Fifty years ago, sports cars were generally inconvenient things, with very little interior space, creature comforts or reliability.  In exchange, of course, these cars provided entertaining performance and racy looks.

Fast-forward half a century.  These days, enjoyable performance is available in a useful, daily-drivable package.  Take the Mazdaspeed3, for instance.  Starting with the already-entertaining Mazda3, additional horsepower and sharpened handling are added to create a bona fide five-door sports car.  

Not that five-door sports cars are a rarity.  In fact, the Mazdaspeed3 is a member of a rather crowded market segment.  It’s a good thing that the Mazdaspeed name has a bit of racing cred behind it, because it’s got competition from Subaru, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda, Volkswagen, Dodge, Chevrolet and MINI just waiting for a chance to steal its thunder.

When it comes to sporty cars, curbside appeal is paramount.  The Mazdaspeed3 isn’t a subtle upgrade.  If the standard Mazda3 is smiling, the Mazdaspeed3′s exaggerated fender flares and front fascia present a mischievous, slightly crazed grin to the world.  This is a car that’s up to something, even if you don’t know what it is.  A new hood scoop feeds cool air to the intercooler, and the obligatory side skirting lowers the Mazdaspeed3 visually.  At the rear, a roof spoiler and fascia changes give the car an angry look.  The rear fascia’s lower panel is metallic gray and matches the front grille.  Big 18×7.5 inch wheels fill the wheel wells, and they’re styled to match those of big brother RX-8.

The cockpit is sporty, but not so serious that it’s hard to live with.  An upgraded interior provides sporty seats with a red graphic pattern that matches the dash and door panels.  Red stitching is used on the seats, doors and shift knob, and the Mazdaspeed3′s interior is overwhelmingly black and red, especially at night, when the instrument panel and auxiliary controls light up red as well.  The Mazda3 lineup benefited from an upgrade in 2009 that added upscale materials, a revised dash that sports a boost gauge in the Mazdaspeed3 and a high-mounted driver information display.  The navigation screen is nicely located high in the dash, but its small size can make it a bit hard to read.  While the map is too small, the screen’s perfect for listing satellite radio information and alerts.  Opt for the Tech Package and the Mazdaspeed3 comes with a BOSE surround-sound system, navigation, keyless entry and pushbutton start and Sirius satellite radio, among other attractive amenities.  Even if it’s stripped down for performance, though the Mazdaspeed3′s five-passenger seating and up to 42 cubic feet of cargo space make it a useful daily driver.

A 2.3 liter direct-injection turbocharged engine powers the Mazdaspeed3.  263 horsepower doesn’t seem like much in these days of 300-horsepower Subarus, but that’s still muscle-car territory.  The Mazdaspeed3′s engine output has been optimized, with reduced turbo lag and outstanding response throughout the rev range.  Torque steer is present under hard acceleration, but minimal and mitigated by a standard limited-slip differential.  A six-speed manual transmission is standard.  Shifts are light and positive, though not as effortless as what you’ll get in the MX-5 or RX-8.  The Mazdaspeed3 feels like a very sport-oriented hatchback rather than a full-blooded sports car, in spite of its claimed 155-mph top speed.

Most of the fun to be had is in letting that turbocharger spool up and squirt you through traffic without a care.  This is fun whether the road is dry or slick, in fact.  The stability/traction control is a bit overactive and will kill the fun early–no rally-car hijinks in the Mazdaspeed3, at least not when the system is turned on.  Without it, on the other hand, winter handling is compromised thanks to all of that power being channeled through the front wheels.  Snow tires are a must in regions that get white Christmases.

My tester was shod with Blizzak winter tires in deference to the season.  The snows blunted the Mazdaspeed3′s reflexes somewhat, but proved to be indispensable when a winter storm dropped six inches of snow on Detroit.  A compact “hot hatch” might not be the first vehicle to pop to mind when tackling snow, but the Mazdaspeed3 acquitted itself well in spite of a ride height that’s about half an inch lower than standard.  The suspension uses the same architecture as the Mazda3, but the spring rates and stabilizer bars have been made beefier to sharpen response.  Entertaining handling is enhanced by a super-stiff bodyshell that offers one of the best combinations of handling and comfort out there.  That said, on a bumpy road, the Mazdaspeed3′s stiffer springs and dampers will make themselves known very quickly.  The Mazdaspeed3′s massive four-wheel disc brakes are fully electronic and have been track-tested.

Mazdaspeed3 pricing starts at $23,195.  The Mazdaspeed3 is the top performer of its family, but it lacks the ferocious insanity of the Subaru WRX STi, to which it bears a passing resemblance.  Then again, it costs almost ten grand less, which is a definite plus no matter how much horsepower you’re talking about.  So where does the Mazdaspeed3 fall in the modern sports-car spectrum?  This car is close in spirit to the Lancer Sportback Ralliart, though it lacks that car’s all-wheel drive, and the Nissan Sentra SE-R.  This is an entertaining, daily-drivable package that doesn’t require a ridiculous entry price, and that’s what makes the Mazdaspeed3 more fun than some cars costing twice as much.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2010 Mazdaspeed3

Length:  177.6 in.
Width:  69.7 in.
Height:  57.5 in.
Wheelbase:  103.9 in.
Cargo space:   17.0 cu.ft. (seats up); 42.0 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price:  $23,195
Price as tested:  $25,840
Engine:   2.3 liter turbocharged four-cylinder
Drivetrain:  six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 263 @ 5500
Torque:  280 @ 3000
Fuel capacity:  15.9 gal.
Est. mileage:   18/25

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