RE: Mazda 3 MPS: PH Buying Guide
Tuesday 29th March 2016
The Mazda 3 MPS is one of those cars right under the radar of most hot hatch fans. Whether it's the restrained looks or Mazda's on-off relationship with the fast hatch breed, the 3 MPS is not a car we hear a lot about. That's a little odd given this was one of the most powerful hot hatches of its day when launched, with 260hp.
Subtle looks appealed to most...With that sort of power, the £18,995 3 MPS was good for 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds, which was faster than a Volkswagen Golf GTI in 2006 at the time of the Mazda's launch. It was also quicker than the contemporary Ford Focus ST, which shared the same platform as the 3 MPS but used a five-cylinder engine.
... but the Mk2 is more dramatic if desiredStill, the 3 MPS carried on through a facelift of the Mk1 model in 2007 and then into the second generation 3. The MPS version of this car arrived in 2009, with a £21,000 starting price. Another range-wide facelift for the 3 arrived in late 2011, while the MPS was further enhanced a year later with Xenon headlights, larger front brake discs, new secondary rear spoiler and a gunmetal-effect finish for the alloy wheels.
Mazda 3 MPS: PH Buying Guide
Fancy a fast, reliable and discreet hot hatch? Here's how to buy the best 3 MPS
Subtle looks appealed to most...
The Mazda's engine is a 2.3-litre four-cylinder unit, which is a larger capacity than most rivals and their 2.0-litre motors. It shows Mazda's propensity it go in its own direction rather than follow any trends. However, the 3 MPS did stick with front-wheel drive instead of using the four-wheel drive system from its 6 MPS big brother. Perhaps if this had been used, the quick 3 might have gained more headlines and favour from the press at the time of its launch. It might also have helped tame the torque steer that can afflict the car.
Search for Mazda 3 MPS' here
... but the Mk2 is more dramatic if desired
Throughout its life, the MPS in first and second generation guises didn't change dramatically. It sold in small numbers but has gained a faithful following among those who like the subtle looks and strong mid-rev punch provided by 280lb ft of torque. The MPS Owners Club is where you'll find most like-minded enthusiasts and where the best cars are for sale. If you fancy a Mazda 3 MPS and joining this dedicated band of owners, early cars start from £4,000 and prices rise to a peak of £14,000 for the very last made in 2013.
PHer's view:
"It was a great first modern hot hatch to buy but for me, but it needs to be a car bought by somebody who wants a sleeper and also has a bit of money to put into the car to get it performing as expected."
Paul Taylor
Buying Guide contents:
Introduction
Powertrain
Rolling chassis
Body
Interior
At a glance
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Discussion
GTEYE said:
Lack of comments seems to sum it up.
It might be quick, but its just so dull.
It almost reminds me of the Nissan Almera GTi from the mid-ish 90's - car mags raved about them at the time, but no one remembers them now.
This!It might be quick, but its just so dull.
It almost reminds me of the Nissan Almera GTi from the mid-ish 90's - car mags raved about them at the time, but no one remembers them now.
It has a diff but the reviews say the drive is very average.
The facelifts are not cheap yet they have an awful interior.
It's quite well documented the engine has a lot of niggles.
If they were relatively cheap I'd 'get it' but at their price range I really don't, if you want a cheap but good drive you go french or honda but if you want something more premium you go german.
It's neither here or there.
HJMS123 said:
This!
It has a diff but the reviews say the drive is very average.
The facelifts are not cheap yet they have an awful interior.
It's quite well documented the engine has a lot of niggles.
If they were relatively cheap I'd 'get it' but at their price range I really don't, if you want a cheap but good drive you go french or honda but if you want something more premium you go german.
It's neither here or there.
..well, i guess it's quite rare and very fast so that will be enough for some people. It has a diff but the reviews say the drive is very average.
The facelifts are not cheap yet they have an awful interior.
It's quite well documented the engine has a lot of niggles.
If they were relatively cheap I'd 'get it' but at their price range I really don't, if you want a cheap but good drive you go french or honda but if you want something more premium you go german.
It's neither here or there.
Had both the 6 and a mk2 3 MPS both from new. Forget the reviews, jurnos have to fill column inches to entertain.
Both great cars and value for money.
Had both on track and wasn't embarrassed by anything you might consider to be of the same niche and some that might be considered superior.
As for German quality, the 6 replaced an Audi which started to self destruct after 12 months so was disposed of rapid.
Never going to be considered as a 'in car' because of the badge, which has its advantages.
Both great cars and value for money.
Had both on track and wasn't embarrassed by anything you might consider to be of the same niche and some that might be considered superior.
As for German quality, the 6 replaced an Audi which started to self destruct after 12 months so was disposed of rapid.
Never going to be considered as a 'in car' because of the badge, which has its advantages.
Have any of you guys actually owned one? I have and covered 95K in a 2011mps. They are bullet proof and with simple mods done at home will stuff a Golf R, Focus ST and most other "drivers cars" on the track. Power wise the standard engine and drive train will cope happily with over 350bhp. Grip and handling are excellent if you get the correct tyres and run the right pressures.
Standard suspension is good and does not need upgrading. Brakes are also OK if you use the correct uprated pads. Will admit interior is a little bland but the seats work better than they look and they have more room than most other hatches, it also comes with a very long list of options as standard.
The generation 1 is a sleeper, the generation 2 is a stunning looking car.
They were used at Thruxton as their Track driver training cars and came highly recommended by one of their instructors. Forget the badge and snobbery of some journalists and try one.
Standard suspension is good and does not need upgrading. Brakes are also OK if you use the correct uprated pads. Will admit interior is a little bland but the seats work better than they look and they have more room than most other hatches, it also comes with a very long list of options as standard.
The generation 1 is a sleeper, the generation 2 is a stunning looking car.
They were used at Thruxton as their Track driver training cars and came highly recommended by one of their instructors. Forget the badge and snobbery of some journalists and try one.
Lest we forget that Mazda is a small player in the 'global auto' sector and as such doesn't have the R & D clout of Ford, GM, VAG etc., it's pretty darn good out of the box.
Only Renaultsport or the Focus RS were being offered with a proper mechanical LSD in the period 2009-2012, none of this 'braking the inside wheel' tosh. So your £21k Mk2 looks remarkable value compared to the latest LSD equipped VXR which starts at £27k ,lugs around an extra 100kg, has terrible reviews and is spotted less than Lord Lucan.
The engine shares architecture with that in the latest FRS and Mustang 'cos Ford nicked it from Mazda when they shared a bed, much as they nicked the FRS five pot from Volvo.
The basis is there to modify just like any Evo or Impreza according to your budget. I had softer springs fitted and lightweight OZ alloys shod with Toyo R1R - you can fling it down any Welsh B-road with complete confidence. I could post dashcam footage destroying an S4 that wasn't taking any prisoners.....but I doubt North Wales Plod would be amused.
Tuning options are Freektune via the ECU port or take it to Neil McKay @ BBR (rolling road equipped) which is what I did, stage 3, and it's been utterly reliable.
I like the fact they're rare (less than 800 in UK), why drive the same car as every other cat ?
Weather permitting, it'll be at the WEC, Silverstone, April 17th......but it ain't for sale any time soon.
Only Renaultsport or the Focus RS were being offered with a proper mechanical LSD in the period 2009-2012, none of this 'braking the inside wheel' tosh. So your £21k Mk2 looks remarkable value compared to the latest LSD equipped VXR which starts at £27k ,lugs around an extra 100kg, has terrible reviews and is spotted less than Lord Lucan.
The engine shares architecture with that in the latest FRS and Mustang 'cos Ford nicked it from Mazda when they shared a bed, much as they nicked the FRS five pot from Volvo.
The basis is there to modify just like any Evo or Impreza according to your budget. I had softer springs fitted and lightweight OZ alloys shod with Toyo R1R - you can fling it down any Welsh B-road with complete confidence. I could post dashcam footage destroying an S4 that wasn't taking any prisoners.....but I doubt North Wales Plod would be amused.
Tuning options are Freektune via the ECU port or take it to Neil McKay @ BBR (rolling road equipped) which is what I did, stage 3, and it's been utterly reliable.
I like the fact they're rare (less than 800 in UK), why drive the same car as every other cat ?
Weather permitting, it'll be at the WEC, Silverstone, April 17th......but it ain't for sale any time soon.
Great allround car family or fun. Currently own mk as did not want a "scooby" bonnet vent. Very subtle car so very underated. Exception of a focus mk2 rs ive not found any hatch that can stay with it from 3rd gear up. I have basic mods and remap. Yes it needs maintance to be at its best but its well worth the effort. Still like that few people know what they are, non aero spec even more stealth.
I had a Mk1 aero and now have a Mk2 which is fully loaded. The rvm monitoring system is a useful tool which won awards it has more extras on it as standard than any German car.
I really like the shape and how rare they are. The seating position isn't great and the short seat base isn't very nice. The steering can feel a bit vague at times but with some very easy affordable tweaks they are very tuneable and easy to change.
I really like the shape and how rare they are. The seating position isn't great and the short seat base isn't very nice. The steering can feel a bit vague at times but with some very easy affordable tweaks they are very tuneable and easy to change.
As a former owner i thought id give me my 2p .I had a mk2 for 20k miles with all the best bits bolted on and road tuned accordingly to well over 300.I will break this into paragrahs as i dont like writting or reading a "wall" of text.
Image
Its a mazda ,in mk1 form it looks like a vicars car even with the aero kit.The mk2 with the scoop and smiley face is more obvious ,but at the end of the day they are rare mazda hatchbacks that to most aren't any good because they aren't German or a ford.If you like to be different or undercover the image wont affect you .
Powertrain
HPFP , vvt , turbos , conrods and excessive crank pressure are all weak points.The engine is dull as dish water as standard , sounds like a Dyson on reheat and has a horrible (and i mean horrible) torque and power drop after 5300rpm. On the flip side it does have one hell of a torque hit at <2500rpm on the ko4.It also sounds like a diesel on idle.
The GKN diff is hampered by SWAS (steering wheel angle sensor )which cuts torque in bends drastically ,doesnt feel nice.This can be deactivated by "unplugging" it but it takes TC and ESP with it.
All the engine gripes can be fixed with the usual , induction kit , turbo back exhaust and hybrid turbo upgrades you get with all the other hatches.
Rolling chassis
The brakes are strong but only for two big stops in a row , the pedal is naturally soft which massively improves with upgraded brake lines.All in for general road duties the set up is more than enough .If you want fast road , better discs and pads are a must.
The mk2 is lower and stiffer than the mk1 but still rolls a little to much in the bends , although better than the mk5 astra vxr.Understeers a lot than less those too.
They ride very well and are comfy on 150+ mile journeys
An upgraded rear engine mount is a must to help kerb the rampant wheelspin ,adding coilovers improves it further .
Body
soft Japanese paint equates to stone chip bumper city.They are generally rust-free apart from underneath but they aren't made of tin.
Interior
Not German ,so pass here. The mk2 does have all the toys you could wish for but the seats dont have the lateral support of the mk1 seats.
Tune
These cars are best road tuned via cobb or versatune , dyno tuning even by ecutek vendors is not advised.Its been proven timne and time again .Cobb and versatune allow you to tune the car yourself as you can view and alter all the usual parameters (timing,afr,boost ,load limits etc ).Aswel as seeing in excel exactly how the car is performing with your own eyes not with a mapper saying ye its "ok pal" on a dyno.The big benefit for me was that your able to tune the car with your mapper on the otherside of the world ,mine was in Sydney !
Would i buy another.
It did so many things right but the two things it did wrong mean i wouldn't bother unless one came up dirt cheap.My gripes where ,SWAS (i liked ESP /TC) and damn wheelspin , i could live with the 19mpg avg.
Image
Its a mazda ,in mk1 form it looks like a vicars car even with the aero kit.The mk2 with the scoop and smiley face is more obvious ,but at the end of the day they are rare mazda hatchbacks that to most aren't any good because they aren't German or a ford.If you like to be different or undercover the image wont affect you .
Powertrain
HPFP , vvt , turbos , conrods and excessive crank pressure are all weak points.The engine is dull as dish water as standard , sounds like a Dyson on reheat and has a horrible (and i mean horrible) torque and power drop after 5300rpm. On the flip side it does have one hell of a torque hit at <2500rpm on the ko4.It also sounds like a diesel on idle.
The GKN diff is hampered by SWAS (steering wheel angle sensor )which cuts torque in bends drastically ,doesnt feel nice.This can be deactivated by "unplugging" it but it takes TC and ESP with it.
All the engine gripes can be fixed with the usual , induction kit , turbo back exhaust and hybrid turbo upgrades you get with all the other hatches.
Rolling chassis
The brakes are strong but only for two big stops in a row , the pedal is naturally soft which massively improves with upgraded brake lines.All in for general road duties the set up is more than enough .If you want fast road , better discs and pads are a must.
The mk2 is lower and stiffer than the mk1 but still rolls a little to much in the bends , although better than the mk5 astra vxr.Understeers a lot than less those too.
They ride very well and are comfy on 150+ mile journeys
An upgraded rear engine mount is a must to help kerb the rampant wheelspin ,adding coilovers improves it further .
Body
soft Japanese paint equates to stone chip bumper city.They are generally rust-free apart from underneath but they aren't made of tin.
Interior
Not German ,so pass here. The mk2 does have all the toys you could wish for but the seats dont have the lateral support of the mk1 seats.
Tune
These cars are best road tuned via cobb or versatune , dyno tuning even by ecutek vendors is not advised.Its been proven timne and time again .Cobb and versatune allow you to tune the car yourself as you can view and alter all the usual parameters (timing,afr,boost ,load limits etc ).Aswel as seeing in excel exactly how the car is performing with your own eyes not with a mapper saying ye its "ok pal" on a dyno.The big benefit for me was that your able to tune the car with your mapper on the otherside of the world ,mine was in Sydney !
Would i buy another.
It did so many things right but the two things it did wrong mean i wouldn't bother unless one came up dirt cheap.My gripes where ,SWAS (i liked ESP /TC) and damn wheelspin , i could live with the 19mpg avg.
Edited by pimpchez on Tuesday 29th March 21:11
Edited by pimpchez on Tuesday 29th March 21:19
A good read but..
There's no mention of the weak conrods. You shouldn't floor these cars until your past 2800rpm really unless you go forged.
In standard form they do have weaknesses but if you are prepared to spend money on upgrades you will be rewarded. The stock turbo's are weak so I would recommend upgrading them and getting the car remapped.
Another decent upgrade not mentioned is an uprated rear engine mount. It's one of the best mods for the car.
A downside is that most the decent tuning parts come from the USA so you have to factor tax and import duties when buying parts.
There's no mention of the weak conrods. You shouldn't floor these cars until your past 2800rpm really unless you go forged.
In standard form they do have weaknesses but if you are prepared to spend money on upgrades you will be rewarded. The stock turbo's are weak so I would recommend upgrading them and getting the car remapped.
Another decent upgrade not mentioned is an uprated rear engine mount. It's one of the best mods for the car.
A downside is that most the decent tuning parts come from the USA so you have to factor tax and import duties when buying parts.
a1rak said:
Have any of you guys actually owned one? I have and covered 95K in a 2011mps. They are bullet proof and with simple mods done at home will stuff a Golf R, Focus ST and most other "drivers cars" on the track.
You clearly haven't driven a Golf R then. So too can you remap on a Golf R which will see 370bhp and it already has a fantastic chassis so not quite sure how it will stuff one on a track exactly? simundo777 said:
You clearly haven't driven a Golf R then. So too can you remap on a Golf R which will see 370bhp and it already has a fantastic chassis so not quite sure how it will stuff one on a track exactly?
I'd have to agree....I've come across one that tried to goad me (Golf R DSG with DTUK box) and the R absolutely annihilated it.
Having ran a 2.0 Focus ST for a 12m or so I'd say maybe it will be a match for one of them, Golf R? Absolute no chance!
.simundo777 said:
a1rak said:
Have any of you guys actually owned one? I have and covered 95K in a 2011mps. They are bullet proof and with simple mods done at home will stuff a Golf R, Focus ST and most other "drivers cars" on the track.
You clearly haven't driven a Golf R then. So too can you remap on a Golf R which will see 370bhp and it already has a fantastic chassis so not quite sure how it will stuff one on a track exactly? lickatysplit said:
Its not stopping me waiting for the new MPS due out soon :-)
Mazda themselves have said it will never happen.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff