2011 Mazda MazdaSpeed3 consumer reviews

This car is a total blast. It's fast and fun to drive. It also has good backseat room and rear hatch storage. There are not a whole lot of them on the road so you feel like you are driving something quite special and unique which you are! If you can find one, get it! You will not regret it.

I bought this car almost new at 11,000 miles fully loaded and excellent condition less than a year old for under $22k. I have had nothing but fun in this car. On the highway I was averaging around 33-35 mpg. Once I started adding modifications to this car, the excitement continued. I can't think of a negative feature of this car honestly

This car is a phenomenal buy. It is the best combination of fun to drive, pragmatism, reliability, and affordability. Really the only better purchase in this class of car is the WRX and it will always be several thousand more because it bears the subaru name. The power in this car is just amazing 263 hp and 280 ft-lb torque. This is a blast to drive and also gets great fuel economy. I consistently get over 30 mpgs on the high way. I opted for the tech package which is worth it. It gives you push button start, adaptive headlights, GPS, Bose sound.

After driving a very practical Saturn for 16 years I decided to upgrade. I looked at the Mazda3 but since I was looking at a M/T already, I decided to try out the Speed3. I was sold almost immediately. Not hugely expensive, great performance, great steering, lots of nice tech. I actually look forward to my commute now! BTW, the Advanced Key Entry seems like a cool thing, but you'll quickly find it to be indispensable. When you're walking up to the car loaded with bags and your keys in your pocket you no longer have to fish them out. Just push the button on the door and you're in. Cons: No USB, which I just don't understand, although the Bluetooth works fine. Also, no obvious place to put an iphone where you can still see it. The NAV isn't overly useful because the screen is so small. But I didn't buy it for NAV so I don't care. Mileage: Tricky. If you love turbo and love boosting, then you'd better learn to love the gas station. I am currently trying to hypermile my Speed3 and I'm getting around 26.5 mpg -- not bad but you have to be conscious about when to boost and when you don't need to. For me, it makes the driving more interesting.

I must say I have owned some fun cars in my days including a mustang gt, tsi awd eagle talon, nissan 240sx, I even had a turbo volvo wagon with 230 hp. This car is fun to drive and so far gets pretty good highway mpg. I mainly drive higway and its avg about 28 mpg. I have the tech package that gives you the little nav screen that is more useful than I thought it would be. love the sirius sat radio and the bluetooth. Bluetooth I am told sounds like I am in a can but other than that I love this car.

Having driven cars in this class before buying, I was impressed by the quality offered in this price range. I bought my Mazdaspeed3 after weighing all the options versus the competition. Sure, they all have their strong points, but I was looking for performance, style, and an interior that was pleasing. The Mazdaspeed 3 has it all for a price that was very reasonable. I really enjoy the superb handling and the power of this engine. As my daily driver, it isn't hard to live with averaging 26mpg(if you stay out of the boost) and even though it encourages more spirited driving, the worst I've got was 21mpg. I probably should have got the tech package, if only for the Bose stereo because the stock stereo isn't bad but could be better. The seats are firm but comfortable for me, I can't say if you were 6'2 or so they might not agree. I would recommend putting winter wheels and tires as I did, northeast Ohio winters are tough and if it snows where you live, you'll need them. Regarding the front end styling, I don't have a problem with it, but if that is a concern for you, just drive this car and you'll probably forget about it as you're pulling gears and grinning like a maniac! No issues as of yet with faulty components of poorly designed parts. Finally, for bang for your buck this car is a winner.

Coming from a 2010 GTi I can say the MS3 without a doubt is the true sports car comparing the two. The MS3 is firmly suspended and could be too extreme for some using it as a DD. The amenities are great especially with the Technology Package which I have. The HIDs and rear LED tail lamps are excellent and keyless entry/push button start give the car an upscale feel. Seats are very supportive. Bose system is OK. Navi is better than some other would tell you - I like the integrated look of the unit and the screen albeit small is very clear and crisp. I personally like the exterior styling - unique and nothing on the road looks remotely like the car. No complaints with my purchase.

I purchased my MazdaSpeed3 about 6 months ago and have had a pretty good experience. It's a blast to drive! grippy, zippy and super good looks. The interior is a bit chintzy but the styling of the car is both impressive and dominating. The exhaust tone is low and the turbo spools smoothly getting you to 60 in a heart beat. The car has a some torque steer when getting into the 5K rpm range in first and second gears. Though if you ask me, it makes driving the car that much more fun. Mazda makes cars fun and this just that! It's not sophisticated and certainly not a $40,000 Subaru. So if you expect something that is more polished, you'll want to shell out the extra cash and buy up. However, if you're like me and looking for an inexpensive car that is quick and graceful, there is not a better example of this anywhere. The only complaint I have is the transmission and motor mounts. The transmission is clunky and hard to shift at times. Performance isn't the issue so much as the feel of the shifter. When compared to every other car in it's class, Mazda really didn't nail it here. The motor mounts are also an issue. A known issue by Mazda. So far I have had my read motor mount and front motor mounts replaced. This isn't due to my heavy foot or bad driving, I assure you. The issue is that the motor has too much power for the stock mounts. If you buy this car, count on replacing the rear mount with a more durable solution and possible putting an engine diffuser in the bonnet to keep the motor from feeling like jelly during shift points. In closing, the car is great. While there are a couple of things that need to be tweaked, my expectations have been exceeded by this cute little sleeper. Enjoy!