Mazda3 MPS - The Power of Emotions

The Mazda3 MPS is a car that I can get addicted to. Small compact size combined with great power and driving confidence. The five-door hatchback received several elements that make it stand out from the crowd. The two most notable of these are the hood scoop and the large spoiler lip at the top of the tailgate. The air intake in the bumper resembles whale bones, but the Mazda3 MPS behaves very differently when driving.

The air intake in the engine hatch supplies air to the power unit, which needs a lot of it - four cylinders with a total volume of 2,3 liters are pumped by a turbocharger. The engine has direct fuel injection. It develops 260 hp. at 5 rpm, maximum torque 500 Nm at 380 rpm. Mazda emphasizes that this is one of the most powerful front-wheel drive compact hatchbacks.

Inside, the car also has a pronounced sporty character. It's true that the steering wheel and dashboard are elements known from other, much more family-friendly versions of the Mazda3, but heavily shaped side-cushioned seats and red MPS-logoed gauges do the trick. The seats are partly upholstered in leather and partly in fabric. Used, in particular, fabric with black and red spots. There is a similar pattern on the strip in the center console. In general, it looks nice and breaks the dominance of black, but there is too little red and it is too dark to give the character a dynamic or sporty aggression. Complemented by red stitching on the doors, steering wheel, gear lever and armrest.

The instrument panel and dashboard are the same as the other versions. However, a vertical display appeared on the scoreboard between the round tubes of the tachometer and speedometer, showing the turbo boost pressure. An interesting fact that I did not notice in other versions (maybe I just did not pay attention to it) is the air conditioning and radio, reminiscent of the last action - when I tuned the radio for a moment, its blue backlight was still pulsing. Similarly with the air conditioner, lowering the temperature caused the backlight to pulse blue for a moment, while increasing it caused the light to pulse red.

The RVM system, which monitors the blind spot of the mirrors and warns of the presence of any vehicles, also pulsed with light. Another standard system that looks where the driver's eye can't reach is the parking assist sensor system.

Compared to standard versions, the Mazda3 MPS has a heavily upgraded suspension. Thanks to this, it is very stable and safe in faster maneuvers. The electric power steering gives it precision. Thus, the Mazda3 MPS belongs to the group of vehicles that give the driver a lot of driving pleasure. Unfortunately, not always. In our conditions, its suspension is sometimes a little too stiff, at least in the bumps, where more compression results in a hard, unpleasant hit. Several times I was afraid that I had damaged the suspension or at least the wheel. When driving on smooth asphalt, wide tires provide confidence in driving, but on ruts or uneven surfaces they begin to float, forcing you to firmly hold the steering wheel. It didn't make me gray anymore, but I felt an unpleasant shiver.

The engine is definitely the strong point of this car. Not only because of its power, an advanced boost pressure control system ensures a smoother, more linear pattern of torque increase. The engine is very flexible, and the power and torque levels provide crisp acceleration at almost any time, regardless of rev level, gear ratio or speed. The Mazda3 MPS accelerates from 6,1 to 100 km/h in 250 seconds and has a top speed of XNUMX km/h – thanks to the electronic limiter, of course.

I did not have to deal with the dynamics of the car alone. Among the technologies that supported me, in the first place was the standard Torsen differential with reduced slip, i.e. differential and dynamic stability control DSC.

Not only acceleration, but also braking takes place safely and smoothly, because the car has large discs on the front and rear wheels, as well as a double brake booster.

I must admit that I was a little afraid of fire, because with such a car it is difficult to resist pressing harder on acceleration. For a week (more on the highway than in the village), I got an average of 10 l / 100 km. That sounds like a lot, but my wife, driving a compact car much slower with less than half horsepower, achieves an average fuel consumption of just 1 liter less. According to factory data, fuel consumption should average 9,6 l / 100 km.

Finally, due to the time of year, there is another element that not only the MPS, but also Mazda can be commended for: the heated windshield. A network of tiny wires embedded in the windshield heats up the frost on the windshield in a few seconds, and after a while it can be removed by the wipers. This is the same solution that has been used for years on rear windows, except the wires are much thinner and almost invisible. However, they also have a drawback - the headlights of cars traveling from the opposite direction are refracted on them like scratches on old, cracked windows. This annoys many drivers, but not much for me, especially considering how much morning nerves it can save.

Speaking of savings… You need to save up PLN 120 for this car. This is a minus, although after a while of driving you understand what you paid for.

Pros

Powerful, flexible motor

Precise gearbox

Movement stability

Cons

Suspension is too stiff

Wide wheels, not adapted to our roads