2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

Once in awhile, High Gear Media editors get lucky. Last Thursday, our own Bengt Halvorson managed to snag a drive in the 2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3 before any other reporter.

Which means those sites that just posted their reviews yesterday (they know who they are ...) were just a tad behind the curve. Not that we're crowing or anything. That would be rude.

Mileage: Not so great, but oh, the driving!

All of us tend to love the Mazda3, which is practical, sporty, and just a total blast to drive. So the hot-rod MazdaSpeed version promised to be exceptional--and, says Bengt, it is.  Mostly.

His summary: When you’re not tapping into all that power and torque, just crawling in traffic or cruising on the highway, it’s nearly as comfortable as the standard Mazda3, while leaving the potential open for more excitement when the road opens up.

We're a little disappointed by the mileage of the 2010 MazdaSpeed3. The EPA rates it at 18 mpg city / 25 mpg highway, for a combined 21 mpg (too low even for a new car under the now-ended Cash for Clunkers program!).

That compares to ratings of 21 mpg city / 31 mpg highway for that other classic hot hatch, the 2010 Volkswagen GTI, when fitted with the six-speed manual. That's a combined 25 mpg rating.

"Brash but well-behaved"

That's because the 2010 MazdaSpeed3 has a whole lot of power--263 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque--for a subcompact hatchback.

It comes from a turbocharged, direct-injected 2.3-liter four driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.

Bengt called the powertrain "brash but reasonably well behaved," noting that there's little torque below 2000 rpm, but the engine"works itself to a rip-roaring yet smooth frenzy" from 3500 rpm to redline.

More civilized, more safety

He criticized the turbo lag coming out of corners, but expects drivers will adapt quickly, especially given the light clutch and excellent shift linkage. And, he says, the new 2010 MazdaSpeed3 will induce less fatigue on long trips than its predecessor.

The 2010 MazdaSpeed3 has reams of standard safety features, including anti-lock brakes, Dynamic Stability Control, side-curtain airbags, seat-mounted side bags, and active front head restraints.

In the end, we're not wild about the rictus-grin front end styling of the 2010 Mazda3. Bengt thought the MazdaSpeed3 version works better because it's lower to the ground.

We feel the Speed3 version is exceptionally startling; even our favorite 9-year-old New York Auto Show reviewer mentioned it. But we have to admit, that hood scoop makes it awfully appealing....

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

2010 Mazda MazdaSpeed3

[TheCarConnection]