Test Drive Mazda Mazda 3 MPS (Mazdaspeed 3) since 2009 Hatchback

Mazdaspeed 3 with Turbo-"Four" against Hyundai Genesis Coupe with V6. Unlike rivals

There is a lot of good reasons to compare Mazdaspeed 3 (American analogue of Mazda3 MPS) and Hyundai Genesis Coupe, two so different in style and target audience of the car. Believe me, the reasons are really a lot. One of them is their extreme popularity with you, our readers.
You can say that Mazda recently updated the third model published the second generation of hot hatchback Mazdaspeed 3, and therefore a serious opponent is needed to challenge his unconditional domination in our comparative tests.
And you can also add that Genesis Coupe is perfect for the role of such an opponent. Offering a successful combination of handling of the rear-wheel drive car, serious power and unique appearance, he managed to sleep from its path of more expensive competitors in the sports coupe segment without much effort. He is fast, it is chic and it performs such high-speed drifts that Nomukhen himself would have envied. And, as most often happens with rear-wheel drive coupe, its low price does not leave competitors no chance.
You might say it all, and made a mistake.
The present cause is much easier. And it is that we compare two very unlike cars for fun walks for relatively little money. They look great and quickly go.
In this regard, 50% of points in this test we will give value and dynamics (25% for each aspect). Fuel consumption, equipment and our subjective 28-point estimate are obtained by 15%. The remaining 5% will give the opinion of the editors and their individual selection.

Pedigree
So, in front of us Mazdaspeed3 and Genesis Coupe. Hyundai releases two versions of this rather big 2.0th compartment, which is practically like Mazda, but inferior to it in a dynamics, and a 3.8-liter version with V6, which is comparable to Mazda in a dynamics, but costs somewhere $ 4,500 more. For any contest where the speaker is one of the main parameters, we always choose a version that can show impressive results. So we entered this time.
Our Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track is equipped with Hyundai's V6 V6, outstanding 306 hp and 360 nm of torque. Standard equipment includes a six-speed manual transmission, 19-inch wheels, four-position Brembo calipers in front and rear and differential Torsen friction on the host rear axle. The full equipment is complemented by an iPod cable and floor mats at a cost of $ 30,375.
The new hooligan from Mazda is not at all salisy. Its turbocharged row four-cylinder engine with a direct injection of 2.3 liters of fuel produces 263 hp And good 379 nm of torque. All this power is transmitted to the front axle by means of a six-speed mechanics and a limited friction differential. Together with the package of Mazdaspeed Technology options, and this is a BOSE audio system, a CD changer on 6 disks, satellite radio and a compact Mazdaspeed 3 navigation system will cost the buyer at $ 25,840.

Such similar, but such different?
These two cars are fundamentally different from each other in style and design. Hatchback against the coupe. Front drive against the rear. Turbulated row four against atmospheric V6. And, nevertheless, each of the two is ideal for the tasks set before him. At 2,639 mm Mazda wheelbase in shorter Hyundai more than 17 cm and this is quite a lot if it comes to a quick change of movement.
But we should not forget about some qualities of the originally inherent rear drive. Even if such a car has a longer wheel base, higher cost and slightly more mass (in this case, we are talking about extra 100 kg), the dynamics of the coupe a front-wheel drive can not exceed.
Nevertheless, Mazda preferred her hatchback Mazdaspeed3, and not all seasoning is designed to increase the dynamics. It is impossible to challenge the practicality of the four-door hatchback. If you fold the rear seat, you get almost 1,20 liters for baggage is quite enough to transport furniture or, say, TV with an impressive diagonal. With Hyundai, such a focus will not pass. We are not talking about the fact that the rear doors Mazda are very practical if you have a family or a lot of friends.

It is important
But the differences that really matter that will help our editors who have the right to vote, choose only one car, are detected only when you sit behind the wheel with a specific purpose. It was then that Mazda's decision to combine simple practicality with sporting dynamics becomes obvious. It is then that you find out that the handling of it is clean and accurate, and the response to work the gas pedal is acute and immediate.
If you transfer several times from Mazda in Hyundai and back in the course of several races in the speed highway with smooth open turns, then the difference in dynamics is quite smoothed. Hatchback is slightly sharper, he immediately reacts to the slightest change in the position of the accelerator pedal, he has a more controlled braking. But Genesis does not lag behind, it is always assembled and extremely accurate. But if you drive them on a narrow road with sharp closed turns, immediately becomes obvious which car from sports camp, and which is firmly one wheel in the Grand Touring League.
Genesis dances around the fact that is not a sports car with an impressive grace. The stability of its long wheelbase is carefully hiding behind the ability of the rear drive to respond to operation of the wheel and gas. Its steering wheel, providing enough response to making high speed solutions, will never be compared with the razor sharp accuracy of Mazda. And he is adequate to braking, but not immediately, and closer to the end.
If the trip along the winding road will delay, it will not matter how much Genesis driver will try for Mazda him just do not get angry.

Numbers between string
A sharp change of geeks in Genesis on the hottest day of the year made it possible to detect another advantage of the rear drive Genesis: it is fast. As a result of the acceleration test, we got the best result for Hyundai coupe from scratch to 96 km / h in 5.9 seconds. The quantine he overcomes in 14.2 seconds, accepted at the finish to 158 km / h, thus the Mazda in both tests.
But the difference is not great. Mazda has at its disposal more torque and a more advantageous ratio of power to weight, and therefore when overclocking from 35 to 140 km / h is inferior to the opponent only 0.36 seconds. It exchanges hundreds for 6.3 s, and a quarter mile flies for 14.4 s, accepted at the finish to 160 km / h.
Brake, traditionally the strong side of the Mazda cars, also turned out to be better at Hyundai. From 96 km / h Mazdaspeed 3 stops for 36.27 m (1.8 meters more than the first Mazdaspeed 3, which we tested), whereas Hyundai takes out only 34.75 m. None of the cars discovered The obvious fatigue of the brakes after multiple braking, and yet we were much impressed by the work of the Brembo machine, which is equipped with Hyundai than we expected. After aggressive braking of Mazda brakes, the initial chartiness is slightly lost, but do not lose efficiency.
Comparison of the fuel consumption did not work at all. In mixed mode, Mazda consumes 11.82 l per 100 km, Hyundai 12,19 liters.
Liche's devices
In tests on handling the leader turned out to be Mazda. The speed on the slalom was 114.4 km / h, which is 6 km / hour more than Hyundai (108 km / h). In the dough on the side acceleration, Mazda also turned out to be better, demonstrating 0.91g against 0.89g Hyundai. If you are a fan of using a stabilization system to ensure high speeds, the MAZDA system will allow you to drive a car closer to the limit of its capabilities than the Hyundai system interfering with your actions more often and aggressive.
Describes the sensations from managing these machines, operating only by numbers, almost impossible. Mostly this is the consequence of the fact that Mazda is much more assembled at high speed than Genesis. Hyundai is perfectly holding a given rhythm on secondary roads, he is able to impress its balance, perfect handling and good manners. But inside the Mazda, you turn out to be completely absorbed by the ability of this car to cover long distances at the insane speed.
Better in
We did not expect that much cheaper Mazda will offer the quality of finishing and options at the Hyundai level, and even higher, but that we found it, having considered both cars from the inside. Literally all that surrounds the driver in Mazda, excellent quality, especially the steering wheel, which in Genesis looks plastic, and not too nice to the touch.
As standard Mazda equipment offers two-zone climate control with perfectly readable designations on regulators. W. Genesis climate control has a single zone, and the temperature control knob is not as convenient. Both vehicles are equipped with a premium class audio system with ten-speakers Optional 242-watt BOSE system in Mazda and standard Infinity system in Genesis. We liked the interface of the audio system in Mazda, with three handles of control of the main functions, while Genesis has the entire system controlled using one handle and several buttons.
The Technology option package also means that the Mazda has a navigation system. Slightly experiencing with her, we realized that her screen was too small to be functional in many situations, and anyway on the background of Hyundai, whose such system is not at all, this is a great advantage. Most recently, Hyundai has developed a touch display navigation system available as an option worth $ 1,000, including for Genesis Coupe, but we got an instance without such.
The leather upholstery of the cabin at Hyundai is standard, as well as heated front seats. Mazda has no such.
Nevertheless, we liked the combination of skin and fabric, used in the upholstery of the Mazda seats, since it is such a combination (leather sidewalls and a tissue horizontal surface) helps to hold on the spot at high speed.
It is no secret that we like the style of Genesis Coupe, because this car is able to draw attention to the filling station even six months after the start of sales. Mazda style, despite the carefully worked, more aggressive forms of Mazdaspeed in comparison with the usual Mazda, does not cause rapid impressions. In our opinion, this is something like Megan Fox, if you remove its tattoos, the beauty of which is very dependent on the selected shooting angle.
Right corner
The optimal viewing angle in this case is due to the steering wheel. Hyperactive hatchback from Mazda wins a unambiguous victory in the category Cheerful ride. Yes, it is inferior to a few tenth seconds when accelerated in a straight line, but in general the results are so similar that the race in this case, when starting from the traffic light, will be between drivers, and not between cars. In tests on the controllability of Mazda, it is unambiguously leading.
But the final decision on the victory is taken with the cost and practicality. When breaking in the cost of $ 4,500 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8, it is necessary to dominate each of the categories presented to exit this battle with the winner. He leads in terms of equipment, offers heated seats, four-pixel brakes, rear-wheel drive and the ability to refuel with cheaper gasoline weighty argument at each refueling.
But this was not enough to defeat the Sport car Mazdaspeed 3, the exact, super-profistic and extremely fascinating. It would be foolish to ignore the advantage of the practicality of the only car in the family, because these cars will be such cars in most cases.
That is why my friends, Mazdaspeed 3 wins in our test. The motto of the model to gear to all the ass was proclaimed long before the exit of this car in the light, the same became even better than before. We are complemening the list of those defeated by another name.
Jason Kazenai, Technical Editor:
There is no likely that the tuning version of the economical machine will be similar to the dynamics with a rear-wheel drive velocity. Not the slightest. Approximately such thoughts rushed in my head before starting this comparative test. Earlier, I didn't even really go to Genesis Coupe, but I was absolutely convinced that he would leave the front-wheel drive Mazdaspeed3 in smoke from his rear wheels.
When you approach these cars, Hyundai tells you all your kind: Sport. It looks gorgeous where Mazda looks like a loaf of bread. But wait for it? Mazdaspeed 3 Salon looks more expensive, and feel more noble. And the price tag of Mazda is significantly less.
Alternate trip by car opened my eyes. Hyundai goes like a GT car, with a huge, relaxing feeling that you float along the highway or focus your ship to Apex turn. It is necessary to work intensively with the gas pedal during rapid shifts. The car management is strange, slightly nervous. Genesis is a good start for the Korean brand, but for the creation of sports-karov, the baby Hyundai still still has no milk on the lips.
Mazda as a compressed spring. Accurate. More responsive. More suitable fasteners of quick ride, it is sharper and gives a sense of reliability. Think about it the front-wheel drive hatchback with 4 doors more interesting as sports car than a two-door rear-wheel drive car. Lovers biased to think their head will break.
 
Note from Drom.ru. In Russia, Hyundai Genesis Coupe is already sold officially, however, only in the configuration with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine (213 hp). The price tag on the model begins with 1,229,900 rubles. Affordable sports from the Mazda model Mazda3 MPS, the full analogue of the car tested by Americans costs from 1 216 500 rubles.
 
   
 
 
 

A source: Insideline.