The 2010 Mazdaspeed 3
I purchased my 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 on October 13th 2009. It was a replacement, or as I like to say, an upgrade from my 2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege (MSP). The Mazdaspeed 3 was definitely an upgrade to say the least. My MSP was nothing more than a protege with a turbo slapped on it, some decent rims, a nice Tokico suspension and a lip kit with a more subtle EVO spoiler. Even with the turbo it was still only rated at 180whp. Other than the handling, the MSP was a disappointment to say the least.
It didn’t take much to blow the 2.0L 4-cylinder engine on the MSP. A few bolt-ons, Unichip piggyback and a leaky waste gate on the stock turbo that didn’t allow for it to sustain more than 16psi and…. BOOM, there went a piston bearing! It was an expensive lesson to learn.
The new 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 is a far cry from the MSP. It is the third generation of the Mazdaspeed 3, 4th if you include the original Protege, and it is currently the pinnacle of Mazdaspeed at unbelievable affordability. Boasting 265whp and 15psi 2.5L DOHC DISI Turbo 4-cylinder with VVT and 280lbs of torque right from the factory, this fine machine is everything you need for less than $25,000 fully loaded. I purchased the top-of-the-line model which included:
- Bose® Centerpoint® Surround sound AudioPilot with 10 speakers
- indash 6-Disc CD changer with an AUX pluging for MP3
- Compact Navigation system,
- Keyless entry and push button start system with alarm
- 18″ silver alloy rims,
- Turbo’d and top-mounted inter cooler, with a subtle hood scoop
- and a suspension to die for!
All-in-all for under $25,000 you couldn’t ask for a better or more fun automobile.
