by Byron Hurd. Photography by Byron Hurd and Nicole Gagnon.
As I ease my way around Summit Point Motorsports Park’s Shenandoah Circuit on my morning out lap, everything feels familiar. It was a year ago this month that I last drove this course in my 2008(.5!) Mazdaspeed3, and for a few moments it’s as if nothing has really changed. The car feels good–better than my own, in fact–and everything is clicking. I’ve just picked up where I left off.
I glide over the Ski Jump at a leisurely 60 or 70 miles per hour and brake gently on the uphill section that follows. As I prepare to dip into the next turn–Shenandoah’s replica of the Nürburgring’s famous Karussell–I decide to just leave it in 4th and sort of coast on through. I bend it in and breathe off the throttle and the car slows abruptly.
Wait. What?
Thinking I’ve misjudged the throttle travel, I ease back onto the pedal. The car responds by slowing down more. Maybe I’ve bogged it down too much? I blip the throttle to grab third gear. Nothing. Just another stumble and deceleration. I glance at the cluster just in time to catch a blink of the stability control indicator. What the hell is going on?
Out lap or not, there’s still traffic. I look in my rearview and the S2000 that had been pacing me eight or ten car lengths back is tippy-toed on his brakes as a result of my unanticipated slowdown. I can’t stay out here like this. I ease through the rest of the lap and pull into the paddock. I pop the hood and check for vacuum leaks. Nothing. Everywhere but in the Karussell, the car feels fine. But on the banking…
Finding nothing alarming under the hood, I flip off the stability control and head back to the pits. No sense in babying it around. If it’s going to quit on me, it’s going to quit on me. I charge hard up the Bridge Straight, ride it over the Ski Jump, brake hard on the uphill, blip, shift and dive. A stab of the throttle on the banking shoves me back and to the right as the suspension compresses hard on the concrete. I shoot off the exit, feeding in throttle as I climb toward the Corkscrew.
That’s more like it.
When you can open the taps and really let this car run, it’s phenomenal. And it’s even quick exactly where you wouldn’t expect it to be. Slow, off-camber corner entries? No problem. Fast sweepers? Bring ’em on. Shenandoah is a technical track that favors cars that transition well, but the Speed3 could hang with better hardware in the tricky parts without giving me a scare. And the brakes? Unbelievable. Lap after lap of hard braking resulted in only the slightest fade. Repeated stops from 100-110mph on the back straight going into the Loop were child’s play. Even with all four tires squirming on their fresh tread, there was never a pucker moment when the stoppers were called upon to do their thing.
But where the 2010 really shines is in the suspension tuning. The car is far less nervous over poor surfaces and offers up substantially improved grip in all conditions. The Dunlop SP Sport 2050 tires (now in 225/40R18 vs. the outgoing 215/45R18) are well-suited to performance driving on the street and very competent on the track. They’re at least as grippy as the Bridgestone RE050As that were standard equipment on the older model, and also boast a substantially higher treadwear rating. Two days of track duty put a noticeable feather on the outer blocks of the front tread, but overall depth only seemed to differ by 1-2/32nds front-to-back by the end of the weekend–perfectly acceptable for a street tire. If they even last half as much longer as their ~70% treadwear advantage suggests, they’re a significant improvement over the Bridgestones.
In addition, Mazda fixed one of the biggest issues with the car’s power delivery. The drop-off in torque above 5500 RPM is no longer as pronounced as it once was. You’ll still find yourself searching for a higher gear a little sooner than you might expect given the car’s 6700RPM redline, but you won’t be performing pelvic thrusts in the driver’s seat, urging the car to bring back all that power it just took away from you.
The overall result is a car that transitions better, puts power down better, and just plain feels better, but doesn’t seem to really go any faster, which isn’t really all that surprising. The power output remains unchanged–263hp and 280 lb-ft from a mildly revised 2.3L DISI turbo 4-cylinder–and curb weight has increased, offsetting the additional grip offered up by the new wheel and tire package. All told, improvements in rigidity and refinement have translated to a weight increase of about 90lbs across all 2010 hatchback models, not just the Speed3. 1-2lbs can be attributed to the addition of sound absorbing inserts between the hatch floor pan and the spare tire in the form of an extruded foam donut and a layer of soft fiber insulation, and another 20-30lbs likely come from the switch from single to dual exhaust outlets. While the added weight is disappointing, the NVH improvements are much appreciated. Gone is the off-throttle drone that plagued the first generation.
That’s the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 in a nutshell–a much improved car that falls short of excellence due to changes meant to improve and modernize it. The car negotiates turns and corner exits more fluidly, but the electronic nannies cut in too soon and too aggressively. The shifter has a lighter but more deliberate action and sits closer to the driver’s seating position, but it still lacks the crisp feel of a Honda unit. One unexpected highlight was the steering. It feels more taught and deliberate, which is surprising given that Mazda switched to an electromechanical unit for the 2010. To help counteract the vague responses of an electron-driven power steering motor, Mazda added a third mounting point for the steering rack, so while some feedback has been lost, the overall experience is positive.
But when it comes to some other changes, I was left scratching my head. On the road, the 2010 is quieter and more refined, but it always seems like something’s missing. Leather-trimmed “sport” seats are now standard, but gone are the well-bolstered and comfortable buckets with Alcantara inserts. Instead, we get a compromise that seems lacking in every category it attempts to address. The seats seem to be a hair wider and the bolsters slightly less aggressive. These compromises should make for more comfortable cruising, but the seat bottoms are firmer and the lumbar support adjustment has gone missing, so we’ve given up some track friendliness for no discernible improvement on the street. For me, this translated to bruises on the outside of both knees from bracing myself against the cockpit trim on the track and then a somewhat sore rear end after my long trip home. And just like the first generation, the 2010 lacks heating elements and power adjustment in the seats (even as options), so the net result is a downgrade.
Our tester came only with the standard equipment, but adding the tech package will get you a pocket-sized navigation screen, a smart key with push-button ignition and Bose audio. We found the multimedia system somewhat lacking in our tester, so that option alone would be worth the extra cash if we were making the call. But where are the HIDs? Not here, unfortunately. Rain-sensing wipers? Also gone.
And then there’s the rest of the feature list. Standard are bluetooth and dual-zone climate control. The dual-zone was absent from the first-generation’s option sheet entirely, however the slow-acting AC compressor seems to have been carried over. Flexible? Yes. But is it an overall improvement? Debatable.
So is the 2010 Speed3 a better car than the 2007-2009 model? Absolutely. It’s a tighter, righter package that delivers all of the fun of its predecessor with less punishment. It may not be perfect, but its faults take little away from its primary mission. If you like fun, you will like the 2010 Mazdaspeed3.
- Mazda provided the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 Sport for the purposes of this review. Big thanks to all the fine folks at TrackDAZE for hosting a fantastic event and pretty much letting us get away with murder.
When I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I receive four emails with the same comment. Is there a way you can remove me from that service? Kudos!
Aw, this was an extremely good post. Spending some time and actual effort to make a really good article… but what can I say… I hesitate a whole lot and don’t manage to get anything done.
Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon every day. It will always be useful to read content from other writers and practice a little something from their web sites.
I used to be able to find good information from your blog articles.
Everything is very open with a clear explanation of the issues. It was definitely informative. Your site is extremely helpful. Many thanks for sharing!
Your style is very unique compared to other people I have read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I’ll just book mark this web site.
This is a topic which is close to my heart… Thank you! Where are your contact details though?
Good day! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after browsing through some of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m certainly delighted I stumbled upon it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly!
This is a topic that’s close to my heart… Take care! Exactly where are your contact details though?
This is a topic that is near to my heart… Cheers! Exactly where are your contact details though?
Good blog you have here.. It’s difficult to find high quality writing like yours these days. I truly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
You’ve made some decent points there. I checked on the web to find out more about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this site.
Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to generate a superb article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a whole lot and never manage to get anything done.
You have made some decent points there. I checked on the net for more info about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this website.
Aw, this was an extremely good post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to generate a very good article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and never seem to get nearly anything done.
I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this site. I’m hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts by you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own, personal site now 😉
I could not refrain from commenting. Well written!
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful article. Many thanks for providing these details.
I used to be able to find good info from your blog posts.
After going over a few of the articles on your web site, I truly appreciate your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back in the near future. Take a look at my web site as well and let me know your opinion.
Great information. Lucky me I came across your site by accident (stumbleupon). I’ve saved as a favorite for later!
Hi, I do think this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I am going to come back yet again since I book-marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide other people.
You’ve made some decent points there. I checked on the net for more information about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this website.
Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept preaching about this. I am going to send this post to him. Fairly certain he’s going to have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
Your style is very unique compared to other people I’ve read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this web site.
It’s really a nice and useful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
Hello, you used to write excellent, but the last few posts have been kinda boring… I miss your great writings. Past few posts are just a little out of track! come on!
Very nice write-up. I definitely appreciate this website. Keep writing!
I was able to find good advice from your blog articles.
This blog was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something which helped me. Thank you!
Very nice blog post. I absolutely love this site. Continue the good work!
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I may return yet again since i have bookmarked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help others.
Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post! It is the little changes that will make the biggest changes. Thanks for sharing!
Good day! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after going through a few of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely pleased I came across it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly!
I was able to find good info from your blog posts.
Excellent post. I am dealing with a few of these issues as well..
You can certainly see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.
This is a good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Brief but very accurate info… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read post!
Right here is the right webpage for anyone who would like to find out about this topic. You know so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a new spin on a subject that has been written about for a long time. Wonderful stuff, just wonderful!
Came clueless, left worried. Thanks for the post. Sometimes I wonder whether the planet is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.
Some times its a pain in the ass to read what blog owners wrote but this website is really user pleasant! .
Nice post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It will always be useful to read articles from other authors and use a little something from their websites.
I was suggested this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You are incredible! Thanks!
I could not refrain from commenting. Very well written!
satellite tv has got to be one of the best inventions that we humans enjoy,.
Howdy! This post could not be written much better! Looking at this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept preaching about this. I will send this information to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
Very good blog! Do you have any hints for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m totally confused .. Any tips? Bless you!
There is noticeably a bundle to learn about this. I assume you have made specific nice points in features also.
Pretty! This has been an extremely wonderful article. Many thanks for providing this info.
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will come back yet again since I book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide other people.
Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the pictures on this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any feed-back would be greatly appreciated.
Good read. I wish I felt inspired enough to write such good posts onto my own blog. It is not easy.
After study a number of the blog posts on the web site now, i truly much like your method of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark internet site list and you will be checking back soon. Pls look at my web site likewise and tell me if you agree.
Hi there! Nice post! Please do inform us when we could see a follow up!
Greetings, There’s no doubt that your web site may be having internet browser compatibility problems. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in IE, it’s got some overlapping issues. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Aside from that, wonderful blog!
You ought to be a part of a contest for one of the most useful sites on the web. I am going to recommend this website!
As I website possessor I think the written content here is rattling wonderful, thankyou for your efforts.
Have you ever thought about publishing an ebook or guest authoring on other sites? I have a blog based on the same ideas you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my readers would appreciate your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an email.
An appealing discussion is worth a comment. I do believe that you ought to write more about this subject, it may well not be a taboo subject although generally folks are insufficient to dicuss on this type of topics. To another. Regards
Thanks for discussing your ideas in this article. The other matter is that if a problem occurs with a computer system motherboard, people should not consider the risk of repairing this themselves because if it is not done properly it can lead to permanent damage to the complete laptop. It will always be safe to approach any dealer of your laptop for any repair of its motherboard. They have technicians who’ve an experience in dealing with mobile computer motherboard issues and can make right analysis and perform repairs.
It’s hard to find experienced people for this topic, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Hi there! I just want to offer you a big thumbs up for the great info you have got here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
This excellent website definitely has all of the information I needed about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Music started playing when I opened this internet site, so irritating!
for those of us who cannot control anger, i think that anger management should be a reuirement to have a quality life,
Wonderful post! We are linking to this particularly great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
I was examining some of your content on this website and I believe this web site is real informative! Keep posting.
Very nice blog post. I certainly love this site. Keep it up!
I’m really impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to see a nice blog like this one today..
This is a topic that is close to my heart… Many thanks! Exactly where are your contact details though?
I¡¦ve been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or blog posts on this kind of space . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this website. Reading this information So i am happy to express that I have a very just right uncanny feeling I found out just what I needed. I so much for sure will make sure to do not overlook this web site and give it a glance a relentless basis.
When I originally left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I receive four emails with the exact same comment. Perhaps there is a way you are able to remove me from that service? Kudos!
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is truly informative. I’m going to watch out for brussels. I’ll appreciate if you continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
That is a very good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere. Short but very accurate info… Thank you for sharing this one. A must read article!
An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a colleague who had been conducting a little research on this. And he actually bought me dinner due to the fact that I found it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending time to discuss this subject here on your internet site.
Have you ever thought about adding a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is important and all. Nevertheless think of if you added some great pictures or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with images and video clips, this blog could undeniably be one of the greatest in its field. Excellent blog!
This is a terrific website, will you be interested in doing an interview regarding how you developed it? If so e-mail me!
You made some good points there. I checked on the net to find out more about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this site.
You are so interesting! I don’t think I’ve read anything like that before. So wonderful to discover another person with genuine thoughts on this subject. Really.. many thanks for starting this up. This website is something that’s needed on the web, someone with some originality!
racing is the first thing in my heart and i also love to join auto racing for the adrenalin rush::
Having read this I thought it was very enlightening. I appreciate you taking the time and energy to put this informative article together. I once again find myself spending a significant amount of time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!
It’s nearly impossible to find knowledgeable people for this topic, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Very good info. Lucky me I came across your site by chance (stumbleupon). I have saved as a favorite for later!
Your comment on that topic was worth reading. I agree to your point on this.
Next time I read a blog, Hopefully it won’t fail me just as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, nonetheless I actually believed you would probably have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of complaining about something you could possibly fix if you weren’t too busy searching for attention.
Hi! I just would like to give you a big thumbs up for the great info you have right here on this post. I will be returning to your site for more soon.
I’m pretty pleased to find this great site. I want to to thank you for your time just for this fantastic read!! I definitely liked every bit of it and i also have you saved to fav to check out new information on your website.
Thank you, We have been recently looking for details around this topic forever and your own is the best I’ve discovered so far. Nevertheless, how about the bottom line? Have you been particular in regards to the supply?
My spouse and i got really more than happy Albert managed to complete his web research from your precious recommendations he was given from your web site. It is now and again perplexing to just be freely giving tactics that many many people might have been selling. We really understand we need you to appreciate because of that. These illustrations you made, the simple website menu, the relationships you assist to create – it’s got everything spectacular, and it is leading our son in addition to the family believe that this matter is excellent, which is certainly particularly vital. Many thanks for all the pieces!
This is a topic that is close to my heart… Cheers! Exactly where are your contact details though?
I quite like reading through a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for permitting me to comment!
there are lots of exercise guides on the internet but some of them are not scientifically proven and just assumptions;;
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you penning this post and the rest of the site is extremely good.
Saved as a favorite, I love your site!
Spot on with this write-up, I really think this website needs a lot more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read more, thanks for the advice!
Greetings, I think your website may be having browser compatibility problems. When I look at your site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it’s got some overlapping issues. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Aside from that, excellent website!
Right here is the right web site for anybody who wants to understand this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want to…HaHa). You definitely put a fresh spin on a topic that’s been written about for years. Wonderful stuff, just wonderful!
That is a great tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Brief but very accurate info… Thank you for sharing this one. A must read article!
Aw, this was an incredibly good post. Taking the time and actual effort to make a very good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.
Your style is so unique in comparison to other people I have read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this web site.
I needed to thank you for this wonderful read!! I definitely enjoyed every bit of it. I have got you book-marked to look at new stuff you post…
bookmarked!!, I like your site!
I would like to express some thanks to this writer for rescuing me from such a situation. Because of surfing around throughout the the net and obtaining basics that were not beneficial, I figured my entire life was gone. Living without the answers to the difficulties you have sorted out all through your main site is a serious case, as well as ones that would have adversely damaged my career if I hadn’t discovered your blog post. Your actual training and kindness in playing with every part was very useful. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I had not come across such a subject like this. I’m able to at this point relish my future. Thank you so much for the high quality and sensible guide. I will not think twice to endorse your blog post to anybody who requires guidelines on this problem.
Good write-up. I certainly appreciate this site. Keep it up!
It’s difficult to find experienced people in this particular topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on this. And he actually ordered me breakfast because I discovered it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending time to discuss this topic here on your website.
You have made some good points there. I looked on the net for more info about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this web site.
Having read this I believed it was extremely informative. I appreciate you taking the time and energy to put this content together. I once again find myself spending a lot of time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!
bookmarked!!, I like your site!
You are so awesome! I do not suppose I’ve read anything like that before. So good to find someone with unique thoughts on this subject matter. Really.. many thanks for starting this up. This web site is something that’s needed on the web, someone with some originality!
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for supplying these details.
Hi there! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog. Is it difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any tips or suggestions? Many thanks
Saved as a favorite, I really like your site!
Good article! We are linking to this great content on our website. Keep up the good writing.
Spot on with this write-up, I actually feel this site needs a lot more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read more, thanks for the advice!
Next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesn’t disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, however I truly believed you’d have something helpful to say. All I hear is a bunch of moaning about something you could possibly fix if you weren’t too busy seeking attention.
Good day! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after going through a few of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back often!
An interesting discussion is definitely worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you ought to write more about this subject matter, it may not be a taboo subject but typically folks don’t talk about such topics. To the next! Many thanks!!