Mazda3 Review & Road Test
July 10, 2009 by David Twomey
2009 Mazda 3 SP25 Review & Road Test
Cheerful, sporty and a sales assassin
Model Tested:
- 2009 Mazda3 SP25; 2.5-litre, DOHC, four-cylinder; six-speed manual; Hatch – $30,690
Options:
- Luxury Pack – leather trim, Bose 10-speaker audio and sliding centre armrest $2400; Floor mats $123
Sporty nature, good performance, excellent safety
Steering lightness, bland dash, cluttered steering wheel
CarAdvice Rating: 
By David Twomey Pics Paul Maric
Mazda’s ubiquitous Mazda3 may have a smiling face but beneath that grinning grille lurks the heart of an assassin, for this small car has seriously threatened the established order amongst the Big Three in the sales stakes.
It’s a seemingly unlikely contender to have nudged Toyota’s all-conquering Corolla and even the much larger Ford Falcon from elevated positions on the sales charts.
At the same time Mazda has made no secret of the fact that the launch of the “New Generation” Mazda3 is the single most important event for it in this particularly troubled economic year.
The SP25 is currently the hero car of the Mazda3 range, at least until the rapid MPS arrives next month, and it’s no doubt the car every buyer walks into a showroom wanting to buy, before they leave with their somewhat more prosaic Maxx or Neo.
Much about the latest version of this car is evolutionary rather than revolutionary and you might say it’s good to be three.
As a hero the SP25 is a more than adequate candidate in general, but one that does come with some challenges, most notably it’s heavier, while more powerful and more expensive, while having more equipment.
The 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine from the Mazda6, an increase in engine size from the previous 2.3-litres, powers the SP25 hatch and sedan. Other Mazda3s continue with an updated version of the 2.0-litre engine.
The manual SP25, our test vehicle, gets a six-speed gearbox rather than the five-speed used previously, while a five-speed auto with a self-shift gate replaces the old four-speed.
The SP25 manual hatch costs $30,690, a rise of $160 from the old model and the auto costs a further $2260.
Standard equipment includes satellite navigation, Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, six-CD audio, cruise control and a trip computer.
To differentiate it from the standard models there’s a sporty body kit, clear-lens LED taillights and nice looking, multi-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels with 205/50R17 89W tyres. In common with an increasing number of vehicles the Mazda only comes with a space-saver spare tyre.
On the safety front the Mazda3 SP25 comes with six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), traction control, anti-lock brakes with brake-force distribution and brake-assist.
There are also active head restraints, which ensure they are in the best position to minimise injury, should you have an accident, and five lap-sash seatbelts.
Facing up to the interior of the Mazda3 SP25 there’s mixed reaction with the overall impression of clean and uncluttered, but the centre stack looks a little barren and low-rent to me, dominated as it is by an oversized control knob, while the presentation in front of the driver is a mélange of sporty and confusing.
The nicely thick and leather bound steering wheel is laden with almost more buttons than the dashboard, with controls for audio, Bluetooth, cruise control and satellite navigation scattered around its centre hub.
The standard colour screen built into the centre dash does an admirable job of handling navigation tasks, despite its seemingly too small size, and also conveys a useful array of trip computer information. It’s position does mean that it sits nicely in the driver’s eye line.
Steering is adjustable for reach and rake, the pedals are well-spaced, light enough to use and provide good feel and feedback, the left footrest does its job well.
The optional leather-clad seats tended to be a little flat, a bit short in the base, especially for long-legged drivers, but provide good back support. In the rear the bench seat provides good support but knee room is challenging for taller passengers.
Pockets in the front doors are small but do provide holders for drinks, a good thing as the central ones inhibit gear shifting. Those in the rear are minuscule and there is only a seat back pocket on the passenger seat, plus two cup-holders in the pull-down centre armrest.
Despite the hatch now being 90 millimetres longer than before the luggage capacity remains at 300 litres, down to 276 litres with the optional sub-woofer fitted to our test car.
On the plus side, 60:40 split fold rear seats aid the carriage of larger or longer loads.
Having bulked up by 46 kilograms over the SP23 the SP25 can certainly use the extra seven kilowatts and 24 Newton-metres that its 2.5-litre engine pumps out.
The performance is certainly not ballistic, leave that to the turbocharged MPS, but it is more than adequate, while remaining civilised.
It’s at low revs that the performance suffers the most as peak power of 122kW comes in at 6000rpm and the 227Nm of torque arrives at 4000rpm, however there’s enough on hand for it to lug up hills adequately in higher gears.
![IMG_1512[1]](http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/IMG_15121.jpg)
That said it does perk up admirably if you shuffle down the clean shifting gearbox, with the nicely weighted clutch, and up the revs, which provides a raspy bark to the engine note.
Mazda claims a reasonable 8.6L/100km on 91RON petrol, and with quite a lot of country driving we managed 8.2L/100km, a more than commendable effort, but one we feel would be hard to replicate with a greater amount of city driving. Mazda says the SP25 emits 204 grams of CO2 for each kilometre travelled.
On the road it’s no surprise that the Mazda3 SP25 feels a lot like its predecessor, as they are fundamentally the same. There’s a balance to the handling that resists being too hard-edged, while the ride remains taut but compliant, never uncomfortable.
The suspension set-up is conventional with MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear.
I’m not sure I like the new-found lightness of the electro-hydraulic power steering, which often wants several bites of a corner when being hustled along.
Braking is more than adequate for the 1342kg of the SP25 with ventilated 300mm rotors at the front and 280mm solid discs at the rear.
On the plus side it is nicely weighted for around town use, perhaps indicating that Mazda knows the SP25 is more a looker than a doer in the performance arena.
We noticed on our launch drive that tyre noise was still an issue with the Mazda3 in general, it certainly been tamed from the previous model, but with lower profile tyres and a more boisterous engine the SP25 is not the quietest place to be, especially on the highway.
Smiley face or not the Mazda3 SP25 is a cheerful drive that will appeal to both past devotees and those who hanker for a chirpy, sporty ride that doesn’t challenge too much.
Ratings:
CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive: 
How does it Look:
How does it Go: 
Specifications:
- Engine: 2488cc, four-cylinder
- Power: 122kW @ 6000rpm
- Torque: 227Nm @ 4000rpm
- Induction: Multipoint injection
- Transmission: Six-speed manual
- Driven Wheels: Front
- Brakes: Discs with ABS,EBD,BA
- Top Speed: N/A
- 0-100km/h: N/A
- CO2 Emissions: 204g/km
- Fuel Consumption: 8.6L/100km(ADR combined)
- Fuel Consumption: 8.2L/100km(As Tested)
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 60 litres
- Fuel Type: 91RON petrol
- ANCAP Rating: Not tested
- Airbags: Front, side and curtain
- Safety: ESC,ABS, Brake Assist, EBD
- Spare Wheel: Space saver
- Suspension: MacPherson Strut(F), Multi-link (R)
- Cargo Capacity: 300 litres
- Tow Capacity: 900kg (braked)
- Turning Circle: 10.9 metres
- Warranty: Three years/100,000 kilometres
- Weight: 1342kg
- Wheels: 17-inch alloys
Print it: 
I own a Gen VI golf
Re: VW service costs……..to many rumours i am afraid. I have lifted this info from the Golf thread cos i was too lazy to type it myself. My dealer has confirmed the posters figures are correct (within a few dollars)……myth busted panic freaks
The poster says:
“……..I have checked with the service dept of my VW dealer regarding the servicing of the DSG and regular services. DSG apparently is serviced at 60,000klm and 120,000klm, at the same time as the car gets it’s general service. The costs, as at today, for the services, INCLUDING the DSG service is:
15000klm/1 year=$247.16
30000klm/2 year=$418.43
45000klm/3 year=$247.16
60000klm/4 year=$652.64
75000klm/5 year=$247.16
90000klm/6 year=$418.43
105000klm 7 year= $247.16
120,000klm 8 year= $725.00
which is obviously why the service costs are higher for 60,000 and 120,0000. The head maintenance guy went on to clarify that unless there is a separate problem with the car or gearbox, the DSG does not require separate ongoing servicing – ever……”
Also don’t the 3s require servicing every 10,000kms??
Where as most cars are every 15,000kms…
Firstly to correct the article, the previous model did actually come with the 5sp auto, not a 4sp as claimed.
I also reckon its worth an extra half a star for what is easily the class winner.
Also, if you want to pick on a bland dash, you might want to see the rest of the competition first because the Mazda has always been the better one and this gen is no exception. I would hate to see how the Corolla or even more so Impreza Dash rate on the scale of blandness…………
Also if steering lightness is a problem, then perhaps a ride in the Impreza will make you appreciate how good the road feel is in the 3.
I also read complaints of road noise, but I found the new gen much much better and very quiet and refined.
Its also notably punchier than the previous model which was one of the quicker ones in the class to start with
Who the heck would pass this up for a tarted up Corolla?
Yes Andrew, the 3 does need servicing at 10,000k intervals, but I reckon 4cyls shouldnt go past 10,000 anyway.
4 Bangers are dead set oil burners. The oil looks stuffed at 5,000ks.
The only reasonable case for 15,000 intervals is 6cyl and LPG vehicles
Also on the cluttered wheel…….
Well when you consider that one side of the wheel is for sat nav, there is no distraction created by that because I would hope people arent motoring along whilst trying to set it.
Also now that the radio controls use a different shaped button, it also lessens the confusion.
I just refreshed myself with the interior shots…….
Bland????
I dont think so Tim….
Totally agree Adam,
The 3 would turn twice the profit per unit compared to the Corolla.
3 doesnt do fleets, and they also dont move prices for the private buyers. Good luck trying to get some dollars off.
But in saying that its not all bad because resale is miles above the competition so you well and truely get your money back
Only fools would use dealership servicing.
Some charge you a labour rate close to $100 p/h whilst paying an apprentice $12-$15p/h.
All services are done within an allocated time frame, meaning your old oil has not even had a chance to drain out properly, and you are charged labour rates for inspections that do not happen even they make up 90% of the content on the scheduled service.
Find or ask around for a decent licensed mechanic with a good reputation, insist on using genuine parts i.e filters, during the warranty period to cover all bases in the event of a warranty claim and get better value for your money.
You will be surprised on how many unknown assembly faults a new car has when given the comb over by a decent mechanic. In this instance a dealership service would either never pick up the fault or if they do they will neglect to report it.
Gilly,
I agree that getting the apprentice to do the oil and the higher charge out rate etc,
but you must remember that the charge out rate doesnt olny include a direct labour charge.
in that charge out rate you are also paying for the girl that takes the phone calls aswell as the flashy neon sign and television advertising.
Also since when did an apprentice cost 12-15 bucks???
adam (aka mada)
Re price, where does one draw the line?
Base model golf in auto no options $32k driveaway
Base model 3 in auto and safety pk.$27k driveaway
Base model Corolla in auto no opt. $24k driveaway
Base model Lancer hatch auto hatch $23k driveaway
Base model i30 in auto no options $22k driveaway
Not sure what the Focus or Cruze are selling for, but i REALLY want a Japanese quality built car, so would/nt consider the Cruze [Korean and a sedan] and the [Focus, S/African and boring, no cheaper either]
Chinese and Protons, mid to high teens, PASS not totoal desperate for the cheapest in the field, after VALUE not lowest price!
The Lancer is looking good for me, and NO WAY is the golf worth $10k more.Bang for buck and features the Lancer cannot be beat.
QUESTION is [please C/A] whats the mail on the MY10 Lancer, currently MY09 is in runout and all i can get from Mitsubishi “improved running changes” no idea when its out or what actually has changed.
To many choices is the real issue!
Cheers
F-0
Vote: 5 5
Also since when did an apprentice cost 12-15 bucks???
Was I being too generous?
I might add that little diagnostic print out some dealers give is also a bogus sense of security that they are the pinnacle of high tech servicing. In the old days they adjusted your handbrake to get the same outcome.
I just can’t reconcile the looks of the “3″. nd I own an 08 Mazda “2″).
I bought a mark VI Golf, & I’m absolutely delighted with it.
Germans cars really do drive differently than Japanese cars.
It’s a refreshing change.
6 monthly service intervals, what a load of crap! They only do it to make more money and improve the vehicles reliability (which you are paying for).
A friend had a Subaru Liberty and was servicing every 6 months regardless of Kms. It cost him heaps and in the end had a gut-full. He took it to a good mechanic and he found Subaru had not been doing all the servicing by the book!
Why the hell is my earlier comment still awaiting moderation? I only used the word c*ckpit, friggin rediculous CA!
Isn’t the Golf in the same price range and a direct competitor to Focus, Corolla, Astra, Lancer, Mazda3 and Civic in Europe?
The 2.0L Mazda3 still has a timing belt? That is an extra $500-$900 to service every couple of years.
Gilly
the one little thing you seem to be missing in your response to the dealership service is that if something does go wrong, then the manufacturer has less chance in getting out of paying for it under warranty. Computer updates/patches are only available through franchised workshops etc.. there was recently a campaign by a large mechanical chain group to force manufacturers to release the computers and updates to all mechanical shops because of this reason.. why should they? If they have dealers paying 100k a year for the right of a franchise then they deserve exclusiveness. I’d wager that even though your car had never been to a manufacturer approved workshop, if something went wrong 2 months or 10k out of warranty you would expect them to fix it and complain when they said too bad so sad…
As to the Lancer that keeps getting mentioned, I was in the unfortunate possition to be beside an accident yesterday where a ‘00 Sportage ran into the back of an ‘09 Lancer. Heavy traffic situation (well for Brisbane anyway) moving at 25>30Kph. Sportage braked late and skidded into Lancer. Sportage broke 1 headlight, wrecked the bumper skin and bent leading edge of bonnet. The Lancer had Boot lid unopenable, Rear bumper skin, boot floor, C pillar, turret Drivers door and Right hand front guard damage (the doors had been shoved forward onto the guard). Now I know that this is a five star car, but the amount of damage was just totally out of proportion for the accident. Everyone who stopped, including the towies was shocked. After witnessing that the Lancer is Definately OFF the list. (unfortunately because I like teh look)
Actually, providing your vehicle is serviced by a licenced mechanic and according to the service schedule, then the manufactuer cannot get out of warranty claims. Having the appropriate computer and updates helps give the dealer a competitive edge.
Of course, as per your wager, that doesn’t stop them trying it on. A VW salesman attempted to tell me the other week that if the vehicle was serviced anywhere apart from THAT dealership my warranty would be instantly void. What Rubbish.
Frontman^^^^
“Sportage ran into the back of an ‘09 Lancer. Heavy traffic situation (well for Brisbane anyway) moving at 25>30Kph”
4WD’s/SUV’s by nature sit a lot higher than a std. vehicle.
I would:
A/
Like to see the Sportage run into any other vehicle at the same said speed on the same road etc.
B/
Like to see a *normal* car run into the back of it.
Cheers
F-0
Adam
I think the Cruze will evenutally give the Mazda3 a run for it money. If they do build the hatch here there is no reason it shouldn’t
After reading thru all the responses some of us have gotten away from what the topic is….
The Mazda 3 is a bold and fresh new design and as a mid 40’s male I like….so does that make me a girlie man.
What alot of dribble has been written in some of the responses.
The road test was fair and written critically by the tester but there are a few things that I don’t agree on but choice is what it comes down to.
The outgoing SP23 had the 6spd man and the 5spd auto so that research was an oversight.
I have driven both 2.0lt and 2.5lt in hatch and sedan and I can say that Mazda have made improvements that quite noticable. I found that the autos gear change quite smooth and didn’t hunt like in some of its competitives.
The interior and trim on the entire range is pleasat to the eye and the dash is functional and within reach of the driver. The manual 6spd gearbox is easy to use and silky smooth. I didn’t find the steering that light like the tester quoted and the seats are quite supportive. The amount of buttons on the SP25 steering was something you need to get use to but you do forget they are there….
The fit and finish on these cars is up to Mazdas standard and the cabin noise has been reduced but in saying that honestly how many people drive around not listening to something coming from the stereo.
My personal choice would be a hatch and on the 22nd July I have been privileged to join other loyal Mazda fans to drive the new MPS….
This is for Frontman. You mentioned the 3 only has 2 child seat anchorage points. That is incorrect. Like most other hatches/wagons, regardless of brand, the anchorage point is up the back just below the latch above the floor. It means that you have the straps running across the hatch area. That is no different to just about every other hatch/wagon. Some have all the anchor points up the back meaning you loose hatch space no matter what. In this respect the 3 is actually better than some and no worse than most.
300L is in the lower end of hatch size, but it still isn’t the worst in class for eg Corolla = 283L. Still not as big as the Golf or Focus though!
I agree totally about the Space Saver spare. What a pain, however Mazda is not the only culprit here either. Look at the “non-optioned” spare that comes with “Australia’s Favorite Car” that is designed specifically for out tough climate and “means a great deal to Autralia”. To me that is even more deplorable. :-)
Frontman, high crumpling of the front and rear doesn’t correlate with lower safety of the car, as long as there is no intrusion into the cabin. In fact a large crumple zone actually increases safety, you should know this.
Don’t mind new Mazda 3. Good looks inside & out, great engines. I don’t see why it shouldn’t sell in huge numbers. What i don’t get is how Corolla sells. Get rid of it, its fugly, crap engine, evrything. Holden Cruze is way better. I’d rather any car other than Corolla or Focus to lead the small car market. Go HOLDEN!
Andrew M: Who is the Tim guy you speak of lol, I don’t see a comment from me!
On topic: Love this car. The SP25 is stylish, well built, drives very nicely and is everything you would really want in a car. The Golf IMO is so boring and so generic looking that I wouldn’t even bother taking it for a test drive. I like the interior of this 3, better than the older frumpy looking one and how the sat nav is integrated is fantastic. I was also very surprised with the quality of the material.
Great car. Better than the normal hurd of Corolla’s, Focus’s, Lancers.
And the first generation ‘3′ did have a four speed auto in the first few years of its lifecycle, which was replaced by the 5 speed in the last year or so of its life.
After dropping the 6 in for it’s six monthly service (don’t get me started on that) I thought I would have a look at a the new 3. The interior ist a slight improvement over the previous model,though there is much part bin sharing between the 3/6.As for the exterior, I couldn’t get used to the smiley face. The dealer mentioned that the darker models sell better as it obscures the grin a bit. The rear with the angular lights just don’t work for me, give me the old 3 style instead.
If you want to see real cost cutting though, jump into the new MX5 and lower the sun visor to reveal the cheapest mirror and plastic trim detailing around – this is a $50k car!
¡puɐʇs pɐǝɥ pǝpuǝʇxǝ sıɥʇ ɯoɹɟ punoɹɐ uɹnʇ ǝɯ ʇǝl ʍou ¡ǝlqıɹɹǝʇ sʞool ɹǝɥʇɐǝl ʇɐɥʇ puɐ ǝɯ ɹoɟ ɥƃnouǝ ƃuıʞɐǝɹqpunoɹƃ ʇusı ʇsnɾ ɹoıɹǝʇuı ǝɥʇ ɯɯɯɥ
ANTI-SPAM: Mazda
I think I would rather the KIA Cerato Koup, 129kw on the 2.4L. I just can’t get past the big smiley grille on the 3.
When the Corolla is released towards the end of this year with the 2 litre and 5 speed Auto, this will be a better car than what it is now, however will it be able to match the Maxx Sport 2 litre. The KW would have to be somewhere near 115 and NM would have to be around 200 – a better car than the ’slow’ current 1.8 Corolla.
The 3 always, including last year had a 4 speed auto, withnthe exception of the SP23.
Correct Ted. However the review was of the SP25, so when comparing it to the previous version of the equivalent model, the review is still incorrect saying the 6 speed manual in the test car replaces the old 5 speed. On a side note, the 3 Diesel also had a 6 speed manual. :-)
My wifes Mazda 3 40 k service was $600 + . Way over priced. My 1997 80 series diesel majors were a similar cost ,admittedly that was 12 years ago. Apart from that and the road noise on rough roads ,the Mazda 3 diesel is a gem. Drove the latest 3 with that face ,an auto, and cannot compare the 2 cars. The new petrol engined 3 needed a bag full of revs to move off the line with any speed,the steering was way too light and the interior styling was below par. The turbo diesel would eat it for breakfast Why has Mazda been so quiet about the diesel 3?
Have had an SP25 for a month.
It sucks petrol like it going out of fashion 12.6l (our other car a BMW325i E90 9.6l)
Main gripe THE FRONT PARKING SENSORS ARE USELESS they only have 2 sensors & only work “on objects on the kerb” (Mazda Australia quote)and the use of that is? Pretty poor Mazda!
On servicing our BMW has cost $1200 over 4 years 2 year 30K – $600, 4 year 60K – $600 at a BMW Dealer.
Maybe Mazda’s are like Inkjet Printers – pay nothing for the printer & then sting you on the consumables!
Like the old one better. That front end is a big turn off. I laugh when I see one on the road. I think it’s better than the Corolla though. I class Corollas as whitegoods on wheels. The interiors on Toyotas are boring as.
As for the comments on the child safety points, the KIA Cerato Hatch has all 3 located behind the seats. Therefore, you don’t loose boot space while placing your baby capsule in the safest spot in the car. And you can pick one of them up for less than $18,000 drive away if you shop around. Save your money and your kid at the same time.
The Volkswagen Golf with the 1.4 twin charged engine used 26% less fuel and emits 27% less carbon dioxide while providing a similar 0 to 100 time (9.5 seconds versus the 3’s 8.? time. But I aggree, the 3 looks more interesting than the Golf, it is probably a bit more dynamic to drive as well. People who like a more conservative looking car and car more about climate change should look at a Golf, while people who are less conservative and don’t care about climate change as much should be happy with the 3.
just out of curiosity….have you actually driven both cars in question?
I have just spent over a month deciding between the Mazda sp25 and the Golf 118 TSI and while it was not an easy decision as both cars have their + & -, I ended up choosing the Golf because it was a more refined car to drive, more powerful in low range especially with 240Nm torque, hugged the road nicely and evenly weighted in the steering due to speed sensitive power steering.
I am not knocking the Mazda 3 as it certainly is more eye candy in the looks department, well I am not totally in love with the front lower half, but I figured once I was inside the car, the driving experience was more important to me
and the “heated” leather seats are what I already had so wasnt prepared to go with the option of leather un-heated as in the case of Mazda, real shame this wasnt an option with Mazda.
I also felt the steering to be very light in the Mazda, but no doubt you would get used to this.
I believe the Mazda to be more of a fun drive and the Golf more of a refined drive…this is my personal opinion after test driving them both 5 times a piece.
If I did not have the new Golf to choose from, I would have definitely brought the sp 25
Oh and by the way….the Golf 118 TSI gets to 100km/h in 8 seconds, not 9.5 as you reported
Always liked the look of the old SP23, they look great on the road .. but this new SP25 I think looks pretty aweful from any angle especially that ridiculous “smiley” front end! .. maybe it’s just laughing at itself?
I just couldn’t bring myself to drive one of these, they look terrible!
Come to think of it I’m struggling to think of any Jap built car these days that doesn’t look disastrous!
Correct me if i’m wrong but when are mazda going to get the toys in the high end models that most other manufacturers have? Smart key start and entry, auto wipers, auto lights, electro-chromatic rear view mirror. Even the corolla has all these in the ZR
Sure it may not have those features, (although the MPS has those and a lot more) but it comes with useful features that the other don’t have, such as sat nav standard on half the models. The other cars in this class have to pay at least $2000 for this and some don’t even offer it as an option. Auto wipers, auto lights, are these features that make you wanna buy a car? You can do all of these manually.
I’m sure you can look up a map as well
I have had my SP25 3 months now I had the front park sensors installed and they are crap Mazda have had the car back 3 times trying to fix them and now tell me that there is nothing wrong with them (as they cant fix them) they beep almost every time you stop at traffic lights for no reason, totally useless and a waste of money…
you say that now, wait till you run into something while you are parking.
I’ve never understood the parking sensor thing. I’ve never scratched a bumper parking. I guess its another toy to allow people to get away with just not paying attention while driving.
aj555 says:
July 11, 2009 at 7:12 pm
After dropping the 6 in for it’s six monthly service (don’t get me started on that)
As a new Mazda 6 owner, just wondering if you would share what you meant earlier here or is it on the Mazda 6 thread – apologies I know this is about Mazda 3, but am very curious to know what your cars problems are, how old it is etc etc, if you have already shared this on a thread in Mazda 6 review, pls tell me which one
On the weekend I drove both the SP25 and the Maxx Sport both auto. I found the Maxx Sport to be lively with more throttle response and quit inside. Ths SP25 sounded like a front load washing machine and I do not think the extra 3K is worth it for the SP25 – only thing I would like in the Maxx Sport would be the Auto A/C. The SP25 did not feel any quicker than the SP25 and this may be dues to the it being near 80kg heavier that the Maxx Sport. I think that Mazda needs to reduce litre size and add turbo / supercharger to smaller, fuel efficent engines – I also think that Mazda makes excellent Rotary motors and many years ago, I have a hand full of rotary models. (put a rotary in the 3) If Mazda made piston engines like Honda, then we would have a nice package.
Thoughts anybody.
Ted