Although the 2007 Mazda Mazdaspeed Mazda3 looks good and seems like a lot of fun at first, a few problems start to reveal themselves. While we never tire of good handling, a good stereo would also be nice.
Mazdaspeed, the tuning brand from Mazda, takes the already peppy little Mazda3 hatchback and gives it new performance parts, including a turbocharger and a six-speed manual.
As one Mazdaspeed styling cue, a big air intake is added below the bumper, ostensibly to feed the turbocharger. We like how the fog lights float in their cutouts.
As we've seen on other Mazdas, there is a dial for changing the light level. If the car is carrying a heavy load, you can tilt the light up just a bit to compensate.
The stereo interface is poor, with the center, higher knob controlling volume. The left knob, traditionally for volume control, handles channel selection. The right knob lets you fine-tune the audio.
We were very unimpressed with the satellite radio interface. With the display showing the channel, as in this picture, you can't change stations. You can only change stations when the display shows the channel number.
The car has seven Bose speakers powered by a 220-watt amp, but we weren't that impressed with the quality. It sounds OK, but doesn't really push the highs or the bass.
This three-spoke steering wheel is a great design to control the car's excellent handling. The buttons for audio and cruise control are smoothly embedded in the spokes so as not to interfere with driving.
With an intercooler and a turbocharger, this 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine puts out 263 horsepower, substantially more than its hot hatchback competitors.
