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Hatchbacks Mazda3 Mazdaspeed3 vs. VW V GTI vs. Civic Si
1379 messages, Last post on Oct 01, 2009 at 10:54 AM
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130i M Sport 6-cyl RWD BMW vs... http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/209950/alfa_brera_v6_v_rivals.html- - W/ the engine output well snubbed "in the first four gears" & "if you didn’t know better, you might think the MPS was four-wheel drive." "On smooth roads the ride is fine, tightly checked by the lowered suspension but with acceptable suppleness, but on lumpier B-roads the nose can start bobbing as it gets out of phase with quick-fire sequences of mild bumps. Attack a choppy corner and the steering’s limited feel isolates you from the mild scrabble that ensues as the inside tyre tugs at the apex, while grip is impressive once the nose has tucked into the turn. It’s a very nose-led experience, the rear refusing to budge even when diving in hard on the brakes. High marks for effectiveness, then, and a middling score for involvement." So, lack of steering-feel fun & lack of oversteer fun, but heck "on the laptop screen: best lap 1:31.3, a new record." http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/209952/mazda_3.html All its rivals "here have transverse engines with end-on gearboxes, which means their front wheels can’t be pushed as far forward and their weight distribution is nose-heavy." Being the only RWD platform here & also having normally aspirated large displacement means "the engine is sensitive to the lightest throttle pressure" & therefore fishtail drift is just around the corner. Subjectively, all the rivals here including the more powerful 4-cyl turbo FWD Mazda3 can't have this kind of fun. But the BMW "remains a flawed car though, the feel of its chassis occasionally vague, its ride confounded by particularly lumpen B-roads." So it still can't trump in both ride & handling the way the Focus can. http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/209954/bmw_1series.html Here comes the AWD GTI, or 4-cyl turbo R32 -- the Audi S3. Competent fool-proof handling combines w/ more "boosts from lower revs" than the Mazda engine. http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/209953/audi_s3.html I think the Alfa is the only good-looking car here. But w/ "feel-free steering" & still has a "ride that’s firm and busy at a detail level", this not so agile car... http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/209950/alfa_brera_v6_v_rivals.html- -
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Replying to: creakid1 (Aug 30, 2007 9:50 pm)  I swear an AWD 2.0T GTI would be a blast. Some simply tuning...yummy.
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| A year and a few days, and 17,500 trouble free, hi reving miles. This car is a blast, and squeak/rattle free. Most fun car I have ever owned. | |
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Replying to: blueguydotcom (Aug 31, 2007 10:22 am) as far as the 3 go....my take on it. the gti is the most balanced of them all. my little brother (well we're both in our 30s) has a mazdaspeed3 and he swears by it. i actually considered it, but i love VWs. the interiors just seem more refined. honda makes a great car, but just not a big fan of the styling.
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Replying to: nectar (Sep 04, 2007 10:15 am) I can't accelerate hard out of corners and I can't accelerate hard from a stand still. AWD solves both.
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Replying to: blueguydotcom (Sep 04, 2007 1:07 pm) |
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But even if you upgrade to a much more hardcore sporty setting on a RWD platform w/ a meaty normally aspirated V8 lighter than a BMW 6-cyl & placed mostly behind the front axle really going to get you anywhere (fun)? http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/210130/bmw_m3.html "However, its stiff settings don’t cope so well with rough surfaces, where it proves edgy, with slightly numb steering. The M3’s engineering excellence should mean it’s a highly involving car to drive – but it doesn’t have the same ability to entertain at all speeds as Audi’s RS4, for instance. While technically brilliant, the BMW is less supple and engaging." |
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I need something with more TORK.
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Replying to: carfanatic007 (Sep 16, 2007 5:28 pm) wow. just wow. so i'm assuming that when you posted the bulk of your comments, you had yet to try the vw out huh? so do you still think the si is the 'best'? i personally probably would have kept the si, just for the handling. the gli is a good handler too, but its not flat through corners. the mkV's biggest weakness imo. but the torque is nice. |
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I test drove all 3 of these cars. I hated the SI. You have to drive it like it you're stealing it and I just couldn't get the hang it. I never seemed to go to the right gear. I guess I would get used to it if I had bought it but it soured my test drive so much that I just couldn't buy it. The layout of the guages was fine to me, I didn't mind the speedo being high up compared to the tachometer. And even with a nav system, it was the least expensive. The GTI was great. I drove one with the DSG transmission and loved it. I have to drive through some tough traffic which can be a chore with a standard, but this would have allowed me to still be involved with driving the car while being convenient during stop and go traffic. The biggest problem with the GTI is that to get one with a sunroof, DSG, and upgrade to the 18 inch wheels (I don't like the way the 17's look) the price would have been over 26K. The MSP3 just seemed to fit me perfectly. It's priced higher than the SI but with the added power, space, and amenities (I got the GT package) its justified. The shifter can be a bit vague sometimes and the clutch is very abrupt making it tough to get a smooth start and not having a sunroof is a bit of a drag but the power this car has in third gear is so intoxicating that you completely forget about all that stuff. I just can't imagine a better car in this category. The new Caliber SRT-4 might give the MSP3 a run in the straight line from 0 - 60, but I don't see how a vehicle that tall will ever be able to beat it in the corners, and it's interior is crap. And why people insist of pitting the MSP3 to Evo's and WRX's? Those are AWD cars and thousands of dollars more expensive.
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