Dubbed the "the wild child" by Mazda, the new Mazdaspeed3 adds a youthful flair to the carmaker's lineup; it's the precocious youngest child in the family. Not to the point of being undriveable or annoying, but it possesses some rawness that isn't typical Mazda.
Using the same 2.3-liter DISI (Direct Injection Spark Ignition) turbocharged and intercooled 4-cylinder that powers the Mazdaspeed6-but with front-wheel drive instead of the 6's all-wheel drive-means there's bound to be some excitement. Because of different engine calibration, the Mazdaspeed3 makes a bit less power than its bigger brother, but 263 bhp at 5500 rpm and 280 lb.-ft. of torque at 3000 rpm give this bronc some serious "giddyup," with a midrange that punches harder than anything in its class. The power drops clear off the map at 6000 rpm, irking a few editors on staff since it's useless to run the engine up to its 6750-rpm redline, but it isn't uncommon for turbo engines to run out of steam the last few hundred rpm. Shift the Mazdaspeed3 at six grand and it will stay right in the thick of the powerband. Do that and the only power drop-off you'll feel is the split-second lag with each reapplication of full throttle. But the power is so prodigious it more than makes up for it.
Since 280 lb.-ft. is a lot of torque to harness to a 3180-lb. front-drive car, the Mazdaspeed3 uses a torque management system that doesn't allow full power in 1st and 2nd gears. A steering sensor also minimizes power delivery to the front wheels when they are turned, while a limited-slip front differential controls wheelspin of the inside front tire. Despite all these precautionary measures, Mazda doesn't deny the Mazdaspeed3 has torque steer.
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