13 Oct 06
It also lacks the style to match its performance. The Golf GTI looks slick with its large honeycomb grille and chunky alloys and, while the Focus ST and Astra VXR may be a little chav-chic in their approach, they certainly have presence - something the Mazda is badly lacking.
The front bumper has gained some fussy adornments around the fog lights, a bigger grille and a gaping hole to give the engine more air. Unconvincing side skirts have been bolted on and some 10-spoke 18" alloys add a bit of glamour. The back gets a big ol' slab of black plastic and a boy-racer-friendly big-bore exhaust. And that's your lot.
This may appeal to those after a Q-car - something that looks far humbler than it actually is - but it's disappointing from the company that brought us the MX-5 and RX-8. There's no three-door version, which will lose it more marks from hot hatch purists.
Inside, apart from the aforementioned visual trickery from the dials, there's little that glams up the cabin. The seats are semi-buckets finished in grey and black with some red stitching; this stitching extends to the steering wheel and gearstick gaiter. Otherwise it's the same old restrained Mazda 3 interior.
There are two versions: the 3 MPS and the 3 MPS Sports Aero, which costs £500 more and comes with lowered suspension, a larger rear spoiler and different door mirrors. Mazda UK says that eventually the Sports Aero kit will be standard on the British 3 MPS, and in the meantime expects around 70% of UK buyers to go for the extra kit.
The Sports Aero version looks marginally meaner, but on the evidence of a brief on-track drive it doesn't feel very different. The Eibach springs and dampers lower the car by 25mm at the front and 10mm at the rear, but it's still a comfortable set-up.
The ride and the acceleration are very impressive, but the steering and the style score badly - and they're both areas where rival hot hatches excel. You've only got to look at the copious numbers of hot Golfs and Minis to see that what buyers want is style as well as substance and, despite its power and practicality, the Mazda falls short where it matters most.
