display, I would get that for track days... Nice car 👍
In Australia, the Mazda Speed 3 was called a Mazda 3 MPS. I owned a 2012 model (a black one) and it was a lot of fun to drive. The torque steer was frightening though. One motoring journalist called it "mildly terrifying". It was! 😃
I always loved the smile, it’s fun and inviting! The NA Miata really started that though, especially when the lights are up!
I had a 2009 Mazda 3 Sport for years, it was super fun to drive and handled great, it's sort of a practical front wheel drive Miata.
2008 Mazda 3 grand touring hatchback, loved that car dearly. Totaled it like a dumbass. Live and learn.
I've had one of these since 2017, a black 2010 second gen, basically unmodified. I actually specifically wanted this generation because I loved the smile on the grill and how fun the design was. I am dissatisfied with the push every car manufacturer has made toward SERIOUS AGGRESSIVE design since then. I have one of the few cars on the road that isn't trying to be scary. Nobody really knows what it is and they have no idea that it's probably still faster than their 2020 whatever, and even if it's slower, it probably cost half as much--so I still win because it's certainly not half as fast-haha.
We would love to have Suzuki swift here in the US. Too bad Suzuki only sells their motorcycles here.
I had 2008 speed3 unmodified and it is by far my favorite car I’ve owned and yes the torque steer is awful but the rest of the car made up for it. Loved seeing this and kind of wish I still had mine to go drive after watching this video.
So cool you're reviewing this I love my speed3