Mazdaspeed 3 or Subura WRX?

[BigDaddyLionfish]

Which one is the most fun?

[Gripen]

I think a comparison to the Mazdaspeed 6 would be a bit more appropriate.

I would be interested in hearing from ppl that have driven both as well....

[stuckathuntermtn]

Speaking from experience, Mazdas are fun to drive. Not sure I could ever go back to FWD, though.

[sidewall]

I'd get the WRX especially if you live in the mountains. I think the speed 3 is a little too gundam looking for my tastes.

[BigDaddyLionfish]

I'm talking about 5-door if it makes a difference btw

[gg8983]

My younger sister has a Mazda 3 and I have a WRX. The 3 is fine, not super quick but comfy. The WRX, on the other hand, is a whole different animal. Much faster, better handling and AWD give it the edge in every category. Although the 3 does have Bluetooth so you can play tunes via iPhone with no cables.

[DirkaDirkaJack]

get one of these and you can have a Mazda with a 3 in the name and AWD!

[Dantheman]

My younger sister has a Mazda 3 and I have a WRX. The 3 is fine, not super quick but comfy. The WRX, on the other hand, is a whole different animal. Much faster, better handling and AWD give it the edge in every category. Although the 3 does have Bluetooth so you can play tunes via iPhone with no cables.

He's looking at the Mazdaspeed 3; 265hp turbo engine, sport suspension, yada yada yada. It's pretty much a WRX without AWD.


BDL - If you enjoy four-wheel drifting in the snow, then FWD is not for you.

[slampe]

Based off of owning a WRX, no experience with a Speed3, I would advocate for the Symmetrical AWD! Cornering is out of this world with it, plus makes winter driving much more enjoyable...

[snow_slider]

Mazda has been able to dial down the torque steer in the Speed 3 a bit, but it's still there.



A lot.

[Garrett]

Subarus drive like trucks. Mazdas drive like cars. Choose accordingly.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Based off of owning a WRX, no experience with a Speed3, I would advocate for the Symmetrical AWD! Cornering is out of this world with it, plus makes winter driving much more enjoyable...

He's right. I think I might actually drive more aggressively in the snow. Doing low speed handbrake u-turns when you need to park on the other side of the street is always great when you go to and from the same place, and you need to change directions to park in front of your house. I guess it doesn't snow in Missoula anymore, though. It's pretty sweet, it's damp, about 30 and if it snows/rains we get a slushy mess. It's also really good for my arthritis.

and yes, I'm crazy.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

Subarus drive like trucks. Mazdas drive like cars. Choose accordingly.

Yes, my WRX drives just like my Toyota 4x4.

[trainnvain]

get one of these and you can have a Mazda with a 3 in the name and AWD!

Ohhh, how I miss my old 323

[Garrett]

Yes, my WRX drives just like my Toyota 4x4.

I drive a Miata that weighs 2400lbs, so yeah, it does by comparison. I've driven MS3s and WRXs and WRXs are absolutely softer, less grippy, less direct, more marshmallowy steering automobiles.

Not really a bad thing, its just a characteristic. WRXs are infinitely better on snow and gravel.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

I drive a Miata that weighs 2400lbs, so yeah, it does by comparison. I've driven MS3s and WRXs and WRXs are absolutely softer, less grippy, less direct, more marshmallowy steering automobiles.

Not really a bad thing, its just a characteristic. WRXs are infinitely better on snow and gravel.

Just curious - what year(s) WRX?

And the Miata is really an apples to oranges comparison but I believe you about the MS3. I was really close to buying an MS6 vs. the WRX.

[Todds]

get one of these and you can have a Mazda with a 3 in the name and AWD!

I had a 323 GTX. It was a cool car. Nobody knew what it was. The only markings were a couple of stickers.

[BigDaddyLionfish]

A lot of mixed opinions

[El Chupacabra]

Comparing current 2010 models of the WRX and MS3, or older ones too?

I really liked the older MS3; thought it looked a lot nicer than the current body style 3, which is just obnoxious.

I don't care for the looks of any WRX or Impreza, any generation. The Saaburu 9-2X was the nicest looking. The last-generation Legacy/ Outback wagon was the best-styled vehicle Subaru ever produced.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo looks better than both, but Mitsubishi charges too much for that car ($40K!!!).

[/random afternoon thoughts from someone who no longer thinks that speed/performance is the end all of a car, but actually wants it to look nice and have some creature comforts]

[beaterdit]

Subarus drive like trucks. Mazdas drive like cars. Choose accordingly.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

I drive a Miata................................

BWA!

[Phill]

I've driven both.

The WRX is all around a better car.

However that said they're cars that don't know what they want to be.

They're not fast
They don't really handle that well (subaru way better than the mazda)
They're really kind of tackily appointed.
They're not that comfortable (mazda wins over the subaru here)

Which would all be forgivable except for this:

They're not that cheap either.

[hutash]

^^^...but you can mod the hell out of both of them, then hang around parking lots in Orange County and talk about how cool and modded out your car is, then drive of and not know shit about how to actually drive a performance car.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

I've driven both.

The WRX is all around a better car.

However that said they're cars that don't know what they want to be.

They're not fast
They don't really handle that well (subaru way better than the mazda)
They're really kind of tackily appointed.
They're not that comfortable (mazda wins over the subaru here)

Which would all be forgivable except for this:

They're not that cheap either.

Not fast compared to what? My '06 is definitely not the fastest car around, but it gets up and moves out and is faster than the majority of other sporty cars out there. I mean seriously, what cars are you comparing it to? An MS3 is the car in question here, and it's probably about the same power-wise. The MS6 is slower. The Accord with the high output V6 is right in there, and surprisingly the Camry has a really strong engine too. I can't think of any other cars in the same price range (mid $20K) that are all that much faster though supposedly the Neon SRT4 and Cobalt SS will both give a WRX a run for it's money, but if you think the WRX is tacky and uncomfortable, those cars take it to a whole other level. In '09 they gave the WRX 35 more horses and they're pretty damned quick now, easily running mid 13-second 1/4 mile times which is faster than just about anything else in it's price range.

Tackily appointed? How so? If you're talking about the STi then I kind of agree with you (obnoxious wing, loud interior, etc.) but a regular WRX, especially the limited version with the leather interior seems pretty nice to me. It aint no Lexus but it holds its own with other cars and is certainly a step above some. Everyone who's seen or ridden in my car has been impressed with the look and feel of the interior.

Handling and comfort I'll give you. But, most "sporty" cars don't exactly have comfortable, plush rides. Again, the regular WRX is far more liveable and comfortable than the STi, which is one of several reasons I didn't get the STi. The STi rides like a skateboard, the WRX has a reasonably good ride though nowhere near as nice as say a G35 or Acura TL, but then again it's not in the same price league either. I did find the MS6 to have a better ride, too.

I'm not sure how the options break out on the newest models, but I know back in '06 when mine was offered ('07 was the same) there were three different trim levels. There was the TR which was bare-bones basic. Manual climate controls, no sunroof, etc. The seats in the TR suck, I found them just plain uncomfortable. Then there was the regular WRX which had nicer seats and some other options but with a cloth interior, and then the limited which is what mine is. It has the nicer seats but with leather, seat heaters, climate control, heated mirrors and windshield, sunroof, etc. etc.

Handling was very easy to improve on my WRX. A pair of aftermarket swaybars that I installed in an afternoon made a night and day difference. The body stays nice and flat even when pushed hard in the corners now and there was almost no difference in ride. Also, the stock Bridgestone all-season tires that come on them are garbage. A set of good summer performance tires makes another huge difference. I bought a set of steel wheels with snow tires for winter driving.

The '06 had significant upgrades over earlier models also. The regular '06 WRX got the 2.5L engine that only the STi had gotten earlier. Though detuned compared to the STi it still has better low-end and midrange torque compared to the 2.0L in the earlier cars. The '06 also got larger brakes with 4-pot calipers in front and 2-pots in the rear and 17" wheels, all aluminum suspension components and an aluminum hood.

In '08 when the new body style came out Subaru was trying to appeal to a larger audience and went too far in detuning the suspension. Lots of complaints about the '08 just being way too soft, lousy handling and even the brake feel was bad. Combine that with a larger, heavier platform and the '08 is not a good choice. In '09 they rectified the suspension and braking problems and gave them 35 more horses, making the regular '09 WRX almost as fast as the STi and a much better handling car as well. There were engine problems in the first half of the year relating to changes in bearing design which eliminated the use of lead in the bearings. By all reports Subaru has been very good about replacing engines that had problems and the problems usually crop up in the first 40K. After the first half of the model year's production run Subaru changed engine assembly procedures and there are no more complaints about the engines.

yeah, I like my Subaru. I'm weird and I even like the styling. I shopped around and did a fair amount of comparison. I wanted a car that was fun to drive AND practical (AWD being a key factor) and to me the WRX just seemed the best of what was available in my price range. The MS6 was a nice car too (I like the MS6's styling better), but it wasn't as fast, didn't have nearly as good of aftermarket support, and it's AWD system wasn't as well proven as the Subaru's.

One thing to keep in mind, and this is probably true of the MS3 as well - what we're really talking about here are economy cars that have been dressed up as performance cars. They're fun to drive, but they're not going to compare well to cars costing $10K+ more. Duh.

[Garrett]

Also, the stock Bridgestone all-season tires that come on them are garbage. A set of good summer performance tires makes another huge difference.

Yeah. Subaru puts some truly horrible OEM tires on.

I've driven WRXs early and late and I preferred the earlier ones for most things. I've only driven one MS3 a year or two ago. Haven't driven the new one.

I have some of the same reservations Phill has. I might consider a WRX for a ski car, but I wouldn't want to drive one in the summer. Too effing pudgy. I don't think there is much rational explanation for buying an MS3, its just a certain subset of people really like what Mazda does with cars.

beaterdit, thanks for keeping my insurance rates low...nothing but hairdressers and old guys in miatas.

[El Chupacabra]

the stock Bridgestone all-season tires that come on them are garbage.

Yeah. Subaru puts some truly horrible OEM tires on.

Did yours come with the Potenza RE092 tires? These seem to be universally hated... and they came on my used Lexus last fall. Amazingly loud on rough road surfaces, and rough riding. They still have decent tread left, so I'm leaving them on the car for now, but I sure hope that new tires improve the noise & handling.