2010 MazdaSpeed 3 First Test

Hot-hatch comparisons are some of our favorites to put on at Motor Trend. After all, we get to bring together the best-handling cars you can find around $25K to see which dominates on twisty canyon roads, and we learn how much handling prowess you can buy for relatively little money. The Volkswagen GTI has been the car to beat in this category, and it has been improved again for 2010. While the MazdaSpeed3 has not beaten the GTI when facing it in one of our comparisons, Mazda has given it new life for 2010, and we wonder: is that going to be enough to dethrone the GTI?

You can tell just by looking at it that the MazdaSpeed3 has been restyled for 2010. No surprise, it shares the smiley-face front end with the standard Mazda3 sedan and five-door. There are definite differences in its appearance from that of its milder-mannered kin, though: the Speed has round foglights that flank the smile, there are well-defined fender flares in the front and rear, it has a larger spoiler than on the regular five-door, and there is a hood scoop, which is new for 2010. The scoop is functional, too, said to improve the efficiency of the intercooler by improving airflow. There's also a new 18-inch wheel design -- and the wheel and tire package is wider by about half an inch. The dual exhaust tips are larger than on last year's hatch.

The cabin received a refurb as well. The interior is still mostly black with red accents and stitching, and receives the new-for-2010 improvements seen in the regular 3, including the new nav system near the top of the dash at the base of the windshield. The Speed also gets an LED turbo boost gauge within the cluster. The interior is easy to get acquainted with, and once you get the hang of the nav system's controls (only found on the steering wheel), it's fairly simple as well. Some may not like the small size of the screen, but for those who are used to the smaller-size screens on some aftermarket systems, this is about the same and shows just enough of the map to get you where you want to go. Seats offer enough support to keep you in place on spirited jaunts, yet proved plenty comfortable on our 350-mile drive. The cabin is not whisper-quiet by any means, but it seems as if the interior has been treated to sound deadening and benefits from less unwanted noise inside. And while there are plenty of good-looking, sporty touches throughout, the interior feels more refined now without feeling as if it appeals to an older crowd.