Mazda 3 MPS (2009 - 2013) review

At a glance |
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New price | £23,375 - £23,375 |
Used price | £3,825 - £8,675 |
Used monthly cost | From £95 per month |
Fuel economy |
Not tested to latest standards
View pre-2017 economy specs
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Road tax cost | £330 |
Insurance group | 34 How much is it to insure? |
PROS
Strong performance, superb in-gear acceleration, aggressive looks, good value for a hot hatch
CONS
Not very engaging to drive, steering struggles under acceleration, lacks the feelgood factor
Mazda 3 MPS rivals
At the top of the Mazda3 range sits the MPS - the high performance model which is an alternative to the likes of the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Ford Focus ST. One thing it has on its side is power - the turbocharged engine produces an impressive 260bhp which is considerably more than most hot hatchbacks. Compared to the first Mazda3 MPS, this one is far more aggressive and distinctively styled.
It's also very well equipped with sat nav, Bluetooth and a Bose stereo system as standard. All this adds up to make the MPS great value for money, especially when compared to more well known performance hatches. However, while it's fast, it doesn't feel very involving to drive and lacks that all important enjoyment element you'd expect from this sort of car.