Test drive Mazda3 MPS Germany: brand new suit

Speed, drive, a wildly pounding heart — all this can be obtained in extreme sports, skydiving, or on roller coasters. But if you add solid power, intoxicating acceleration, and precise handling, you get what driving a truly sporty car delivers.

The engine remains the same - a 2.3-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with 260 hp. It is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission with revised gear ratios.

A car with the character of a sports car can deliver any of these experiences. It is a universal dope that hooks you completely. When there are impressive horsepower under your right foot and a responsive steering wheel in your hands that instantly executes any command, it is almost impossible to resist the range of emotions from driving such a machine.

The MPS follows the steering commands precisely on a winding road. Body roll is almost absent, and the steering wheel is sportily stiff, like in a proper race car.

We went to Germany to get another dose of this dope: the first press presentation of the new "hot" hatchback Mazda3 MPS took place in the suburbs of Hamburg.

I won't go into the details of the exterior — we have already written about the premieres of the regular "three" on the European and Russian markets, and it is on its basis that the hot version with the MPS badge (Mazda Performance Series) is built. I will only say that the Mazda3 MPS received a signature hood with a large air intake, different front fenders, more aggressive bumpers, other fog lights, LED rear lights, as well as a radiator grille and lower front bumper trim in "black metallic" color.

The interior features sport seats with a good profile and developed lateral support. Red stitching is used on the seats, steering wheel, handbrake lever, and gearshift to create a sporty atmosphere.

For the MPS version, only four color options are available: red (Velocity Red), aluminum metallic, black (Dlack Mica), and white pearl (Crystal White Pearl). And that's all. In essence, the new Mazda3 MPS, like its predecessor, remains a wolf in sheep's clothing. But is that a minus? On the contrary, the restrained appearance with individual accents — 18-inch alloy wheels with an aggressive design, twin exhaust tips, a hood air intake, and a discreet "MPS" badge — unobtrusively sets this "firecracker" apart from the flow. Connoisseurs will appreciate it, and the rest will understand when the five-door hot hatch turns into a dot on the horizon in a second.

The rear part boasts LED lights and twin exhaust tips, which helped reduce exhaust system noise by 10 dB.

Under the hood of the MPS is the same time-tested turbo engine MZR DISI with a displacement of 2.3 liters, delivering 260 hp and 380 Nm of torque. As Mazda representatives state, to reduce the effect of drift during sharp acceleration, the length of the right and left drive shafts had to be optimized. Also, the gear ratios in the 6-speed manual transmission were changed toward increasing. In practice, the Mazda3 MPS still "fires" after the 3000 rpm mark on the tachometer. Sharp acceleration all the way to the cutoff. But the youthful fervor of the previous "hot matryoshka" is gone. The redesigned interior and enhanced sound insulation have done their job: now the Mazda3 MPS feels like a more solid and mature car, not a test subject for young tuners who grew out of "eights" and "tens".

The Mazda3 MPS received an original hood with a large air intake, a special design for the front fenders, more aggressive bumpers, modified fog lights, as well as a radiator grille and lower front bumper trim painted in "black metallic" color.

The interior of the MPS version, unlike the regular Mazda3, received a signature instrument panel with a logo, a boost pressure gauge, red accent trim — stitching on the seats, steering wheel, handbrake lever, stylized door cards — as well as sport front seats with a well-thought-out profile and pronounced lateral support.

On the German market, the "base" version offers regular halogen headlights (photo below). For the Russian market, adaptive headlight system with bi-xenon headlights will be supplied as standard equipment (photo above).

On a straight line — just great! Excellent dynamics and an informative zero on the steering wheel allow you to calmly maintain about 220 km/h on German autobahns. Further acceleration becomes harder: even with an excellent drag coefficient of 0.32 Cx for its class, the mass of 1385 kg takes its toll, and the hot hatch begins to float in gusts of side wind.

The Mazda 3 MPS has acquired new 18-inch wheels. In addition, with the release of the new model, Mazda changed the tire supplier - now it is Dunlop with tires sized 225/40 R18.

On a winding road, the MPS obediently follows steering commands. Body roll is almost imperceptible, and the steering wheel is stiff, sporty, like in a race car. According to Mazda representatives, the reduction in body roll and increased stability on a straight line are the result of suspension refinement: increased stabilizer diameter, changed spring stiffness, and increased shock absorber resistance. However, despite the assurances of the Japanese colleague that after refining the rear suspension, the new Mazda3 MPS has gotten rid of understeer, at the limit with the stability system turned off, the "matryoshka" still tends to push its front axle wide in corners. Moreover, the drift occurs not at extreme speed. It is enough to briefly press the brake so that the front tires grip the asphalt, and the Mazda returns to the arc. Perhaps the new tire supplier is also to blame: now the MPS rolls off the assembly line on Dunlop tires sized 225/40 R18.

The center console is the same as on the "civilian" version of the "matryoshka". Here are the audio system unit, climate control, as well as seat heating controls and buttons for heating mirrors and windows, including the windshield. The instrument panel received a special MPS badge, as well as a boost pressure gauge.

According to official data, due to the twin exhaust pipes, the Mazda3 MPS has become quieter by 10 dB. Honestly, my ear did not notice a clear difference in noise level, but the fact that the sound has become juicier and more refined is certain. I will also note the increased diameter of the brake discs, thanks to which it has become more convenient to dose the force on the pedal than in the predecessor. Also, in the MPS version, unlike the "civilian three", the fuel tank has become larger by 5 liters — now it holds 60 liters.

The new adaptive headlight system with bi-xenon headlights deserves a special mention. In Germany, you will have to pay extra for it, but in Russia it will be included in the basic equipment. The starting price of the Mazda3 MPS here will be 1,216,000 rubles. However, it is difficult to call such a version "basic": it already includes a full electric package, dual-zone climate control, and that very adaptive optics. Of the additional options, only a Bose audio system with ten speakers and navigation are offered, which will add another 70 thousand rubles to the cost.

The previous generation Mazda3 MPS sold 958 units, making it the sales leader in its class. What has changed in the new version if the technical content remains the same? The "hot matryoshka" has evolved in exactly the same way as the regular Mazda3. That very spirited and passionate character of the first MPS is now clothed in a modern exterior, has received a more comfortable interior and a set of new options that have taken the lineup to a new level. The only thing that mars the picture is the Japanese yen exchange rate, which remains consistently high and is unlikely to go down.