Return Of The Mazdaspeed 3? Sorta

Jack Baruth
by Jack Baruth

To my mind, there have only been two truly committed “sport compacts”: the Dodge (Neon) SRT-4 and the non-smiling generation of the Mazdaspeed3. Everybody else, from the original GTI to the Focus ST, has diluted the “more power” formula with additional refinement or equipment or Euro-style panache.

The current Mazda3 has already gotten plenty of props from us and from others. Will there be a turbo model to marry the big-power attitude of the original MS3 with the refinement and room of the current car?



According to the folks at CarsGuide, who presumably can read Japanese, the home-market Holiday Auto is reporting that there will be an MS3, and that it will be:

* Turbocharged! (Woo-hoo!)


* Six-speed manual (Alright!!!)


* All-wheel-drive

Ain’t that some shit, man. That will likely push the weight to 3200lbs or so. With that much jelly in the jam, and the additional driveline drag of AWD, the proposed 300hp from a turbo/Skyactiv combo engine is unlikely to set the world on fire, or particularly trouble drivers of the original MS3 in a straight-up 40 roll.

Let’s hope that Holiday Auto (pronounced “ Holiday Aw-aw-aw-aw-aw-aw-aw-aw-aw-to“) has it only partly right, and the next Mazdaspeed3 will follow the same FWD, no-frills format as its predecessors.

Jack Baruth
Jack Baruth

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  • Flipper35 Flipper35 on Jun 02, 2014

    For 90% of the time you are driving the car FWD is perfectly fine. It will get you through your daily commute just as competently as an AWD system but with less weight, complexity and money. For those few times you are taking a spirited drive on the back roads, the inability to put down all your power from the apex out isn't going to cost you anything but some rubber from the front tires. I was goaded into taking a test drive of a Neon based SRT4 as is was one of the last in stock and they wanted to get rid of it. I drove it hard and it was enjoyable and may have bought it if the upper bolsters weren't too narrow for my shoulders. By the way Jack, our Avenger SE V6 is broken in if you want to test drive it to see if the extra HP is worth the extra weight on the front end over the 4 pot engine.

  • Dragonphire Dragonphire on Jun 03, 2014

    I think the CX9 would have to lose about 500lbs for this engine to work well in the real world without to many draw backs. I dont need to restate what everyone here knows. I small engine with a turbo in a big heavy vehicle equals very low mpgs when you press the accelerator hard. If they are in a pinch then pay for (again) someones already made 6 cylinder. Subie has a nice one, although Mazda would have to redo a few things under the hood. Or how about Toyoda or BMW.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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