The all-new, raving 2009 Mazda -- Mazda Speed 3 looks -- Mazda’s new offering and a direct one-up from the erstwhile Mazda 6 line-up has these eye-candy looks and an amazing performance to boot, but is it really that good? What has it really got? Especially knowing that the Mazda 6 never really challenged the comfort levels of its rivals like the Honda Civic, Mini Cooper S, Nissan Sentra, etc and had to resort to discounted selling to the budget lookers among the rich. Lithe handling, harsh suspensions, tight handling, just a little less impressive interiors and lack of the finesse so much required for a car in that class couldn’t see the Mazda 6 to the top. 
Things do change and How!
The Mazda 9 is a seriously well-made follow-up on the Mazda 6 Series and brings so much more to the table that you just have to sit up and take notice. Its mean looking exterior with those curved body lines must make any car enthusiast’s knees go weak. The car is much roomier now and comes with a flourish that can give its big dog competitors a run for their money.
The Engine and Power line
Equipped with a humongous 4-cylinder engine, displacing about 2.3 liters, generating about 260 Horsepower and about 280 pound-feet of torque, it is a veritable powerhouse, indeed.
A six-speed manual gearbox helps transmit all that whopping power to the front wheels and it doesn’t come with the automatic transmission option. There is also a limited-slip differential and an electronic torque transmitter for better regulation of the torque depending on the gear selection, which also enhances traction and minimizes torque steer, incidentally.
Your back would stick to your seats with the car taking off the o-60 sprint in just about 5.9 seconds. The EPA figures that the car would pull out at 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined which indicates a toll on the fuel economy, thanks to its venerable power surge.
Safety
Safety is standard with the Mazda Speed 3 -- equipped with an impressive line up of safety features like antilock disc brakes, computerized traction & stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags all come without you asking for it. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rates the Mazda Speed 3 a veritable four stars out of five for frontal-impact collision performance.
Interior Design and Special Features
The Mazdaspeed 3 comes with a flourish that is hard not to take notice. Upscale Interiors, rather large gauge layout, point-precise controls and a robust build with excellent materials makes this car a stand-out feature on its own. The seats come aggressively designed that look sporty; a neat touch with aluminum pedals; a red-and-black color scheme and embossed floor mats with “Mazdaspeed" emblazoned on them. While tall passengers might cringe at the lack of legroom in the rear, the front seating space if fairly well-designed and capable to equip almost anybody. A dinosaur like Cargo capacity with 17 cubic feet behind the rear seats and can give way to about 30 cubic feet with folded back seats.
Driving Impressions
A responsive steering, adequate suspension damping and an outstanding braking performance, the Mazda Speed is a moving adrenaline pump. A virtually non-existent turbo lag, amazing low-end thrust and the supercharged engine offers you a drive that cannot get any less zippy. It pushes forward when you lunge the car to the left and right due to all that torque acting through the steering wheel, otherwise it is indeed light and pleasurable to drive.
The prodigious midrange torque, stiff suspension and considerable grip give the car much of its handling prowess and make your transitions quick indeed. It can be a little unsettling to lunge the car onto fast corners but the suspension damping is otherwise on par. The car stops is less than 110 feet all the way from 60 mph to a screeching halt which should titillate your safety minded, and comfort seeking mind too.
MSRP Range: $22,740 - $24,455
Fuel Economy: 18 MPG city / 26 MPG highway
For a price like that, it is a car that you should think twice to buy.