Mazda3 SP23 2006 Review

When Mazda introduced the 3 to replace the venerable 323 in 2004, the car dramatically shifted up the scale in driveability and went from what was a solid, reliable and good value small hatch to a car that offered much more in terms of driver appeal.

With a chassis that is shared with the superb Ford Focus and Volvo S40/V50, it was a marked improvement over the previous generation while the range-topping SP23 also had the grunt to go with the new lively chassis.

In July 2006, the whole range underwent an upgrade -- largely under the skin -- and a new go-fast turbo 190kW/380Nm MPS was added to the 3 lineup. But the addition of the hot hatch has done nothing to take away the appeal of the SP23. While the MPS is a more focussed performance machine, the beauty of the SP23 is that it is (now) quiet, refined and comfortable enough for a daily driver in the city but can still deliver the extra appeal for an enthusiastic blatt out in the country.

Under the bonnet, the SP23's 2.3-litre petrol four is carryover from the previous model with the same outputs of 115kW at 6500rpm and 203Nm at 4500rpm -- 7kW and 21Nm over the standard 2.0-litre engine that powers the rest of the Mazda3 range -- but it now drives the front wheels through a choice of transmissions that both offer an extra ratio. The auto box is now a five-speed while the manual that CarPoint spent the week in features six gear ratios.

And it really does make a difference to the drive experience helping to transform the engine into something sportier than its figures might suggest. With closely spaced third, fourth and fifth gear ratios you can easily keep the engine revving in the power zone, which, combined with the instant response from the electronic throttle, allows you to truly extract the most out of the engine on a tight twisting country road. This is an engine that does like to rev and feels strongest in the upper reaches as it keeps pulling from about 3500rpm right through to the 7000rpm rev limiter.

But that said, it is also an enormously flexible powerplant and if you are feeling lazy, you can almost simply set and forget the gears with the engine happy to pull up from about 2000rpm in 4th at 60kmh.

The chassis too is set up to offer the best of both worlds. On the tight twisty stuff, you can push the car hard into a corner and it will sit fairly flat and stable on the road with only the slightest hint of well controlled roll under really fast cornering. It will push wide if you try particularly hard but it is always quick to recover with a slight off of the throttle and overall there is an abundance of traction from the wide grippy 17-inch 205/50 Bridgestone Potenza rubber. If things get sticky -- or not as the case may be -- in the wet or on dirt, the DSC is subtly calibrated to come into effect with the minimum of fuss.

The steering is nice and direct with a meaty feel through the thick-rimmed leather-wrapped wheel although it could still do with a bit more feedback and overall the chassis feels very well balanced enabling you to get a good rhythm and push on through.

On the flip side, there is no question that the ride is firm but there remains enough compliance in the spring and damper rates and overall stiffness of the suspension to be able to cope with rough country roads or city tram tracks and chopped up tarmac. While really bad roads will start to upset things a little, the big bolstered comfy and supportive seats also do a good job of insulating the harshness of the road's surface.

With plenty of adjustments to get the right driving position, they also do a great job of holding you firmly in place as you wind along a country road and stylistically, they add to the appeal of the SP23.

From the outside, the car looks the part too with a subtle but stylish body kit incorporating a lower front bumper, side skirts and roof-mounted rear spoiler and the 17-inch alloys.

Inside, sporty cosmetics fill out the visuals while CarPoint's test car was fitted with the Luxury Pack that adds black leather trim as well as DSC stability control and an excellent Bose six-stack CD audio system.

As a high end model, there is no shortage of standard kit including cruise control, climate control, power windows and mirrors, remote locking, six airbags and ABS. Space in the rear is more than enough for two adults and the boot will swallow 340 litres or more courtesy of the 60/40 split-fold rear seat back.

With the arrival of the MPS, Mazda now has a real hot hatch and the SP23 was never going to cut it against the likes of VW's Golf GTi or the Ford Focus XR5. But it still has a very valuable place in the Mazda3 lineup as a car that offers plenty of driver appeal with a lively chassis and flexible grunty engine while also being comfortable and practical enough to be used for the daily work or school run.